An Appeal for the Maori.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 11980, 31 January 1903, Page 1 (Supplement)

An Appeal for the Maori.

Some one writes over a nom de plume to the Auckland "Herald" as follows: I beg to address a few remarks for publication in your paper with regard to a matter which is, I am sure, in the minds of every man and woman in this country whose hearts are right and set for the uplifting and spiritual welfare of their fellows. I refer to our Maori neighbours, who are living amongst us, but not quite of us, a peculiar people, who, it is well known, have many fine characteristics, and ivho are, with all their seeming and actual drawbacks, one of the most intellectual ■aid charitably-disposed of a'M the coloured races on earth, that the writer, any way. has any knowledge of. Some of us pakehas have for the last 50 years been at one :ime or another brought very much in touch with these people, and when we feel disposed can say quite a deal in the Maori's favour, making the proper allowances for his small opportunities. Now, I desire to show, shortly, what condition the native has drifted into after these years of what is called civilisation. The first efforts in civilisation, were begun by the various missionaries, and a good deal of headway was made by some of these goad men. Mission stations were formed in Maori centres, and a great number of natives became seriously interested, and quite a. large section became members from connection of one or other missions. After awhile what is now' known as Hauhau-ism began in earnest, and spite and devilish bitterness followed, and the evil work of sectarianism began and continued until the mind of the Maori became .confused, for he could clearly see that the pakehas, in Hie first place, did not believe what they professed, and secondly, could not agree to a common platform of teaching. There was nothing romantic about such a conclusion, even among far more advanced thinkers than the Maoris. But the thing l hat drove the anxious, honest, simpleSTiinded native to a retrograde movement •vas the wvlnt of charity amongst the pakeHas as a body, 'for" at the period I am now describing, Maoris were ;n a very

different from their present-day condition. The Hcmi-Aomai principle was in full swing then, but in the face of all this many Maoris stood fast, and a remnant of them can be found to this day, scattered all over the island, but these "siafinch old natives are fast disappearing, and a new generation is springing up, who are unacquainted with the principle of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, although they are by nature the same as these who are passing away, but from downright bad testimony and want of teachers of the right sort, this young generation of Maoris and half-castes have grown up without instruction, and are simply living and foll lowing the bent of the natural mind and character, and are without controversy outside the pale of Christianity altogether. And I ask how could it be otherwise? Take the European people about us, who have 'so many fine advantages compared with a people who have no literature at all, who read nothing frcm year to year. It cannot be shown that beyond a dense tract cr so, we, as a leading, shouting, bustling, professed Christian people, have not opened up the way to enlighten our Maori friends by placing in their hands readable, instructive matter. This binds us down to the question, What have we done to lift up this people to a position of Christian knowledge and industry? I have to confess tint I do not know that we

have done much if anything of late years. Somehow, our people (pakehas) have ?•- rived at tho dense concision that- the Maori is no good, "he is a mean sneak, and that he is not worth wasting time over." This idea is gaining ground all over New Zealand, and it is quite false. I know it- to be so. The Maori naturally is a fine noble character, as the children of Adam go, but he has been dragged down to degradation and racial ruin by the unscrupu'.'ous and debased citizens of our social system, who, for love of land and lucre, have taught- these poor isolated brethren of God's creation to ba what they are found' in the ysar 1903. The Maori is to my personal knowledge degraded, but it is largely our fault. The Maoris are in the gutter. They are moping about for a way out. Everything seems impossible, dark, and confused. He wants to do right, but cannot resist.the course of nature. Can we not- establish something workable? Surely it can hi done? Why should wo not join hands and rescue at least a remnant of the 43,000 Maoris still left? Volunteers can be got, who are not after a salary. Food and clothing is all that is needed for men and women suitable for this work—Ko te Aroha Noa.