THE GOVERNMENT OF NEW ZEALAND AND THE MAORIS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4561, 6 December 1882, Page 3

THE GOVERNMENT OF NEW ZEALAND AND THE MAORIS.

"♦ Tho following appears in tho Some Netosi— "To tho Editor.— Sir,— Mr Arthur Mills, for tho courae of hia speech at tbe rocont Ohuroh Congress at Derby, on the subjoot of Ohuroh Missions, tried to convey an impression that the Few Zealand Government woro unntind~ ful of the intoreats of the Maori race, and were treating that race injuriously in respeot of religion and morality. Mr Mills based hie argument on what he saw during a visit to* Sew Zealand, and he instanced a oase in whicli he saw at a Native funeral n Colonial ex-Cabinet Minister plying, as he said, Native women with spirits. As lie did not givo date, name, and other particulars of the case in question, I oannot meet such a ohargo ; but I think ho was, in common fairness, bound to state the accusation in such a way that the accused shall be able to defend himself. All that I now wish to do is emphatically to protest against t>e inference from the alloged mißCondue' of an individual that Now Zouland Mii s'rios have boen deliberately wronging iho Native raco, and are generally careloßß of its welfare I have boon twenty-nine years in Sew Zealand, and havo during that time boon intimately oon* noctcd with publio life there, and I confidently assert that every Ministry and Parliamont of Now Zasland has been anxious to do j ualice to tho Nativea, and to promote their interests. Of course many mistakes have been mado, but that ia only to Bay that all human administration is imperfoct. No Stato comprising different religions belief oan properly engage in religious missionary work. But a >>tato can indireotly aid in that work by promo! ing the moral, political, and temporal inlorcstß of tho uncivilised portion of its inhabitants. Jhie duty the Now Zealand Logisluturo and Government have continuously boon, and are now, engagod in fulfilling. Special appropriations ojist for Native education • medical attondanco is providod at public cost in many Nativo districts ; apodal Nativo repreaentation in tho Legislature has beon granted j immunity from locul rates on land has beon accorded to Nativeß j spocial local govornmont haa been given them in many places at general coat; and laat year the Legislature enabled Native districts to exclude from their boundaries spirituous and fermented liquor. «' Oot. 7, 1882. " W. GlSBOBNB." The following is a correct roport of tho speech to which the above letter rofers : — Mr Arthur Mills eaid lub only ezcuso for troubling lub hearors was that ho had latoly visited New Zealand, tho sceno of tho work of John Selwyn, the eon of tho lale Bishop of the dbcese of Lichfield. His visit to tho Oolonioa had impressed him with this foot, that when a Oolony had a Diocoso und a Synod ono need not troublo about missionary work. In Now Zialnnd thero woro six DiocosPß und Synod?, whicli wore Bufliciontto copo with the Kuropeon population. But it was not so with regard lo the Native population. There woro eomo 40,000 of tho noblo Maori race to bo dealt with, nnd it would be ill to trußt tho Governor of tho Oolony to attend to tho spiritual wants of tho natives. The curie was true with othor places besides New Zealand. In Now Zealand tho Governor desired to do all ho could for tho nativos, but ho wus impeded by hia Governmeut, whioh allowod him to do very little. Ho was prosent, not long bi»o, ut the funeral of a native Maori, when thousands were drawn togethor. 110 mw an ex-Cahinot Minister of New Zealand plying poor women with rnw wln'Bkov, and it was bytiii« agency that Iho noblo Maori had been brought down to such v remnant ua it was. Jt called upon us at. homo to exert ouriolvee in tho mutter. He did not pretend to Bpeak of tho natives of South /.f.-ici, but ho fpolo of those with whon: ho i >- »« iirqnninted. Tho di»nusi>ion gavo them un opi nrtuuily of impressing upon all I i i i-.i-ii men and women t<> do all they oould ! 1.0 remedy thu evil which hud beei dono.

wwmmu