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Waka Maori, Volume 11, Issue 4, 23 February 1875, Page 44

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European correspondents who have a knowledge of Maori are requested to be good enough to forward their communications in both languages. To the Editor of the Waka Maori. "Whangapoua, Auckland, February 1, 1575. Mi PitiEiST), — Greeting. Long may you live, and may the Grod of our forefathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, prosper the work of your hands, and may you receive a meet reward for your labours. I ask you to publish to our friends throughout the country these thoughts and musings of my mind, for their condemnation or approval, as the case may be. Censure and depreciation, approval and appreciation, are not new things in this world ; they have descended from our ancestors.

I my Maori friends to consider with me the position and character of our race—the Native race —in this country; how we cling to our old customs and practices, and refuse to pursue a line of conduct which would promote our own interests. In my opinion, the system of profuse liberality which universally obtains among the Maoris is incalculably ruinous to our welfare and prosperity, I allude especially to the open-handed hospitality of one man to ten or fifty ; entertaining them at his place for two or three months it may be, and sacrificing his means to support them—his cattle' and his money, to purchase food for them. borne ot you who write to the Waha JSLaori have said that by sending our children to school they will become assimilated to the Pakeha in his habits and customs, and become prosperous and wealthy. This is all very well, so far as it goes. But I think, when, they leave school, they require to learn how to economize. When they are thoroughly rooted and grounded in economy and frugality, they will be rigl it. I say they should learn to economize, because I find that many who have attended school, some of them for eight years, when they return to their Maori homes, become as lavish in their liberality as any others : they follow the universal Maori custom of love and full-handed liberality to all. If they see a man passing, they call him into the settlement and feed him, and he goes on his way rejoicing. Now, my friends, this is not the way to become rich ; this is not imitating the example of the Pakeha. It appears to me that for us, the Maori people, to become like the Pakeha, not in the whiteness of his skin, but in his usages and customs, and in his general prosperity, it will be necessary to adhere to the following rules : —l. We must learn to economize. 2. "We must no longer allow shame of our relations to influence us—(i.e., must not be ashamed to withhold hospitality from their relations). 3. AVe must abolish wailing over the dead. 4. Things belonging to one brother must no longer be given gratuitously to the other. 5. The use of intoxicating drinks must be discontinued. G. All foolish practices arising out of the above customs must be abandoned. 7. All the customs springing from love and sympathy (i.e., the practice of hospitality and liberality), descended to us from our ancestors, must be abandoned. The knowledge of speaking and writing the English language, together with all other branches of learning, should be based upon these seven rules, which, if fully carried out by us, will place us upon a level with the Pakeha, and render our customs and our prosperity analogous to his ; because an equivalent in money would then have to be given for eating the food of another, for sleeping accommodation, and for everything a man obtained from another. But if we continue to follow the philanthropic and hospitable customs of our ancestors, we shall speedily get rid of all our land by selling it to obtain money to purchase food for crying parties over the dead, "and to carry out other stupid Maori customs. Of course, we have a yearning after the customs of our fathers ; but we must suppress this feeling, because we have been practising their rule of conduct heretofore, and we have never received any benefit from it down to this present year, 1575. The Native chiefs are in the receipt of considerable sums of money, but it is always squandered in upholding the customs of our fathers—and also in drink. On the other hand, Pakeha children born in New Zealand, whose parents possessed no property whatever, by acquiring some education and adhering to the Pakeha system of economizing, have, by little and little, made themselves independent, and have attained.

to a position of affluence. 1 know some who now wear tall hats, and occupy the rank of gentlemen. But the Maoris can onlv adorn themselves with the tall hats, not having a rap in their breeches pockets. I say let us follow the example of these sons of the Pakeha, that our tall hats and cloven-tailed coats may be more befitting. Prom yours, Hamioea Mangaeahia. [Our friend Hamiora, having realized the evils resulting from the improvident habits of the Maoris, forthwith ignorantly rushes into an advocacy of the other extreme —namely, of penuriousness and utter selfishness. "What would be the position of a people strictly adhering to the principles contained in the seven rules laid down by Hamiora ? They would become a " proverb and a by-word among all people ;" " a reproach and a taunt, an instruction and an astonishment unto the nations round about them." There would be no such thing among them as benevolence, brotherly love, and charity one to another. They would be a people without a heart; cold and dead to all natural affection ; self alone would be the god whom each man would serve ; cruelty, anarchy, and bloodshed would prevail; and ere long they would disappear unregretted from the face of the earth. Paul, the apostle, says,—" The love of money is the root of all evil." There is a proper frugality and desire for independence which becometh everv man ; but avarice, venality, and parsimony, are despicable. What the Maoris term " hospitality and liberality ' is nothing better than " criminal waste and extravagance"—a senseless throwing away of that which ought to be husbanded for the support of themselves and their wives and children. No wonder they are getting tired of the so-called " charity of their fathers." From a desire of popularity, and to obtain a " name " among the tribes, whole communities have frequently wasted their entire stock of food in entertaining hordes of hungry visitors, reducing themselves to the necessity, for months afterwards, of grubbing up fern root, gathering pipis on the sea shore, and snaring birds in the forest, for the sustenance of themselves and families. And this they call " charity and hospitality!" "Where, in such a case, is their charity to their children, who have the first claim upon their exertions ? Hamiora is in error in supposing that the observance by the Maoris of his seven rules would place them "upon a level with, the Pakeha, and render their customs analogous to his." There would be no similarity or analogy in the case. The Pakeha people are largely benevolent and charitable. It is not a fixed rule with them that a money equivalent must be obtained for everything they part with. Many thousands of pounds are collected and spent each year by them in the maintenance of the poor, and in sending the Gospel to the heathen nations of the earth—this is Love. Many millions of pounds were spent by the English nation in the suppression of the African slave triide (see Waka of February 24th, IS74)—that too was I/Oye. And we know that the Maoris here in New Zealand have not been lefc without evidence of the charity and benevolence of the Pakeha. The golden rule for us all is—" As ye would that men should do unto you, do ye also to them likewise." We recommend our friend Hamiora to read the 13th chapter of the Ist of Corinthians.—Ed.]