Te Wananga 1874-1878: Volume 3, Number 33. 23 September 1876 |
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TE WANANGA. HE PANUITANGA TENA KIA KITE KOUTOU. "TIHE MAURI-ORA." NAMA 33. NEPIA, HATAREI, 23 HEPETEMA, 1876 PUKAPUKA 3.
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TE WANANGA. The Te Wananga. Published every Saturday. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 187G. THE Parliamentary news to hand are exciting. The Opposition have succeeded in compelling two of the new Ministers to retire, viz.. Hall and Ormond, and it has been necessary to pass a Bill of Indemnity to save the whole of the Ministry from the penalties which they had incurred through a broach of the law. This Bill has not been passed without much, and angry discussion, but the desire of getting on with the busi ness of the session, and getting back to their homes, has no doubt induced many members to support the Bill. The Opposition, led by Sir George Grey, remain a compact and formidable body, ready to give battle on every measure the Government bring forward, and compelling them more and more to pursue a policy different from that of the corrupt and extravagant Vogel Government. We hear no more of the iniquitous Native Land Bill which the Native Minister (Sir D. M'Lean) in- troduced, and to which, we referred in a former issue. Thanks to Sir George Grey and his followers that at- tempt at further spoliation of the Native has signally failed. As will be seen from our summary of news, several petitions have been presented regarding Native land transactions in Hawke's Bay. which will, no doubt, lead to a searching enquiry into certain matters having a most important bearing on Native interests. The evidence about to be laid before Parliament will add another dark chapter to the history of the Native office, that baneful department of the public service, which, under the pretence of especially watching over Native interests, has, by its insidious and selfish policy, alike degrading to the Government, and demoralising to the Maori people, been the author of so many evils to both races. The great "Taniwha" Sir Donald McLean, has contrived during many years to hoodwink not only the Parliament, but the Queen's Representatives. who have succeeded Sir George Grey as Governors of New Zealand. Ue is now played out, however, and is being mercilessly stripped of his Jackdaw feathers. and all his false pretensions as a wise and sagacious ruler in Native affairs. The great secret of his tem- porary power and influence was simply his extrava- gant and boundless expenditure of public money. No sooner did the golden stream cease to flow with un- stinted current from the public Treasury into his money bags, to be then dispersed at his pleasure, than the whole fabric of his power has fallen to the ground. The mau and his whole system has been found to be a monstrous sham and imposture. His nominal con- tinuance in the Government for a few months longer is only a quiet way of letting him go away without the disgrace of absolute dismissal. This would have been the fitting termination of a career which has been one of selfish personal ambition and aggrandizement at the expense of the best interests of both the Natives find Europeans, For many years to come, the seeds
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TE WANANGA. PARAIRE, AKUHATA 11, 1876. TE TURE HOU A TA TANARA MAKARINI MO TE HOKO I NGA WHENUA MAORI. Ka mea a Te Hiana. E mea ana ahau, a nga ra e rongo ai te Maori ki nga tikanga o te Ture hou a Ta Tanara Makarini, ka tukua mai a ratou Pitihana ki te Paremata nei, kia kore taua Ture. A ka whakahe ano hoki te Maori ki taua Ture, no te mea ki ano ratou i tino rangona a ratou korero ki te Paremata nei. E hara te mahi nei i te mahi hangahanga noa. He nui ano hoki te ki a te Paremata nei, hei tautoko i te hiahia a te Maori, a kihai noa ake i mana. E hara aku kupu i te mea mo taua Ture hou a Ta Tanara Makarini anake, e korero ana ahau mo nga mea katoa ki te taha Maori. - E mea ana ahau, e kore ; e tika kia mahia e te Paremata nei nga Ture mo te Maori, i te mea kahore ano te Maoai i rongo noa, a i kite noa i nga Ture me nga tikanga o aua Ture, e mahia ana e te Paremata nei mo te iwi Maori, a ki to mea ka mahi te Paremata nei i nga mahi mo te iwi Maori, a ki te mea e kore e whaakina aua mahi ki te Maori, kia rongo ai te Maori, a kia korero mai ai te Maori i a ratou whakaaro ki te Paremata nei, penei ka ahua whakahawea te Maori ki te mana o te Paremata nei. E he ana te mahi penei, kia mahia i nga ra mutunga o te mahi o te Paremata nei. E kore e roa, ka tu te korero e mutu ai pea te mahi Kawana- tanga o tenei Kawanatanga, ka pai ano kia mutu ta ratou mahi. E mea ana ahau, me tuku te Ture hou nei kia mahia e te Komiti mahi i nga mahi Maori, a ma reira ka roa ai te mahinga, a e tae ai taua Ture hou nei kia kitea ai e nga iwi Maori. Me whakaae te Minita Maori, ara, a Ta Tanara Makarini ki taku kupu. He nui noa atu te korero a nga iwi Maori mo taua mahi he kia ratou, ara, te mahi he, ko te mahi a te Runanga nei i nga Ture mo te Maori, a kahore nga Maori e rongo ki aua Ture, ano ka tino tuturu aua mea hei Ture, katahi ra ano te Maori ka rongo ki aua Ture hou. Me whakaae a Ta Tanara Makarini ki taku kupu. Ka mea a Te Pokera. E mea ana a Ta Tanara