THE PLOUGHING BUSINESS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1296, 23 July 1886, Page 3

THE PLOUGHING BUSINESS.

[From the Mail ] Once more, incited to the action by the counsels of Te Whiti, the Maori people, or rather a section of them, have endeavored to maintain their right to the possession of the territory confiscated during the rebellion, by ploughing up a piece of land belonging to a European settler, and erecting a whare upon his property. Mustering in large force they were at first too powerful for the Europeans, but later the pakehas assembled in still larger numbers, drove them off the ground, impounded their horses and working bullocks for trespass, and levelled to the ground the edifice they ' had erected. The proceedings lasted for many hours, and it speaks volumes for both races that although strong feeling must necessarily have prevailed on both sides, there was not only no bloodshed, but not even a serious breach of the peace. There was indeed great forbearance shown by both parties, and we question whether it has ever been paralleled in any country in a dispute in which so large a matter was at stake or in which so many persons were concerned. Years ago, such a proceeding on the part of the Maoris would inevitably have led to open hostilities and to much loss of life, and it is a matter of sincere con er

gratulation that on both sides there is now so manifest a desire to abstain from rekindling the old flame. What has occurred, however, goes to prove that Te Whiti and others, but obviously Te Whiti in particular, still exercise a prejudicial influence over the Native mind, and are fostering discontent, and it is clearly the bounden duty of the Government to call them to account as disturbers of the public peace. It will, therefore, be matter for satisfaction to the whole colony to see that the present Native Minister fully realises the responsibilities of the position, and has promptly taken steps to vindicate the law. There has been no unnecessary display of force, no despatching of armed men to the scene of the disturbance, no attempt to eleate the affa r into the importance of a casus belli, but merely a quiet and firm putting forth of the arm of the law, Te Whiti and Titokowaru having been unostentatiously arrested as ordinary offenders would be, and lodged in gaol, to await their trial in due course. The Maoris, to their credit be it said, have not ventured to attempt to interfere with the police in the execution of their duties, and there happily appears to be no reason to suppose that what has occurred will in any way lead to a renewal of the Native difficulty. It is to be hoped though that if the chiefs now in custody be convicted of inciting their followers to unlawful acts, and of this there seems to be no reasonable doubt, that they will be somewhat severely dealt with. As so far as Te Whiti and Titokowaru are concerned, they have been treated with great leniency in respect to previous offences, and not only must they now be shown ' that they cannot be permitted to set the law at defiance, but it would be well that they should be put beyond the possibility of doing so by suffering a lengthened detention. This will be a lesson to others to abstain from similar conduct, and will doubtless have a salutory effect, but before a final end is put to mischief of this sort it will, if our information be correct, be necessary to read a like lesson to a few pakeha Maoris who are said to be at the bottom of this sort of thing by giving the Natives bad advice, and it is sincerely to be hoped that if this be the case, a few of them may ere long find themselves placed in the same dock with Te Whiti and the other dark skinned conspirators against the peace of our Lady the Queen, and that punishment even more severe may be meted out to them.