Polynesian., 1860-09-29
No. %.

veyances which purported to ALLEVIATE huge tracts
of territory, but with whose import and value the
poor signataries were never made acquainted. The
missionaries thought it pity that the land dsharks
should monopolize the spoil, and so they resorted
to the same system. The result was, that by the
time Captain Hobson had assumed the government,
nearly half the northern island was claimed by
Europeans. 1t is needless to say that any attempt
to force these claims would have resulted in a na-
tive war, and that the Government wholly refused
to sanction them. But the settlement OF them
was for long time thorny question, IN conse-
quence of the native jealousy on the subject OF
land. These claimants, however, were weak and
isolated and easily dealt with. lt was very DIT
. ferent with the New Zealand Company. This body
had spared no pains to attract emigrants. and
among other devices it had sold land to settlers IN
England at time when il had no more title to sell
| land in New Zealand than in Spain. 1t had sent
forward Colonel Wakefield with instructions to
buy land, and had acted on the assumption OF his
success 1t was necessary therefore, that he should
succeed. Accordingly, his theory of the formall-
ties requisite for a sale was exceedingly liberal.
As soon he arrived of the coast he took on board
the first natives he could find. He then pointed
out all the headlands and hills in sight and asked
the names of them. Having listened to bead-roll
of Maori nomenclature, he made whaler, who
professed to know the language, ask the native II
he would sell them The native grinned and said
4
dry trinkets, signed deed presented to him. hay-
ing repeated this process various parts OF the
coast, Colonel Wakefield wrote home hourishing
account Of his splendid purchases. OF course
when the settlers arrived they soon discovered that
/ the natives with whom he had bargalned had no
more power to give title to the land than ooat-
man on Walmer beach could give q title to Dover
castle and when they tried to take possession of
| their purchases they received the brOadest hints
| that it would be at the peril of their lives This
dishonesty on the part of the Directors was the
source of endless trouble. The Wairu massacre
the first result of an attempt to act on Colonel
Wakefeld's bargains This startling defeat at
once set in motion the various chiefs from Heke TO
to Ranghaeta, whose power had been clipped or
whose resources had been impaired by the English
colonization; and, before long, it brought on the
war which cost England nearly million of money
and New Zealand several years of progress. And
even now. though peace has been long restored be-
tween the races, the land question remains still
pregnant with mischief. The jealousy of the na-
tives-roused by the unjustifable proceedings of
the New Zealand Company-has never thoroughly
subsided. 1t has issued within the last few years
IN an anti-land-selling league on their part-a
menacing step which it will tax the Judgment OF
the colonial statesmen to Illustrate. Two or three
retaliatory measures passed by the Legislative
Council, but fortunately negatived by the Home
Government, are not happy omen Tor the future.
OF the prosperity which awaited New Zealand
as soon as it emerged from its early troubles, DIR.
Thompson gives careful and interesting account.
There is instruction as well entertainment In
his narrative of the infntne vagares of its some-
what elaborate constitution. OF course, the early
efforts of a minute community to fit to its own size
the cumbrous mechanism of Responsible Govern
ment has its ludihrous side On the whole, how
ever it has worked very we'll. 1t would be better
if the ex Premier never diversified animated de-
bate by punching his predecessors ribs; and 1t
would have been more dign6ed If the first care OF
| the first Parliament of the Britain of the South
had not been to vote themselves handsome salary
for the trouble of coming together. But such lit
tie defects are than repaid by the solid social
progress of the islands. Both our material and
our spiritual aspirations must be satisfied by the
facts that two-thrds of the natives Christians,
and that in FIVE years the export Of wool has in
creased fvefold. There is a sadder sequel to DIR.
Thompson's story, for which, however. the New
Zealand Government can hardly be held RESPONSE
ble Ii appears to be only too certain that the
tives melting rapidly away 1t is not that there
is any absolute census on which the assertion can
be based; but there is the telling fact that the
adults out of all proportion to the children.
Many reasons assigned for it. There are con-
tagious diseases which have been introduced by
Europeans, and habits of comparative luxury which
fit in i'll TO the remnants of savage life. good
deal is attributed to the neglect and consequent
mortality of female children, and good deal to
the scrofnlous tendency of the potato which was
introduced by Captain Cook. But these causes
hardly appear to satisfy DIR. Thompson. It should
seem as If there were some undiscovered law which
dOoms the inferior to disappear before the face
of the white man. Just as the New Zealand rat is
yielding to the Norway rat, and the New Zealand
grasses are withering away at the contact OF their
European congeners.