F.—No. 3.
REPORTS FROM OFFICERS IN NATIVE DISTRICTS.
PRESENTED TO BOTH HOUSES OP THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, BY COMMAND OE HIS EXCELLENCY. WELLINGTON. 1872.
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The Hon. the Native Minister to Officers in Natite Districts. ■Sir, — Alexandra, 3rd June, 1872. As the General Assembly is about to meet, I have to request that you will, with the least possible delay, be good enough to furnish a general Eeport of the Natives in the district in which you are stationed; the state of Native feeling generally; their moral and physical condition ; their or otherwise to agricultural pursuits; the progress of public works undertaken by the Natives, and any other information which may bo interesting to the country. Donald M'Lean.
No. 1. The Resident Magistrate, Mangonui, to the Hon. the Native Minister. Resident Magistrate's Office, 'Sir, — Mangonui, 21st June, 1872. I have the honor to report that the Natives of this district are quietly and peacefully pursuii their usual avocations ; their feeling towards the Government has always been of the most friend] and indeed, dependent character, for they know perfectly well that their geographical position, as w( as their comparative paucity of numbers would compel them to look outside for support, and thi appreciate the fact that the Government can and does afford the most trustworthy support. Prom n first intercourse with them, September, 1848, I have never had occasion to doubt this. I can venture to report a more favorable state of morality. Very few cases have been broug before the Courts ; they seem to live in more friendly intercourse, and with one or two exceptioi which I think are naturally accounted for (about land) no disputes or quarrels have occurred. I am glad to report upon what may be called enthusiasm, which has seized the people relative schools ; that at Pukepoto continues to afford general satisfaction, the children improve wonderfull Mr. Masters, I was informed by Colonel Russell, was to receive £20 per annum extra from t) Government in lieu of Timoti Puhipi's contribution. At Awanui the children are also getting on we Colonel Russell informed me that authority was to be given me for £10 for this school, which I ha not received. At Ahipara the schoolhouso will be completed in about six weeks. At Parengaren; the Natives have the timber ready (or most of it), and are only waiting to know what the Governme: will do for them. , < The people at Kaitaia and Victoria want to start a school, and are prepared to do as at Ahipa and Parengarenga. I have written on this subject to Colonel Russell. I am not at all sanguine that th enthusiasm will last; I fear the people will fall off in their contributions, and I cannot help regrottii that the Native contribution has been dispensed with at Pukepoto, as it will form an example f< others to resist or refuse to pay after expense has been incurred in the erection of buildings, &c, & The people have been much occupied in kauri gum digging, and though this pursuit is no dou profitable to them, I fear it is fraught with evil to the races of the North, generating, as it must d from the exposure and want of proper food, all sorts of disease. This call upon their energies is mui greater than in former years ; there is more competition, consequently they are induced by the hi_; prices generally ruling to work all through the year, and in the winter months great mortality ensue I have been often, more particularly of late, urged to represent to the Government the advisability > appointing a medical man to attend them ; we are unfortunately circumstanced in that respect, the; is not a medical man in the district. Mr. Trimnell, it is true, is farming at Pukepoto, but he will m attend to medical practice except he receives a very high fee, and is very inattentive j consequentl he is beyond the reach of the inhabitants. I am satisfied that if the Government could give a salai of say £150 to a medical officer, that he would make a good income by general practice amongst tl Europeans. In agriculture there has been a marked improvement, ploughs, carts, and Europea implements and style of farming are much adopted. A much larger quantity of wheat has been sovs this year than for years back ; post and rail fencing, laying down grass, &c, which show a ya improvement in their views on this subject. Many of the young men here have taken contracts 1 draw timber from the bush with their own bullocks, and show an unmistakable desire to share wil the Europeans the profits of industrial pursuits. With regard to public works, all that have been undertaken by the Road Boards of Ahipara ar Mangonui, the Natives have shared in the profits ; taking contracts from the Board to form road make culverts, &c, an^ have performed their work well. Under the Provincial Goverment, money hi been spent on the bush road to Victoria Valley, the contracts being almost entirely taken up t the Natives, but the sums spent here have been comparatively very small. Much disappointment is fe throughout the district, by both Europeans and Natives, that no work was undertaken, as wi generally understood at the end of last Session would be, by the Public Works Board. Mr. Katen
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member for the Northern Native Districts, came round with Mr. Marsden Clarke, but no works has been undertaken, to the great loss and disappointment of the people, if I except a bridge at Oruru, the contract for which has been taken by a young half-caste, George Marshall, for £375. The Natives have taken a deep interest in the project for improving the district by roads, as it was understood was contemplated by the Government; I have never seen them so earnest before ; I trust they will not be disappointed in the ensuing year. I have, &c, W. B. White, Resident Magistrate.
No. 2. The Eesident Magistrate, Hokianga, to the Hon. the Native Minister. Sir,— _ Hokianga, 27th June, 1872. In reply to your circular letter of the 2nd instant, desiring me to furnish a general Eeport on the Natives in this District, I have the honor to state that during the past few years there has been a decided improvement in the whole of the people residing on the Hokianga Eiver and the West Coast adjoining. As regards intemperance, which at one time threatened the ruin of the whole Native population, and which is still the greatest evil which exists amongst them, it is pleasing to be able to state, from statistical returns, that the quantity of spirituous liquors consumed in this District during the present year is equal to only one-half of the quantity consumed during the same period in 1870, and is less by onesixth than that consumed during the same period in 1871; and this, too, in the face of a largely increased European population, There is a rapidly increasing desire amongst the people for the establishment of schools in their midst, for the education of their young men and children in the English language, as they begin to see that without such knowledge they will hold but a poor position in the future of the Colony. They appear to fairly acknowledge their position as British subjects, having no sympathy with the King movement, and expressing, in no measured terms, their utter abhorrence of the actions of the rebel natives, such as Kereopa and Te Kooti. They obey all summonses and orders of Court, take great interest in the election of members of both General and Provincial Assemblies. Tauas and Native runangas, once so frequent, are fast becoming things of the past, disputes amongst themselves being brought before the Court, and, in all cases, the decisions are accepted as final. Land disputes, which a few years since would have plunged the whole district in war, have been, by the advice of the officers in charge of the District, taken into the Native Lands Court, and have there been settled in a manner thoroughly satisfactory to the various claimants. (I allude more particularly to the disputed cases at Whirinaki and Te Taheke.) It is only a few days since that a large section of the Ihutae, residing at Mungamuka, in the most public manner possible, gave notice that the old Maori law of tapu no longer existed in that large District; this, in itself, is an evidence of the great advance these people are making towards civilization. With regard to the increase or otherwise, of the population, I am hardly in a position to speak, having been here only four years, but am inclined to believe that it is decreasing in number ; and it is in a great measure to be accounted for by the want of proper attention to the children in infancy, and,, for the past few years, to the frequency amongst them of low fever during the winter season, induced, to a considerable extent, by the excessive fatigue and exposure endured by them whilst working on the gum fields. Agriculture is, I am sorry to say, at a very low ebb, the people growing barely sufficient for their own consumption, and, with the exception of a small quantity of wheat grown at Waimaand Te Taheke,. no breadstuff is grown in tho District. The gum fields, again, may be mentioned as the cause of this, as the people always feel that when short of supplies they have the gum digging to fall back upon as a means of livelihood, but it often leads to their having to endure great privation and suffering, and the money which they so earn is not always spent in the necessaries and aomforts which they require, but, through the inducements held out to them by unprincipled Europeans, a considerable portion is dissipated in spirits, which, while it impoverishes the people, is at the same time laying the foundation of disease and death. On some of the gum fields not far from this District, lam informed, largo quantities of spirits are so disposed of; and it would be a boon to the Native if this great evil could be remedied. A large section, also, of the population earn their entire living by timber squaring and bush work. Their superiority in this kind of labor enables them to make large sums of money, and they, as a rule, present the appearance of a healthy, well-cared-for people. With reference to Public Works, roads have been made from Waima to Omanaia, and from thence to Whirinaki, which are of great public utility to both races, and it is further proposed to open up the means of communication by connecting Omanaia with the Township of Hokianga, thus effecting easy land communication between that place and Eussell. To speak of the loyalty of these people seems almost superfluous, when we see around us so many of them who fought and bled in our cause during Heke's war. There are, doubtless, a few turbulent spirits, who would, if they could, cause mischief and trouble, and who are a constant source of anxiety to those whose duty it is to maintain law and order amongst them, but, as a whole, these people maybe said to be as loyal to the Government of the country and as desirous to preserve law and order in the District as the "Europeans around them. In fact, I may safely say that this populous locality, the most distant from the Seat of Government, will be acknowledged to be as peaceful and orderly a Native District as any in the Colony. I have, <fee, Spencer Yon Sttjrmer, E.M.
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No. 3. The Eesident Magisthate, Waimate, to the Assistant Under-Secretary, Native Office. Eesident Magistrate's Office, Sir,— Waimate, Bay of Islands, 29th June, 1872. I have the honor to transmit herewith a Eeport I have been called upon to make as to the general state of this District, and to request you will be good enough to present the same to the Honorable the Native Minister. I have, &c., Edwd. M. Williams, E.M.
Eesident Magistrate's Office, Sir, — Waimate, Bay of Islands, 25th June, 1872. In reply to your circular of the 2nd instant, requesting me to furnish the Government with a General Eeport of the Natives of this District, I have the honor to offer the following remarks. In reference to the state of Native feeling generally, I have much pleasure in testifying to that continued loyalty and friendly feeling which, for many years, has characterised the Ngapuhi people; and, in speaking of Ngapuhi, I include those of the Earawa residing on the northern banks of the Hokianga Eiver and on the West Coast as far as Whangape, the northern boundary of the district under my charge. There exists in the minds of many among this people a desire for improvement, a feeling in favor of law and order —the full establishment of which, however, must necessarily be a work of time. It cannot be expected that the Natives should at once abandon the customs of their forefathers and unanimously adopt those of another race. One party may advocate the change, whilst another party may oppose what they consider an innovation upon their rights and privileges ; thus it is, that although an advance has been made, much yet remains to be accomplished and many difficulties to be overcome. There are turbulent spirits amongst them, who, adhering to the ancient law of the land, will at times take the existing law into their own hands, opposing, as much as possible, every effort made for their improvement, and taxing, in no small degree, the patience of those who have official dealings with them ; but I believe the majority desire to see this state of things abolished and civilization firmly established. The naturally warlike disposition of tho Maori character does sometimes manifest itself in a declaration of open warfare, but great care is observed, even under these circumstances, not to involve either the Government or the settlers in their quarrels. Two instances of this kiad have occurred in the District during the present year, both originating in land disputes, and both happily quelled without loss of life, the contending parties agreeing to carry their claims into the Native Land Court, there to be adjudicated upon and settled. Eeports of these cases have already been forwarded .to the Government. On the whole, I venture to report that the general condition of the District is one of progress —slow, but substantial. I can testify to an improvement in the moral condition of the Natives, not perhaps, to the extent which may have been anticipated, but yet in advance of their former condition. More respect and decorum is manifested in their general demeanor, more attention paid to the common usages of civilised life; a greater regard shown for the decisions given in the Courts of Justice. Wooden cottages in place of raupo are increasing in number in their villages ; their lands are inclosed in a more substantial manner, and greater care is bestowed upon their stock. This is attributable partly to the example shewn by the industrious settlers, and partly to the beneficial effect of the Native Land Court, in settling their endless disputes of ownership, individualising property, and securing to them their lands under direct title from the Crown. The greatest evil prevalent amongst them, and a cause of much regret with their European friends, is the extent to which many of them give way to habits of intoxication. This, however, is not to be considered universal. In some of their villages the introduction of spirits has been entirely prohibited, and cases may be quoted of notorious drunkards having become reformed characters; others also are endeavoring to break off their habits of intemperance, and if the temptation could be kept from them there would be hopes of still further reformation. But these hopes are frustrated, and the energies of their friends paralysed by the efforts which at the present time are being made to inundate the District with spirits. Large quantities of Auckland distilled spirits are being carted into the interior and not only sold wholesale by the Europeans, but distributed over the gum diggings, and there retailed by Maori vendors employed for the purpose. The result is obvious. These spirits being brought to their very doors and sold at a much cheaper rate than the foreign article, the temptation becomes too great for resistance ; the Maori falls an easy victim, and the European drives a lucrative trade. But the extent of this evil has yet to manifest itself; with a scarcity of provisions consequent upon the general indifference, and in some instances total failure of their crops, and the winter before them, these Natives in selling their gum for spirits are parting with that which would procure them the food and clothing they so much require. Many I fear will in consequence be driven to extremities, and sickness and death will be tho result. I am able to assert that not cnly the Eesident Magistrates in this district, but also those among the unpaid Justices who are active in the discharge of the duties appertaining to their office, have done their utmost to hinder the illicit trade complained of, but owing to the insuperable reluctance to lay informations or to give evidence unless compelled, they have been able to effect little more than the enforcement of somewhat greater caution in the illegal sale of spirits. The physical condition of the Natives at the present time is better than it was some six or eight months back, when they were suffering from a low gastric fever then prevalent amongst them, and from the effects of which several deaths occurred, principally among children. Influenza has been general, but not severe. One prevailing cause of sickness is their constant exposure to wet and cold on the 2
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gum diggings, the miserable shelter they provide, and the low diet to which they subject themselves, added to which in some instances is the effect of intemperance upon constitutions ill prepared by exposure and privation to resist the attacks of any epidemic which may visit the district. Their agricultural pursuits are confined principally to the cultivation of the potato, kutnara, corn, and uwhi, on which they bestow the greatest attention, all other employments being relinquished until their crops are in the ground. The same attention is given to harvesting these crops. The Maori has in a great measure to depend upon his own exertions for the amount of provisions he may be enabled to secure, hence the care and attention always bestowed upon these cultivations. The growth of wheat until lately had been altogether abandoned, but is now occupying their attention. A fair sprinkling of grain was produced last year, and a much greater proportion of land is being sown at the present time. The progress of Public Works undertaken by the Natives is reported by those who have the supervision of these works as being satisfactory; many are at the present time employed upon the roads, some under contract, others as day laborers, and are executing the work in a satisfactory manner. Many are engaged in the timber trade in Hokianga and Whangaroa, at which employment they have the opportunity of making excellent wages. Numbers are scattered over the gum diggings, of the extent of which some idea may be formed by the enormous quantity of gum imported into Auckland from the Northern ports. The question of education has lately been discussed by the Natives of this district, and taken up by some with an earnestness which promises success, but many do not as yet discern its full importance ; they recognise the need of some tuition for their children, but not the duty of contributing towards the funds necessary for providing that tuition, being too much led away with the idea that all should be done for them. This feeling, however, it may be hoped, will in time give way to the example shown by others amongst them, who have already largely contributed towards the erection of places of worship, and who are equally ready to assist in the establishment of schools for their children. The opposition formerly offered on the part of the Natives to the occupation of their lands by the settlers is fast giving way to a disposition to sell and lease. Good arable land has already been leased, and large blocks are being offered for sale. This indicates an increasing confidence in the minds of the Natives towards their European"neighbours, and an evident desire to see the country occupied. Much interest is manifested by them as to the probable result of reported overtures made to the Government by the Waikato Natives, and a hope generally expressed that successful negotiations may be established and a lasting peace secured to the Colony. In conclusion, I would remark that whatever may be the faults and failings of this people, their loyalty towards the Government and friendship for the settlers will, I think, be acknowledged as an indisputable fact; and I venture to affirm that for the last seven and twenty years no portion of the aboriginal inhabitants of this Colony has caused the Government less trouble and anxiety than the two powerful tribes of Ngapuhi and the Rarawa. I have, &c, Edwd. M. Williams", R.M.
