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| THE MAORI MESSENGER. TE KARERE MAORI. VOL. IV.] AUCKLAND, JUNE 30, 1857.AKARANA, HUNE 59, 1857. [No. 3 IN a previous number 'Messenger' we spoke of the way in which the Maories hold their land. We expressed an opinion that their system of tenure is attended with much inconvenience. It is inconvenient in this respect, that under it many persons may lay claim to the same piece of land. There is, perhaps, one ancestor from whom the title is derived, but a vast number of persons of them present generation can trace a descent from him, upon which they found claims. These all claim a title in common to the whole of the land, and not each to a parti- cular portion. It is not the Pakeha alone who sees this inconvenience, the Maories acknowledge it. themselves. Both are agreed that the Maori system of holding land is inconvenient. Many are the evils to which it gives rise. It causes quarrels. Two persons dispute about them right to a piece of land, each maintaining that his little is the better. Quarrelling is succeeded by fighting, and then blood is spilt. This a great evil, and is so plain to the Maories themselves that it is needless to insist upon it here. But this is not the only evil. There is another. It is in a great measure owing to this system that the Maori people are prevented from advancing in civilisation. This system pre- I TERA atu Karere, i puta to matou kupu mo te tikanga o nga whenua a nga iwi Maori. I mea matou he tikanga raruraru te tikanga o o te tangata Maori whenua. Ko te raru- raru, he tokomaha nga tangata i eke ki te whenua kotahi; kotahi pea te tupuna imua i whai take ai, he mano nga tangata i eke inaianei. Ko te eke, he eke huihui noa iho, te mohiotia te wahi ma tera, ma tera. E hara i te mea na matou na te Pakeha anake i kite tenei raruraru; kua kitea ano e nga tangata Maori hoki. Whakaae tahi ana he tikanga raruraru Ie tikanga o nga whenua o nga iwi Maori e noho nei. He tini nga he e hua aua mai i taua tika nga. Ko tetahi, he take ngangare ia: kotahi te wvhenua, tau tohetohea ana, ki te tetahi kei a ia te tino lake, ki ta tetahi kei a ia. Te tukunga iho o te ngangare, ko te whawhai; maringi aua |