The Timaru Herald. SATURDAY, AUGUST 21, 1880.

Timaru Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 1846, 21 August 1880, Page 2

The Timaru Herald. SATURDAY, AUGUST 21, 1880.

The Report issued by the "West Coast Commission is not pleasant reading. Its pages teem with broken pledges, and dishonorable subterfuges on the part of successive Governments m their dealings with the natives. It is a Report which makes Englishmen blush for the honor of their good name to see how that name for fair dealing and honesty of purpose has been borne to the very dust by unscrupulous English officials, and dishonored by transactions of the very worst character. For years the Native Department has been the arena where jobbery and corruption have had the fullest license, and where cajolery and lying seem to havo been

rather an established custom followed by its officers, and by the wretched crew of hangers-on who battened on the dealings of the Department with the deceived and cruelly wronged natives. The first paragraph of the Report is significant. It runs a» follows : — In presenting this second Report to your Excellency, our first word must be one of regret at having to ask so much from your patience. But the further wo went into the talk which your Excellency had commanded us to undertake, the more clearly we saw two things: First, that the disaffection of the natives on the West Coast was but the natural outcome of a feeble and vacillating policy towards them during more than fifteen years ; secondly, that the troubles which during that period beset every successive Government might have been mastered at any time, if only scrupulous good faith had waited on steadfast counsels and a consistent purpose. It was not possible for us to say this, without bringing before your Excellency m detail the testimony on which we say it. This can be taken as a preface of that which comes after. To the end of the thirty-four closely written pageß of the Report the words of the preface are more than confirmed, as step by step the Commissioners bring to light the heretofore hidden things of the Department, and exhibit m all their ugly deformity the nature of its transactions. As it i» impossible for us to touch, even lightly, on the different matters treateji of m this able State paper, we shall gire verbatim one chapter by which, as from a sample page, the character of our dealings towards the Maoris can be judged : — THE GOVERNMENT AWARDS. When the non-resident natives heard that they were excluded by the Court, they threatened to return at once to Taranaki, m order to maintain their rights. This promised a now and dangerous complication, and the Government were compolled to take the matter up. In Septembor 1867 n meoting of the absentees took placo at Wellington, whon Mr Richmond, Native Minister m Sir Edward Stafford's administration, drow up a scheme for admitting thorn to compensation on the same scalo as the Whanganui judgment had fixed. This scheme, with a minute of Governor Sir George Grey upon it, will be found m the appendix. Sir George Grey told his Ministers that he hud mado a promise to " those natives who obeyed his orders and did not go to Taranaki, that they should m any future settlement have their claims adjusted upon at least as favorablo a footing as those who, by going to Taranaki, had greatly increased the ombarrassments and difficulties of the Government ;" and ho would only " acquiesce m any arrangemont by his Ministers if he understood from them that they hid considered and made allowance for his promise." But the Ministry refused to re-open the question ; and the end of it was that upon a calculation being made of tho quantity required to meet 755 absentee-claims at sixteon acres each, the Government awarded 12,200 acres to five of the tribes. But on the Attorney-General being desired to draft an Order m Council to givo effect to this decision, it appeared doubtful whether the Governor had any authority to do what was proposed, as tho Act did not contemplate claims of tribes and hapus. Presently the Confiscated Lands Act of 1867 was passed, which was intended to supply the power: yet nothing was done to allocate the, awards. At the same time that this took place the Government also made awards to certain chiefs as follows: — 200 acres to T» Puni, "m recognition of his long and faithful services " ; 100 acres to Wi Tako for " recent services " ; 100 acres to Mohi Ngaponga, because