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Auckland Chronicle and New Zealand Colonist, Volume 2, Issue 58, 12 September 1844, Page 2

From the Governor's very friendly disposition towards the natives, and his well known aversion to open hostilities with them, we were not surprised when we heard that the dispute with "Hone Heke'

had been, as our cotemporary oi the Southern Cross says, " happily and ami. cably arranged." Knowing that the Protectors and Missionaries have ever before laid all the blame of the Maori outrages upon designing and wicked Europeans who are always made the scape goat for their sins and offences, we fully expected to see the matter hushed up and settled by the present of some flour, rice, and a little sugar, to sweeten the unpleasant acidity of their tempers ; we must cons fess, however, we were rather staggered when we read that part of his Excellency's address to the Chiefs, where he almost entirely exonerates Heke from all blame and puts it upon the shoulders of those '* bad Europeans who poisoned his mind." Now we think it is his Excellency's duty to punish those wicked Europeans at once, of course he must be fully aware who they are, let them then be openly punished for leading the natives astray, and exciting them to acts of robbery and rebellion. We can hardly believe that the Governor would openly slander and asperse the characters of the Europeans, his own countrymen, resident in this Colony ; we therefore on the part of the well disposed and innocent portiou of the public, demand that the wicked Europeans who excited the natives to rob and insult the people, and the Government, be brought forth from among us and punished severely for their conduct. But we suspect after all the Governor has been deceived on this head, it is the old subterfuge over again, a mere scheme to deceive people in England who cannot possibly judge of the tnuh of such assertions, for we know that die natives never committed an act however base or diabolical, but some poor unfortunate European or other was blamed for it; and what is all this for, this anxious desire to represent the native character better than it is ? except it be that a certain class ot men who have received large sums of money, and spent many years in the country professedly to improve the native character, are ashamed of the little good they have done, and the slow progress of improvement they have effected in tbeir morals.

A reference to the letter of " Hone Heke" to the Governor at or-ce clears the Europeans from the slanderous attemp s upon their chcractr, this rebellious chej candidly admits the truth, viz., th;*t his " disobedience and rudeness is no new thing," and that he " iuherits it from b;s parents and ancestors,'' and he repeats that it is "no new feature in his character," an undoubted truth that can be attested by many unfortunate Europeans - i<« have bepn robWl mid lit ii ed by him. Now we are quite confident if " Hone Heke," could have palliated his offence by throwing the blame upriri any E;;ropean who advised him, he would have been glad of this excuse when in fear of the Governor and the troops; but he does not do so, he admits it to be his ovvn ♦'inherent'' wickedness, inherited from his Fathers. We quarrel not with the amicable arrangement the Governor has made with the natives, it is a matter of great variety of opinion, most people think Hone Heke should at all hazards have been captured and brought to trial, but no one who has a spark of integrity about him, can approve of the wicked attempt to extenuate his guilt by throwiug the blame on the Europeans.