THE ABORIGINES.
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THE ABORIGINES.
Independently of all questions as to humanity to themselves, the character of the natives of New Zealand is of importance, because, instead of dwindling away, and disappearing before the civilised settlers, it would appear that they and the uneducated class of colonists are hereafter to be a mixed race. This circumstance alone stamps the New Zealander as a being superior to the Australian and the South African, and even to the North-American Indian.
The pictorial illustrations of Cook's Voyages first awakened a sense among Europeans to their capacity as shipbuilders, organizers of marine forces, sailors, and ornamental carvers. At the same time Captain Cook horrified the world by declaring them to be cannibals: he left the matter in no mysterious dubiety, for the experiment by which he convinced himself of its existence is told with a disgusting minuteness which also convinces the reader. Our countrymen were long loth to believe that people who were cannibals could be more civilisable than other aborigines living on rats and reptiles; but it was so: nor, after all, need we wonder at it, when we see what horrible vices the natives of our own country can commit when they are sunk in barbarism. The bushranging convicts of Van Diemen's Land became cannibals without the least compunction. As they had sunk from the level of British civilisation to that, the most horrible of barbarities, it appeared that there could be nothing in the practice itself to prevent a race who followed it from being as civilisable as our own countrymen.
The same gentleman who so beautifully illustrated the natural objects of South Australia has performed the like service for New Zealand, and the intending settler there should take the opportunity of seeing what manner of country he is going to. That the scenery was of a rich, beautiful, and romantic character, was well known before, and Mr Angas's scenes only accord with the expectations formed from descriptions. But his portraits of the natives are somewhat surprising, especially when compared with his representations of South Australian aborigines. It is visible at once that they are a fine race, with a full physical development, and a sound intellectual expression. Good-humour and firmness are united in their physiognomy. The garments, especially those of the women, are becoming and modest; and it is, on the whole, a pleasure to look on these pictures after the eye and the mind have been disgusted with the Australian semi-animal. Mr Angas's
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portraits in New Zealand correspond accurately with his statement --that 'the character of the New Zealanders is a strange mixture of pride, vanity, fickleness, covetousness, and generosity, passion and gentleness, mingled with many good and estimable qualities. Their temperament is warm and ardent; their ideas are full of imagery; and they possess much gaiety and wit. In acuteness of perception they are far beyond Europeans: they are children of nature gifted with high and superior qualities, which only require to be directed in a right channel. They have a strong sense of justice, and I have universally found them honest and hospitable.'
The specimens of decoration and architecture in Mr Angas's book shew such an advancement in these arts, as the early inhabitants of Europe might have been supposed to exhibit in woodwork just before the date of the Norman architecture. Their carving, and its adaptation to produce a general effect in combination with the shape of the edifices, are not unlike Norman work such as we see in the early churches and castles of England. The carved decorations, in fact, are about as good; and we must remember that this was the feature in our old buildings, which our ancestors invented. The arch, and the use of pillars--indeed it may be said the stonework generally--were derived from the Romans. It may be questioned if, without this start, the nations of the north of Europe, at the time of the Conquest, could have produced buildings to match with those of the New Zealanders; with, for instance, the mansion of Rangihaiata, which goes by the name of Kai Tangata, dreadfully indicative of the ferocity which mixed with the civilisation, since it means eat man, and was probably conferred in the same spirit in which a sportsman names his shooting-lodge after some sporting peculiarities or reminiscences.
Of their matting, which is one of the best testimonies to their own indigenous progress in civilisation, Mr Wakefield mentions four kinds. The plainest sort, called porera, is closely plaited from unscraped flax, split into narrow stripes. It has a glossy straw-like surface, and though coarse, is compact. The next, called korowai, is woven with scraped flax, and ornamented with black tags or tassels: they were varied in colour by the arrangements of different coloured stripes, and were used as dresses by the women. A coarser kind, but fit, by its closeness of texture, for clothing, was called tiehe, and was formed, from the refuse of the flax scraping. The finest kind was called kaitaka, or parawai, described as a beautiful fabric, woven from fine snow-white silky muka. The black dye so used is extracted from the bark of a large forest-tree called the hinau, which appears to have the
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same qualities as the gall-nut, and the natives had found out the secret of blackening the tannin by oxidised iron, the method in which our own writing-ink is compounded.
