THE NINE PROVINCES.

345

augurated in 1850. These two latter settlements, after long struggling against misfortunes, and vainly attempting to become model religious colonies, the one Presbyterian, the other Episcopalian, have recently been made the most prosperous of all, owing to the discovery in them of profitable goldfields.

The history of these nine settlements, diverse and complicated, but monotonous in its series of quarrels concerning land between settlers and natives, need not be recounted. Each settlement gradually grew from a sea-port in which the colonists first made sure their footing, and thence, step by step, encroached upon the inland possessions of the Maoris, and so aroused their hatred, to be long suppressed, or only exhibited in occasional and partial outbursts of fury, but to be in no way lessened by time.

The discontent of the natives was restrained by two causes, the prudent behaviour of the Government and the powerful influence of the missionaries. Captain Hobson found it impossible to hinder the aggressive action of the colonists; but he was zealous in his endeavours to see that, at any rate, partial justice was done to the natives, whereby he earned the vehement opposition of most of his white subjects. He died in 1842, but his policy was continued, as far as the difficult circumstances allowed, by his successor, Captain Fitzroy, and by the third governor, Captain, now Sir George, Grey, who ruled from 1845 to 1853, and who had a hearty coadjutor in Mr, now Sir Edward, Eyre, who was appointed lieutenant-governor of New Munster. But governors could not do much.

The chief pacificators of the Maoris were the missionaries. Their disinterested and persevering labours had made many converts before New Zealand became a colony in 1840, and after that date they carried on their work so zealously that nearly all the natives were in the end made Christians in name. The religious influence was not very deep, but in outward show it was very great, and it was not all superficial. The worst vices of the Maoris have been nearly eradicated, and the worst barbarities in which they now indulge bear no comparison to those which were the rule in former times. For many years it seemed not only as if their heathen customs had been altogether rooted out, but as if they had been taught the harder lesson of patient submission to the aggressive policy of the English settlers. Here and there there were violent outbursts of vindictive fury; but generally, and in most districts, the natives were induced to give way, if not without murmuring, at any rate without open resistance. It was no slight achievement to persuade them meekly to abandon their homesteads and go farther into the forests, making no bolder complaint than appeared in such pathetic chants as this :

"The sun shines, but we quit our land; we abandon for ever its forests, its groves, its lakes, its shores.

All its fair fisheries here, under the bright sun, we renounce for

ever.

It is a lovely day; fair will be the children that are born to-day; but we quit our land.

In some parts there is forest; in others, the ground is skimmed over by the birds in their flight;

Upon the trees there is fruit; in the streams, fish; in the fields, potatoes; fern-trees in the bush; but we quit our land."

THE PROGRESS OF THE COLONY.

347

The fertility and beauty of New Zealand, "the Britain of the South," might well endear it to its native possessors. But for some time very slender use was made by the English colonists of its natural resources. Until the gold-fields were discovered, the trade and enterprise of the colony did not even keep pace with its growth of population; but then the new emigrants who arrived appeared to have infused a new energy into the whole community. In 1852 the imports were only worth £359,444, the exports £145,972, In 1863 the imports amounted in value to £7,024,674, and the exports to £3,485,405. More than two-thirds of the latter, £2,432,479, consisted of gold and golddust. The other staple was wool, of which 12,585,980 pounds, worth £830,495, were exported. In 1866 the total exports, amounting to £4,520,074, included £2,898,412 worth of gold, and £1,354,152 worth of wool, representing 22,810,776 pounds. In 1858 the sheep in the colony from whom the wool was obtained numbered only 1,523,324. In 1864 they were 4,937,273, and in 1867, 8,418,579. Between 1858, when the gold-fields were first opened, and 1860, the metal extracted from them and exported amounted in value to £98,455. In 1861 it was £752,657; since then it has averaged nearly £2,500,000 a year-the ten years' yield up to September 1868 being £16,404,673. In 1867 about one-third of the white population was in the northern island, and two-thirds were in the southern,-about a quarter each in Auckland, Canterbury, and Otago, and the remaining quarter in the six other provinces.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

NEW ZEALAND WARFARE.

THE RIVAL RACES IN NEW ZEALAND-THE MAORI WARS OF 1843 AND THE FOLLOWING YEARS-THE SUBSEQUENT CONDITION OF THE MAORIS-THEIR CIVILIZATION-THEIR NUMBERS-THE RENEWAL OF HOSTILITIES — THE KING-MOVEMENT AND ITS ISSUE HOSTILITIES IN 1860 AND 1861-THE WAR OF 1863-1865 -NATURE OF THE STRIFE-LATER GUERILLA WARFARE THE PAI-MARIRE OR HAU-HAU SUPERSTITION-THE FUTURE OF NEW

ZEALAND. [1843-1869.]

D

URING some three hundred years, if not for a much longer time, the Maoris were in undisturbed possession of New Zealand. They cultivated their fields and caught their fish and game, and enjoyed themselves in their own barbarous way. Endless warfare prevailed between rival tribes and clans, and it was often attended by hideous atrocities; but in spite of this and other drawbacks, a fine race of savages grew up, almost superior to any other savage race of which we know. Then the Pakehas came among them, some as missionaries, others as traders; and though their numbers were few, their influence was rapidly felt among nearly the whole community of natives. Civilization, partly good and partly bad, but equally powerful whether good or bad, began a rapid disintegration of the barbarous elements; and, though many held aloof in sullen wrath, the great majority

THE RIVAL RACES IN NEW ZEALAND.

349

of the Maoris were attracted to European institutions, like iron to the loadstone. That preparation for English colonization lasted for about thirty years, and it was followed by regular colonial enterprise, which has lasted for just thirty other years. That it will continue and increase, until "the Britain of the South" becomes worthy of its title, cannot be doubted, and the only question to be solved is as to the length of time that must elapse before the natives are altogether driven out, and the whole of Maori-land becomes Pakeha-land; but there are some features in the struggle now going on, and apparently approaching its end, which are well worth noting.

That New Zealand should cease to be a mere haunt of lawless savages, however noble may be some characteristics of their savage life, and should become the great centre of civilized enterprise and civilizing agency for which its natural features and its place in the South Pacific Ocean make it specially adapted, is a change of which the wisest and most far-seeing philanthropy cannot but approve, however much we may deplore some of the conditions of the change. Even the natives themselves are conscious of the necessity, and, while loth to give up the struggle, know that it cannot be carried on for very much longer. "As the Pakeha fly has driven out the Maori fly," they sing, in one of their plaintive chants; as the Pakeha grass has killed the Maori grass; as the Pakeha rat has slain the Maori rat; as the Pakeha clover has starved the Maori fern; so will the Pakeha push back and destroy the Maori." The destroying work has proceeded with equal rapidity during the periods in which the doomed race has quietly suc