No. 4. E. W. Puckey, Thames, to the Hon. the Native Minister. Sir,— Native Office, Thames, 9th July, 1872. In reply to your circular of the 3rd ultimo, I have the honor to report that during the last three years the feeling of the Natives towards the Government has been steadily improving; the firm and conciliating policy which has been carried out through the whole Colony has born good fruit, and this district has not been behind other districts in this respect. Those who three years ago were rabid Hauhaus, jealous of the name of Queen or Government, appear now to be only waiting a fit and proper opportunity of gracefully relinquishing their adherence to the King party. A retrospective glance at what took place at your visit to Ohinemuri in December, 1869, as compared with the incidents of your recent visit in company with His Excellency the Governor, will better explain than any words of mine can, the great change that has gradually, and perhaps almost imperceptibly to themselves, been coming over their thoughts and feelings; and not at Ohinemuri alone has this been the case; Hauhaus on the East Coast of the Thames Peninsula, as well as at Piako, have kept pace with their neighbours and colleagues at Ohinemuri. Whilst, in other parts of my district those who have all along been friendly evince the most lively satisfaction, not only that their Hauhau relatives and neighbours are ready to forsake their fanaticism, but at the prospect of an early settlement of those difficulties which have so long disturbed the peace of this country. Physical and Moral condition. —The Natives appear to be just so far advanced in civilization as to make them aware that there are certain advantages likely to accrue to them by their becoming members of a community with their pakeha neighbours, yet at the same time they are unwilling to give up their natural rights, and share with their pakeha friends the privileges of society. It is, however, satisfactory to notice their growing appreciation of the advantages of education; they are becoming daily more alive to the great disadvantage it has been to themselves that they so much neglected, in the earlier years of the Colony, to avail themselves of the scanty means placed at their disposal for the education of their children. I trust ere long to establish a school for the education of Native children at Ohinemuri. Agricultural Pursuits. —It was quite encouraging last spring, in visiting several Native kaingas here and there in this district, to see the Natives on so much greater a scale than usual, preparing land for the reception of their crops. Many of them, poor themselves, purchased, ploughs and harness, whilst some have spent considerable sums of money in the purchase of cows, and are going in for stock breeding on quite an extensive scale. But there is a vice growing fast upon them—l allude to drunkenness; there is rarely a meeting which takes place in which there is not a very considerable
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quantity of ardent spirits consumed, whilst I can only instance the case of Te Moananui as a solitary instance of a reformed hard-drinker —this chief, who for several years was. a notoriously hard-drinker, has with unusual strength of mind entirely given up that pernicious habit, and is now a teetotaller. I have, &c , E. W. Puckey, _______________________ Native Agent, Thames.
No. 5. The Eesident Magistrate, Eaglan, to the Hon. the Native Minister. Sir,— Eaglan, 12th June, 1872. I have the honor to forward the Eeport requested in yours of the 3rd instant concerning the feeling of the Natives of this district. lam able to say that they are almost universally obedient to our laws ; doubtless there are Kingites among them, but when on this side of the line they hold their peace. The boundary line between what is termed " King" and European territory, is well understood and respected by the Kingites themselves; and so long as things remain in their present position, I doubt not they will keep within the south side and try to confine the Europeans to the north of it; but as there has been really no unkindly feeling (here) it may be fairly presumed that, peace being established, the two races will mix again as they did years ago. As regards their religious, moral, and social condition, it is impossible to speak favourably, although there are of course exceptions among them, whose morality and religious feeling are indubitable. In number, they are steadily on the decrease, among other causes from migration. Physically, so far as my observation goes, they are not the fine race they were ; I mean that if ✓you wanted to mention a large athletic man you would have to pick from the passing (ageing) generation, and you do not see any large Maori families. The finest men amongst them are half-castes, and when prolific, the women are almost invariably connected with the pakeha. In agricultural pursuits they are retrograde, not growing enough for their own consumption; and I fear that they will have a very hard time of it this winter. The' past season has been an exceptional one- —a very bad one —and their crops having nearly failed, the Natives will have to depend upon their salaries, the pipi bank, casual labor at the flax mills, and their pigs. I may remark, as favourable, the large number of pigs brought to Eaglan for sale, although the major part of them came from the King country; also, the great increase of the cultivation and consumption of the Torori, which the Eaglan storekeepers say has greatly superseded the European tobacco, among themselves and also many of the Europeans. There are no public works undertaken by Natives here, but if the Government could give them work it would not only be an immense boon in their present needy state, but it would prevent much pig and cattle stealing, and (I would most respectfully remark) would be the very best means of breaking through the reserve of the Kingites. When the Eaglan and Karakariki road was expected to have been commenced, and Tawhiao objected to the Natives working, it became a question whethey they would obey him or not ; and there seemed little doubt that many of his adherents would have gone to work with our Natives, and that the majority by degrees would have joined in. I have, &c, W. Harsant, E.M.
No. 6. Major Mair, Alexandra, to the Under-Secretary Native Department. Sin, — Alexandra, 2nd July, 1872. In accordance with circular dated June 3rd, 1872, conveying instructions relative to a " General Eeport on the Natives in the Waikato District," I have the honor to forward the report attached. I have, &c, W. G. Mair, Official Correspondent.
The tribes embraced in this Eeport are Waikato, Ngatimaniapoto, and Ngatiraukawa. The first it must be borne in mind consists of a number of sections or divisions, most of them in point of numbers worthy of being called a separate tribe. Portions of almost each of these divisions remained loyal while the greater number took up arms against us. Upon the occupation by the troops of the Waikato country in 1863-4, the former portion now called " Kupapa," remained in their villages at Eaglan, Aotea, and other places on the West Coast, and along the banks of the Waikato and Waipa rivers, while the latter —generally known as " the Kingites," took refuge in the Ngatimaniapoto and Ngatiraukawa country, which they continue to occupy. It is with this king party, including all Ngatimaniapoto, the largest half of Waikato, and a portion of Ngatiraukawa—as being by far the most important—that this report will have principally to do. Erom the close of actual hostilities in 1864, until the year 1870, the attitude of the Kingites was threatening, but since that period they have been gradually assuming a friendly tone, and now manifest a desire to come to terms with the Government. This change of feeling is attributable to more causes than one. Since the war an unsettled feeling has pervaded them, and as I have heard them express ir, they have become " weary of uncertainty .and wish to build themselves permanent houses," and again, they are beginning to recognise the fact, that year by year, as their supporters fall off, they are becoming isolated from the other tribes. Not long since they could count upon the allegiance of part of Ngtituwharetoa, (Taupo) and all Ngatiraukawa, (Upper Waikato river). The former have turned road makers, and upon the occasion of the Honorable Native Minister's visit to Waikato last month, the latter
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taking advantage of the presence of Hauauru, Taonui, Paiaka, and other leading Kingite chiefs, formally announced that they were for the " Government," and claimed the right to deal with their own lands, and with the construction of roads, &c, without reference to Tawhiao. No better proof could be given of the decreasing influence of the King party than is shown in a remark made by Hauauru Poutama, an important Ngatimaniapoto chief, who, when Mr M'Lean said that they must not interfere with other tribes in the matter of roads, &c, replied "we will still try to dissuade them, but if they will not listen, we shall leave them alone !" The present conciliatory policy of the Government, while being the least expensive, has most effectually weakened the King party, and has removed a great deal of the soreness that existed between them and the Europeans. At the same time it must be admitted that there are influences at work to prevent a friendly settlement. Perhaps the most important of these is a feeling of national pride, to which may, in a great measure, be attributed their opposition to the progress of Public Works. When I was impressing upon Hunia Te Ngakau —one of their cleverest men—the mutual advantages to be derived from these works, he replied, " you need not tell me what I know quite well, but we oppose you in this direction because these things benefit you in a much greater degree than they do the Maori, and each mile of road or telegraph that you construct makes you so much stronger than us!" Another important, though recent reason is the Todd murder, they know that that affair must be settled and it causes them considerable uneasiness, they look upon it as a blunder, and each chief disclaims responsibility in the matter. That it was a political murder Ido not doubt, for it was intended to prevent the probability of a reconciliation between Tawhiao and the Government, but I am inclined to rest the sole direct responsibility of it with a small violent party at Kawhia. It was supposed that Manuwhiri had been concerned in it, and for this reason the Government made a distinction between him and Rewi, who is undoubtedly the more straightforward of the two. At his late meeting with the King people Mr M'Lean told them that the Government did not intend to let the question of atonement for this murder drop, but would look to Tawhiao as their head to free his people of this offence, as well as the lesser one of harbouring Te Kooti. It has been urged upon Tawhiao by some of his advisers, that if he were to make peace with the Governor he would die soon after as Hone Heke, Rangihaeata, Wi Tamehana, and Te Ua Haumene did! Ido not think that Tawhiao attaches much importance to this warning, but it serves to show how ready the unfriendly party are to use any argument that may serve. I believe, however, that the moderate party is the strongest, and that the ultra party must ere long give way. It is simply a question of time, the problem will be solved by themselves, without any pressing on our part. They will no doubt make the best bargain that they can, and in so doing will only follow the example of civilised nations, but I am satisfied that in the end they will be content to receive much less than their first demands. In the meantime, although there has not been any actual peace-making, intercourse with the lately hostile Natives is increasing rapidly, last month, for instance, several hundred bushels of maize with numbers of pigs and some cattle, were brought from the immediate vicinity of Te Kuiti, and.offered for sale in the various European settlements, and there is an increasing desire to cultivate for market. Seed wheat, ploughs, and other agricultural implements are eagerly sought for, and there is some probability of a move down to Te Kopua and its neighborhood as being more convenient, besides possessing a flour mill and a large breadth of land famous for producing wheat. Wiremu Kumeti (now called Whitiora) has declared that he will open the harbour of Kawhia to European trade ; some opposition will no doubt be offered by Tapihana and the violent section previously alluded to, which may occasion delay, but the bare fact of Kumeti having stated openly that he will do so, is sufficient to show the change that is taking place. Another noticeable fact is the increasing desire on the part of the King Natives for employment by the settlers, last summer and autumn a very considerable number found work about Rangiaowhia, Kihikihi, and Orakau in harvesting and other field work, and I have been informed gave general satisfaction. In the physical condition of the Natives in this District I do not notice any marked alteration. There was a good deal of sickness last winter, and I imagine that pulmonary diseases are very wide spread, for they are constantly complaining of" Rewharewha," a term applied to all complaints of the throat and chest, but no great mortality has, I believe, occurred among them for some time. Arrangements have been entered into for the erection in xilexandra of a building to be used as a Hospital, whenever they chose to bring their sick, and the services of a medical man have been secured ; but I am not very sanguine of much good resulting, for as a rule it is only when a case is hopelessly given up by their own " tohunga" that they will place a patient in proper hands. The moral status of the Waikato tribes, so far as the Kupapa are concerned, is, I think, on a par with the other tribes in the North Island. Among the Kingites, Hauhauism has brought about great laxity, and the absence of anything like law or order, has had a very demoralizing effect upon the young men. The thirst for strong drink is growing upon the Waikato Natives. Among the Kupapa— Ngatihaua are'very dissipated, while the craving for spirits manifested by the Kingites is something very serious ; were they placed in a position to obtain it in quantities, I believe that they would indulge to an alarming extent. No Native schools have been established in the Waikato since the war, but I am of opinion that the time is approaching when the attempt may be made. It cannot be doubted that Hauhauism is fast dying out. The form of worship in use among the Kingites, when weeded of the strings of meaningless words retained from the Karakia of Te Ua, does not present anything objectionable. It consists in great part of supplication to the Deity to guard and preserve Tawhiao. The Natives of this District have not as yet been employed upon any Public Works. Arrangements were made last summer for the construction of a road from the Waipa to Raglan, but in deference, I believe, to the wish of Manuwhiri, that road-making by Natives should not commence pending the long-talked of meeting between the Governor and Tawhiao, the Kupapa, who were to have done the work, advised that it should not be proceeded with at present. It is to be hoped, however, that it will be carried out next summer, for the present road is one of the worst in New Zealand. Of the Kupapa natives —distinctively—there is little to be said. Their condition has not, I think,
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changed in any marked degree during the last few years : taken altogether they are not very prosperous. Unlike other tribes, they have no revenue arising from kauri timber, gum, pastoral lands, fisheries, &c, but have to depend solely upon what they can grow. Their intercourse with the Kingites has become much more free of late; iv fact, with a few exceptions, great cordiality exists between the friendly chiefs and the King party ; but I am afraid that some of our Kupapa friends, with the view of increasing their own importance, endeavor to keep up a state of agitation, which is occasionally productive of mischief; while, on the other hand, there are some who are sincere in their desire for a permanent peace, and are ever ready to do all in their power towards carrying out the policy of the Government. I have, &c, W. G. Maie.
