OLD MAORI PAPERS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19448, 6 November 1925, Page 5

OLD MAORI PAPERS

DISCOVERY NEAR PAEROA. DISCUSSIONS WITH MR BALLANCE TREATY OF WAITANGI’S “MANA.” A deserted Maori whare in the bush, ten miles from Paeroa, is the scene of the latest find of old Maori documents. The discovery was made accidentally in August by Miss Elizabeth. E. F. Pegler, of the staff of the Huntly District High School. Miss Pegler was one of a party of holiday makers whose curiosity was excited by the decayed appearance of the whare, and, by digging among the ruins, the investigators ' unearthed a box full of books and papers, many of which are still in a fair state of preservation. The box was about 3| feet long by 2) feet broad, and its contents were old newspapers, correspondence and account books, many in the Maori tongue. Several letters, a portion of an old newspaper, and two exccrcise books were selected by Miss Pegler from the mass of tattered documents and shown to a number of Maoris in the district. No light, however, could be thrown upon their previous ownership, and they have been brought to Auckland. The exercise books, written in Maori, have been placed in the hands of a translator. They seem to have reference to the trial of To Kooti, and are quite well preserved. Evidence of Pioneer Hardships. Among the correspondence the outstanding item is a letter signed “John Dickson,” in which is mentioned the name of a Mr. Beatson. Tho letter refers to a timber splitting contract, and contains evidence of the difficulties faced by the pioneers in having to walk overland to Paeroa in the early days. Another reference, in bushman's English, is to a sickness that attacked | the bullocks of the district, and to the profits that could be gained by firewood, rail-splitting and fencing contracts.

A newspaper that was discovered is called the “Pleiads,” or “Seven Stars,” and is dated October 6, 1892. It contains a long letter in Maori from King Tawhiao to Governor Jervois, in the time of Ballance. The news paragraphs report that King Tawhiao had called a meeting on November 15, 1886, when the Hon. Native Minister was present. Tawhiao addressed the native minister as follows: “I wish, you, Hon. Native Minister, Mr. Ballance, to listen to my words. Stop the Native Court surveys and roads, so that we can sec our way clear to adopt rules for this, our country.” Mr. Ballance replied: “You and I must agree. I was also of the same opinion. A native assessor must be appointed at that place to assist tho judge. You must stand together as members of the council.” Chiefs Meet Mr. Ballance. Judging by the careless grammatical construction in the English section of the “Pleiads,” it appears that the newspaper was a Maori edition, containing an English translation of the vernacular matter, in the correspondence columns on the third page is a letter from the Governor to Tawhiito replying to the questions of a number of chiefs. The Governor’s reply was sent to Tawhiao by Mr. Ballance on April 17. The Governor said: “Firstly, there is only one mistake with the Treaty of Waitangi —the Maoris’ approval of their land being sold to any European who offered to buy it. Secondly, authority has been given to the Maori committees to hear all cases regarding their land, and to give it to whom the committees think are the proper persons; thirdly, the Government have protected the rights of the Maori nation; fourthly, 1 received no information from Lord Derby asking my

Government to protect the Maori race. These are the words of the Governor.” King. Tawhiao’s letter of reply to the Governor is addressed from Whatlwhatihoe, July 12, 1886: “My friend. Salutations to you. I beg to acknowledge the receipt of the dispatch dated April 14, forwarded to me by the Hon. Mr. Ballance on April 17, in reply to the deputation of Maori chiefs who interviewed you in Auckland. Enough.

“I have carefully read your dispatch, and in reply arc the following words: You say that there is only one mistake in the Treaty of Waitangi, which is the power given the Maoris to dispose of their land to the public. I will now ask: What ‘mana’ of the Treaty of Waitangi gives the ‘mana’ to do away with the rights of the Maori nations to their lands by the Native Land Court Act? Do you think it was

approved by the chiefs as with the Treaty of Waitangi? Who were those tribes and chiefs who consented? “You say that ‘mana’ has been given to the Maori committees to hear claims to their land and decide who are the owners —In what section of the.

Maori Committee Act is that ‘mana to be found ? ’ ’