F—No. 3

BEFOEE THE WAIKATO COMMITTEE.

pamphlet on the Maori King movement, (placed by me in the hands of the Committee) page 17, as follows :—" If (said he) some means had been initiated at an earlier period to give the Chiefs a status in connection with the Government, and also some part in the administration of our own affairs, we should not have had a Maori King." . , , c Iconsiderthe influence and co-operation of the oldand most influential Chiefs essential to the success of any Institutions that might be introduced among the Natives, and that certain failure would follow any plans that might be adopted, however good in the abstract, if the younger men were made the principal agents in working out those plans, while the old Chiefs were to any extent overlooked ; and therefore, while I approve of the principles enunciated, and the plans suggested in Mr. Fenton's report, I fear that a grave error was committed in attempting to introduce a new system of government, independently of the old Chiefs, and by means principally of the young men. I observe that in Mr. Fenton's report some of the old and most influential Chiefs oi the Waikato tribes are spoken of with marked disrespect: as, Wiremu Nera Te Awaitaia, at page 9, foot note, Potatau, at pages 10 and 22, Ruihana, at page 15, and Hori Te Waru, at page 21. _ _ I remark also that I consider Mr. Fenton's mode of treating the King movement was not judicious : he says, at page 27 of the Report,—" Although myself I find this King business a nuisance and an obstruction, I always tell the Maories it is nothing, and advise them to take no notice of it-'' In my opinion it would have been wiser to have pointed out the serious consequences that must inevitably follow such a movement. By treating it lightly the Natives would infer that there was nothing wrong in it, and that we did not disapprove of it. I fear this mode of treating the subject has done great mischief. Thomas Buddle. 480. Chairman] Are there any other general remarks that have occurred to yau with reference to this Report?—No; but should anything occur to my mind, I will embody it mmy written statement. 481. Then the Committee will understand from your observation that you have gathered from the Report indication of some departures from what you would consider the most direct and proper proceedings ?—I have. . 482. In particular, that Mr. Fenton seems to have not sufficiently regarded the importance of the old Chiefs, and that he treated the King movement with not sufficient gravity ?—That is my opinion: and it occurred to me that there is a degree of inconsistency between the views expressed by Mr. Fenton as to what the Government ought to do, and his own practice, in that particular, i.e., where he censures the Government for ignoring the King movement, while he treats it in the same way in the presence of the Natives themselves. _ 483. Now, assuming Mr. Fenton to have failed in discretion upon these points, and the Government to have become aware thereof, what, in your opinion, would have been, or would be in a like case, the proper course for the Government to pursue ?—I should say that, if Mr. Fenton was not considered a proper person to carry out these plans, another magistrate should have been appointed before his removal. I always considered it was a grave mistake to have lost the hold we then had upon the Waikato District. _ . 484. Do you think that by any means the co-operation of the older Chiefs could have been obtained in the work then in progress? —I believe it could. 485. By what means?—By placing the matter before the old Chiefs, and by the magistrate taking them "with him as he was doing the younger men of the Tribes. 486. Would it not have been right, both as regards Mr. Fenton and also as regards the object, to have called Mr. Fenton's attention to these points ?—Most certainly. _ 487. Mr. Bell.] In the course of your frequent communications with the Waikato Natives, did Mr. Fenton's proceedings form the subject-matter of any communication from the Natives to yourself ? —They did not. , 488. No complaints, then, were addressed to you of the course he was taking?— None whatever. 489. Had you any reason to suppose from your communications that Mr. Fenton's proceedings were causing a line of demarcation between the King party and the Queen's party ?—I had. I frequently heard that at the public meetings that were held, the Natives generally divided themselves into two parties : the one erecting the Queen's flag, the other the Maori King's. _ 490 If the old Chiefs had been conciliated, do you think that the line of demarcation would have been less marked, and that the King party would have been gradually absorbed ?—This is my opinion : I think the course pursued was calculated to create a party in favor of the old Chiefs, as the Natives never like the influence of the old Chiefs to be ignored. 491. Do you consider then that the general system of Mr. Fenton, if it had been applied in concert with the old Chiefs, would have prevented the spread of the King movement in Waikato and tended to attach the general body of the Natives to the English Crown?— That is my opinion. 492. Then you do not think that the King movement had at that time gone too far to prevent success in the attempt to introduce Civil Institutions? —I think not. 493. Apart from the mere question of prudence in carrying out that system, do you think that the general principles indicated in Mr. Fenton's Report might have successfully been applied in the Waikato District at that time?—l do. ~.,,. 494. The policy then of restricting an agent of the Government to merely magisterial duties would not have been successful in resisting the King movement?—l think not, I think it essential that some degree of self-government should have been given to the Natives.

Rev. T. Buddie 9 Oct. 1860.

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