No. 7. The Eesident Magistrate, Maketu, to the Hon. the Native Minister. Eesident Magistrate's Office, Sir,— Maketu, 15th July, 1872. I have the honor to report, for the information of His Excellency's Government, that the feeling existing among the Native hapu of this district is of an amicable nature ; and I am of opinion that a considerable improvement has taken place in that respect since the peacemaking between Ngatipikiao and Ngatiwhakaue, which occurred in March, 1871, when the Natives assembled to " tangi' over the remains of Eewi Tereanuku. There have been no disputes relative to the title of land since the investigation took place before me between Ngatipikiao and Ngatipukenga relative to the Waipumuka, a report of which I forwarded to the Government in March, 1871, excepting a continuous quarrel between Tapuika and Ngatimoko about Canaan. I was in hopes this had been satisfactorily arranged, but information has just reached me that there is every probability of another outbreak taking place between them. As I have previously stated, there have been no disturbances relative to land excepting with regard to the Canaan block. Still, lam afraid that at some future period these disputes will again arise ; I wish, therefore, to draw the attention of the Government to the advisability of adopting some plan by which the tribal claims, if not the individual ones, might be amicably settled and their titles and boundaries decided on and defined. As regards the moral and physical condition of the Natives, I have to state that it has been generally remarked that since my arrival here petty pilfering has not been so prevalent as before my appointment; but I wish to impress upon the Government the evident benefit that is accruing to the rising generation from tho advantages derived from the schools established in this district. The results arising from the Maketu school are too well known to the Government to require to be expatiated on by me ; but there is no doubt these results would be very considerably increased if means were adopted whereby the attendance of the children could be more regularly secured. The parents of the children and the Natives generally are very anxious to adopt some measures by which the foregoing could be effected ; and I am given to understand that their idea is to give land whereon food could be grown for the children, they residing permanently in some building attached to or in the close neighborhood of the schoolhouse, as the evident cause of the irregularity in the attendance of the children is their want of accommodation and means of living during the time their parents are absent planting food, &c. On the occasion of the visit of the Hon. the Defence Minister to Maketu, the subject of apportioning a piece of land for school purposes was brought before him, but no decision was arrived at. Since then I have heard it spoken about on several occasions, but the various blocks mentioned by the Natives have been in dispute for years, and if through these means any one of these pieces could be unanimously decided on, it would be a very satisfactory termination to troublesome disputes ; but I am afraid there is very little hope of its being eventually carried out. Tho school at Matata is, as compared with the Maketu school, of very recent formation ; but I notice that the children have made very good progress. The numbers attending there are considerably larger than those who go to the Maketu school. The average daily attendance at the latter school during the last twelve months was 2272, while at the former it was 4224. This may be accounted for thus: that at Matata the children of the different hapu all go to the one school, whereas it is only the children of Ngatiwhakaue parents who attend the school at Maketu. Another school for the Ngatipikiao children has been opened at the Taheke, Eotoiti, but it has only now commenced working, so that I am not in a position to make any report on it. With reference to the children attending the Matata school, I wish to draw the attention of the Government to the scarcity of food experienced by them. Te Keepa Te Hurinui, the chief of the Tuhourangi tribe, and I have been consulting seriously on the subject, and I see no means of obviating tho difficulty excepting the Government interfere in their behalf, or that the children be allowed to disperse to their several kaingas, where they will be able to procure food more easily than at Matata ; but this would materially affect the advantages they have hitherto derived from attending the school. I may remark that Te Keepa is willing to form a piece of road approaching and fronting the township of Eichmond in liquidation of any advances so made by the Government. Eelative to the agricultural pursuits of tho Natives of my district, I will allude more particularly to those resident at Maketu. During tho last few years they have discontinned planting in this neighborhood, excepting a few small patches of kumara, Ngatiwhakaue having planted at Te Puke, up the Kaituna river, and Ngatipikiao at Te Hiapo and other places inland, distant some fifteen or sixteen miles from Maketu. The reason I assign for this is the quantity of pigs and horses they have running at large and their disinclination to fence. I wish to remark that the last season being so exceedingly dry, their potato crop was a complete failure, so much so, that they are at present in a very distressed 3
P.-No. 3,
state from the want of food, and it is not at all improbable that this scarcity of food may have some influence on the health of tho Natives, as many of them are suffering from disease, and several have recently died. With respect to the public works undertaken by the Natives, I have much pleasure in reporting that considerable improvements have already been made between Maketu and Eotoiti, and still further alterations are now in progress at the Waiwhakareto and Te Hunua, where they were urgently required. The approaches to the site of the intended bridge at the Taheke have been completed, and other substantial improvements have been made between the Taheke and Eotorua. The contract formerly entered into between Ngatiwhakaue and the Government for constructing a road from Waiteti to Te Hemo has been lately completed under the supervision of Mr. Jordan. Another contract has also been completed by Ngatirangiwewehi and other hapu between Waiteti and the original contract entered into between Ngaterangiwewehi and the Government for the forest section of the road. I have still further pleasure in stating that the contract lately entered into between Tuhouraiigi and the Government between Te Hemo and the site of the intended bridge on the Waikato, after having been in treaty for some months, is now in rapid course of progress, more so than any other contract entered into by Natives during my experience, and I have no hesitation in stating that, weather permitting, in the courso of six weeks from this date the said contract will be complete, bridges excepted. I have, Ac, E. E. Hamlin, Eesident Magistrate.
No. 8. The Eesident Magistrate, Opotiki, to the Hon. the Native Minister, Wellington. Sir,— Opotiki, Bay of Plenty, 24th, Juno 1872. I have the honor to submit the following general report on Native matters in the Opotiki District, for the hist half year. During the time I have been here I have visited nearly all the settlements, some of them several times, and have endeavored to make myself as conversant with the Natives as practicable in so short a time. The health of the Natives has been good during the past half year, they have been visited by no epidemic, and the deaths have been few. The most noticeable death is that of Eenata Te Purewa, a Chief of Euatahuna, which occurred at Whakatane last month. Children appear to be plentiful and healthy, and I certainly see no signs, here at least, of the Maori race becoming extinct. Hauhauism appears to be dying out, and I think the Natives are now recovering from the license and immoral habits engendered by it, and in a great measure have returned to their former customs and ideas. Christian baptism is now sought for their children by those who only a few years or months ago professed Hauhauism, and Christian worship is now the custom at many settlements. No crimes of any importance, which could be traced to the Native race, have been reported to me. I regret to have to state, however, that drunkenness is very prevalent amongst them, the chiefs in some cases being lamentably addicted to it. There is also just now a great wish to establish amongst themselves licensed houses for the sale of fermented and spirituous liquors. The land in the district is very productive, and large quantities of wheat, maize, and potatoes, are grown annually by the Natives, but the crops during the past season have been but scanty, more especially the potatoes and maize, the former of which were injured by the drought, and the latter by a severe gale of wind. As an instance, the Natives at Te Kaha and the neighborhood last year had four hundred bags of maize for sale, while this year, from a greater breadth sown, they do not expect to have half that quantity. With the Whakatohea and Ngaitai, the result was the same. The Kumera crop, on which the Bay of Plenty Natives in a great measure depend for food is, however, a good one, and will make up to some extent for the deficiency of the others. The Natives, although I hope there will be no actual want amongst them, must necessarily bo in somewhat straitened circumstances this winter, and following spring. A good many ploughs have been purchased by the Natives lately, and I believe a greater breadth of wheat than usual will be put in this seed time. The Whanau a Maru, and the Whanau a Te Hutu tribes, had five boats engaged in whaling last season, and lam informed netted no less than two hundred pounds after paying all expenses. Incited by this, all the Coast tribes, including the Ngaitai, intend to follow this pursuit during the coming season. The Ngaitai are now engaged under the Public Works Department in improving and altering the road from Opotiki to Torero and beyond it. They have only begun tho work this month, so that but thirty to forty chains of road formation is all that they have yet completed. It has been found impossible for the surrendered Urewera to commence the contemplated road work at Ohiwa until the wet season has passed. Some Natives are employed by the contractor, together with Europeans, on the Opotiki and Otara road. The Whanau a Apanui, Whanau a Maru, and Whanau a Te Hutu tribes, are very desirous of being employed on Public Works, and I trust the Government may see their way to allow them to earn money in this manner, either on the Opotiki and Poverty Bay road, or on any other which may be determined on, I would point out that in consequence of the deficiency of the harvest, Natives are very anxious to obtain work, and will accept it at lower wages than they would in a more fruitful season. I have observed house building and other Native industries going on in every settlement; and in some cases large and ornamental buildings are being put up. Te Tatana has his large Eunanga house at Maraenui nearly completed.
10
REPORTS PROM OPPIOERS
IN NATIVE DISTRICTS.