the Court had said he had % better claim than the rest of the excluded absentees ; and 100 acres to Hemi Parai, m consideration of his having remained at Wellington at tho instanco of the Government when he might have returned to Taranaki. Now not a single acre of these awards made by the Government lias been allotted Co this day. The promise was made m 1866. A year afterwards the chiefs begged to have their land allotted. In 1869 they asked again. When they tried once more m 1870 the Native Office declared that as the land of Taranaki hadbeenreturned to the tribo, the Govornment were absolved from their promises to these chiefs. In 1871theyrenewedtheirprayor, complaining of being " humbugged by tho Government." Again the Nativo Office insisted that the Government did not now possess tho land they had promised to givo tho chiefs, and there wis nothing to compensate them for. In 1873 they brought forward their claim once more, and Sir Donald McLean promised to see to it. But nothing was done till 1878, whrn ,Wi Tako asked that Mr Richmond's papers might be searched to show how tho land had been promised. An attempt was then made to find Wi Tako himself a piece of land ; but it failed for six months, when Mr Sheehan took it m hand. Then Major Brown offered Wi Tako a section m tho Ngaire district about a mile from Stratford ; but the situation being objected to by Wi Tako, the papers got put (.way till we unearthed thorn the other day. Tho spectacle of these five chiefs trying m vain for thirteen years to get tho paltry dole of land which had been promised to them m recognition of loyal service, is sad enough j but when it is romombored that one of tlieso chiefs was To Puni, tho earliest and truest friend whom the English settlers ever had, tho story ought to fill us all with shamo. Wo could not bring ourselves to beliove that such a thing could bo ; nor was it till after repcatod applications to tho Native and Land Departments, that wo could bo porsuaded of its reality. But there is a more troublesomo thing to settle than tho awards wo havo been speaking of, and that is the case of the natives known as tho " Chatham Islanders." Previous to tho great Waikato invasion half a century ago, theio people lived at Waitarn. Flying before the Waikato warriors thoy loft their homes, and after many wanderings settled m the Chatham Islands, enslaving tho aboriginal race of Morions. No sooner did they hoar that thoy wero excluded by tho Compensation Court than they rosolved upon returning to their former homes. Tho efforts of tho Government to prevent them wero of no avail, and tho first party of tho re-migra-tion (about 120) landed at Taranaki m January 1868, tho root (about 150) following m November. The Government ordered Mr Parris to make the best arrangement ho could for settling thorn "on tho land set apart for them m common with other absentees," But no land had really beon set apart for anybody. Mr Parris put them on land at Mimi and Urenui, and thero thoy are to this day. Thoy havo always been among tho Btaunchest adherents of Te Whiti, and who can wonder at it ? It will not bo easy finally to settle thoir claim f, for thoro is a prior claim of nearly 10,000 ' acres of Court awards to bo satisfied between tho White Cliffs and Urenui : and Mr Parris m his ovidonco estimates that adding this amount to tho area required for the Chatham Islanders, 20,000 acres will have to be provided. Now as tho bush along tho coast between Urenui and the White Cliffs comes down to within a milo and a half of the sea, thero is but little open land available: and whoever has tho allocation of these 20,000 acres to mako will havo some troublo on his hands. Can anything well be more humiliating to us than this story of the five chiefs. Promised faithfully m 1866 that each should receive a parcel of land, the promise was broken as Boon as made ; and although the chiefs repeatedly preferred a. reminder of this plighted word of a Government, still the Native Office turned a deaf ear to the suppliants, refusing all recognition of th»ir claims. Ho wonder, with such examples, Engliih honor has sunk very low m the eyes of the natives, and it is not surprising that this habitual treatment of them by the recognised officials of a, Government has raised up m their minds a still more bitter and dangerous feeling, leading directly to a war of races. Fortunately we have only just been saved from actual war by the

