FURTHER PAPERS RELATIVE

'tanas'and'liuis'—souices of much evil, and forbids all resort to a display of force. If he were now appointed Native Assessor, the principle which I advocate will be recognized. No objection can be raised to the scheme now proposed on the ground of expense, for no public money will be required. If, after experience of the amount of labour discharged by the wa den, a yearly salary of £10 or £20 should be thought requisite, the fines received would be amply sufficient to defray this charge. Kukutai exacts or did exact £5 for drunkenness. But these fines should be paid into a fund, the salary of the officer being fixed, otherwise there would exist a temptation to unjust severity. Some, who admit the necessity of a modification of our law to suit the social conditions of the Maories, may assert that the Resident Magistrates' Ordinance constituting Native Assessors makes ample provision for the administration of these laws, when s> modified. Overlooking for the moment the question of popular sanction, even this argument is fallacious, for by that Ordinance no power is conferred upon a Native Assessor to act in the absence of the European Magistrate, even in matters purely native. I can conceive no 'urther objections to the planpro posed. That labour and activity would be required, will not be brought forward as an objection and to answer vague imaginations, I confess myself incapable. There is no mystery in Native affairs. It only remains for me nowi nconclusion, to express my regret that my ability in describing the state of the political mind of the aborigines of this colony and my capacity in adduci ig arguments in support of the measures propjsed in this minute, are so greatly inferior to what the importance of the subject demands, and my own earnestness would wish to supply. I have brought to the task simply observation of the Maori habits and familiarity with the Native character, combined with a deep sense of the high duties wbicli the hand of Providence has entrusted to the British power, anil an earnest desire that even in this eleventh hour some efforts may oe made adequately to discharge these duties. Every day's observation and every hour's reflection confirm me more strongly in the belief that we are entering on a new era, whether for weal or for woe, remains yet to be revealed. The race of old chiefs is passing away, having already outlived their power. The generation that succeeds will have more intelligence and less moderation. The time has gone when many words and few pensions will suffice to postpone the necessity of resolutely facing thi3 question. Professions lose their power when practice is long absent. The policy of postponement of remedies is a policy of accumulation of evils. The purchasing of tranquillity is the encouragement of turbulence. I do not agree with the doctrine expressed by many men of intelligence and experience, that a collision of races must eventually happen. I can see nothing in the Anglo-Saxon character or in the constitution of the Maori mind which should render this an inevitable result. But no one will deny that duty as well as interest requires us to make every effort to avoid even the chance of a catastrophe so much to be deplored. And what have we hither.o done? Besides the mills, the hospitals, and the schools,* reflection brings to my mind no practical thing done, no permanent benefit supplied, no recognized principles established. All the rest has been professions of affection which produce nothing, condolences of sympathy which remedy nothing; and for the schools the principal obligations are due to the Missionary clergy. The time will come when these Missionaries, the only efficient state police now existing in the country, will be taken by death, or rendered unable by advanced years and much labour to render that assistance to Government which has often and again been their only reliance in the time of trouble ; —and we quietly await that time without an effort to supply the vacancy. When we see the great things these men achieved and the influence they have g lined, without gifts of money to covetousnessor off'erinns of power to ambition, we must admit that some secret existed in their system which would lie a valuable knowledge for Government when they are no more. The secret is simple: they worked upon Maoris with Maoris, choosing talent before birth, a new enenjy rather than an ancient name. lam now, whh an urgency that may occasionally appear unfitted for art official paper, but with a respect that I feel constantly restraining my words and weakening my expressions, asking Government to receive this secret, to adopt this motto and to place it upon the shield instead of the word which has been illustrated by no career of success, exalted by noassociations of dignity. I am told that the day is past, that amalgamation has already become an impossibility—neither my sympathies nor my judgment allow me to receive this doctrine. On the contrary, every condition! of society seems now favourable for inaugurating a movement which shall result in rapid and constant progress towards civilization ; but the opportunity will not last long. When desires are strong, patience is weak. The plan proposed now is simply a development of the ideas on the same subject contained in myprevious minute, precipitated by the rapid course of events. A dread of tedious length has caused me to omit many matters of detail, but the recognition of the principles involved is a pieviou* necessity. I have one more remark to make with reference to the policy of "laisez faire," and I have reserved it to the last, because I wished it to be the longest remembered. If we are told that the ideaswhich now agitate the Maoris, some of which may appear Co contain an element of evil threatening;

* On this subject vide previous minute.

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