MAORI CONGRESS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2251, 24 July 1908, Page 1

MAORI CONGRESS.

A CRITICISM. , (By C. A. Young.) ; Tho Maori Congress was inaugurat- . otl und'or most happy auspices. .Many wiso and felicitous speeches .were delivered, and some sonsildo advice was given by tlioso who know more or less of tho Maori race, and no doubt much good will result from this gathering of tho Maori people. But sueli of i your readers ,as may sympathise with the Maoris in their many real or fancied grievances, must .not permit themselves to be carried away by the enthusiasm of tho promoters of this Maori Congress into tho belief that this is a representative meeting of the Maori race. Nothing of tho kind. It is merely a demonstration by officials of a Government anxious to prove that tho policy hitherto pursued in Native affairs has been a successful one, and on the part of To Auto College authorities an attempt to justify tho system of education which was introduced by tho present headmaster some 30 years ago. The members of tho -Maori sanitary hoards and Maori Councils may ho,to .sonic■ oxtonl,'.'leading men- in their different districts' hut they are officials summoned by Government to attend an annual meeting, whose exponses aro being paid,, and in this senso only may be viewed as representatives of their various districts. But the chiefs of the tribes "Waikato, West Const, and other places, are, unfortunately, conspicuous by their absenco; and it will not improve matters that this absence was ignored in all tho inaugural speeches. The conference is therefore merely a conference of past students of Te Ante College, and those connected with it; advantage being taken of tl(p presence in the capital of these sanitary inspectors and Maori Council delegates of the different religious bodies holding annual meetings. The idea, is said to have originated with Mr. Thornton, tho principal of the College, who is practically tho originator of tho Young Maori Party, and under whoso auspices conferences have been held since 1897. Since its inception, however, the idea lias somewhat expanded, and delegates of other denominations have been invited to attend, but really Te Ante is an Anglican church- school, and tho oonimitteo of the Young Maori Party is composed of Anglican* churchmen exclusively. It is not the object of the writer to depreciate Te Ante Collogo in public estimation, but, while giving all credit for what the authorities are trying to do, t 0 challenge its right to pose as leading the Maori people from darkness to light. It is not in any sense representative of tho Maori race. There are many young Maoris who have cast off old prejudices and customs, and are as progressive ns-.nny of the so-called Young Maori Party, but these aro not welcome within its ranks, because they either were not Te Auto College students, or are not members of the Anglican Church. Further, the Young Maori Party has, through its leader, My. Ngata, publicly stated at Te Waharoa. that, if the older men of the race would not advance with them, they must be left behind; which may he a just view of the situation, but is not one calculated to impress tho leaders of the race with respect for tho modesty and discretion of these young lads. Enthusiasm is a fine quality in the young, but it should be guided bv discretion, otherwise it may defeat its own ends. .. The heads of the Young Maori Party must surely be swollen with pride when the arrogate t 0 themselves the civilisation of (heir race. Other causes are contributing to this, foremost of which might be placed the teachers, male and female, of the numerous Native schools, the Pakelia settlers, .and tho various Maori missions. No, Te Aute College has not been the distinguished success its admirers claim for it. Its educational system is certainly religious, but has not been practical)-and through the long years, many opportunities have been wasted to train the students in agriculture' and the technical arts; and: thus a valuable asset has been lost to the country, Hundreds of Maori lads have passed through the College, and the successful students of the system . can be counted on the ten fingers. Of. these, a few are very conspicuous at tho present time, and these are of 1 the very few Maoris who have crossed the pons asinorum. Of the many hundreds of lads who have failed to attain Mr. Thornton’s high ideal, only those who know the Maoris in their kningas can speak—and not al- , ways with respect. ' The system of education pursued . lias been to train every student—(lst) , To be an Anglican Church Christian, . (2) to become a lawyer, a doctor, or a clergyman. Of the latter, there are many, of the other two professions < few; therefore, all the greater credit and honor is due to these few. Still, even in these cases, it is one thing to qualify for a profession, and .another thing to make a living in it. Ignorant racial prejudice is so ram-' pant that the Pakelia men and women will not employ a Maori doctor or ■ lawyer, and although they may obtain a ' considerable practice among . the Maori people, wo all know they will not find such practice lucrative; therefore, Te Ante has a great respect for the Government of the day, and prays it to find employment for its foremost pupils. Tho press-reported object of this conference is to show —“(Ist) What has Leon done for them (the Maoris) by tho State and other agencies since tlie foundation, of tho Dominion (?); (2nd) what they have done for themselves ; and 1 (3rd) decide as to a general .policy of progress on more modern lilies for tile future.” And all this while yet the Government held the Maoris’ - land locked up in communistic darkness, in which no man may see his own homestead or imay attain the dignity of manhood by the exercise of the privileges and re- . sponsibilities of free citizenship. Government officials always prefer to travel about under the electric light held over their heads by reporters of the public press, but the dark corners of the land know them liot, therefore the press will teem with what this “Young Maori Party” are doing and are going to do. But if the press reporters understood the Maori language, .and could report 'the proceedings of the older Maoris at the meetings of tho sanitary inspectors, the delegates of the Maori Councils, and the Maori Association, of which Te Heuheu is president, the public would be enlightened on both sides of tlie question of Native affairs. In proof this let me give a sample of the enthusiasm (?) of one of the leaders of tlie Young Maori. Party, who is himself a Government official, and a pathetic appeal made by one of the older men to the -Native Minister at the conference of the MaoriAssociation. Said l)r. Buck: — Tins will bo the most interesting congregation of Maoris ever (?) held. Tlie present conference will consist only of tho thinking portion of the popula-

tion,” Ho states that the Maoris in the distriot ho is Native medical officer of health for (Auckland), and, indeed, all over tho North Island, ,aro showing an increased appreciation ot European molhods of life, etc Contrast this with Molii To Atiuhikoia » pathetic appeal to tho Native Minister. Ho said Mr. Carroll had now held office lor a number ol years, and 'yet the Maoris were heavily burdened. Would ho not, irhilo yet he had the opportunity, build himself -a lasting monument by doing something to ;icdress tho grievances of .-the Native ,a Altogether, this demonstration is a bewildering spectacle, ill which tho Governor, Government, and .Maoris of past and present times, pass m roviow as\in a pageant, -and it is most pathetic to pass from a meeting ol To 1-leuheu’s Maori Association ot old men—who are striving to obtain the unattainable in appealing to their Minister to permit them a voice in tho disposal of their lauds—to a meeting of the so-called Young Maori l aitv, and listen to the somewhat turgid and self-assortivb oratory tlio leaders 0 f that self-glonfied at-oei.ition. The solution of .the Maori question is not yet. . . “When Time’s fiiieers 11 a til s\vop 1. tlio" tides' liMiete Beauty When tho old order changeth, -and tho Maori, with his beautiful .and fanciful mythology and his glorious lin-a-'erv, as voiced in legend and song, has passed and gone, wo may then realise tlie loss of. what wo aro non destroying, instead of preserving. Then, may arise a mocking half-caste travesty of ourselves, in .which « may see as in a glass our vices of arroganco ami greed intensified.