Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-06-21
Description of New Zealand
BY REV. JOHN FRASER.

Description Of New Zealand.
BY REV. JOHN FRASER.
NATIVE NEW zEALANDERs.
The natives of New Zealand, when visit
ID by Capt. Cook, a century ago, numbered |
bout $50, 900. According to the best au-
horities, they have dwindled down to a
fifth of that number. Like the Indians,
kanakas, Tahitians, Australian Aborigin-
als, and other weak races, they are doomed
% speedy extinction. Macaulay's famous
New Xealander, who is TO moralize over
the ruins of London, from a fragment of
Westminster Bridge will hardly be ma
tive New Zealander. That Volney of the
Southern Hemisphere Will be an Austria
liam Cockney. Instead of going home"
with the disposition to philOsophize it will
rather be in the spirit of the Jew who re-
turns to weep over the desolations of the
city of David and solomon.
The MaOries, as the natives are called,
belong to the Malay race, and are of a dark
olive complexion, resembling the Sand
witch Islanders in features. They are
much finer looking men, being tall, athlet-
ic and muscular.
Who does not remember the zest with
which in early life he enjoyed Robinson
Crusoe? A richer treat fell to my school
day lot / had Cooks Voyages" to read.
l circumnavigated the globe in the COM
pany of the bold navigator On similar
tours | made the acquaintance of Drake,
Wallis, Carteret, and host of Others. 1t
was a huge Overgrown volume, well worthy
of a child's admiration, leading her to ex-
claim, " Eli, that is fat book" No work
is illustrated now as that was; showing
sublime disregard Of all the laws OF per-
spectiye descriptions with which had be-
come familiar.
HABITS AND CUSTOMS.
They had custom of tattooing their
bodies, and especially their faces. The
number and variety of the figures thus i'm
printed on their persons indicated their
rank. 1t seems to US a bArbarous custom,
as many of our civilized habits might, with
good reason, appear to them. Some OF
their legendary lore was tinged with ro-
nance; and their heathenism had many
peculiar rites and cruel orgies.
Taboo prevailed, which gave the priests
power to cOnsecrate any place or devote
any person. They could thus forbid any
one all articles of food and cut him Oft
from intercourse with mankind. Sosuper-
stitioUs are they that after conversion, it Is
almost impossible to eradicate their early
impressions. \ missionary related to me
as an example of this a case in which he
found great difficulty in saving the life OF
| convert. a young woman joined his
! church, when the Pagan priest in Il rage
/ pronounced curse upon her. Through
! the force of imagination the spell would
have produced its intended effect had not
the missionary resOrted to active measures
| He told the murderOus priest that he would
hold him personally responsible for the
| consequences. He then took the young
woman away from her heather relatives
| forbid their holding any intercourse with
her and placed her in christian home
where her mind was occupied with Othe
thoughts, and she fully recovered.
Canuibalism was the most horrid featur,
of their heather state. 1t prevailed to
| frightful extent during the long tribal war
of the last century. Several crews of ship
wrecked on the coast fell its unfortunate
victims. 1t is the most disgusting trait 0
a horrible superstition, which d few year
ago broke out like a plague, and prevail
in districts once supposed to be christian
MISSIONARIES.
A generation has now passed since tn
first efforts were made to convert the native
to the christian faith, and to plant Englisl
| colonies. The missionaries were chief
! ~ hn Epiu,,r,o 70, and No
The pioneers showed a truly apostoliCa
zeal and success. Afterwards the Islam
was constituted a bishopric, and some G
the laborers manifested more of a secula
spirit. They turned their attention partl
to trade and agriculture. They sough
preferments more than converts. The
forgot Him who said, My kingdom is nc
of this world" / have it on the authorit
Of minister who was there at an earl
day, that they neglected the spiritual pan
of the work. According to the genius c
establishments, they instructed the youn
III schools and as they grew up were an1
ious to confirm and enroll them as con
municants. The natives not averse to thii
as they were intelligent enough to observ
the worldly advantages of christianity
though the great mass felt no change {
heart. Thus, though the work appeare
as wonderful, it was not as deep and tho
ough as that of the Board in the Sandwic
Islands, or of the London Missionary s
ciety in Tahiti or Madagascar. 1t was
different " fire" from that of persecutio
which was to "proye their work" and di
tinguish the gold and silver and precioI
stones from the wood, hay and stubble"
THE NATIVE KING MOVEMENT.
1t would be as difficult to describe I'll
, politics of New Zealand as, till latel
the geography Of Germany. The positio
held by the natives was analogous to thi
of the Aborigines of our own country
: Though Great Britain claimed supremac
? the MaOrie chiefs were allowed to retai
. rights and powers which were never clear
; defined. Their electing native kline
was not the signal that they reared Il
standard of rebellion; but a measure fl
1 settling their own disputes, in which the
were encouraged by the Imperial govern
ment. But the "native king movemen
L only complicated matters. Hostilities a
: ose, as is usual in the Indian wars, fro
: aggression, on the part of the colonists.-
+ They secured the valuable lands of trib
by obtaining fraudulent deed from son
: irresponsible party. The natives findil
all appeals to law and justice in vain, b;
: recourse to arms. They have put for
-. efforts and fought battles worthy of the O
~ Caledonians. But the war must end
Is such wars from the time of the Roma
st downward always have ended, in the wea
y er race being crushed out.
IS MAoRIE FIGHTING.
= A part of the natives are friendly. Tho
-e who remain hostile, few in number. hel
J. med in by military posts and suffering gre
losses have yet shown themselves mat
D. for their powerful enemy in courage a
1T diplomacy. The war has dragged its sic
l. length along for nearly dozen years.
=, The Colonial office undertook to mana
it at Downing street, a distance of Is @
lie miles from the seat of operations. I
If executive, Sir George Grey, lacked all G
g. ecutive faculty. Having large pecunia
interests in the Island, like early Gener
in our own war, he did not like to beat t
ID enemy too much. War brought busin
ne and meant money. So decisive victor
a were only less dreaded than decisive
- feats. The Colonial office and local leg
re lature were continually wrangling, L
-oJ SONClhOA anu Vi lllt IOIi
IS. could never agree. An army of 100
~ men remained inactive year or two, I
= at last the Home Government conclud
70 that if they were expected to supply N
IL and money which they could not contr
he they would leave the colonists and natl
,s to settle their disputes amongst themselv
- The Maories are bold, cunning and I
We scrupulous. They planted lands in I
On interior surrounded by impenetrable il
b. gle. They then arranged system of pa
as OF native forts, so that when one would
- carried by force ofnnmbers, they could
ey treat to another Thus it is hard to
rst lodge them from their mountain fastnes:
re General Cameron was goaded on by