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The opinions I have heard expressed by the Natives all point to a continuance of the friendly relations which at present exist between thorn and the Government. There is no doubt that those formerly in rebellion appreciate the blessings of peace after years of hardship and privation. Of the Natives, lately noted rebels, but now living quietly and in apparent contentment, I may instance Ilira Te Popo, who now lives in the Town belt of Opotiki, cultivating the hundred acres of fine land reserved for him by the Government, and sending his children to an European school. Wi Hura, who is living with the last named, Nepia Tokitahi, lately the Lieutenant of Te Kooti, who is at Opape under the surveillance of Wiremu Kingi ; Hemi Kakitu, who is living at Ohiwa, and who has applied to purchase back from the Government a favorite spot of the lately confiscated land ; and Erueti Tamaikowha, who often visits this settlement from Te Waimana, where he is turning his attention to the rearing of cattle. The service of Native orderlies lately instituted by the Government from Mangapowhatu and Euatahuna to Opotiki, has hitherto been well maintained, and will, I believe, tend to the preservation of friendly relations with the Urewera and other inland tribes. I cannot say that I believe the inland Urewera are well disposed towards the Government, but at least they have ceased to be in active opposition. A considerable number of Natiyes, including representatives from all the tribes, either have gone, or are going to a large meeting at Mataahu, for which invitations have been issued by Major Eopata Wahawaha. All through the district I have found the Natives civil and obliging in manner, hospitable to Europeans, and very willing to submit all their disputes (not only those-with Europeans, but also those amongst themselves,) to my decision, and to abide by that decision when given. The principal subjects I have heard discussed at the Native " kainga" lately, are Eepresentation, Land disputes, Eoad Boards, and Confiscated Lands. Great attention is given to Native Parliamentary representation. Some are of opinion that they are not fairly represented in Parliament in proportion to their numbers, and that there should be more Maori members in the House, whilst others are of opinion that tho Parliament should not deal with matters affecting the Native race only, but that these should be arranged by a Native Council. Akin to the subject of the Native Council is the question, " How are Native land disputes to be settled ?" of which there are more than one of long standing in this district (as where are there not?) Many Natives think that the " Council," if established, could deal with these cases. The Native Land Court is unpopular, on account of the expense attending it, which in Native idea is unnecessary; they also think its machinery cumbersome. The Native Eoad Boards Act passed last session has not in any instance been adopted in this district, indeed the Natives feel much aggrieved at having to pay road rates where they own land within a European Eoad District, as at Opotiki. It is not surprising that they should kick at their first experience of direct taxation, but they will doubtless in time acknowledge the benefits of the system. There has been an attempt lately (originated by some Napier Natives) to get up a movement among the Bay of Plenty tribes to petition Parliament to return them all the confiscated lands, and it was endeavored to organise a political agitation for this purpose. lam able to say that this movement met with no success from Opotiki to the East Cape, even amongst those whose lands have been confiscated. In the Urewera country and at Whakatane this question is being much discussed, but the majority of the Natives I have no doubt fully understand that it is not only inexpedient, but impossible, for the Government or the Parliament to return them the confiscated lands as a whole, and I need hardly say that I have lost no opportunity of impressing this on them. Much of my time since my arrival in this district has been spent in the endeavour to establish Schools, under tho Native Schools Acts. I have urged on the Natives, to the best of my ability, that they should establish and support these Schools, because I am really of opinion that educating them will do much to preserve the peace of the country in future years, by enabling them to fight out their battle with the white man in the forum instead of in the field. lam happy to say that I have made considerable progress in the matter of Schools The Ngaitai have given a site and promised subscriptions towards the erection of a Schoolhouse; the Te Kaha Natives have done the same; the Whakatohea have set apart a site for the same purpose, and promised labour, and though unable from their poverty (caused by the war) to give money now, I. donbt not that as they recover themselves they will be able to pay for their children's education. I hope in a short time to be able to report that these three schools are in operation. A School has lately been established in Opotiki, which, although it is to be carried on under the Provincial system, and not under the Native Schools Acts, will yet be attended by Natives as well as Europeans. Though at present only in a temporary building, and not fully in operation, already ten Maori children attend this School, and I hope to see the number augmented shortly. In conclusion, perhaps I may be permitted to express my surprise and pleasure in visiting the settlements of the Natives on this coast, to find them so much more prosperous than their countrymen in other parts of the Island. Notwithstanding that these tribes have all felt the effects of the late struggle, whether engaged in it or not, yet I find them in possession of many horses, carts, ploughs, boats, indeed of everything which a Maori counts as wealth. There are exceptions to this rule, among the latest surrendered, but these will doubtless recover themselves rapidly, however much the late poor harvest is against them In no district have I seen greater apparent good feeling to exist between the races notwithstanding the recent struggle. If Cook's name for this district is not too appropriate this year, it is yet more so than such hastily given names usually are, and if the blessing of peace is vouchsafed, years of prosperity should be before both Europeans and Natives in the Bay of Plenty. I have, &c., Herbert W. Brabant, The Hon. tho Native Minister, Wellington. Eesident Magistrate.
P.—No. 3
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REPORTS EROM OEEICERS
No. 9. The Eesident Magistrate, Waiapu, to the Hon. the Native Minister. Sir,— Waiapu, 30th June, 1872. I have the honor to submit the following report of the present state of this district, and the general condition of the Natives. During the last six years the Ngatiporou have continued loyal and peaceful, and there is no reason at present to expect that they will become otherwise. A review of this period, however, does not furnish much grouud for the hope of any material progress in industry, religion, morality, or in energy. As long as they remain isolated and deprived of the example shown by Europeans of enterprise, industry, and perseverance, so long must they continue ignorant of all that renders a race prosperous and contented. All that they attempt to procure is a bare subsistence, often very insufficient, and disease and death follow the actual want of wholesome food. The small quantity of produce which the more industrious grow is at the mercy of any trader who may come among them, who charges probably one hundred per cent, for his goods, and allows them not more than two-thirds of what they could get if there was a regular market. This is not very encouraging to industry. Greater scarcity of food prevails this year than I have known since 1865, and I fear there will be much sickness and distress before the next crops come in. The question arises what is the best remedy for this, and what can be done which will conduce most to the benefit of the Natives. I would suggest that if the prejudices which have been instilled into their minds, against selling or leasing land to Europeans, could be overcome, and that the Government could succeed in procuring by purchase a block of land sufficient for the formation of a special settlement, it would be the greatest boon, it would serve as a model, and prove a strong incentive to native industry. It has lately been represented to the Native Minister by the Bishop of Waiapu that there is no land in this District available for European settlements. This statement I beg leave respectfully but most emphatically to contradict. There is a country rich and fertile, sufficient to support hundreds,. one-fourth of which, to say the least, the Maoris can never occupy. A scheme such as I have suggested, taken in connection with the formation of roads, the purchase of Te Awanui, with its tolerably available harbour, would«soon render this hitherto slugglish and nearly useless district thriving and prosperous, and a valuable aid to the revenue. The establishment of schools is likely to prove of great benefit to the rising generation, and with a few exceptions, chiefly among the Hauhaus, much interest is expressed in their success. As bearing, however, upon the subject of which I have written, a chief at a late meeting quaintly observed,'' What will be the use of teaching the children English unless we have Pakehas for them to talk to ?" Tho building of the school-houses here and at Tuparoa has been unfortunately delayed, owing to some mistake on the part of the contractor, but he is at present completing the building at Uawa (Tolago Bay), and will shortly proceed with the others. The " Sale of Spirits in Outlying Districts Act" is not working as could be desired. Eormerly I succeeded in restricting the number of licenses to five between Poverty Bay and Hick's Bay. During the past year there have been many applications, numerously signed, and backed by the assessors, three of whom were themselves applicants. Last year I made the attempt to reduce the original number of five by one, but I was met by a perfect storm of remonstrance, and a petition was presented, signed by nearly two hundred, against it. A short time ago I begged the Eeverend Eaniera Kawhia to give me his assistance in checking as much as possible the habit of drinking spirits on all occasions. He replied that he did not see how he could ; that on the occasion of his wife's death, and the consequent " tangi," he was obliged to supply a quantity of spirits, otherwise he should have had no guests. It is in vain to attempt to make Maoris better than their fellow-mortals. At the very time that tho Bishop of "W aiapu stated in a letter to the Hon. the Native Minister that he was very sure that Morgan would set his face against the system of licensing the sale of spirits, Morgan's own application for a license wa* lying in my house. I allude to this subject because it has been attempted to cast a reflection upon the Eesident Magistrate for encouraging the system, whereas it has been quite the contrary. Of the land feud between Morgan and Wikiriwhi, to which I have so frequently had occasion to draw your attention, I have nothing further to report. The opportune arrival of the Hon. Native Minister, and the withdrawal of Morgan for a time, will, it is to bo hoped, prove the means of allaying the bitterness which has so long existed. I have, &c, J. H. Campbell, E.M.
No. 10. The Civil Commissioner, New Plymouth, to the Hon. the Native Minister. Sir,— New Plymouth, 6th July, 1872. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your circular letter of 3rd June, 1872, calling for a general Eeport on the Natives in this district As regards the state of feeling generally of the Natives, there is a very great improvement in reference to their social condition and manner towards Europeans, with whom they mix freely, and manifest a desire to be friendly with. The fact of a tribe from the interior (Ngatimaru) offering land for sale to the Government is, I submit, evidence of the improved state of feeling—a tribe that has for years past allowed their district to be a refuge for the disaffected, is now exerting itself to establish permanent allegiance to the Government, and to get European settlers to settle among them. But the main point to which I have to draw attention, and to which I have frequently referred in previous correspondence, is the predominating influence which has been gradually acquired by Te Whiti, of Parihaka, an influence by no means confined to this
IN NATIVE DISTRICTS.
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P—No. 3
district, but which is now very great in some of the most distant parts of the Island, and is notably exercised over Tawhiao himself. The general character of Te Whiti's influence is altogether in favor of peace, and I think that if he be prudently dealt with it will continue so, as it corresponds with the essentially peaceful and amiable nature of this singular man. But although in this point of view Te Whiti's ascendancy is productive of good, it must be observed that his abhorrence of the idea of further conflicts between the races, or amongst his own people, has caused him, and will no doubt continue to cause him to put his veto on any proposal —-such as that for the completion of the telegraph and road through his district, if he finds it likely to be productive of disunion. Moreover, his total want of sympathy with, and, indeed, his scorn for our action of progress, and the absence of all desire for money, or anything that we have to offer him, renders it difficult, if not hopeless, to obtain any active aid from him in facilitating the work of colonization. At the same time, I wish it to be understood that I have no reason whatever to think that he will be found obstructive to proposals which may be generally approved by his people in that direction. In reference to the moral condition of the Natives of this district under my charge, I can only report that there is no sign of any progress towards more civilized modes of life, and this, taken in connection with the weakening of such restraints as were formerly imposed by tribal influence, can leave little room for hope that their moral condition is in any way improving. With the exception of some small efforts made by a few Natives in the district, north of the town, nothing is being done in this district towards the education of Native children, partly owing to their real poverty, and partly to their want of interest in the matter. I have little hope of inducing the Natives under my charge to contribute towards the establishment of schools. As, however, there can be little doubt that the education of Native children is the only way of permanently improving what remains of the Maori race, and affords the only chance of enabling it to stand its ground in company with the white man, I would submit the desirability of gratuitous aid for teaching them (as provided for by " The Native Schools Act Amendment Act, 1871,") and beg to suggest, that in my opinion the best thing that could be done for a year or two in a district like this is for the Government to provide a schoolmaster, who should visit the Native villages and direct the efforts of such adult Natives as may be willing to assist in furthering the work of educating their children (many of whom would be found), and also to devote as much of his time as possible at the different places in teaching the children himself. With regard to their attention to agricultural pursuits, many of the tribes in the district manifest a desire to be possessed of the necessary implements for adopting the European system ; and there are some who by industry have, within the last few years, acquired cattle, carts, ploughs, Ac, and have cultivated and produced crops equal to those grown by Europeans, whilst others who have not the means to acquire European implements are obliged to follow their old methods ; and as many of them have been deprived of all available bush since the confiscation, they labor under'great disadvantages. In the bush land, which is well adapted for the Native methods of cultivation, they can raise good crops, but in the open fern land they generally fail, owing to the want of proper appliances, consequently have but little surplus more than they require for food for themselves through the year, and for extra demands upon them by large parties travelling between Parihaka and the North, and the system of frequent large meetings, by which the Natives of this district have for the last two or three years been kept very poor. As regards the progress of the public works undertaken by Natives in this district, nothing can be more satisfactory than the way they have performed the work they have undertaken. Since the work was first started the numbers employed have increased, and will continue to do so should new contracts be available in the spring of the year, after their crops are in. There is a report in circulation that there is to be a very large meeting at Parihaka in September neii, the largest ever held there. This information, however, I have not obtained from any one from Parihaka, but from other Natives, who also report that there is a probability of Tawhiao and a large party of the northern Natives being present. Tamati Teito has recently returned from Te Kuiti, Tawhiao's place, and is said to have brought the intelligence. I was asked a few days ago if Tawhiao would be interfered with if he came through the town of New Plymouth, to which I replied by asking why such a question was put to me. I assured them that he would not be molested if he came here, but, on the contrary, would be received kindly, and treated in a friendly manner. Since then, however, I have received intelligence confirming the report of Te Kooti's arrival at Te Kuiti, and to-day four Natives who came in from Mokau informed me that he is now with Tawhana (Tikaokao) at Eipia, south of the Mokau Eiver, about thirty miles inland from the Mokau heads. His following on arriving at Te Kuiti was seven males and two females. It is to be hoped that Tawhiao will not presume to allow Te Kooti to accompany him through an European district, as such a proceeding would complicate matters very much. I cannot for a moment suppose that they would do so, and am inclined to think that if they should come to Parihaka they will come through the interior and round Mount Egmont. This seems to be Te Whiti's ambition, that men of notoriety should come before him to bo admonished and pardoned for their misdoings ; and, should Te Kooti's career terminate in this way, To Whiti's influence will increase, and his credulous followers become more devoted to him than ever. Such accumulation of power and influence in one man, strengthened by the presence of Natives from other parts who have taken refuge under his fanatical ruling, is calculated to obstruct the progress of colonisation and advancement of public works in this district; and will, lam convinced, be found to do so so long as the settlement of the Ngatiruanui tribes in their respective localities is forbidden, as the presence of so many of them in the Taranaki district retards the whole work, and acts as a set-off against their expulsion-from their own district. I have, &c, E. Parris, Civil Commissioner. 4
