Te Wananga 1874-1878: Volume 3, Number 33. 23 September 1876


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.

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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.

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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.

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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,