The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1882-02-11
MAORIEs AS IMMIGRANTS

49,
Mr. EDITOR Some time ago there appeared a
letter in one OF the Honolulu papers, advocating
the trial of introducing Maories from New Zea-
land into this Kingdom. IL is quite evident that
the writer of that letter knows little or nothing OF
the natives OF New Zealand, in their present posi-
ton, and, in brief, | will e~nlighten him. The
North Island is theRbode of nearly all the ab0-
riginals of New Zealand, and, from an enormous
population fifty years ago, their number has OWN
died year by year down to something like As 900.
This is accounted FOR by internecine wars, disease,
wars with the Bralish. and the Inevitable results
OF gross immortality, drunkenness, and carelesness
of life The Maories and the Kanakas are of the
same parent stock and both seem to have travelled
duwnwards to destruction since their contact
with the pale faces Of civilization. NOtwithstand-
ing the vast and unsparing efforts of worthy Mis-
sionaries of all denominations to stem the tide Of
fatality. Now, the remnant of the various Hapus
of tine Maofis are at the present time the owners
OF land OF great value In their various Tribal Dis
tricts as we'll as participators in the enjoyment of
the revenues or occu alton of numerous reserves
oil land, wisely, from time TO time, set apart and
dedicated to their use, by a considcrate and far
seeing Legislature. Do yoa think, Sir, that I'M
der these circumstances any one single Hapu of
MaOries would cross such a long sea under the
UtopIan idea of lettering their lot? No. | can
assure you Sir, that not one single man can be
persuaded 10 cut his connection with the land Of
his ancestors, whose very b%urying- places, bones
and spirits lie ~wUrships in his own way. a num-
Der of years ago, many Maories went to Victoria,
Port Phillip to mine for gold there. Many
died on Bendigo, and | an informed that the REM
nant soon ceased to exist. Ii by any chance a
few hundred Maories did wish 10 migrate hither-
wards, | am Of opinion that the I'M perial autbori-
ties would hesitate IN coinclding with such a wish,
it would look just is il the authorities wished to get
rid OF them finally, for II would mean the ultimate
acquisition to the country of their interests IN the
lands set apart for them in addition to other
reasons of a more important political nature. /
may as well state that the Maories OF the present
dav uciH not aC0rk What use would they be
here ? Their tCaihenaS are of the same disposition,
follow their fdneS from place to place. well horsed
generally, smoking. drinking, and free to enjoy
life without restriction. How would that do
here in a country where morality, religion, and
temperance are sought to be enforced by Legis-
latIve ~enactments? No Sir. the whole PROPOSE
ton is QuixOtic, unreasonable. and impossible. |
know the native race in New Zealand well, the
Waikatos, Ngararous and many Others let
Honi Piama, Nahteve Chief Hawera, Mount Egg
mont district Of TtranakI. be communicated with
and shown a copy OF these lines and the writer OF
the letter before referred to, will soon be set right
in his estimate of the Maories and the probability
of a satisfactory result of his theories of their
migration. Yours, etc. PATEA.
Mr.. EDIToR,-It is getting to be quite the
fashion of late, in some quarters. to represent
the native Hawaiian as innately hostile to the
foreigner, ana as being ready, whenever an
opportunity may offer, to illustrate his evil dispo-
sition by acts of violence. This idea has been set
forth i'll a newspaper of this city, wherein the pub
lie was warned II coming - disturbance and revo-
luton that an antagonism of races may put
the foreigners life in danger that he will be
forced to cry out for protection against the
native and generally, in this connection, that
= the sky is not bright and the clouds hang low.
1t is true that " conscience makes towards of
us all :" but it is also true that, however much
the Hawaiian may be sinned against, his
natural disposition is not one that retains spite
or harbors a desire for revenge. OF all the races
of mankind, the Polynesian is noted as the most
naturally amiable and tractable-th long expert
ence of yoyagers and missionaries amply proves
this. 1t must be a deep and irreparable injury
that shall prompt the Hawaiian to raise his
hand against the life of the foreigner. And this
assertion needs no proof, for it is patent enough
to all who have resided among this people for
any length of time. No old resident, in any port
of these Islands, has ever dreamed of going
armed for self-defense and ts sleep with open
doors and windows has been the rule with house
keepers, time out of mind. Che great majority
of the Hawaiians always have been and yet con-
tinue " content to live side by side with the for
trusting in all important matters to his
superior skill, education and energy The ex-
ceptions to this general rule will be found on