Maka- rini, hei a tera wiki, ka tino korerotia te Ture hou nei. a hei reira ka tuku ai taua Ture kia mahia e te Komiti mahi i nga mahi Maori. Ka mea a Taiaroa. E tautoko ana ahau i nga korero a Te Hiana mo te Ture hou a Ta Tanara Makarini. E mea ana hoki, ahau, ko te tu Ture penei me te Ture e korerotia i nei, me panui rawa aua Ture e Te Kawanatanga, kia kite kia rongo te iwi Maori i aua Ture. Ko te panui me panui i nga ra o Te Paremata ki ano i noho Runanga, kia roa ai te titiro me te whakaaro a te Maori i aua tu Ture. Ma tenei Pira hoki, ara ma te Ture hou nei e he ai ranei, e ora ai ranei te iwi Maori. A kahore ano tatou te Parema- ta nei i kite noa i taua Ture. Kahore ano hoki i tae mai te reo Maori o taua Ture kia matou ki nga Mema Maori. E mea ana ahau, hei a tenei wiki pu anu ka tuku mai ai e Te Kawanatanga te reo Maori o taua Ture. Ko te Ture i te tau 1873. He Ture ho rawa taua Ture. I whakahe ahau ki taua Ture i nga ra e mahia ana e te Paremata nei. a e mau tonu ana taku whakahe ki taua Ture o te tau 1873, no te mea ua taua Ture i kore ai he mana a To Maori mo aua whenua, a i riro ai te mana o a te Maori whenua ki Te Kawanatanga. Na konei ahau i mea ai. ko te Ture hou nei me whaka-maori rawa ano ki te reo Maori kia kite ai ahau i nga tikanga o taua Ture, a kia roa ai taku rapurapu i ona ahuatanga. He tino Ture taua Ture, he nui no ana tikanga, a me whaka-maori. Ka mea a Karaitiana Takamoana. He kupu ano aku mo nga kupu a Taiaroa. E tautoko ana ahau i ana kupu. E mea ana ahau kia hohoro te whaka-maori i te Ture hou nei, kia wawe ai te kitea e matou e nga Mema o Te Paremata nei, a kia ahei ai ano hoki te tuku kia kitea ai e te iwi Maori katoa, kia tae mai ai nga whakaaro a nga iwi Maori ki te Paremata nei. E mea ana pea etahi o nga Mema Maori o te Paremata nei, me te Minita Maori, ki te mea ka tu te Pira nei hei Ture hei painga pea taua Ture kia ratou ki aua Mema Maori rae te Minita Maori V kia
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TE WANANGA. translation of it. I would ask the Government to furnish the translation during the coming week, if possible. The of 1873 was a bad Bill. I objected to it whea it was passing through this House, and my objection still con- tinues, because I think it took all power from the Natives and vested it in the hands of the Government. It is for that reason that I ask that the Bill should be translated. so that we may consider it in detail. This is a very im- portant matter to the Native race, and I trust the transla- tion of the Bill will be pushed ou as rapidly as possible. Mr. Takamoana : I, too, have something to say in sup- port of what has fallen from the member for the Southern Maori District. I hope the translation of this Bill will be furnished to us at the earliest possible moment, so that not only we, the Maori members of this House, may become acquainted with its contents, but that we may be able to circulate it amongst the Maori people outside, and thus give them an opportunity to make known their opinions in regard to it. Perhaps some of the Maori members and the Native Minister expect to derive advantage from this Bill. They will go after the Parliament and try to per- suade the Natives that this is a good Bill, just as he went about amongst the people of this Island after the passing of the Native Land Act of 1873, and told them that was a good Bill. I hope the members of this House will approve of the suggestion that this Bill should be circulated amongst the Maori people. They will do to if they think the Maoris are men : but if they pass the Bill without doing so I shall think they regard the Maoris as dogs. It is the Native Minister who is bringing forward these Bills af- fecting Native lands. I think that perhaps his reign is approaching a close, and he hopes that these Bills affecting Native lands will have been brought into law before that takes place. If the House urges this Bill on, it is very probable that trouble will arise. Perhaps the Native Minister may be able to obtain the good-will of some of the tribes after the session, but he may not be able to do so in the case of others. We are suffering now under the infliction of the Native Land Act, and the Maoris have applied for the establishment of a new Court. I hope no further action will be taken with regard to this Bill until it has been circulated throughout the Island. If that is done, I shall understand that the Bill is to be passed through the House in a fair way for all of us. I am per- fectly willing that the Bill should be pushed through the House as speedily as possible after we have had a fair op- portunity to consider its contents. I am glad that a re- quest has been made for the production of the papers re- ferred to by the honorable member for the Thames. If I were a European I should be one of those who would bring forward accusations against the Government in respect to those land transactions. Looking at them from the Maori point of view, I say that the Government land transactions are wrong : they are not purchasing in ac- cordance with law. The land they have bought at Poverty Bay and Wairoa has not been purchased in accordance with law under Crown grant. It is right, therefore that these papers should be produced, in order that the Maori should be clear about these matters.