advent of the present Government to office. A few months, or perhaps a few weeks more of the terrible mismanagement of the old Native Office is an experiment no one would like to see tried now that the fierce light of publicity — thanks to the West Coaßt Commissioners and Mr Bryce — has shown ns how very near we were to a volcano.

Acknowledgment. — The Secretary of the Benevolent Society acknowledges the receipt of ono pound ?rom " Broken Pledge," m aid of tho Society's funds. Gbiuldinb Raobs.— Owners of horses are reminded that nominations for all handicaps at tho forthcoming meeting at Geraldino must be lodged with the Secretary to-day. Queen's Hall. — The Timaru Artillery Band's first proinenado concert will bo given m this hall this evening, commoncing at eight o'clock. St. Mart's Church. — Applications are invited by the Churchwardens of St. Mary's Church, to be sent m by 4 p.m. on Monday next, for the post of Clork of Works to Contract No. 1. Special Salb.— Wo aro requested, on account of tho short notice given, to call attention to a sale by Messrs Jonas, Hart, and Wildie, of stock and implements at Pleasant Point on Monday next. Breaches of Borough By laws. — We understand that at least a score of persons will bo called upon m the course of a few days to appear m Court to answer various charges of committing breaches of the Borough By-laws. Correction. — By somo mischance the first paragraphs of Mr Waleot's letter m yesterday's issue wero rendered absurd by typographical errors, two dates, which should have read " 1879," being made nonsousical by the insertion of wrong figures. We much regret that the blunder occurred. Harmonic t-'ociEix's Conobrt. —In our report of this Society's concert on Thursday evening, a mistake occurred for which wo hasten to apologise. The air, " I dreamt that I dwelt m marble Halls," was attributed to Mrs Wilson, whorens it was Mrs Thomas who so successfully sang this pleasing song. Land BiLEB. — At tho usual sitting of the Wasto Lands Board, held at Christchurch on I hursday last, sales wero made as follows : — Ordinary: Ashley, 22 perches; Ashburton, 17 acres 2 roods ; undor Public Reserves dale Act, 47 acres 2 roods ; villago settlements, 5 acres ; total, 70 acres 0 rooda 22 perches, producing £272 18s. Refunds on account of former payments wero mado of £102 Is. The Brbakwatbr. — Owing to tho strong nor'-wester kcoping tho Breakwater drenched with spray, the contractors havo been unable to work during tho past day or two. Last night, the wind having lulled, and tho sea being calm, they were busy at work by moonlight laying blocks, to make up for lost time. Should no unforseen accident or extraordinary delay occur, it ia expected that tho prc3snt contract will be completed m about three months time. Bocebtßrioadb. — There was arathor poor muster at the monthly parade yesterday ovening. After drill a general meeting was held, Lieutenant Jackson m tho chair. Tho minutes of tho last meeting wero read and confirmed. It was resolved that the election of a second Lieutenant bo def orrcd till next Thursday ovening j a genoral drill to bo hold that evening at 7.30 and a meeting after drill. Four new mombers having been elected and some routine business disposed of, the meeting adjourned. Waitohi Flat.— A lecture was delivered a few evenings linco m the schoolroom, Wai-t-jhi Flat, by the Rev. W. S. Harper, Wesl^yan Minister, on " Love, Courtship, and Marriage." Mr G. Butler was voted to tte chair, and after a few introductory remarks, introduced the lecturer, who dwelt at some length on the subjects of his lecture. The choir also rendered service by giving several selections from Sankey's songs and solos. There was a very good attendance, and it was announced that the proceeds, which were co:-.-i lerod satisfactory, would bo devoted to the small debt on tho Wesleyan Church. A very pleasant evening was spent, and at its close the usual votes of thanks wero accorded. South Oanthbbubt Coursing Club. — A special general meeting of tho South Canterbury Coursing Club was held at tho Grosvonor Hotel on Tuesday, tho 17th init., Mr D. Maclean m the chair. The meeting was called to consider a letter received from Mr Wise, the coursing judgo for last season. A good deal of discussion took place, when it was finally resolved to adjourn the meeting till tho 24th inst., m order that tho South Canterbury representative who attended the meeting of delegates held m Onmara at the commencement of the season, might bo present. As the settlement of tho matter m question is of much importance to the coursing interests of South Canterbury, it is to bo hoped that there will be a full muster of members at tho adjourned meeting. Salb at Otaio. — Wo havo beon reguosted to direct attention to an advertisement re gale of Mr Stephen Hoskins' farm and farm stock, &c., which takes place at Otaio on Tuesday, the 31st inßtant. Mr Hoskins is a very old settlor, and wo aro sorry to hear that he is selling out, and loaving the district. The farm is a leasehold of 136 acres, and there aro several freehold sections m tho rising towns)] ip of St. Andrews, and others m Timaru and Silverstream, forming part of tho property to bo disposed of. Tho farm stock and implements will, of course, bo sold also. The stock includos tho well known ontiro Prince Imperial. Oub Telegrams. — Owing to Hie telegraph lines north of s|Chrittchureh boing blown down yesterday, wo did not receive our usual Parliamentary message, and ordinary telegraphic items from stations beyond Christchurch. Tho lino was interrupted temporarily on this side of Oamaru, but ono wire was replacod, or mado temporarily available. Only one wire was workable, also, between Timaru and Ohristchurch up to 7 p.m. Of coureo the extent of tho damage to tho northern lino is unknown to us, and no conjocturo can be formed of tho timo necessary to roitorc communication.