WoHLEES, — Civilization of Southern Maoris. 131 



weight getting too heavy on their minds, they came to me of their own 

 accord, and begged to have the whipping over, so that they might feel good 

 again. The chastisement was then performed under loving admonitions, 

 and that made them love me and helped them to be good. 



To the civilization of the Maoris also belongs the introduction of the 

 English language. So long as they cannot read the colonial newspapers, they 

 must remain an inferior race in the colony. This cannot be accomplished in 

 one generation — the Maori language being so simple and the 'English so com- 

 plicated, especially in spelling and pronouncing — but it can in two or three. 

 I commenced a school for that purpose. Of course the scholars did not 

 learn much English, but they learned some, and that did them good ; for 

 when they grew up and became parents, by the time the Government had 

 established Enghsh schools among them they were very anxious that their 

 children should attend regularly, while parents who had not been at the 

 former school were not. 



The work towards civilization began at Euapuke, but it spread also to 

 other parts of the Strait. Let us look at their dresses, when, in the time 

 of transition, they came into the church in their Sunday clothes. Some 

 wore native mats, some woollen blankets, though cleanly, in most cases old 

 and much worn. Some few also wore j)arts of European clothes, but 

 seldom complete. It caused not the least surprise when a man came in 

 dressed in a European man's shirt and a short waistcoat and nothing else. 

 Some years later such an appearance would not have been tolerated by the 

 congregation. In a few years more, as improvement went on, all wore 

 simple and decent European clothes. Though they were much patched, it 

 was neatly done. The head mother of the community had instructed them. 

 It also did not look amiss when the patches were of different colours. I 

 rather liked that under the circumstances. 



By this time the Maoris had turned very industrious, their minds having 

 been raised by Christian ideas. They raised now large crops of potatoes 

 for export. At first they had to take them in their boats to Dunedin ; but 

 by and by trading schooners came this way who bought the potatoes and 

 sold wearing apparel and other things necessary for housekeeping. Cows 

 were imported, and the girls learned to milk and to make butter. The 

 cultivation of wheat was introduced. We got a cart, ploughs, and hand- 

 mills. I broke in young bullocks for working. However, most of the 

 cultivation was done by spade husbandry, owing partly to the rocky soil of 

 the island, and partly to the men, being proud of their skill in managing 

 boats on a boisterous sea, disliking the working with bullocks. However, 

 large crops of wheat were grown, both for home use and for export. The 

 health of the Maoris improved ; the bkths began to exceed the deaths. 



