The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-05-22
The LAND OF
TIL: MA0R|S
The Advancement
Of Warrior
Race.
SUCCESSFUL
| LAND TREATIES
After Desperate Resistance Tact
ful Handling Brought
Pacification.


contact there are few presenting 50
many features of interest and none |
showing such a remarkable advance
ment from sayagery to civilization as
the Maoris of New Zealand. The his
tory of their encounters with the white |
invader of their country, of the paci-
fication and of how they were turned
to the ways of civilization, though 1t
extends over but a brief period, IS full
of picturesque incident, and may fur |
nish some useful information for the
United States in dealing with the peo-
pie of the Philippines.
There is no record of the origin Of
the Maoris. Tradition tells of their
voyaging to New Zealand in canoes
from some of the islands of the Pa
cific, and this tradition Is accepted py
students of the race, the time Of their
coming being about 500 years ago.
When Tasman first sighted New Zeal
and in 1912, he found the natives num-
erous and fierce, and Captain Cook
gave blood -curdling accounts of their
warlike character and cannibalism as
the result Of his visits from 1853. TO
1774. In 1909 sixty-six white persons
on board the ship Boyd, which called
on her way from Sydney to England,
were killed and eaten by the Maoris,
and In 1916 the crew of the American
brig Agnes suffered a similar fate
However, the Rev. Samuel Marsdea
took band of missionaries to New
Zealand in 1914. He secured the friend
ship of some of the chiefs, but was
unable to prevent wars among the DIFF
ferent Maori tribes. When the first
lorganized band Of British settlers ar
rived, ten years later, the majority OF
them were frightened from the coun-
try by the sight of a conquering tribe
cutting up and eating the bodies OF It's
enemies. ~
| THE TREATY OF WAITAEGI.
! The missionaries, however, continued
their work, and through their influence
the active Intervention of Great Britain
| was secured, and in 1840 the treaty
of Waitangi was signed, great event
for the Maoris, who to this day regard
! that agreement as their Magma Char
ia. It contained the Maoris' declara-
ton of allegiance to the Queen ana
Great Britain's recognition of the
Maori ownership of the whole of New
Zealand This treaty led to SEM
blance of peace and the settlement o.
the country proceeded, but the diff
Guilty of dealing with the natives with
respect to their lands was soon appar-
ent, and the first bloodshed after the
signing of the treaty was caused by
disputed land transaction between THE
whites and the Maori5. The war laStot
five years, peace being eventually lie
stored by the efforts of Sir George Grey
who secured the confidence of tn
Maoris, dealing fairly with them, pay
ing for their lands, setting up schools
to educate their children and trail
them In agriculture. Throughout tn
war a section of Maoris had remained
friendly to the English, and had tough
> with them against the hostile tribes.
u During the twelve years of peace tina
followed the ever-increasing number o
white settlers in New Zealand ha
. many friends among the Maoris. Blu
the tribes inhabiting the heart of tn
J north island continued hostile to tn
British. They had been always AYERS
to the Maoris selling their land, an
they had noted with displeasure the in
creased power of the white men. Meet
ings were held and it was resolved tina
an attempt should be made to amalga
! mate all the Maori tribes under on
: king with a view to driving the Eng
fish out of the country. TIE Wher
Where was chosen king, and he hoist
ed the Maori flag, but the movement
was unsuccessful, and to this day Their
has not been any union of the tribe:
There is still a Maori King, but hi
authority is acknowledged by only
section of the Maoris, and he uses hi
!. influence not to drive the English on
= of the country, but to secure from tn
English representatives in Parliamer
the best legislation possible for hi
people.
PACIFICATION OF THE MAORIS.
The movement, however, was accom-
panied by the formation of a Ian
league, and the old trouble in connec
= ton with the purchase of native LAND
q led to war in the Taranaki distric
l. No sooner had this rising been quelle
,s than another section of the Maori
the Warkatos, were In arms, and Ion
and costly war followed. Sir Geors
81 Grey, who had been so successful
lie the first war, arrived in 1861, but tt
Maoris were not subdued until 1Se
and there were skirmishes up to 1871.
Throughout the war Sir George Gre
had done much to break down the nj
tive distrust of the English colonist
and at a critical time Sir Donald M
Lean came on the scene as minister
native affairs. During his seven yea
of office all traces of enmity were wip
away. Sir Donald Mclean understo
the Maoris. He paid respect to the
- chiefs and showed great tact in t
purchase of native lands. He employ
a large number of Maoris on roadma
- ing, paying them literally. Thou
II obstinate and self-wiIled in opposite
the Maoris have always been cas-
handled when respectfully and kline
treated, and Sir Donald was ever tn,
friend and counselor. They had learn
n :, the value Of money long before t
close Of the war, and the money spe
among them in roadmaking did much