Aureretanga; Groans of the Maoris (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1888 Excerpt: ... The Native Minister (in reply) said, "I have always taken up the position that these Maoris do not intend to provoke hostilities... (but) if these Maoris went on private lands and began ploughing, and induced armed men with guns in their hands, and those guns in many instances at full cock, to drive them off by violence, those acts would lead to hostilities whether they were so intended or not." One who read these speeches in 1880 was reminded of the fable of the wolf and the lamb. The Bill did not pass through the Upper House without eliciting from the Honourable Captain Fraser the statement that its "second part" (as to offences) "breathed the harsh and hostile spirit of the Native Minister towards the native race."f The reader may judge whether a harsh and hostile spirit existed in some minds, by the following remarks of Mr: Scotland in the Council in debate ou native claims at the West Coast. He quoted the following phrases from a West Coast newspaper of June 14th, 1879 (N.Z. Hansard, 1880. Vol. XXXV., p. 308.): --"Perhaps all things considered, the present difficulty will be one of the greatest blessings ever New Zealand experienced, for without doubt it will be a war of extermination... ' The time has come in our minds when New Zealand must strike for freedom, and this means a death-blow to the Maori race." "Good Heavens" (exclaimed Mr. Scotland, himself from Taranaki), '" a war of extermination a blessing ... That is only a specimen of the Taranaki press." The West Coast Settlement Bill became law on September 1st, 1880, and is printed in the Blue Book, 1882 (C. 3382), p. 29. During the Parliamentary Session of 1880, many Maoris were arrested for fencing in the Parihaka district. The armed road party pulled down a fence on 15th July, and their commande...