The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1878-06-15
NEW ZEALAND.


The news received from this hourishing COLONY
by the recent mail is of unusual interest. For
many years, there has been a great deal OF
trouble with the Maoris on the subject of land
titles, and we believe that all the wars between
them and the Colonsts have arisen directly OF
indirectly from this cause. Some twenty years
ago a movement took place among the natives of
a very important character, which was the deter
mination to unite the tribes by choosing a King.
and organizing a land league to prevent the
sale of land of to Europeans. Causes of irrita-
ton arose, and war broke out, the most serious
contest taking place in Waikato, where the
strength of the King party lay. The result was
that the native power was broken, and large dis
tricts of land were confscated in different parts
of the Island. The largest confscations took
place in the district of Waikato. The theory of
the kingites was that the King held all the lands
for the people, and that no tribe or section of a
tribe could sell land to Europeans. Tawhiao,
the King, issued DEGREES forbidding all selling.
leasing, or surveying of lands and the Kingites
would not in any way recognize the authority
OF the Colonial Courts to settle their claims to the
soil. 1t was difficult to keep up this opposition
TO the settlers. In other districts, at a distance
from T~awhiaO, the tribes which had acknow-
lodged him began to sell their lands, and to allow
roads to be made through their country. Claims
for titles to lands were made before the Native
Lands Courts, and as the Kingites refused 70
appear IN courts of which they denied the iuris-
dIction, they in many cases lost their lands. In
evItably, a feeling of unjust treatment was Gre.
ated IN their minds. They were gradually
weakened, but still they held out. At intervals
they murdered settlers engaged in cultiyatinp
lands of which they considered themselves nm
justly deprived.
1t has been apparent for years that the true
policy Tor the Colony to pursue was to come to
some arrangement with Tawbiao BY which the
native opposition could be removed without Gre
ating the irritation that had so often eliminated
in violence and bloodshed. Such a settlemen,
with the Kingites had become a matter of great
importance go far as the interests of the whites
were concerned for the native possession of the
interior OF the country comprised not only some
OF Its most fertile territory, but prevented the
extension of settlements and hindered the con.
structlon of roads and railways from one centre
Of population to another.
Sir George Grey, the Premier, and Mr.. Sbee-
han, the Native Minister, have lately paid a visit
1awhIao, IN which Sir George offered TO Give
back such portions of the confscated ~territorv
Is still remains in the hands of the Governmon,
llso, a salary to Tawhiao of $500 a wear. besides
lump sum to be spent in improvements tho
government TO AID the natives in commencing
agricultural operations, and township allotments
n Walkato to be given to the chiefs. The KING
las accepted these offers, and so has ReWi. the
.reat chief of the Ngatimaniapotos. All the
reat chiefs of the King party are to assemble
{ Waitara, in the Province of Tarapaki. abo,,
he middle of this month, and it is believed that
here, where the war arose, the arrangements
ill be confirmed by which all danger of future &
will be averted. I
The great disproportion of the Two races in '
lew Zealand, and the very rapid increase of the
indicates with the utmost certainty that l
lie aboriginal or Maori race will be entirely .
osorbed or "assimilated" with the white. Should =.
arked wrong or injustice attend the process, the +
orld will be neither blind nor silent. a
Some points in connection with this interview Il
II rather series of interviews, for the conference "
sted from Tuesday, May Z, to Saturday, May R
} as given by the correspondent who accom- p
Lnied Sir George Grey's party, are full of inter- e.
{. He says the difference between the Kingites a.
i'd the Maories that Europeans are accustomed W
see. is well marked. The men and women are IL
althy-looking, while the number of children /.
about, and of fine stout infants to be
N in the arms of their mothers, is remarkable. .,
is sad to think that those natives who have fa
to do with Europeans are in every respect bs
best of their race, but so it is. 1t is sad for m
because the separation that at present Sc