From the peculiar nature of the land-claims and other sources, many distressing disputes occurred with the natives. Among the tragic results of these was the massacre of Wairau, as it was called, in 1843, in which some of the most valuable men of the colony were slain, including the gallant Captain Wakefield. Those who had lost relations or valued friends in this miserable affair were naturally impatient for vengeance, and irritated when, instead of immediately bringing down on the assailants the retribution of the powerful British government, a cool inquiry was instituted into the whole circumstances. The investigation shewed that the affair arose out of the fruitful source of all mischief in the new colony--misunderstandings as to dealings in land; and it farther shewed that to treat savage chiefs, who, in a dispute in which they had plausible grounds of complaint, had used the force they possessed, like inhabitants of England who had committed a murder for the sake of revenge or robbery, would neither be prudent nor just. The whole of the melancholy transaction is not likely to be forgotten in future schemes of colonisation; more particularly as it was followed by various hostilities which did not terminate till 1847.
The fatalities in the subsequent contests with the natives were, however, on the whole, not very great: they amounted in all to twenty-eight killed and fifty-three wounded. But they had the appearance of being interminable. The resources and capacity for war which they exhibited were of a very formidable kind. Over the vast districts where the European settlements were scattered there were no roads, and none but the natives could command the means of transit. They carried no baggage, their wives following them with potatoes or other simple food--and the sole encumbrance of their march was in the excellent double-barrelled rifle which each warrior possessed, and could effectively use. When they found that the British troops could destroy their fortified pahs, they abandoned them, trusting to flying warfare. At any time the latent energies of this warlike people might thus be roused against British rule, however firmly established. The question was, what remedy should be adopted? The harsh old system would have suggested extermination; but a gentler and more effective method was adopted, leading to amalgamation. In the first place, efforts were made to adjust the land question with thorough impartiality: these have been already considered. There was next an effort made to give the natives a stake and interest in the administration of the British system of government. Those who had fought as allies of
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the government were pensioned, and received distinctions. A few natives were employed as policemen: the project was at first nearly overwhelmed in ridicule, hut it turned out to be very effective; and Sir George Grey, in a dispatch of 1849, says-- 'The native armed police force has furnished gallant men, who have led our skirmishing parties, and who have fallen, like good soldiers, in the discharge of their duty; and it has furnished intelligent, sober, and steady constables, whose services, under various circumstances, have been found of great utility.' In addition to such means of civilisation, the instrumentality of savings' banks, industrial training, and other aids of civilisation--found efficacious, and, unfortunately, necessary among the lowest grades of our own population--have been satisfactorily resorted to. Exhibiting the first broad, coarse characteristic of a civilisable people--intense love of gain--the New Zealander, unlike the haughty indolent Red Indian, has been attracted to the white man by the sources of profit which he opens up, and many of them have turned out to be good workmen on the public works. Such have been the secondary means of civilisation which, going hand in hand with the more important functions of the Christian missionary and the schoolmaster, are tending to the firm establishment of peace in New Zealand, and a good understanding between the races.
It will be seen that in the act for the government of New Zealand, mentioned elsewhere, provision is made for the native laws and customs being respected, and especially in all questions among the aborigines themselves. In the royal letter of instructions sent out with the New Zealand charter in 1847, for the purpose of putting this act in practical effect, not the least interesting portion is the 14th chapter, applicable to this clause of the act. An abridgment of it follows:--
'The governor-in-chief shall, by proclamation, set apart particular districts of New Zealand, under the designation of "Aboriginal Districts," where the laws, customs, and usages of the aboriginal inhabitants, so far as they are not repugnant to the general principles of humanity, are to be maintained. Within these districts the native chiefs, appointed by the governor, are to interpret and execute their laws, customs, and usages, wherever the aboriginal inhabitants themselves are exclusively concerned. At the same time, any person, not an aboriginal native, while within any such district, must respect and observe these native laws, customs, and usages, on pain of such penalties as may be inflicted by the sentence of any court or magistrate in any other part of the province. The jurisdiction of the courts and magistrates of the entire province are to extend over the aboriginal districts, subject only to the duty of taking notice of and giving effect to the laws, customs, and usages of the aboriginal inhabitants in all such cases. In cases arising between the abori-
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ginal inhabitants, beyond the limits of their districts, and in whatever relates to the relations to and the dealings of such aboriginal inhabitants with each other beyond the same limits, the courts and magistrates of the entire province, or of the district in which the cases arise, are to enforce these native laws, customs, and usages.
'The governor may contract or enlarge the limits of aboriginal districts, but no such district is ever to comprise lands which the governor may, by proclamation, have declared to be within the limits of settlement.'
So early as the 25th March 1847, Governor Grey had to report in the following terms the commencement of a good understanding with the natives, which, to the advantage of both parties, made rapid progress:--
'I am unwilling to lose this opportunity of stating, that affairs throughout the whole of these islands are proceeding in a most satisfactory manner. Commerce and agriculture are rapidly extending the improved methods of cultivation adopted by the natives; the large quantities of wheat they now produce, and the erection of mills throughout the country--some of which are their own property--are gradually rendering them an agricultural population, whose property will be too valuable to permit them to engage in war; and although there are still some warlike spirits who may occasion partial disturbances, I do not see any probability of any extensive outbreak again taking place.
