THE Evening Star. WEDNESDAY, JULY 28, 1869.

Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 1943, 28 July 1869, Page 2

THE Evening Star. WEDNESDAY, JULY 28, 1869.

The mystery of the clanger that cast so sombre a shadow over the telegraphic news last week, is uunvellcd. The Waikatos are said to be arming, and there is every prospect of the spread of disaffection amongst the Natives. It appears to be true that the King movement is at the root of all onr Northern troubles, and that the various outbreaks that have proved so disastrous to Colonial prosperity for the last six years may be traced to that source. It is somewhat singular that this fresh complication should arise just on the abandonment of our aggressive policy. It would appear that the Maoris arc

well posted up in ouv movements —and, like Lord Byron’s Johnson, know “ when to fight and when to run “ away.” They never appear to consider it a disgrace to shew their hacks to their enemies, and hide themselves within the protective shadow of professedly friendly tribes. Colonel Whitmore's brave fellows drove the Maoris into their fastnesses, and followed them ; but when the pursuit became too hot they had no difficulty in disbanding. No one can deny the cleverness of those tactics. To-day an open enemy to-morrow a fugitive ; the third day un unarmed spectator of the troops who are in search of their enemies, gazing innocently upon them under the protection of their countrymen. Such is the manner in which they have dealt with aggressive enemies. If we may believe the explanations of the Government, this system is to be changed. It is easily conceivable that the danger will involve an abandonment, at least for the present, of some indefensible positions. There may be land which it will be cheaper to the country to leave unfought for, than to incur the cost of defending too extended a frontier. Those are the spots that tempt an enemy. Pioneers of civilisation have hewn out for themselves habitations too far from masses of population, to receive support. We must take a lesson from our enemies and abandon those posts, to defend which would cost more than they are worth. Population concentrated is in a better position for defence than when scattered over a large area. A city is a stronghold that no force the Maoris have ever brought into the field have yet dared to attack. A fortified post, defended as Europeans alone can defend, it would be impregnable to the Maoris. Neither their style of arms nor fighting is calculated for siege operations, and in the North Islandit was truly said by Mr Stafford the majority of the people dwell as securely as in the Middle Island, simply because they live in towns. It is therefore very problematical whether the state of affairs just occurring is more disastrous than the continual wearing of the war, as hitherto conducted. However threatening appearances may be, it by no means follows that the present movement is likely to be more harrassing than the past. The worst feature is the threatened attack on the Friendly tribes. It seems hardly likely that those who have fought with us and for us, should unsupported be given up to bear the brunt of savage displeasure and mercilessness. The defensive system does not imply this. The Natives themselves have shown us how to win. When they occupied an untenable post, they left it, and threw up a fortification elsewhere. But there ought not to be the waste of labor of constructing untenable posts on our side ; and if those frontier defences are well chosen, and well defended, the cost of war will be much reduced, and the Natives will waste their strength in vain and desultary efforts.