P.—No. 3
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REPORTS EROM OFFICERS
No. 11. The Eesident Magistrate, Upper Whanganui, to the Hon. the Native Minister. Native Office, Whanganui, Sir— 16th July, 1872. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your circular letter of the 3rd of June, 1872, requesting me " to furnish a general Eeport on the Natives in the district in which I am stationed, &c." It gives me much pleasure to comply with your request, particularly as I had already contemplated forwarding a Eoport of the nature indicated by you, and now hasten to furnish the information called for. Firstly. As " to the state of Native feeling generally," I am happy to say that great progress has been made latterly in the Whanganui district towards securing the establishment of peace and goodwill amongst the Natives themselves, and towards the Europeans. Three successive Native meetings having been held on the Whanganui Eiver within the last two years, which were attended by leading chiefs from many of the tribes of the Island, including Eewi Maniapoto, Paetahi, and other Waikato celebrities, having for their object the unification of the Whanganui tribes (to be extended to the others) and the establishment of a lasting friendship between the races. The tribes on this river may now be said to be united for peace, and a fitting opportunity presents itself for introducing amongst them those peaceful arts and occupations which would tend so much to their amelioration and prosperity as a people. The feeling of animosity and jealousy which formerly exhibited itself in so marked a manner on the part of many of the Natives of my district, towards the Europeans in general, has quite died out, and there are evident signs of a desire on their part to live in terms of friendship with the pakeha, and to take advantage of their superior knowledge and skill, and conform to their habits and customs. The only Natives residing in my district who seem to be unsettled are the members of the Ngarauru tribe, who continue to agitate tho question of their return to their ancestral possessions at Waitotara (a very natural feeling on their part), although the bulk of the tribe seems to concur in the desirability, under existing circumstances, of leaving the matter in the hands of the Government; and I venture to express the hope that this difficulty will soon be adjusted, and that the time will come when we shall see all the coast tribes living in security and peace with the European settlers, in a district affording ample scope for the accommodation and support of a large number of people, including the members of both races. Secondly. " As to the moral condition of the Natives " I cannot speak favorably of it, the tone of morals existing amongst them being of that order known to be common amongst semi-civilized nations, and their religious sentiments are generally of a somewhat heterodox nature, combining the principles of Christianity with the rites and ceremonies of heathenism, as evinced in the Hauhau mode of worship; in fact, the Natives have sadly retrograded in a religious point of view, having for the most part ceased to observe tho Christian Sabbath, and allowed their churches to fall into ruiu and decay. Notwithstanding all this, however, there are signs of a desire on their part to better themselves in this respect, and again conform to the system of religion, as taught them by the missionaries, and many are setting their faces against working on the Sabbath, are discarding the Hauhau forms of worship, and express an intention of rebuilding their churches, and are anxious that they should again be regularly visited by a clergyman, there being no minister resident in their midst. Their reception of the Eev. Eichard Taylor, who has visited them lately, was most encouraging to that venerable minister of the Gospel, and he purposes visiting them periodically for the future. lam also somewhat hopeful that an improvement will soon take place amongst the Natives in their social habits and customs, and that an effort will be made on their part to abandon such of them as cannot but prove deleterious to the race : such as their communistic mode of living in their pas, their improvident habits of feasting one another, sharing their goods in common, &c. Some of the Natives have expressed an intention of keeping separate establishments, and of parcelling out and cultivating their lands for their individual benefit. An advancement has been made in the character of their dwelling houses, several wooden buildings having been erected at some of the pas, which, however, they as yet fail to keep sole possession of as Europeans would. Thirdly. " As to their physical condition," the same cannot be pronounced as healthy, as cutaneous and other diseases prevail amongst them, owing in a great measure to their want of cleanliness. The mortality of the Maoris is likewise great, for the most part owing to their own neglect in needlessly exposing themselves to the inclemency of the weather, whereby the seeds of disease in some shape or form are germinated, ere long to exhibit themselves in premature waste and decay. Many also die in infancy, from a want of care on the part of their parents, and sufficient nourishment. Numbers of the married women are also barren and unfruitful, which fact alone induces many of their husbands to lead rather irregular lives, and adopt the system of concubinage in vogue amongst their ancestors; the excuse for which they give, being the strong desire they have to obtain children and perpetuate the race. There can be no doubt that the Natives are rapidly decreasing in numbers, there being only scores of them to be seen at many of the settlements where formerly hundreds resided, of which Pukehika pa, about sixty miles up the river, and Kaurawapaoa, sixteen miles up, are notable instances, some 2,000 Natives having occupied the former pa '■ hirty years ago, and about 1,500 the latter place, whereas there are not more than 300 Natives now living at Pukehika, and about 100 at Kaurawapaoa. Many of the original settlements on the river are likewise entirely broken up and deserted, and I don't think there are now to be found more than 2,000 Natives on the whole river, as compared with some 4,000 or 5,000 when I first arrived in Whanganui in 1853. The Natives themselves are well aware of their decline, and are very despondent in consequence. Fourthly. " With regard to their attention to agricultural pursuits," some advance has been made, owing to the fostering care of the Government. The plough is now in almost universal use, besides other farming implements ; and large crops of potatoes and maize, besides wheat, are annually grown, the state of the market, however, considerably affecting the quantity raised. I ought here to
IN NATIVE DISTRICTS.
15
P.—No. 3
mention that a ploughing match took place at Whanganui lately amongst the Natives, the prizes for the most part having been given by yourself; and their work compared most favorably with that of the Europeans, who had a match of their own in the same field. The encouragement thus offered to the Natives to engage in industrial pursuits by the giving of prizes, and the supply of oxen and agricultural implements, has been attended with success, and given much satisfaction. The tobacco plant is now largely cultivated by the Whanganui Natives, resulting in a greatly diminished use by them of the imported article. A pamphlet on the right culture of tobacco has recently been circulated amongst the Maoris by the Government, whereby they will be made acquainted with the right process of curing the same, and rendering it a marketable production, and fit for the hands of the manufacturer ; which may be regarded as a matter of some importance, particularly as a tobacco manufactory is about being started here by a Mr. Morton, late of the Southern States of America. Some 700 mulberry trees have also been distributed at the cost of the Government, with a view to the introduction of sericulture amongst the aborigines. A desire has also been expressed by the Natives to engage in the cultivation of the hop plant, and a quantity of seed has been applied for. The Natives would also willingly lease for an extended period a suitable block of land for the culture of the vine, the climate and soil of the up-river districts having been pronounced in every way adapted for the growth of that plant. The Maoris intend raising more wheat in future, and are repairing their mill-houses accordingly; of which there are several on the river in a neglected and dilapidated state. I would here take the opportunity of informing you that the Whanganui Natives are beginning to see the paramount necessity of an effort being made on their part to secure the education of their children, and a reserve of 140 acres at Parikino has been given by Hakaria, the chief of that place, as an endowment for a Native school; and assistance will be afforded by them towards erecting the necessary buildings, in both labour and material. Success cannot be looked for in this matter unless with the co-operation of the Natives themselves, and I am sanguine that a movement is now abroad amongst them to secure their progress and advancement as a people, and to try and keep pace with their more enlightened neighbours, the European population of this country ; to obtain which object, it is absolutely necessary that the Native 3'outh should be taught the English language, and thus the means afforded them of obtaining like knowledge with ourselves. Fifthly. " As to the progress of public works undertaken by the Natives," I am not aware of any in progress in my particular district, the Upper Whanganui, exclusive of the coast; although, I believe, some are contemplated, viz., the construction of a road from hence to Murimotu and Taupo, with a branch line to Ranana, on the Whanganui River; whereby immense tracts of fertile country would be opened up, and a connexion secured with the interior —works which the Natives here are anxious to see undertaken, and would assist in carrying out. I would here mention that I was the first to point out, acting under your instructions, the feasibility of making a road in the direction indicated. Lastly. lam not aware of any other matter of moment worth mentioning; although I should like to state here that I have met with every encouragement in my work amongst the Natives of this district, and I am not cognizant of any existing difficulty amongst them that cannot be arranged by negotiation or a reference to a Court of Law ; there being a far greater readiness now than formerly on the part of the Natives to refer their differences, including land disputes, to the arbitrament of a duly constituted Court; and I am sanguine that the "Native difficulty," at least in these parts, will ere long be reckoned a thing of the past. I have, Ac, R. W. Woon, R.M., Upper Whanganui.
No. 12. The Resident Magistrate, Otaki, to Hon. the Native Minister. Eesident Magistrate's Court, Sir,— Marton, sth July, 1872. I have the honor in accordance with the circular of 3rd June, to forward the following Eeport as to the state of Native feeling in this district :— The Maoris on this coast are, on the whole, peaceably inclined, and becoming more ready to submit themselves to English laws than formerly. Many of their minor disputes they settle amongst themselves, which accounts for the small amount of Maori business transacted in the Eesident Magistrate's Court; but all disputes with Europeans are submitted to the English Courts, and during the past year there has been every respect paid by the Maoris to the decisions of the Court. They have, also, a desire to become acquainted with English law, and to possess in their own language copies of Acts affecting the general administration of justice, such as the "Eesident Magistrates' Acts, 1867-8," " Justice of the Peace Act, 1866," " LarceDy Act, 1867," " Malicious Injury to Property Act, 1867," and the Bankruptcy Acts. There is amongst the greater part of the Maoris of every tribe a growing desire to effect sales of land, from their gradually becoming aware that the land is of no value to them except to sell. Hauhauism and Kingism are fast dying out, and it is reported that Henare Te Herekau, a chief of Ngatiraukawa, intends, on the opening of a large Eunanga house on the Upper Manawatu, to formally call on all professors of Hauhauism to give up the superstition, which he is sanguine will be done. In some parts of the districts a desire is expressed for the means of educating their children, but in Otaki, where those means exist, and every encouragement is offered, there is but a scanty and irregular attendance at tho school. I cannot report favorably of the physical condition of the Maoris ; there has been a great deal of sickness among them, especially at Otaki and its neighborhood, and the population is rapidly diminishing. There has been during the last two years fifteen per cent, of deaths, while there has been only seven per cent, of births in a population of about 700.
P.—No. 3,
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REPORTS FROM OFEICERS
The Ngatiapa, at Parewanui, have devoted themselves to a considerable extent to agricultural pursuits, growing extensive crops ; are the owners of several teams of plough horses, and have lately purchased a threshing machine for £75. At Reureu and Pourewa, the Maoris are sheep farming, but little is being done in other places. At Otaki, the crops grown hardly suffice for themselves, leaving them very short of provisions previous to harvest. Some flax is dressed for sale, but only in small quantities. Their principal income is derived from rent of land, which is generally anticipated, being expended chiefly in spirits, Ac, to treat the visitors at their numerous meetings. During the summer a great number of Maori» from Eoxton and Oroua and those neighborhoods, and a few from Otaki, obtained employment on the Government road and tramway, and did their work in a satisfactory manner, but none are now working in consequence of the wet and cold weather. I have, Ac, Wm. J. . Willis, R.M.
No. 13. Alexander Mackay, Commissioner Native Eeserves, Nelson, to the Hon. the Native Minister. Sir,— Native Eeserve Office, Nelson, 18th July, 1872. In compliance with the instructions contained in your circular letter of the 3rd ultimo, requesting me to furnish a general report on the Natives in my district, and other information which may be interesting to the Colony, I have now the honor to enclose herewith the required information regarding the Natives in the Provinces of Nelson and Marlborough and the County of Westland, the Eev. Mr. Stack and Mr Watt, E.M., having already reported to you on the condition of the Natives in the Southern Provinces. I regret that so great a delay has taken place in forwarding this report, but your circular unfortunately came to hand just as I was leaving for the West Coast, and since my return pressure of work has precluded my attending to the subject until now. I have, &c., Alexander Mackay, Commissioner.
