The Evening Star THURSDAY, JULY 21, 1870.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2248, 21 July 1870, Page 2

The Evening Star THURSDAY, JULY 21, 1870.

The intelligence received by telegraph yesterday of expected negotiations with Tawhiao is significant, as it tells of

the desire of the Natives for a perpetuation of peace. The Home Government recommend some sort of recognition of the authority of the Native chief, who may be looked upon as a Native magistrate, and might be invested with authority to administer Colonial laws. The idea of his exercising any other than a subordinate authority will hardly be entertained even by himself, and there is no likelihood of the theory of the Queen’s supremacy standing in the way of such an arrangement as may render him a useful instrument in the hands of a wise Government. Nothing is more striking than the altered tone ot Northern news with regard to Native matters, as compared with this time last year. It will be in the recollection of everyone that during the last Session of Parliament, all was alarm—that New Zealand was humbling itself to the dust in order to secure the continuation of the British regiment in the Colony—that Dr. Featherston was hustled off to Victoria in hot haste to confer with General Chute, and

that Tb Kootl with his followers seemed to have frightened all classes. Reports were rife of the anticipated participation of Tawhiao in the insurrection, and all kinds of evils were to be visited upon us. We condemned the unmanly fear at the time, and pointed out the ability of the North Island to defend itself. The result has proved the truth of that opinion. The British troops have been x’emoved, and ever since there has been increasing prospect of friendly relations with the Natives being established. As yet this peace must be regarded as depending much more upon personal influence than upon just laws and equitable relations. Our own people, notwithstanding centuries of training, are not so much guided by knowledge as by habit. They have been brought up in obedience to certain laws, and fulfil their duties without troubling themselves to think of the wisdom or justice of the restrictions which hedge round their neighbors’ persons or property. It is not therefore reasonable to believe that the Maoris, to whom many of our ideas must be strange, should fall in with them after twenty or thirty years contact with Europeans—a great portion of which period has been spent in war, and in nursing ideas antagonistic to our rule. Under such circumstances it is a great point gained to enlist the services of a Native high in authority j and although Tawhiao may choose to call himself King, and please himself with the idea of ranking with Queen Victoria as a monarch, it suits our purpose, at present, to humor the conceit, and to use it as a means of securing advantages to both races. But the fact of these advantages being dependent upon the personal influence of members of the present Ministry, points to the danger of a change. It is a very flimsy guarantee for permanent friendly relations that they depend upon the life or continuance in office of one man. No one can close his eyes to the fact that had it not been for the dismissal of Mr M'Lean, because of his farsightedness into Native affairs, the Stafford Ministry might have enjoyed the credit which has been reaped by their successors, who placed the control of the war in his hands. The tone of Colonel Haultain and his attempts at detracting from the merits of the Armed Constabulary, to whom the Colony is indebted raoi'e than is generally known, shews that the old leaven is at work, and tends to point out that a change of Ministry might be the signal for renewed Native difficulties. We are thus warned that now, in a time of peace, is the time to insist upon financial Separation from the North Island. When war comes it will be too late. We are told Separation is impossible ; but it is only impossible because our Middle Island members believe it to be so. If they had the interest of their constituents at heart, they would not only know that it was possible, but they would determine it should be done—and it would be done.