What Wvergbody Says.

Thames Star, Volume IIII, Issue 1761, 25 August 1874, Page 2

What Wvergbody Says.

" In multitude o( counsellors there is safety." . — . —OliD PEOVJSRB The opera company and the Maori meeting hare been the chief attractions during the week, -and the chief pointt of interest in everybody's conversation. Everybody has be«n to see the opera, and a good many to seetheMaories, although the latter sight is not one at aH uncommon in the district. -Adventures have "been numerous and various in their termination, and a visit to the other side some persons have found to their cost was not the pleasant trip it was expected to be, because even those who are used to.- tho thing cannot candidly say * that they' enjoy being pikau'd over artfugh beach qn, the back of a Maori, which is the modus operandi required to effect a landing at the, great meeting place. All the notabilities of the Maori raco in the Hauraki Peninsula have assembled at the Miranda, and if all accounts be true there has been, a nice expose* of sharp practice. The noble chiefs have been playing a double game. One took Government money, and goods purchased and paid for by Government money, under the impression that iL. was all right—ha would never be founJ|^ out, and the land which he professed to be selling could not be alienated became he was only one of a number of owners. But his dark-skinned brother also fell under the temptation. The money and the stores were not to be resisted, and he too followed suit. And so on, until nearly > all the noble chiefs had bartered away th«ir birthrights. The little game, however, was nicely exposed by the production of each individual's particular receipt. When they found that denial would oe useless any longer, like true Maories they submitted with a good grace. No one could reproach the other for treachery.

because they were all in the same boxr Old To Hira—the conservative™ sccras to have partaken of the forbidden loaves nnd fishes, his simple tastes and old fashioned ideas Of conservatism notwithstanding. Where argument fail,' pressing necessities and the means of'-relieving them conquered. Some time ngo this old wan is reported to have given some very gopds reasons for not consenting to open Ohinemuri. Ifo had boen plied with^the usual arguments, and he admitted their cogency. Ho said he did not want all the land, it was true. But ho had his whare and his people to get food for him." If he wanted to go down the creek there, was his canoe and there his., slar.es to paddle the canoe.- "But," said tho old man, *' if I give up the land the pakehas •will come up here and spread themselves all over the country. ' When my people po out they will be getting into difficulties' with, your people, ~.lf my women go ; to gather wood to cook the food they may be Insulted by some ol jour * blackguard digg«rs; and, in fact, I should hajve to go farther- away. I ; don't want your fine houses and fine clothcs-^yoiir watches aM'chains. I am contend with my wlisre and my blanket, and; to: lire and die' as my fathers did." .And the cliie\Sjps: rigut. His reasons VfoV objecting w^Aange are as potent-'ti^'d more a-ppi'oclible than' those' which some peopjle v 4-t,bo(enHghtencd. .pakehas^would,;Cram down' oar thrbat3 about provincialism: being better than some other form pf government which altered, circumstances:, would appear to render necessary. Te Hira's-mode of life was sui^ble to his people in the past, as provincialism, was to the early days of settlement;, ; but the conservatism of the Maorios aij.d the old identity notions of the pakblias are but obstructions to the jeneral progress,- and should; bo jrcmored— quietly and kindly and respectfully, if B)ssible.— -but. removed.,,they; must bp. 6 violence "to nobody's .feelings, but when everybody says; .ifc.must bo—be it uiust ■ .'.' '...' '■ , ■ ■'; ■ ' ':- ■■'.-., ;<: i. . Yes, the opera. There are two classes off persons who have/a greatdeal to: say about the opera, and a third classuwho have little to say but think the more. Of the two first, one is composed of people whose knowledge of opera is very limited and theircriticism in a reverse ratib. They talk glibly of eminent prima doiinas and primo tenores, and institute invidious comparisons between .tome they have seen (or profess to kave seen) and present company, to the disparagement of the latter. A second class will go into tcstacies over Miss May and her company, and say they have never seen betterconsidering. Neither have .they in. nine caies out of ten. The first indicated class may be termed cynical; the second gushing. The third are those who are always "willing to extract the greatest amount of enjoyment from the; opportunities offered, and never trouble themselves about comparisons or criticism. They may not be troubled with a superabundance of taste, but, like the Grand Duchess, if they -can't have what #hey like they try to like what they have; and the disposition to do this enables them td make the most of these opportunities— they are blessed with a certain amount of contentment. ..■•■■, ; ,-.,--. i An incident occurred at the groat native meeting this week which has com; pletely dispelled a Maori's faith in the honor of the pakeha. He (the Maori) had rendered some trifling service to ti. pakeha, and, as a boon, craved " a bottle of lum." To be rid of his importunity the pakeha gave what the Maori thought was an order on another pakeha for th» coveted bottle of rum. s Elated with sucj- . cess the Maori went through the camp flourishing his• •' order," flaunting it in the faces of his less fortunate companions; Ho couldn't read English, it may be premised, so in due course he presented the order to a storekeeper, but, instead of a bottle of rum he received dorisive jeers; After some time he discovered that the! writing he had been cherishing as aii order for a bottle of rum was, a request to: "gi^e the btarer, a good .kicking.'! The only satisfaction that Maori has forhis pains is the knowledge that the, "order" was not honored. ■ A recent importation of the " haw haw " specie was some time ago doing the grand tour of this island, and chanced to arrive at ahostelryinoheof tho frontier settlements. The weather was a trifle warmer than it is now, and the flies were troublesome^ ■-. During tho, progress of the meal which, had been prepared for the guest, ths.flics bgcame ravenous, and the whilom orna^ ' ment of- Belgravia rang the bell—they: had arrived-at that point of civilization to possess, a bell—and the waiter oame.: " Waitaw," said the traveller* <' would you ■ be good enpugh-ah—rtoremove the flies-ah." The waiter retired to inform the landlord of the strange request that had been preferred. Now, the landlord was brie of his, own best/customers, and as the sun had ■passed the meridian, or waa over the main-topi or had reaphed some other point which is. ponsidered an excuse for frequent Uhations, he was in no humor to tolerataj airs even from a good customer. Land^ lord proceeded to his guest's presence,; and, in polite frontier language apostro-; phised his visual organs and limbs as a prelude to inquiring what the gue3t,wanted in finding fault. The visitor listened td tho el«jpcntinterrogatory of the landlord without evincing the slightest surprise, further than to adjust an dp-glass in the coolest and most aggravatingly" deliberate manner, peculiar to his class—for the purpose of better scanning the intruder. He then agitated the tintinnabulator once more, arid the waiter appeared. " Waitaw," he said, still preserving his characteristic coolness and " impudence^ " will you be good enough-ah ~ to remove-ah the landlord and the flies -ah." The landlord was so confounded that he removed hinis.elf,, and the visitor was soon left to finish his meal with only the companionship of the flics,