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Auckland Chronicle and New Zealand Colonist, Volume 2, Issue 50, 18 July 1844, Page 2

Recent accounts of Native disturbances at the Bay of Islands and Taranaki, are quite sufficient to convince every reasonable tijan that it is high time to check the arrogance and presumption of a few of the most turbulent chiefs who imagine they can commit what excesses they please with impunity, because the merciful for bearance of a lenient Government has overlooked many former offences. The law instead of a schoolmaster, has hitherto been a dead letter with regard to them : some good has probably been done with the peaceful tribes, (and we are happy t<» say there are many of that class,) through the mild system of persuasion by the means of Protectors ; but in every large school there are a few rebellious boys, some upon whom remonstrance has no effect, except to harden them in their vices ; a frown or a shake of the rod will not suffice, and it is not until the sound application of it (a posteriori) that they are brought to acknowledge and correct their errors. An example or two of this kind we feel satisfied will have a very salutary effect. From a knowledge of the Native character, derived from several years experience, we are quite satis, tied that until they are made fully aware of the fact that the government is able to punish them, repeated instances of aggression will occur, and each succeeding offence will partake of a more serious and aggrava'ed nature. The ease of * Johny Heke,’ is a convincing proof of the dangerous tendency of the policy our local government have been compelled to adopt, for want of sufficient troops to vindicate the law ; he is an old offender and having committed repeated depredations with impunity, he is become insuffer. ably audacious, and the terror of all the European population living within his reach. We are glad to hear that th e Governor is resolved to bring him to justice-; we apprehend there will not be so much difficulty in doing this, as is contemplated by some people; his overbearing conduct has made him generally disliked even among his own people, and it is not probable that the neighbouring chiefs will afford him any assistance. The Bay of Islands natives are the oldest civilized in New Zealand, a id generally well affected towards the white people; they are quite competent to discriminate between the justice of our cause and the disgraceful manifestations of master Johny Heke, and previous to the British Go-

vernment arriving here they have frequently given in to the Europeans in disputes* who were far their inferiors in numbers, because they have felt that the Europeans had justice on their side. Since the report reached us of the amicable adjustment of the land claims by Mr. Spain at Taranaki which we stated last week, other and more recent accounts have arrived, wherein it appears that a body of about thirty natives have commenced a wanton and destructive attack on the property of the Euiopeans in that district; alledging as a reason for their outrageous conduct, that the decisions of the Commissioner are unjust, and that they have a claim on the land ; various reports are circulated as to the amount of damage done, some estimating it above £IOOO, but all agree that a great deal of property has been destroyed. We see no end to the settlement of disputes about laud, so long as any set of natives however remote their pretensions may be, are encouraged successively to claim land that has been sold by their own countrymen in possession, and paid for over and over again. The natives causing all this disturbance we understand were slaves taken in war, who have recently obtained their liberty through the influence of the Euro* peans who have induced their masters from Christian principle to liberate them. They might possibly formerly have had some claim on these lands, but according to Native Custom had lost all title to hold any land, from the circumstance of being conquered and reduced to slavery. We are informed that the “ Hazard, ’’ is to proceed to that settlement immediately, and that the Governor is determined to teach the Natives that the laws shall be respected, and that they will find it their interest in future to represent their grievsnees, if they have any, to the proper authorities, instead of proceeding to violence. We hope from motives of humanity, and for the sake of future tranquility, that the ringleaders of these excesses will be transported for a time, and that during their exile they will be encouraged to write the Puka-puka to their friends here acquainting them of the hard labour and troubles they have to undergo for their bad conduct, and exhorting them to be* come obedient to (he laws, and representing to them the power of British authority, and the utter uselessness of resisting: it. these letters by being published in the Maori Gazette, would have a wonderful effect upon others who are inclined to become refractory ; a very few examples w e think would suffice, and prevent the disastrous and sanguinary results that have unhappily attended civilization among the aboriginal inhabitants of other countries.

The Governor formerly gave his opinion in evidence before the House of Lords that an overawing force would be required to keep the Natives of New Zealand in proper subjection, recent events certainly tend to bear out his views, we have no reason to suppose his opinions are changed, on the contrary, we believe he has strongly recommended an addition* al number of troops to be stationed here : we hope in mercy tha recommendation wili be attended to; but it must be a respectable force,at least a whole regiment. We think the bare fact of having such a force stationed here would be quite sufficient to keep order, without ever calling them into active operation against the natives, and we earnestly hope for the sake of the native population, and the progress of civilization in New Zealand, as well as the comfort and security of our own people, that the necessary force will he speedily ordered here by the Home Government.