MAORI LEGISLATION.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XI, Issue 537, 15 November 1862, Page 4

MAORI LEGISLATION.

[From the Aucldander, Oct. 31.]

The last number of the Maori Messenger, a journal published by the authority of the Government, has given an account of the first Runanga of Mongonui, which was opened by Mr White, the Resident Magistrate, and President of the Runanga, on the 29th of July, and adjourned on the Ist of August to the 6th of January, 1863. We have read the report of these proceedings with interest. They appear to have been conducted 4 with prudence, and, so far as it appears from the report, in good order. It is not avowed, as in the case of the first Waimate Runanga, that the members had been previously disciplined in the parts they had to perform — but it is not the less evident that they had, and it is quite right that they should have been.

The business was indeed of a very pleasant description, and we have no doubt it was transacted con amore. All the members of the Runanga, 7 in number, were present, besides the President. On the motion of Hohepa Poutana, it was agreed that " the Assessors of the district should have a sitting in the Runanga, but without a vote." The first motion was that the Assessors should have five more added to their number, and that they all should have their salaries increased to £20 a-year, which was agreed to without discussion. The names of the Wardens were then called over, 17 in number, and agreed to. The following day a discussion arose about the division of the price of certain land purchased by the Government. Heke claimed £100, Tipene was willing to give £10. Kingi Wiremu "hadjieard that Heke was entitled to the sum of £100, and had also heard Tipene say that Heke was only entitled to the sum of £10. His opinion was that £50 would be a fair sum." Others considered that Heke was entitled to .£3O. " Whaka Ranganui said it was his opinion that Heke had no title to the land ; that his claim arose from his having had charge of the land. He considered £30 was the sum which should be given him." The sum fixed upon eventually was £25. A proposed Fencing Act does not appear to have been discussed with the same degree of cordiality. On going into committee upon it, " considerable discussion took place, but none of the clauses were approved of." " The Committee, however, after much discussion, agreed to several amendments, and it was agreed that "it should be made a law for this district ;" so that it only wants the Governor's approval to subject the Europeans settled in that district to Maori law, administered by Maories.

The sum of <£49 175., arising from fees and fines, was placed at the disposal of the Runanga, and it was suggested by the President that it should be appropriated to the building of a house for the Runanga, and that, perhaps, the Government would give .£SO more. The proposition was agreed to, and five acres of land belonging to the natives, in the valley of Ornru, were given for the purpose.

.AH the proceedings appear to have been of a very satisfactory character, and we have great pleasure in admitting them to be so, with the exception of the Fencing Bill. But we have a different account to give of the leading article by which they were introduced.

The following passages are scarcely to he exceeded in mendacity, even by the columns of the New Zealander :—: —

" The Mongonui district extends from Herekino harbour, or False Hokianga, on the West Coast, to Whaingaroa on the East, being a coast line of 160 miles. The lands within this territory are considered to be of superior quality, abounding in cultivated grounds, for the most part possessed by the Aupouri and Rarawa tribes. There are many ex - cellent farms, too, the property of enterprising Europeans, large flocks of sheep, and herds of cattle. The natives ooncentrated from all parts of the district at Mongonui, to witness the proceedings of its first Parliament, and the visitois returned to their respective settlements much pleased with so orderly and prompt a mode of regulating native affairs.

We cannot close these remarks without referring to the advantages of good government which the natives are now exercising. Their former government was carried on through fear and horror, — not, as now, by the pen and just laws, but by the mere or battle-axe, the poupouwhenua or club, the Taoroa or spear, the Miratuatini or flesh-knife, and, in later times, by the tomahawk or gun, all of which weapons, if not '{turned into ploughshares or pruninghooks — we sincerely hope have been laid aside for ever, not only by the District Runangas of the Bay of Islands and Mongonui, but by every tribe throughout New Zealand."

Now, with regard to the coast line, the fact is that at least one-half, probably nearer two-thirds of it, encloses a long neck of sand hills producing nothing, and capable of producing nothing save bent grass:. that, as to the cultivated grounds, in which the district is said to abound, the census of December, 1861, returns the land fenced in belonging to Europeans at 2,015 acres, the land under crop at 301 acres, and 667 acres under grass. The houses of wood 68, of brick and stone 1, of other materials 46. The total population being, of Europeans, 487, and of Maories, something under 2,500. The cattle owned by Europeans in the district are returned at 1,339 ; the sheep at 2,491. From these little statistics our readers will judge whether or not we are justified in pronouncing the paragraph first quoted a mendacious statement. Let these particulars be compared with the large words of the paragraph. The lands within this 160 miles of sea coast, " considered to be of superior qua-

lity," "abounding in cultivated grounds," " with many excellent farms," and " large flocks of sheep, and herds of cattle" — the greater part being actually a sandy waste — the whole population being that of a goodsized village — the whole live stock not equal to that of a fourth or fifth-rate grazier.

Then, again, as to " the good government which the natives are now exercising." It is true they have consented that each seventy of their numbers — men, women, and children — shall have its salaried officer at the expense of the colonists, and they have met and exerercised the privilege of senatorial eloquence in a way which our House of Representatives might imitate with advantage — and this, we fear, is " exercising government" in the eyes of more of our public functionaries than the scribe who penned the leader of the Maori Messenger. They have also passed a " Fencing Act," which they will not fail to put in force when they can get anything by it from one of the European settlers, but which will prove a dead letter in most other cases. The fact is, not as the Maori Messenger would lead its readers to suppose, that the Native Institutions had converted the Natives from the use of the club and the tomahawk to that of " the pen and just laws," but -that these scattered tribes, removed as they ' have been from the interference of the Government, and never indebted to it for mills or vessels, or in any other shape, have been so far civilized by the Missionaries and the settlers, that for the last dozen years crime of any sort has been but little heard of amongst them ; and the " New Institutions," for which so much is claimed, amount to nothing more than obtaining their consent to receive so many salaries in return for duties which will be performed when profitable and agreeable ; and when otherwise than profitable or agreeable, left .unperformed.