'The revenue, as might be expected, is rapidly increasing--indeed so rapidly as to surpass my most sanguine expectations; and as the natives, under the present system of taxation, contribute largely to that revenue, every improvement in their condition will afford the means of providing more efficient protection for property, and for the future peace of the country. Her Majesty's subjects, both European and native, appear to appreciate fully the advantages of their present position; and not only evince the most gratifying contentment, but generally afford me the most cheerful and active assistance in carrying out my various measures. I need hardly add, that this assistance is most valuable to me; and that, in the case of the native chiefs, it has recently enabled me to arrange, in the most amicable and advantageous manner, the great mass of the land-claims in the southern districts, which, had they not met me in a spirit of the fullest confidence, I should have found it most difficult to adjust satisfactorily.'--(Pari. Pap. 1847.)
That a complete cessation of all tribe or party conflict among the natives should have been accomplished, is of course out of the question; since indeed their increased industry and civilisation, by making them more conscious of the advantages of wealth, and especially of landed property, open up new causes of dispute and contention. But short as has been the British rule there, it has been so effectually established, that what would have been
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a war between two independent tribes or nations, sinks into a personal dispute, to be settled by British authority. So late as September 1849, Governor Grey had to write to the secretary for the colonies 'that hostilities had commenced between the tribes of the Waikato district and those residing on the west coast of this island, regarding a tract of land claimed by both parties in the neighbourhood of Wangeroa, which lies between this place and New Plymouth. I also understand that, from the number and influence of the tribes engaged in this affair, very serious disturbances might be apprehended, unless their proceedings were checked;' but at the same time he had to report that both parties had applied for his mediation; that, in fact, they respectively pleaded then; case before him; and that they shewed the utmost willingness to submit to the decision of the government in the matter. --(Papers relative to Affairs of New Zealand, 1850.)
Governor Grey, in a dispatch dated in March 1849, gave a very hopeful account of the prospects of the natives, as he saw them in a progress up the Waikato and Waipa, as far as Otawao. 'I was both surprised and gratified,' he said, 'at the rapid advances in civilisation which the natives of that part of New Zealand have made during the last two years. Two flour-mills have already been constructed at their sole cost, and another water-mill is in course of erection. The natives of that district also grow wheat very extensively; at one place alone the estimated extent of land under wheat is 10,000 acres. They have also good orchards, with fruit-trees of the best kinds grafted and budded by themselves. They have extensive cultivations of Indian corn, potatoes, &c.; and they have acquired a considerable number of horses and horned stock. Altogether, I have never seen a more thriving or contented population in any part of the world.'--(Farther Papers relative to the Affairs of New Zealand, 1850.)
The latest notice of the habits and position of the natives, from a private source, is of the same promising and hopeful character. It is in a letter by Mr Hursthouse of Plymouth, published in the last edition of Mr Earp's book on New Zealand. He says:--
'From their skill in using the American axe, management of fire, and knowledge of "burning off," they are found most serviceable in the clearing and cultivation of bush or timber-land--in performance of which work they now frequently contract with the settlers at so much per acre. In fact, owing to the rapidity with which English labourers rise into the "small farmer class," and become themselves employers of labour, all our farming operations would be seriously crippled but for the powerful assistance of the natives.
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Our harvests are now almost entirely cut and carried by them; whilst as to ploughing, my esteemed fellow-settler, J. G. Cooke, Esq., me that on the glebe farm attached to the Wesleyan Mission Station, there are some native lads who, for quickness of driving and straightness of furrow, are almost a match for the best English ploughman in the place. These lads, it appears, are pupils at the "Grey Institute;" a large native industrial school or training college, an excellent institution, working much good among the natives, and which owes its existence chiefly to the useful energy and practical philanthropy of the Rev. Hanson Turton, a gentleman whose thorough knowledge of the native language and customs is admirably applied in promoting the joint good of both races.
'Nor is it in the labour-field alone that we are beginning to find the natives such stanch allies. They share in the sports and amusements of the settlers with equal ardour and success. Quick of eye, strong of arm, swift of foot, supple of limb, for pulling an oar, running a match, or accompanying an exploring party, they have no superiors. They are bold riders too, and at the first races ever held in New Plymouth, subscribed for a plate, and won it on their own horses; whilst at the last anniversary of the settlement they took the honours at the rustic sports--catching the greased pig before he had well started, and throwing the best of our Cornish wrestlers in a manner patent to themselves.'
