AFTERMATH OF THE WARS

Te Ao Hou, June 1959, Page 12

AFTERMATH OF THE WARS The wars were a dividing line in Maori-European relations. The Europeans, backed by British troops won the struggle for mastery and land was confiscated with impunity. The Maori bitterness which followed took generations to heal. The Maoris who had not fought were soon enmeshed in land transactions with European settlers and litigation in the Native Land Court under the Native Land Act of 1865. A wave of alcoholism, partly associated with land dealings, swept the country and the Maori population declined. Maori agricultural production declined too and their trade with Auckland was no longer important. Auckland was now a Europeans' town. Certainly its merchants, by losing the Maori trade and commissariat contracts after the war, had a difficult time for some years. But ultimately they found new wealth in European farm production, much of it grown on the confiscated Waikato and exported through Auckland. Few Maoris returned to former settlements near Auckland. Those who returned to reserves in the Mangere-Waiuku district found most of their land had been confiscated; and that left was soon

snapped up by Europeans under the Act of 1865. Even the Ngatiwhatua reserve at Orakei was deserted by the bulk of the tribe who lived at Kaipara. The few who stayed at Orakei took little part in city life and spent much of their time gum-digging in the country. Their principal chief, Paul Tuhaere, who had formerly gone tophatted to Government House parties, began to prefer the company of his compatriots. In the 'sixties and early 'seventies he led several schooner expeditions to Raratonga. He became a regular attender at meetings of the King party. Here he exhorted the King party to retain their land, bitterly recollecting his own experience as a landseller; “Look at me, a man who knows how to suffer.” He urged them not to admit the Native Land Court, to keep out the European surveyors and purchase agents. Many thought a reconciliation was coming when Tawhiao, the Maori King, visited Auckland in 1882. He was feted all round because, as Maning pointed out, “it is land and railways the pakehas want, don't they wish they may get either one or the other, without paying well for them.” Tawhiao was unimpressed and four years later bitterly but unsuccessfully opposed the opening of the King Country. Although Tawhiao and the bulk of the Waikatos returned to small reserves at Ngaruawahia there was no reconciliation for many years. It was a far cry from 1844 when the proud Waikatos demonstrated before an apprehensive Governor at Remuera. The idea grew up that the city and city life was not for Maoris—they should stay in the country at their settlements. As late as 1935 the Auckland Mayor Mr (later Sir) Ernest Davis was stating the “Maori is a child of nature, and it is better both for him and the pakeha that he should live in the country and not in the town.” The Maori was being considered as a museum piece of the countryside, little of which he now owned. It was good for tourism to show him off to visitors. Rotorua, not Auckland, was the best place for this. After the turn of the century there had been half-hearted attempts to set up a model Maori village at Orakei, as a tourist attraction, but nothing was achieved. The later Government purchase of the Maori land and disposal of some of it to Europeans meant that considerable opposition arose to the scheme. The City Council, in its report of 1935, came out in opposition, fearing that a model village would soon degenerate into a slum; and added that it was not in the interests of the European residents to have Maoris living in the midst of a fashionable European suburb. It was not until the war years that Maoris began to return to Auckland in significant numbers. Like their predecessors, 100 years earlier, they came in search of employment, European skills and knowledge. Like their predecessors too they have their problems of adjustment to what is in some respects an alien way of life. Fortunately the experiences of the past can be of some help—if both races will heed them. Maoris of to-day realise the need to retain an interest in their own culture, as well as to learn the occupational skills of the European. There is virtually no land left now; but it will be a help if enough land can be found for a marae and community centre. Because of its historical associations these should be at Orakei.