Eebort on the condition of the Natives in the Provinces of Nelson and Marlborough and the County of Westland, for the period ended the 30th June, 1872. the state of native feeling. The disposition of the Natives of these districts towards the Europeans is uniformly good, and their attachment to the Government has remained unaltered during the whole of the disturbances in the North Island. They are perfectly aware from their numerical disproportion that they have nothing to gain and everything to lose by disturbing the friendly relations which a long intercourse has engendered between them and their European neighbors Although a few restless spirits secretly favored the King policy when it was first enunciated, very little feeling has been displayed in this part of the Colony in regard to the movement, and although emissaries were despatched from the King party to make converts amongst them, but little effect was produced by their advocacy of the cause. The Hauhau fanaticism which prevailed amongst the Natives of the North Island never found favor amongst them, and, although perhaps less observant of religious worship than formerly, nothing noteworthy has occurred in connection with their religious condition during the various commotions that have happened in other parts of the Colony, and the general restoration of peace in the North, as well as the establishment of schools and other institutions for the promotion of civilisation amongst the Natives there, are viewed with considerable favor by them. moral condition. The moral condition of the people may be considered exceedingly good ; convictions for criminal offences are very rare ; in most instances the Natives are well housed and clothed and enjoy a good condition of health. There is a marked absence of the vice of intemperance as compared with former years ; this is chiefly to be attributed to a movement that originated amongst themselves a year or so ago, introduced by a few of the better disposed to check the evil effects of drunkenness that then prevailed amongst them. Very few misunderstandings occur, and their general disposition and conduct towards their European neighbours is of a most friendly nature, always appealing to lawful authority when suffering wrong, as well as evincing a ready submission to the laws of the country. There is a strong desire amongst them generally, more especially with the Natives of Whakapuaka, that schools should be established in their midst for the instruction of their children in the English language- Their educational advantages up to the present time have been very scanty, for with the exception of the Industrial School at Motueka, an institution that has never been popular amongst the Natives, there is no properly organised school for the education of their youth, and anything known by the elders in the way of reading and writing is mainly owing to the training received from the early missionaries, or through the instrumentality of Native teachers. There are several causes which interfere with the popularity of the Native school at Motueka, the chief one being that the Natives who originally occupied a portion of the land included in the endowment to the Bishop of New Zealand assert that they have never been paid for it, and assign as a reason for not sending their children that if they receive any benefit in this way it would be a kind of acknowledgement that they have sold it.
IX NATIVE DISTRICTS.
17
I ••*&& I
The most feasible plan for promoting education amongst them in the first place, and one that would carry with it the approbation and co-operation of the Natives, as it would obviate the chief objections and difficulties in the mind of the parents, concerning the sending their children while very young to a distance to be educated, would be to establish small village schools where their children could be taught the first rudiments of education, instead of endeavouring to establish a central school at any particular place. This plan, however, is not entirely free from difficulties, the chief obstacle to its success would be the difficulty of obtaining proper teachers, as the unpleasantness of many of the duties to be discharged in connection with the education and management of native children, deters many otherwise well qualified persons from engaging in the work. social condition. Viewed as a whole, their social condition is very satisfactory; their clothing as a rule is not inferior to that worn by the labouring classes, and their domestic habits are gradually assimilating to the Europeans. Their houses are fast assuming a respectable appearance, most of them are .built of wood, and almost all have doors, windows, and chimneys. At Wakapuaka and Takaka, several very neat boarded houses have been erected during the last two years. Every encouragement is held out to all who feel disposed to erect a better class of dwellings, in place of the hovels in which they have been accustomed to reside, by providing them with bricks for chimneys, windows and doors, and the necessary ironmongery, at the expense of the Native Eeserve Eund. They are also assisted in their industrial pursuits from the same source, in the purchase of carts, ploughs, harrows, harness, and agricultural implements, conditionally that the recipients pay half the cost. Medical attendance is also provided for them out of the Eund, as well as clothing for the aged and decrepit. physical condition. The numerical status of the people is about stationary, the births keeping pace with the deaths. The total population in the districts under review amounts to 920, in the proportion of 523 males to 397 females ; the children form little more than one-fourth of the whole. But a very small proportion of the Native women rear children. The want of fecundity in the females has been attributed to the illicit intercourse which takes place between the sexes from a very early age. This habit, however, prevailed to a greater extent amongst the natives in former years, during the periods when the race was increasing, than it does now, so that the sterility of the women must be traced to other causes. In former years they frequently gave birth to ten and twelve children, but such cases are very rare now. The deficiency of vigour in the reproductive powers of the race has been attributed by some to the circumstance of their subsisting mainly on a vegetable diet; but other nations of the world exist in perfect health, and multiply on a diet of which animal food forms but a small part. There would seem, therefore, no reason why the Maori population, dwelling in a state of quietude, should not increase in the same geometrical progression, under similar circumstances, without there are other causes for their decrease. It has, however, often occurred to the writer, that the true cause of their gradual decay lies in the breeding in-and-in, so to speak, that such a comparatively small and insular population must of necessity have had to do, from their long isolation from that intermixture of different blood which is so essential to the maintenance of the vigour of a race. That, in fact, they are becoming from natural causes effete and worn out. Subjoined, is a return of the cases treated by the medical officers in the Provinces of Nelson and Marlborough, during the three years ended 31st December, 1871, by which it will be seen that diseases of the chest predominate, MEDICAL RETURN. Infantile diseases and Dentition ... ... ... ... 24 Diseases of the Urino-Genitory organs ... ... ... 30 Diseases of the chest ... ... ... ... ... 336 Eebrile diseases ... .. ... ... ... 23 Diseases of the abdomen ... ... ... ... 80 Eheumatism ... ... ... ... ... 96 Diseases of the eye ... ... ... ... ... 66 Accidents ... ... ... ... ... ... 40 Skin diseases ... ... ... ... ... 30 Scrofula ... ... ... ... ... ... 22 Various ... ... ... ... ... ... 73 Total cases treated ... ... ... ... ... 820 Of the above, 816 were relieved or cured, and four died. Besides the latter, several deaths occurred in the Pelorus from low fever, during the summer of 1871. A Circular has been issued to the Natives informing them of the existence of small pox in the Colony, and drawing their attention to the importance of being vaccinated. ATTENTION OR OTHERWISE TO AGRICULTURAL PURSUITS.. The industrial stimulus the Natives received in the early days of the Colony, through the steady influx of settlers, and increased demand consequent thereon for pigs, grain, potatoes, and other native produce, which led them to vie with the Europeans in the cultivation of the land, has diminished year Iby year, until little attention is now paid by them to agricultural operations, further than to raise a 5
P.—No. 3,
18
REPORTS FROM OFFICERS
bare sufficiency for their own wants. The same cause that has tended to retard this pursuit amongst the European settlers of late years, the decline in the value of produce, has also operated amongst the Natives. The discovery of gold has also had the effect of causing many to completely abandon the cultivation of their land, to follow the pursuit of gold-digging, at which some have been very successful; but as a rule their earnings have been mostly squandered in a useless manner, and the result, with a few exceptions, has been the increase of indolent and improvident habits amongst them. They own comparatively very few horses and cattle, and the breeding of pigs, which used to occupy their attention in former years, has fallen into disuse, excepting in a few localities, chiefly in consequence of their having no room to run them, owing to the gradual settlement of the country by the European population. The same reason will also prevent them from owning any number of sheep. Since the sale of the bulk of their lands to the Crown, the Natives have been mostly confined to their reserves, which, although large in the aggregate for the number of persons to whom they belong, are small in comparison to the extent of land owned by them in former years, over which they could hunt or fish without hindrance or the fear of transgressing some unknown law ; now they can hardly keep an animal about them, without its becoming a source of anxiety, lest it involve them in some trouble with their European neighbours. The increase of civilization around them, besides curtailing their liberties, has also compelled the adoption of a different, and to them a more expensive mode 01 life, which, owing to their improvident habits, they find very difficult to maintain. All this is very perplexing and bewildering to the Maori, whose early habits and mode of life were so different to ours, and it is not surprising that, perceiving his incapacity to keep pace with his European neighbours, a want of earnestness should predominate all he undertakes. The quantity of land set apart for the Natives is ample, if they would only put it to good use ; but in many instances they prefer letting, in place of cultivating it. This practice is not objectionable when they have plenty of land to spare for the purpose, and the rent receivable is commensurate with its value. At Motueka, the Natives, who occupy a portion of the Trust Estate, derive an income from letting their surplus land, of £240 per annum—this amount is independent of rent accruing from land in the occupation of tenants under the Trust. The Natives of Queen Charlotte's Sound and the Wairau also receive an income of £100 per annum from rents. The total area of Native reserves in the Province of Nelson is, 58,565 acres 3 roods and 35 perches; and in the Province of Marlborough, 21,414 acres 2 roods 8 perches. The reserves in Westland comprise an area of 5,937 acres 1 rood 16 perches. As a brief sketch of the origination and management of the Native reserves in the South Island may not be uninteresting, I subjoin a memorandum on the subject, together with a return showing the total acreage set apart for Native purposes. Alexander Mackay, Native Commissioner.
Memorandum on the Origination and Management of Native Eeserves in the Southern Island. The system of making Native reserves originated with the New Zealand Company, and in the instructions to its principal agent, Colonel Wakefield, who was intrusted with the purchase of land for the Company, one of the principles laid down was, that in every purchase a portion of the territory ceded, equal to one-tenth of the whole, should be reserved, and held in trust by the Company for the future benefit of the chief families of the ceding tribe. It was considered advisable to adopt this course in preference to making reserves for the Native owners in large blocks, as had been the common practice in regard to Indian reserves in North America, as that plan tended to impede settlement, and to encourage the aborigines to continue in a state of barbarism. The Company, therefore, directed that the reserves for the Natives should be set apart in the same way, in the same allotments, and in the same effectual manner as if the reserved lands had been purchased from the Company on behalf of tho Natives. Accordingly, in pursuance with this intention, when the preliminary sales of land in the first settlements were held, the Company reserved one-tenth of the land orders for the chief families of the tribe by whom the land was originally sold, in the same way precisely, as if the lots had been purchased on their behalf; and the priority of choice for the Native allotments was determined by lot, as in the case of actual purchasers, the selection being made by an officer expressly charged with that duty. These reserves of land were looked on as far more important to the Natives than anything that could be paid to them in the shape of purchase-money, as, however high they were paid, the consideration given would only afford but a brief enjoyment, and, when it had passed away, the recipients be but little better for the gift, while these lands would remain with them as a lasting possession. By way of a recompense for the moment, as well as in deference to public opinion, the Company, however, paid the Natives what was deemed, according to received notions, to be a sufficient price ; but they considered the real worth of the land purchased from them to be the reserves set apart for their maintenance, and for schools, hospitals, and other useful establishments. It was to guard the Natives against that common failing of all aboriginal races—want of foresight, and to secure them from the dangers to which colonization exposed them, if denuded of all landed property, that the Company invented the plan of Native reserves, as these were possessions that could
IN NATIVE DISTRICIS.
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F.—No, a
not be squandered away at the moment, but as time glided on, their value would progressively increase, and in place of a barren possession which they parted with, the Natives would receive in return a property of considerable worth, that, if properly administered for their benefit, would ultimately prove of incalculable value. In August, 1839, shortly after his arrival in the Colony, Colonel Wakefield concluded three purchases from the Natives ; and, in pursuance with the instructions received from the Company to the effect that, in every pukapuka, or contract, entered into with the Natives for the purchase of land, care should be taken to mention that a proportion of the territory ceded, equal to one-tenth, should be reserved and held in trust by the Company for the future benefit of the Natives, he made it a condition of each of the Deeds of Purchase that a portion of the land ceded should be set apart as aforesaid. In the first deed the quantity is definitely stated, but the second and third deeds merely contain a promise that land shall be set apart for the Natives, but the quantity is not specified. The proportion however to be set apart in fulfilment of the Company's scheme, in so far as the Nelson settlement was concerned, was ultimately fixed by the prospectus issued by the Company in London (dated 15th Eebruary, 1841), in terms of which the Company engaged subject to arrangement with Her Majesty's Government to add to the 201,000 acres offered for sale, a quantity equal to one-tenth thereof as Native reserves, so that the whole land to be appropriated within the settlement was 221,100 acres, out of which 20,100 formed the proportion to be set apart as Native reserves, to consist of 100 town sections of one acre, 100 suburban sections of 50, and 100 rural sections of 150 acres each. The system thus commenced was adopted only in the three first settlements founded by the Company, namely, Port Nicholson, Nelson, and New Plymouth, although reserves were also made for the Natives in the settlements of Otago and Canterbury, founded also under their auspices ; these, however, were merely occupation reserves, being land excluded from purchase, and could scarcely be considered Native reserves under the New Zealand Company's scheme. If would seem by the 13th clause of the agreement of 1840, that the Government had the power to make reservations of lands within the Company's settlements for the benefit of the Natives, in pursuance of the Company's engagements to that effect; and Lord Stanley, in a despatch to Governor EitzEoy, dated the 18th of April, 1844, referring to Native reserves, says:— " There can be no question that they should be taken out of the Company's lands; the Company had, in former instructions to their agent, provided for reserving one-tenth of all lands which they might acquire from the Natives for their benefit. By the 13th clause of their agreement, of November, 1840, the Government was, in respect of all to be granted to them, to make reservations of such lands for the benefit of the Natives, in pursuance of the Company's engagements to that effect. It seems quite plain, therefore, that the Government is to reserve for that purpose one-tenth of the Company's land." In October, 1840, Mr. Edmund Halswell, a member of the English bar, was appointed by the New Zealand Company to the office of Commissioner for the management of the lands reserved for the Natives in their settlements, and general directions were given to him for the administration of the property. After tho Company resigned the Native reserves into the hands of Her Majesty's Government, Mr. Halswell was superseded in the management of the Trust Estate, and the trusteeship of the Native reserves in New Zealand was vested by Governor Hobson in the Bishop of New Zealand, the Chief Justice, and the Chief Protector of Aborigines. Besides the management of the Native reserves, it was intended that the Bishop and his colleagues should have control over all moneys accruing from the proportion of the produce of land sales within the Colony, to be devoted to Native purposes, which might prove from time to time to be disposable out of the funds so to be set apart for this purpose, after paying the expense of the Protector's Department; the funds accruing from both sources to be expended in the establishment of schools for tho education of youth among the aborigines, and in furtherance of such measures as might be most conducive to the spiritual care of the Native race, and to their advancement in the scale of social and political existence. The principle of setting apart 15 per cent, on the produce of land sales annually, does not appear to have been adhered to after the second year of the settlement of the Colony (1842), at the end of which period there was a sum of £4,110 16s. 2-§d. due to the said fund, which amount was then chargeable with the expense of the Protector's Department for the year; but it would seem that a large proportion of this money must have been subsequently swallowed up in the pressing requirements of the Colony, instead of being devoted to the purpose for which it was intended ; and, although the surplus (£4,000) was entered upon the schedule of the debts of the Colony, the Commissioner of the Treasury refused to recognise it as a claim against the Imperial Government, and the original instructions regarding the setting apart of the aforesaid per centage, were ultimately lost sight of during the administration of the affairs of the Colony under Governor EitzEoy. The proposal made by the New Zealand Company, in 1841, to advance £5,000 for Native purposes, on mortgage of the Native reserves in the Company's settlements, was objected to, it being considered unadvisable to sanction any mode of raising money upon the security of the Native reserves which might by any contingency cause the alienation of these lands from the beneficial use of the aborigines.
