The Auckland Examiner. Thursday, May 14, 1857. "PUBLIC GOOD." COMING STRUGGLE.

Auckland Examiner, Volume 1, Issue 22, 14 May 1857, Page 1

The Auckland Examiner. Thursday, May 14, 1857. "PUBLIC GOOD." COMING STRUGGLE.

All the symptoms I have ever met with in history, previous to great changes and revolutions in Government, now exist, and daily increase in this country. This acute observation, as certain historians call it, was made at Paris by famous Lord Chesterfield in 1753, and in 1793 France was revolutionized from centre to circumference Tho New Zealand of 1857 has little in common with the France of 1753, and yet an observer less acute than Chesterheld may see which way our political wind blows.

Change of system is inevitable. The actual system cannot last. One law for the Maori and another for the European will no longer satisfy public opinion—will no longer keep quiet either Europeans or Maories. Anything for a quiet life is the cherished maxim of our Tadpole and Taper statesmen, who seem quite unconscious that their political system is doomed —that the beginning of the end has come. In African forests there is a seriously obstructive thing called by travellers wait-a-bit. We, at this critical period, are blessed with a wait-a-bit Governor.

A fly, on the axle of a fast-turning wheel, proudly said —“ Whatadust do we make,” as if it turned the wheel, while only going round with it. Men frequently make a similar mistake, imagining they turn the wheel when they only go round with it. If conceit so absurd possesses Governer Browne the sooner it is taken out of him the better. Great Canute reproved his flunkeyminded courtiers by telling.the advancing tide to keep a respectful distance. Human power is overruled by another power — Man proposes, God disposes. And that great fact the thoughtful politician who thinks to useful purpose, will neither ignore nor despise. At this momenta power greater by far than wait-a bit Governor Browne seems to suspect the existence of, is at work amongst us, Three or four weeks since, a dog belonging to some Maori, being found without a collar on the Harbor Wharf, was seized by the police. Its owner refusing to pay the five shillings fine, and at same time refusing to part with his dog, a messenger was despatched to Governor Browne, who ordered the police not to meddle either with the Maori or his dog, both which admirable animals went off in triumph, much to the delight of many amiable savages who witnessed the affair, and no doubt quite to the satisfaction of all Maori dogs who can be made to understand the immense advantage of having masters presumed ignorant of law and allowed to override it. This dog case illustrates the old policy — the policy of Governor wait-a-bit as well as all the Red-tape and Routine wait-a-bits in the colony. Like certain French Bourbons, these one -law-for -native-another-for-European politicians, learn nothing, forget nothing. Their notion is that to be straightforward no well-trained official will condescend ; that fixed principles have nothing to do with practical politics; that Maories should be bribed, bullied, cajoled, pampered, fleeced, according to circumstances; and that, to make political ends meet, while keeping all political parties quiet, is the perfection of statesmanship. Of course these splendid people are quiteindignantthatthe merest “ Paul Pry of an editor ” should dare to question their wisdom, and marvel much that the public can deem it possible to doubt the wisdom of wait-a-bits, or wish to put Maories on the same political level with Europeans..

Magistrate Beckham seems disposed to try a fall with Maories on the one hand, and our wait-a-bit officials on the other.

Last week a Maori was convicted of stealing a pair of boots. Maori law in such cases is that the thief should pay four times the value of what is stolen ; and probably for Maories such law fits well enough. English law in such cases acknowledges no such principle as the principle of restitution. Over all Europe, nay, over almost all countries, the thief would not be allowed to avail himself of the Maori four-fold restitution principle. English law does not recognize it.- Were the faet otherwise, what waggon-loads of golden fleece would London swell mob Jasons annually help themselves to. Then, indeed, would the Great Metropolis be as well the Paradise of Thieves as of Fools ; for the least eXpert of London thieves could well afford to restore four times the value of all valuables he might be detected in the act of appropriating. In England, the law of England is enforced. Maories claim all the privileges of citizenship, nor is their claim denied. For ought British law says to the contrary, Maories may swamp Europeans in their own Parliament.

Now, these “amiable savages” have no objection to British law when British law is on their side ; but when British law is against them, or p*nishes as well as protects them,- British law is not to their taste. Like young gluttons, who eat their cake and want it, the Maori destroys the law and cries out for it. Magistrate Beckham thinks that Maories who claim protection of British law, should to British law be amenable ; and that the native thief should not be allowed to escape upon payment of four times the amount of property stolen, while the pilfering European is compelled to expiate his offence by rigorous confinement and severe labour.

Magistrate Beckham told the Maories,who in considerable numbers attended to see fair, or perhaps, foul, play, that for the future every Maori brought before him should be dealt with according to British law, and just as if he were European. Governor Brown places Maories above the law. Magistrate Beckham ha* said that henceforth Maories shall not be above the law but under it. A Maori breaks through British law as if it were so much pasteboard. The Police lay hold of him. Then that fine embodiment of a negative, Governor wait-a-bit, says —No ; let him alone. To touch him is contrary to my better-to-be-safe, quiet, and snug, principle of action. Fearing to offend the Native population,Governor Brown pleads their ignorance of British law as sufficient excuse for their infringement of it. Magistrate Beckham, disgusted with a system in principle utterly false, will no longer allow the Native population to set at defi--ance that law which Europeans are bound to obey. Change of entire political system will infallibly result. Official wait-a-bits, great and small, will try to prevent it; but events shall scatter them as the whirlwind scatters chaff. When British law is enforced against Maori interest, the Coming Struggle will have fairly commenced. How it must end no reasonable man can doubt. Maories are bold, because we are timid; free of big words, because we are so wonderfully influenced by them. Mr. Busby addressing the AucklandProvincial Council in 1853, said — “ The real and determinate cause of the war, which ruined the once-flourishing settlement of the Bay of Islands, and brought the very name of the British Government into contempt with the Native inhabitants of that district, was bad faith, not on part of Natives, but on part of the Bay of Islands local Government.” Mr. Busby made the speech containing this grave accusation after a residence of twenty years in the colony, and no man who has been half twenty years in any part of these islands will deny that bad faith has been, and is, at the bottom of all our political troubles. But for the bad faith of successive Goverements —General as well as Provincii I —all Land Claims would long since haves been disposed of; all attempts to morally hocuss the Maories would have be. n “ dead nipped ;” and every cultivateable part of the Colony w'ouldhave been made available for bona fide settlers. In Maori eyes we are what Carthaginians were in the eyes of contemporary nations..

At one time the Native population respected Europeans; but the shallow artifice of successive Governments has changed all that. Now, they are ever on the alert to cajole or to fleece us. The tables are turned, and a Native population, neither savage nor civilized, delight to pay us back with our own false coin. At deception’s game we have taught them how to beat us and, unless Governor Browne do forthwith cease to be mere embodiment of a negative, that game is not the only one we shall have taught them how to win.

“ Wanted a Governess” often appears in home newspapers. Did the people of this colony head an advertisement with “ Wanted a Governor,” we should be well pleased, for a Governor who will govern is precisely what we most shall want in the Coming Struggle.