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Waka Maori, Volume 12, Issue 4, 22 February 1876, Page 41

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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. "Waipoua, Hokianga, January, 1876. Fbiend, —Greeting. Please insert these few words of mine in the Waka, that my Maori friends may read them. My dear friends of "Waikato and elsewhere, I salute you. I congratulate you all on the work of

Good Templarism which you are carrying out, namely, your abandonment of the use of intoxicating liquors. That is indeed a work which will clear the way to the worship of G-od. Drink is the cause of very many troubles; many men of Hokianga have been carried off by drink, their souls departed in wretchedness and woe, brought about by their drunken habits. Paniora, Te Eo, and Tupari were all victims of drink. oye tribes of New Zealand! arouse, arouse! let us arouse ourselves ; let us no longer remain in a state of lethargic carelessness ; let us direct our thoughts to the discovery of some means by which we may be saved ; consider what a number of our adult chiefs have been cut off before the proper number of their years was complete, and what numbers also of our young men are dying off in every district. Men wonder what is the cause of so many dying off so rapidly, but I say it is this evil thing, arink, which is so quickly carrying off the Native race. Look at this people, the Pakeha; we see but few of their young men dying in our districts. It appears to me that the head of the Pakeha becomes bald before his spirit is taken away. In the next place I say, let the road be cleared which will lead us to a right worship of G-od. We go to church on the Sabbath to serve God, and we tremble when we hear the word of God declared by the minister; but on the Monday we go into the public-house and drink, and at once lose all thought of the fear which we felt at the words of G-od preached to us on the Sabbath ; our minds become occupied with foolish things, evil words-proceed from our mouths, and all manner of evil results from our indulging in this wretched drink. Be not augry with me my friends ; I merely desire to clear the way, that each man's thoughts may have free course. "What is the correct thing to do ? Shall these words be seen merely by the eyes and heard by the ears ? 1 am fully persuaded that each and every tribe should faithfully consider this matter and follow the example of "Waikato, an account of whose proceedings is given in Waha No. 21—they have solemnly sworn to admit no intoxicating liquors into their district. I now stay my words for the arousing of the people, but I support the petition of "Waikato. Prom your friend, E/ca Takimoajsa.

To the Editor of the Waka Maori. Shortland, Hauraki, February 5, 1876. Friend, —Greeting. Please insert these words in the Waka Maori for the information of all the Maoris of the Western Electoral District. My friends, the various tribes, I greet you. I send in the Waka Maori words of greeting and respect that you may all see them. I beg to express my warmest.thanks to I;he tribes which are not connected with me for the great honor they have done me. I am especially proud of the honor thus put upon me by those tribes which are strange to me. The fact of all my own tribes of Hauraki supporting me and voting for me, from their personal knowledge of me, is no great matter for self-gratulation; therefore the gratitude which I feel to those tribes who do not know me personally is much greater than that which I feel to my own people, who are well acquainted with me. Even were I not returned, I should always remember this—l could never forget it. But Holy "Writ, in the words of our Lord, says, " Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed ; blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." Probably some friends will say that I am elated at the honor conferred upon me by the people. In one

sense lam not elated, but lam in dread—in dread of this great responsibility put upon me. I bad no personal desire to come forward in this matter, but the thing was brought about by the old men of my own tribes here in Hauraki. This question had been under consideration for a long time, and I had many times refused (to come forward) ; I proposed another person as a fitting man to represent them, but they would not hear of it, and insisted that I should stand. At length, in consequence of the importunity of the people, I made the following answer to their solicitations :—«lf you are really determined, I will not disregard the desire of the people." At the same t l rae j?" did not ex P ect a man would be returned from the district of Hauraki, as it is one of the most insignificant of the districts of the island, that is—of the fish of your ancestor "Maui." I acted in this T ay / r ° m tte great dread which I had of undertaking the duties of the position. This too was the reason why this election (in so far as I am concerned) differed somewhat from those of the Pakehas and other Maoris—namely, my unwillingness to undertake the duties of the position. It is customary among the Pakehas for the candidate to give expression to his opinions previous to the election, and to make extravagant promises about this thing and that thing, assuring the people that he will obtain for them everything they require. But such promises are only intended to beguile the people and induce them to give their votes to him, the man who thus promises before the election. In like manner some of my friends telegraphed to me to make known my (political) opinions before the election, in the same way as the Pakehas do. If I had come forward in this business with a feeling of confidence and satisfaction I should have had no fear of doing so, and, in that case, my friends who desired an early expression of my opinions would have heard it. This is the explanation of my reason for not having sooner made you acquainted with my views—namely, the great dread I entertained of undertaking the serious responsibility which you have put upon me. I should have no fear if it were only the district of Hauraki which I have to represent. However it is right and proper that I should give some explanation of my views in response to the desire of those of you who have expressed a wish to hear them, more especially as you have voted for me without having heard any expression of opinion from me. I say then to all the tribes who voted for me, and all the tribes who inhabit the district which I represent, and all the Maori population of these islands called New Zealand, that, if I am to represent this district, I shall always endeavour to carry out any measures which may be committed to my charge by the people—that is to say, measures which I consider would be for the good of the whole Native population inhabiting these islands. I shall not, however, urge any measure which I do not understand, or about which I am doubtful. "With respect to disputes among the Pakehas in the Parliament about matters affecting themselves only, such as occurred last Session, I do not think I ought to interfere with such things, because I do not understand questions in dispute among Pakehas. I do not understand the questions of Provinces and Superintendents, the colony and the Government. Therefore I feel that I should not rush ignorantly upon such matters, lest I be like a fish darting ignorantly at the bait, not knowing that a hook, is concealed within. They are all Pakehas; there is no reason why I should ally myself to any particular party, or stand aloof from any particular party. The question may be compared to fire and iron. If a screen of iron be placed over a fire to keep off the heat, and a man, afraid of the heat

of the fire, jump uponihe iron to save himself from, the fire, he will probably be burnt : by the iron. But if I see anything calculated td benefit the Maori race in the schemes of the Pakehas who are struggling each to secure place and money for their own exaltation and advantage, then I shall ally myself to whichever party can honestly show me that prosperity for the Maori lies with them. I shall not take part in any measures affecting the Pakeha race inhabiting our island; they have more knowledge and experience than we have, and they have over seventy members. lam only desirous of securing fo? the iNative people such proper arid reasonable things as they may inform me they are desirous of obtaining. "Let us all pray that such knowledge may .be vouchsafed to me as will enable me to acquit myself properly and satisfactorily in these matters. From your inexperienced friend, Hoa.ni Nahe.

To the JEditor of the WaTca Maori. "Wairoa, Hawke's Bay, January 24th, 1876. Friend, —We, the people of the East Coast, desire to ask a question. We put this question, in the first place, to the Pakehas generally, then to the Bishop and to his ministers, and to the Government and its officers. It is a question in reference to the Members who have been returned to represent us in Parliament, namely:—ls it according to law that one man should have two or three wives; and is it proper that such men should be admitted into the Parliament? We solicit a speedy answer to this question, because the practice of polygamy belonged to the times of our ancestors ; but when the laws of God were made known in this country we all joined the Church of God and were baptized, promising to renounce our ancient Maori practices, polygamy, and all other things contrary to the law. At that time we agreed to abandon these things, but now Ave find that one of the candidates to represent the East Coast, for whom the people are voting, has three wives.living with him in his house! Therefore we ask this question, and desire a speedy answer. From East Coast.