P.—N». 3,
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REPORTS FROM OFFICERS
In 18-11, the Chief Justice resigned the office of Trustee, as he found the duties incompatible with his official position, for, in the event of the Trustees being engaged in any lawsuit, he would be both judge and party in the suit at the same time; and Mr. Halswell was subsequently appointed to the sole charge of the reserves at Wellington, as agent of the Trust vested in the Bishop and his co-Trustee; and Mr. Thompson, the Police Magistrate, was appointed to fill a similar office in Nelson. In 1842, Mr. Thompson, in his capacity as Agent of Native reserves, selected 100 sections of one acre each in the town of Nelson, and 100 suburban sections of 50 acres each in the Moutere and Motueka districts, and acted as local manager of the property until June, 1843, when he perished in the Wairau massacre. After the death of Mr. Thompson, the Bishop appointed Mr. M'Donald his agent. In February, 1844, the Bishop resigned the office of Trustee, and in the same year " The Native Trust Ordinance " was passed by the Legislative Council for appointing a Board of Trustees for the management of property to be set apart for the education and advancement of the Native race. The Trustees named by the Act were His Excellency the Governor, the Lord Bishop of New Zealand, William Spain, Esq., so long as he held the office of Commissioner of Land Claims, and the Chief Protector of Aborigines. This Act was not brought into operation, although it received the Eoyal confirmation, in consequence of the terms of the last clause not being fully complied with, namely, that the confirmation of the Ordinance should be notified in the Gazette before it came into operation. The establishment of Trustees for Native reserves, as originally contemplated, not being carried out, the Government appointed Boards of Management, and in June, 1848, Messrs. Poynter, Carkeek, and Tinline were appointed a Board of Management of the Native reserves for the district of Nelson. The Board retained the management of the property till the middle of the year 1853, when the sole management devolved upon Major Eichmond, who was then Crown Lands Commissioner, and who was ultimately succeeded, in the year 1857, by Messrs. Domett, Poynter, and Brunner, by appointment dated Ist December, 1856, as Commissioners under " The Native Eeserves Act of 1856." In September, 1862, an Act was passed by the General Assembly, known as "The Native Eeserves Amendment Act, 1862." This Act provides that, on and after a certain date to be fixed by the Governor by proclamation, all the powers and authorities which by " The Native Eeserves Act, 1856," were vested in Commissioners, shall vest in and may be exercised by the Governor. It also provides that the Governor may delegate the whole or any of the powers competent to Commissioners, to any person or persons, for any period subject to such regulations, restrictions, or stipulations as may be specified in the Order of Delegation. In conformity, therefore, with the provisions of the aforesaid Act, a proclamation was issued on the 4th August, 1863, fixing the Ist September, 1863, as the date for the Act to come into operation. The first delegation of management of the Native reserves in the northern portion of the Middle Island, under the Act of 1862, was made to Mr. James Mackay, junr., on the 9th November, 1863, and on his removal to Auckland in 186^< ; the 9,p™"ir,+'rient was conferred Mr. Alexander Mackay, the present Native Commissioner for the South Island. The following is a list of the town sections originally selected as Native reserves by Mr. Thompson in 1842, viz.:—Nos. 5, 20, 21, 46, 47, 50, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 93, 144, 148, 152, 159, 162, 177, 191, 194, 198, 203, 205, 227, 229, 231, 233, 241, 244, 248, 253, 256, 261, 263, 265, 266, 267, 269, 283, 284, 294, 303, 305, 307, 344, 367, 382, 387, 406, 416, 417, 443, 521, 522, 529, 537, 551, 561, 575, 582, 583, 598, 608, 625, 626, 650, 706, 710, 718, 722, 768, 777, 778, 784, 797, 798, 828, 831, 855, 858, 860, 897, 905, 911, 926, 939, 941, 943, 945, 951, 953, 954, 956, 1051, 1084,1088, 1091,1092, 1096, 1099. Owing to the impossibility of carrying out the original scheme of the Nelson settlement, and the consequent necessity for some equitable compromise, the inhabitants applied to the New Zealand Company to modify the arrangements, so as to allow the landowners the option of acquiring fresh land and promoting concentration by means of re-selection under certain conditions. In furtherance of this object, but not in the precise mode suggested by them, the Company proposed a new set of regulations in October, 1845. These, however, were received with great dissatisfaction, and were consequently withdrawn. The settlers continued to press for a remodelling of the original scheme, and the directors therefore made another attempt to carry out such an alteration. Negotiations ensued between a commmittee of the resident land purchasers on the one hand, and the Company's agents on the other; and certain resolutions were come to by the Nelson Committee, at a meeting of land purchasers and agents, held in Nelson, on the 30th of June, 1847, which were subsequently concurred in by the Company, subject to certain modifications. The following extract from the aforesaid resolutions has reference to Native reserves :— " One subject arising out of our proposed plan, but not coming strictly, perhaps, within the scope of our own duties, we yet consider it our duty to make a few remarks upon. We allude to the Native reserves. " With respect to the rural sections, it is understood that the Governor, in making the large reserves he has for the Natives at the Wairau, has released the Company from laying out and choosing
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the 100 rural sections according to the original scheme, but in the case of the town and suburban sections, the effect of our proposal would be to allot a much larger proportion than one-tenth of the land actually sold^fo tho Natives. How far, now that the Crown has taken these reserves into its hands, any alteration in them would be sanctioned, is a question ; but we would suggest a memorial being addressed to the Governor, with a view to limit the number of town and suburban reserves to one-tenth of the land actually sold, so as to throw open the remainder for present choice." In compliance with a proposition to that effect subsequently made by the Eesident Agent of the Company of behalf of the land purchasers, the Governor consented to a reduction of the number of the Native reserves proportionate to that proposed in respect of the whole settlement. This led to the surrender of 47 of the town reserves, but the reduction was not extended to the suburban sections, the following is a list of those relinquished :—Nos. 20, 21, 46,47, 191, 194, 253. 256,303,382, 387, 529, 551, 561, 575, 608, 625, 626, 650, 706, 718, 722, 768, 777, 778, 784, 797, 798, 828, 831, 855. 858, 860, 897, 926, 939, 941, 943, 945, 951, 953, 954, 956, 1051, 1084, 1088, 1091. With reference to the large reserves in the Wairau alluded to in the foregoing extracts, as having released the Company from selecting the 100 rural sections according to the original scheme unfortunately for the interest of the Trust Estate, these reserves, which consisted of two large blocks containing an approximate area in the aggregate of 117,248 acres set apart on the first sale of the district by the Natives in March, 1847, were subsequently included in the second sale to the Government in 1853, without any precaution being taken to set apart a sufficiency of land in satisfaction of the quantity the Trust was entitled to under the original scheme as rural land. The following is a list of the original suburban sections selected as Native reserves in the Moutere and Motueka districts, under the New Zealand Company's scheme : — Moutere.—Nos. 45, 69, 71, 73, 75, 84, 85, 137, 138, 144, 145, 147, 148, 151, 201, 202, 205, 206, 213. Motueka.—Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 16, 20, 21, 22, 28, 29, 33, 34, 35, 36, 47, 48, 73, 74, 79, 80, 82, 92, 93, 111, 113, 117, 118, 122, 123, 124, 126, 127, 129, 132, 136, 137, 138, 139,140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146,147, 157, 159, 160,161, 168, 169, 183, 186, 187, 192, 199, 206, 207, 208, 221, 222, 223, 234, 236, 240, 241, 242, 253, 256, 260, 262, 263, 264. In 1814, at the time of Mr. Commissioner Spain's inquiry into the New Zealand Company's claims to land, in the Nelson settlement, Mr. G. Clarke, the Sub-Protector of Aborigines, recommended the exchange of a number of the sections selected as Native reserves in Motueka in lieu of an equal number of suburban sections in the same district, which were found to be in the occupation of the Natives. This recommendation was subsequently acted on, and eight Native reserve sections, viz., Nos. 7, 8, 10, 11,16, 28, 252, and 256, were exchanged for suburban sections, Nos. 162, 163, 164, 182, 188, 212, 219, and 220. The whole of these sections had been previously awarded to the Natives by Mr. Commissioner Spain, together with eight other sections, sixteen in all, in fulfilment of the arrangement made between Captain Wakefield and the Natives, shortly after the arrival of the preliminary expedition at Nelson, to the effect that they should retain a considerable portion of the Big Wood, at Motueka, then in cultivation by them. The following sections were awarded to the Natives of Motueka by Mr. Spain : —Nos. 157, 159, 160, 161, *162, *163, *164, *182, *183, *187, *188, *212, *219, *220, 241, and 242. Besides the exchange alluded to above, the Board of Management found it necessary to make further alterations, in consequence of the Natives having located themselves on many of the purchased sections in the district. To obviate any difficulties that might eventually ensue from these encroachments, the Board surrendered Native reserve sections, Nos. 20, 29, 35, 36, 73, and 74, for the sections encroached on, viz,, Nos. 181, 184, 210, 211, 218, and 243. Upon five of these sections considerable cultivations had been made, and it would have been next to an impossibility for the European owners to have wrested possession of the land so encroached upon by the Natives, from the numerous occupants. Irrespective, however, of the advantage gained for the Natives in carrying out this arrangement, it was also of great benefit to the Trust Estate, inasmuch as the land taken in exchange by tho Board was of superior quality to the land given up, and being contiguous to the great bulk of the Native estate in the Wood at Motueka, it was, moreover, of much greater value than detached sections at a distance from what was then the inhabited portion of the district. In addition to the Company's tenths, certain other lands were excepted for the Natives in the awards to the Company, in conformity with certain resolutions agreed to at a conference held in Wellington in January, 1844, between the local Government and the Company's Principal Agent to the effect, "that the pahs, burial places, and grounds actually in cultivation by the Natives, situated within any of the lands appropriated to the New Zealand Company should be retained for the use of the Natives, the terms ' pahs' and ' cultivations' to be understood to mean as follows:—' That the ' pah' should be considered to be the ground that is fenced around the Natives houses, including the ground in cultivation or occupation around the adjoining houses without the fence; and that the
Note. —The sections marked with an asterisk are those for which an equal number of Native sections had to be given in exchange. 6
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REPORTS FROM OFFICERS
nature and meaning of the word ' cultivations,' were to be understood to apply to those tracts of country which were in use by the Natives for vegetable productions, or which have been so used by the aboriginal Natives of New Zealand since the establishment of the Colony." The lands of this description in the settlement were chiefly situated in Massacre Bay, and consisted principally of cultivated grounds scattered in small patches of a few acres in all manner of fantastic shapes throughout sections owned by the European proprietors. In 1847, Governor Grey, in order to remedy the inconvenience caused by the vague description given of these lands, directed, them to be surveyed as described in the award to the Company, and in accordance with the original understanding. In 1853, Sir George Grey granted a number of the Native reserve sections at Motueka—in all 918 acres —to the Bishop of New Zealand, as an endowment for an industrial school for the education of children of both races, and of children of other poor and destitute persons, being inhabitants of islands in the Pacific Ocean. This grant was looked upon as a violation of the contract on which the settlement was founded, and in contravention of the original intention for which the lands were set apart by the New Zealand Company. A special Committee of the Nelson Provincial Council expressed their disapprobation of the grant, and a memorial was forwarded by them to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, praying that the necessary steps might be taken to set the grant aside, but, although permission was subsequently given to test its validity by a writ of scire facias, the matter was allowed to drop as other interests were involved, which it was considered inexpedient to disturb. The origin of the numerous grants that have been made in various parts of the Colony, appears to have sprung from a correspondence in the years 1849 and 1851, between the then Governor, Sir George Grey, and Earl Grey, the Secretary of State for the Colonies, in which the Governor points out the advantages that would ensue to the promotion of industrial schools for the Natives, if grants of waste lands of the Crown were made, to provide for the subsistence of the children educated thereat, and suggests that the advantages proposed should be extended to children of Natives of islands in the Pacific Ocean. Earl Grey, in reply, approved of the scheme as being salutary and politic, and expressed his satisfaction of the general sufficiency of the instrument by which it was proposed to convey the lands to be set apart for the maintenance of the schools. Had the original intention been adhered to of setting apart Crown land as an endowment for these institutions, no objection could