MAORI MEMORIES.

Waikato Times, Volume 113, Issue 18951, 22 May 1933, Page 3

MAORI MEMORIES.

INTERESTING VIGNETTES.

(Recorded by “J.H.S.”)

HE TONO TORU (TRIPLE RULE).

Sir George Grey’s last task —removing the jesponsibility of native affairs from the Imperial Government to the Colonial Ministry—was comparatively easy. He had Englishmen to deal with, not Maoris. During the reign of Governor Browne, Mr Richmond’s Ministry, acting under a British rule, had been responsible for the war in Taranaki. The Maoris were united as one In their x aims - sires—simple justice; the British disjointed as three. Mr Fox had succeeded Mr Richmond by a major ty of one in a divided House; the Imperl 1 rule was eliminated; yet in the honest opinion of the plain Maori we still had a triple control—Grey, Fox or Richmond—whose “quarrels they re garded as tinihanga (pretence). The Governor still remained in abs - lute control of the 6000 British sodiers —not a man moved without his commands. The Governor was still obliged to consult the Colonial Ministry; they supplied the money. T Native Minister must consult the Governor; he supplied the physjoa force. The nominal and the real authority were vested in different persons and caused a constant c o^ l ® in administration. All this was pa n to the Maori. It was the immediate cause of a disastrous catastrophe ani ultimately of the war in raranaki. The Maori never lights without a taM (Jus? cause). Had it not been for our political differences and conflicting opinions, regarded by these simple-minded people as squabbles, there would have been no war. -