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TE WANANGA. vernment of this Province, and are the following : 1 Eparaima: 2, Mangarara ; 3. Ngawhakatatara ; 4. Mahanga, No. 1 : and No. 2, 5, Kaokaoroa ; 6. Tautitaha ; 7. Mangateretere No. 1 and 2 ; 8, Pekapeka No. 1 and 2 ; O, Turamoe : 10, Raukawa No. 1 and 2; 11, Mangaroa ; 12. Ngatawa : 13. Mangarau : 14. Kakiraoa ; 15. Heretaunga ; 16. Tutukaka : 17. Waipiro- piro; 18, Paherumanihi ; 19, Ingo : 20, Omarunui : 21, Nga- tahira ; 22, Moteo ; 23, Petane : 24. Tongoio : and on to all the lands at Te Wairoa and Te Mahia and Turanga, and on these Mr. Russell founded his objections to the acts of these Europeans at Hawke's Bay. and also on the Government on account of the wrong committed. It was his pity for the Native people which prompted him to look for some one to assist him in this work. He engaged Mr. Grindell. Inter- preter, but the Government took this man away by employing him in the Government. Mr. Russell then employed Mr. Maunsell. Interpreter, of Wairarapa. The Government; again got this man by giving him a Government appointment Mr. Russell again employed Mr. John Stevens. Interpreter, of Rangitikei, who was taken into the employment of Govern- ment. Mr. Russell again employed Mr. Lascelles lawyer, of Napier. And again Mr. Russell employed Mr. C. Nelson. In- terpreter, of Kaipara. who was taken into the Government employ. Mr. Russell then employed Mr. Sheehan and Mr White. These two men cannot be gained by accepting Government offices, nor can be persuaded by the Europeans to give up his desire to help the Maori. Mr. Russell answers these Euro- peans by saying : If I can see that the Maori can obtain jus- tice. I will then cease ts act for them, if not. the grave alone shall put a bar to my exertions to obtain redress for them. His friends tell him that he will spend his fortune in such work, and he will be penniless. Mr. Russell answers such by saying, cease to repeat such language to me. So ends this point of my subject. Mr. Russell and Mr. Sheehan then de- termined to act in accordance with the dictates of the law. and they sent a petition to the Parliament. The Parliament sent two European Commissioners. and two Maori Commis- sioners, when the dispute to the above-named blocks of land were submitted to them to investigate. Two months were spent in this investigation, and the Government view of the case was found to be ia the wrong. Then the Government thought of buying that Commission, and it was done. Then Mr. Sheehan, the Solicitor, and Mr. Russell, took the case into the Supreme Court. And these are the Iands which have been before the Supreme Court for the last two years. At the time these lands were proposed to be takea before the Supreme Court Mr. Russell looked about for lawyers to act for him, and he found four in Auckland, three in the South Island, two in Wellington, and two at Napier, and from this may be sent the love of Mr. Russell for the Maori people. Also another proof of Mr. Russell's kindness to the Maori is seen in his paying the Lawyers, Interpreters, and Court cases, and Clerks. and costs of summonses, and paying the debts of the Maori. And the reason I am so bold to answer some of the assertions of the words of the letter of those people who say : At Napier the good people are living. I ask in what part of Napier do those people live ? And what are their names, that the tribes may know them 1 Friends listen, there is only one man who is good above all the Europeans in Hawke's Bay, and he is Mr. Henry Russell. There is not another beside him. And another word of these people is this : Mr. Russell acted in a flattering way towards the Natives to obtain the lands at Te Aute. Hearken, my friends. Mr. Russell did not ask for the lands of these people who have published their words against him. They said that Mr. Russell should be their only Euro- pean, who was the European who was kind to the" Maoris. Then it was that Mr. Russell consented, and at a time when the leases were not made out that these Natives asked for. and obtained the money of Mr. Russell. Some got as much as much as five hundred pounds, some three hundred, some seven hundred pounds. And some of these Natives went day after day to obtain money from Mr. Henry Russell. I have seen them do this, and I have seen the cheque butts with their names on them, and Mr. Russell also had to pay their debts, and Court cases, and also the cost of the survey expenses for their lands. And when the time came, when the timber was sold, Mr. Russell paid some to the men who cut the limber, and the other to the Natives. And when the leases for these lands were made out. some portions of the lands was reserved fur the Maori to occupy and cultivate, and to keep their horses on, and some of the land was for the use of Mr. Henry Russell,