have been taken to the appropriation of land for so laudable a purpose, but, from some unexplained cause, these appropriations were made to include lands set apart solely for the Natives under express agreement with the Imperial Government, under the terms of the prospectus of three of the settlements of the New Zealand Company, and as part of the consideration for the cession of Native territory. The purpose of the reserves was clear and exclusive, and forbade their use for general endowment, and had " The Native Trust Ordinance, of 1844," been in operation, these appropriations for general purposes could not have been made, as its provisions expressly forbade alienation except by lease, and declared all charges or incumbrances on the Trußt Estate to be void. The right of pre-emption being vested in Her Majesty by the Treaty of Waitangi, and certain Acts and Ordinances having been passed prohibiting private individuals from acquiring Native lands, under penalty, a system of land purchasing was commenced by the Government in 1847, and continued till May 17th, 1865, at which date it was done away with by Proclamation. " The Native Land Act, of 1862," permitting the Natives to alienate their lands by private sale, or otherwise, having been confirmed by Her Majesty, the continuance of the Land Purchase Department, by which, prior to its enactment, the cession of Native lands to the Crown had heretofore been conducted, was rendered unnecessary. In the purchases effected at various times and in various places, portions of almost every block purchased were reserved by the Natives, and in some cases by the Commissioner who negotiated the purchase under instuctions from the Government. There are four classes of reserves in the Southern Island, viz. :— 1. Eeserves set apart by the New Zealand Company in the Nelson settlement under the original scheme. This class comprises an acreage of 5,053 acres, a large proportion of which is in the occupation of tenants, and the revenue accruing is spent in various ways for improving the general condition of the Natives. The total amount collected from the estate since the year 1842, the period at which these lands were selected, to the 31st December, 1869, amounted to £12,634 13s. 3d.; and the expenditure on behalf of the Natives during that period was £11,432 lis. lid., leaving a balance of £1,203 Is. 4d. to the credit of the fund. 2. Eeserves of the second class are lands that have been brought under the operation of " The Native Eeserves Act, 1856," with the assent of the Natives. The reserves of this class are situated chiefly on the West Coast of the Province of Nelson, and in the County of Westland. A portion
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only of these lands are productive. The total revenue collected from the portion of the estate in the occupation of tenants since the Ist July, 1865, the date at which the portion alluded to first became occupied, to the 31st December, 1869, amounted to £14,361 19s. 7d.; while the expenditure for the same period was £10,366 9s. 5d., leaving a balance to the credit of the fund of £3995 10s. 2d. 3. Eeserves of the third class are lands that have been excepted from sale by the Natives on the cession of the surrounding territory to the Crown, and set apart for their use and occupation. Of the reserves of this class very few have beon utilized in the way of producing a revenue, the land being chiefly required for the use of the Natives. The Natives in the Provinces of Canterbury and Otago have obtained titles, under the provisions of " The Native Lands Act," to the whole of the reserves of this class situated in these Provinces, during the sitting of the Native Lands Court there in 1868. 4. Eeserves of the fourth class comprise the awards made by the Native Lands Court in 1868, in final extinguishment of all claims under the terms of Kemp's or the Ngaitahu Deed of 1848, in pursuance of which the Court set apart, in the Provinces of Otago and Canterbury, land to the extent of 4,789 acres. Besides the reserves alluded to above, a few parcels of land have been devoted to this purpose by the Superintendents of Provinces, especially in Canterbury. The total acreage sot apart in the South Island for Native purposes amounts to 119,544 acres, 2 roods, 18 perches. The quantity, when averaged over the Native population in the Middle and Stewart's Island, gives 50f acres to each individual. But, besides the quantity stated, the Natives in the Province of Nelson own territory at Wakapuaka, and D'Urville's Island, comprising about 51,170 acres; and at the Island of Euapuke, in Foveaux Straits, an area of 4.093 acres. Alexander Mackay, Commissioner.
RETURN showing the TOTAL ACREAGE set apart for NATIVE PURPOSES in the PROVINCES in the SOUTH ISLAND.
Locality. Total Acreage. Total Acreage ii each Province. Province op Nelson — New Zealand Company's tenths Educational reserves General reserves A. B. p. 5,053 1 30 3,490 0 0 50,022 2 5 A. B. P. 58,565 3 35 Province oe Maelboeoitgh— General reserves 21,414 2 8 County op Westland— General reserves 21,414 2 8 5,937 1 16 Pbovince op Canteebuev —■ Eeserves made in 1848 in terms of Kemp's purchase Eeserves made in 1849 in terms of the Port Cooper purchase Eeserves made in 1849 in terms of the Port Levy purchase Eeserves set apart by the Canterbury Government ... ... ... .., Eeserves set apart by Mr. Hamilton on Bank's Peninsula, in 1856... Eeserves made by General Government to supplement reserves at Kaiapoi, Taumutu, and Waimatemate Eeserves made in pursuance of awards of the Native Land Court in 1868, in final extinguishment of promises made under Kemp's deed of 1848... 5,937 1 16 3,531 1 0 859 0 0 1,361 0 0 44 1 0 1,298 0 0 286 1 0 2,695 0 0 10,074 3 0 Pbovince op Otago— Eeserves made in 1844 in terms of Captain Symond's purchase Eeserves made in 1848 in terms of Kemp's purchase Eeserves made in 1853 in terms of the Murihiku purchase Eeserves made in pursuance of awards of the Native Land Court in 1868, in final extinguishment of promises made under Kemp's deed of 1848 Granted by the Native Land Court in 1868, out of an area of 1 acre 3 roods, 24 perches set apart for the Natives at Port Chalmers in 1852 ... 9,615 1 12 3,(572 0 16 242 0 26 2,098 2 24 0 3 1 15,628 3 39 Pbovince op Southland — Eeserves made in 1853 in terms of Murihiku purchase ... Eeserved by the Provincial Government for Te Oni Topi Patuki ... 4,588 0 0 400 0 0 Stewart's Island — Eeserves made in 1864 in terms of the Stewart's Island purchase ... Eeserves for educational purposes made in terms of the Stewart's Island purchase ... 4,988 0 0 935 0 0 2,000 0 0 2,935 0 0 SITMMAEY. Province of Nelson ... „ Marlborough County of Westland ... Province of Canterbury Otago ... „ Southland Stewart's Island A. B. P. 58,565 3 35 21,414 2 8 5,937 1 16 10,074 3 0 15,628 3 39 4,988 0 0 2,935 0 0 A. B. P. 119,544 2 18
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REPORTS EROM OEEICERS
No. 14. Eev. James W. Stack, Interpreter, Kaiapoi, to the Hon. the Native Minister. Sir,— Kaiapoi, 10th July, 1872. I have the honor, in accordance with your Circular (3rd June, 1872), to enclose my report on the Maoris of East Canterbury. I have made no allusion to the school, as I hope to furnish a special Eeport upon it shortly. The building is completed, and I am only waiting instructions respecting the appointment of a master. I have, &c, James Stack.
Eeport on the Maoris of East Canterbury, for year ending 30th June, 1872. THE STaTE OF MAORI FEELING. For several years past the Natives in this district have manifested a spirit of discontent, that has had the effect of checking their civilization, towards which they had made considerable advance. The producing causes of this irritation, so far as they are peculiar to the state of transition through which the Maoris are now passing, are inevitable and irremediable ; but there are others that might have been prevented, and can be remedied. Of course it was impossible for the Maoris to forsee all the consequences that were certain to follow the sale of their lands, for the purpose of colonization. They thought only of the advantages they were likely to secure—advantages that were more appreciable twenty-five years ago than they are now ; for then the Maoris found a ready market for their labour and their produce ; now, both are at a discount; then, such food and clothing as they needed were readily procured; now they are often in want of both; then, they felt perfectly free; now, their liberties are seriously curtailed. Besides, the constant pressure exercised by the close neighborhood of overwhelming numbers of civilized persons compels them to abandon their old, simple, and inexpensive mode of life, and to adopt new and uncongenial customs, that require more money than they, with their indolent and improvident habits, and limited range of employments, are able always to obtain ; this produces an irritable state of mind, that finds vent in the abuse of the Government, for they trace all their difficulties to having parted with the lands,from which the Government now derives so large a revenue. Could they by any means overturn the original bargain, and regain possession of the land yet unsold, their difficulties would all vanish. They spend much of their time dreaming and talking over such a possibility. The statements made by many who were parties to the original deed of purchase, raised their hopes of a favorable verdict, if their case were submitted to a competent tribunal. The adverse decision of the Native Land Court was therefore a great disappointment, and only increased the discontent, which has continued ever since to exist. The facilities afforded for the generation of ill feeling, and the perpetuation of grievances, by the congregation of Maoris on reserves, makes it very questionable whether it is for the best interests of the Maoris that they should be placed in communities on large reserves. From what I have seen during twelve years residence here, I am inclined to think that it would be more conducive to their welfare and happiness to distribute them among the European population, and instead of having several contiguous sections occupied by Natives, to have every individual Maori's section surrounded by land in the occupation of whitemen. They would then become absorbed in the general population, and cease to regard themselves as a separate and foreign people. What the force of example will do, may be seen in Canterbury, where the houses, the clothing, and the habits of the people, are nearer to those of the civilized man than perhaps could be found in any other part of the country ; and if the effect of surrounding the Native community, even at some distance, with an European population has exercised such an elevating influence, what might we not expect were every Native homestead surrounded by the same civilizing influence. So long as the present system of locating Maoris on reserves prevails —so long will they cherish their old customs —so long will they be idle, dirty, and improvident, so long will they dream of self-government, and fret about their altered position, and spend their time in idle abuse and vain complaints. MORAL CONDITION. The moral condition of the people is rather above the average. Convictions for criminal offences are very rare. Drunkenness is an uncommon offence, and always punished by the Natives. A total abstinence movement originating entirely with themselves, and largely supported, proves that the people favor sobriety. There is very little illicit sexual intercourse either between whites or amongst themselves. It prevailed here to a great extent some years ago, but drink was generally the inciting cause. PHYSICAL CONDITION. The rate of mortality is less than it was, owing not to the increased vigor of the race, but to the absence of epidemics. The children form little more than one-fourth of the population. It is a curious fact that tho form of scrofula, so common in tho North, which attack the glands of the neck, is unknown here. Can it be owing to the large consumption of (titi) mutton birds, and to their never eating Indian corn ? Asthma and rheumatism are common amongst adults. Low fever and pulmonary diseases cause most of the deaths.
E.—No. a
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ATTENTION OB OTHERWISE TO AGRICULTURAL PURSUITS. Agriculture is very much neglected. With all the necessary appliances, and, as a rule, the best soil in the Province, the Maoris do not cultivate enough for their own support. They prefer letting their lands, though the rental they receive is but a fraction of what they might obtain by working the soil themselves, and goes but a little way towards providing the necessaries of life. Wheat and potatoes are all they attempt to grow. Kumeras, pumpkins, melons, turnips, Ac, all favorite articles of diet, they never cultivate now, assigning as a reason, that they require too much care. Their food at every meal, as a rule, consists only of bread and tea. They have plenty of horses, but few horned cattle, and no sheep. Though very fond of milk and butter, there is not one household that provides itself with these things, ereryone shirks the trouble. The neglect of agriculture is probably owing— 1. To the perpetual interruptions caused by having to attend Eunangas, called together on the most frivolous pretexts. 2. To the unsettled state of mind, to which I have already referred. 3. To the facility afforded (by the close proximity in which they live) for the idle to live on ihe industrious. SUGGESTIONS. In conclusion, I wish to offer a few suggestions— 1. Whether it might not tend to allay the present discontent, if the Maoris were encouraged to register as voters, and so made to feel that they had a voice in the Government of the country. 2. That a form of will should be provided to facilitate the devising of property held under Crown Grant. Much ill feeling and litigation amongst relations would thus be prevented. 3. Whether the time has not arrived when the Maoris should be required to register births, deaths, and marriages, the fees being merely nominal, and the Eogistrars chosen from amongst themselves. James Stack.
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Bibliographic details
REPORTS FROM OFFICERS IN NATIVE DISTRICTS., Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1872 Session I, F-03
Word Count
22,580REPORTS FROM OFFICERS IN NATIVE DISTRICTS. Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1872 Session I, F-03
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