Wellington Independent FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1871.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3336, 3 November 1871, Page 2

Wellington Independent FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1871.

Amongst the first Napoleon's sayings, tiie one not least quoted, is that uttered by him to Talleyrand, on the occasion of a difficulty with Russia, when he muttered, Grattez le Busse, et vous trouvereg le Tartar e. The saying after all is an old one, and is only a crib from Horace, not to mention Tom Moore. But it is nevertheless true, and in this colony we have had painful experience of its application. We have seen a community which embraced Christianity with a rapidity unexampled in the annals of history, fall off suddenly, and relapse into a creed the foundation of which was blood. We have found to our cost that the superficial polish, the lacquer with which the well-meaning missionaries of the early periods had veneered the Maori, were of no use, and whole tribes awaited but the word of a maniac, backed up by an intriguing party, to desert the cause of religion. It seams lo us that one of the reasons for this is obvious, and the frequent remarks mado in the House by the present intelligent native members corroborate our belief. The mistake was in originally ignoring English, and trumping up a Maori language. Instead of, educating up the governed race, governed by laws they could well appreciate, the missionaries by insisting on the use of the native tongue, fostered the idea of the superiority of the white j race. No one will deny the honest in- | tentions, the zeal and perseverance of j these gentlemen, but we think there are few who will not concede that their cultivation of the Maori language was an error. With regard to the means of avoiding the too frequent " discovery of the Tartar," we think we have the sense of the country with us whfgi we unhesitatiugly say these are to be found solely in education. And this has been tried before now ; but, we believe, on a wrong basis. It is useless to expect the grown up generation to come into schools and learn, not only lessons, but habits totally different from those bequeathed by a long line of ancestors. It is useless to gather together a few youngsters at a large expense, train them most carefully, and then send them to their different villages under the impression that the civilization and learning thoy bring will leaven the whole mass. And above all it is not only useless, but morally hurtful, to restrain to religious subjects ilie education imparted. We have seen what a knowledge of this kind has brought forth ; over and over again have Hauhau prayer-books been found, each -being merely an abstract of what may be called the slaughter-advocating parts of the Old Testament, and each inculcating doctrines of murder. What the native race wants is, that the rising generation shall be educated so that it, and its descendants, Bhall be on a par with its fellow-inhabitants of these islands. Not only does every intelligent native wish for this, but every reflecting roan who has had to deal with Maoris sees that it is an absolute necessity for the welfare of both races. We are quite aware that we have in the above sentences been guilty of uttering a truism, but we have done bo with a purpose, namely, to draw attention to a bill which is passing very quietly without notice, and which is one of the many proofs that, while bringing forward measures for the benefit of the entire colony, the Government are not forgetful of its integral parts. The bill concerning native schools, now in progress, is simply an amendment of that passed in 1867, which insisted on payments in money from the natives in certain proportions. As, however, in several instances it has occurred in past years that natives, anxious for the education of their children and unable to pay an annual surr. snfficient for the support of a teacher, were yet willing to endow with a considerable quantity of land the schools they so much desired, we are very glad to see that the Government, by bringing in a bill empowering such grants (likely to be most valuable in the course of time) to take the place of payments, have fallen in with the views of our fellow-subjects, and have given another instance of their anxiety to promote the welfare of an important class of her Majesty's subjects. The Native Schools Act of 1867 provides that the English language is to be taught, and under this system the I afttive schools now in operation are working, and working most successfully. We understand from the Native Minister's speech, in introducing the Amendment Act, that there are some thirieea schools now actually organised, and that applications have been received for the establishment of about as many more. We hail this latter fact as the beginning of a new era, tending to the assimilation of both races, and to the diffusion of the princi-

plp.s of law and order. We hear the native members regretting bitterly their inability to understand our language. We doubt not that their utterances are disseminated widely enough among their friends to give an incentive for the acquisition of the knowledge they so deeply regret not to possess, and we feel certain the hearty support of the country will be given to a Government which devotes its energies, not to " educate a party," but to impart the blessings of education to a whole race, and to instil into the rising generation principles which must lead to the abandonment of notions derived from savage forefathers.