The Evening Star SATURDAY, MAY 24, 1873.

Evening Star, Issue 3201, 24 May 1873, Page 2

The Evening Star SATURDAY, MAY 24, 1873.

Fjjom whatever cause it may arise, there can be no doubt there is a likelihood of a Maori difficulty. For our own part we do not think it will lead to anything very serious, if common prudence and forbearance are observed by the Colonists. It is necessary under such circumstances to strengthen the Government by every moral support that can be given to it, to sink political and party differences, and by every means possible to unite as one man for the purpose pf maintaining law and authority. It was, therefore, with much regret that we read our contemporary’s untimely remarks in the issue of the Daily Times of yesterday morning. If the object of the article had been to offer friendly and sound advice, it would have been kindly meant, however clumsily done ; but instead of that, the evident intention was to weaken ,-m Executive by bringing discredit upon a course of policy that has thus far proved successful, and to encourage the Maoris to rebellion by spreading r,he falsehood that “we are as little prepared to deal with them (the Hauiiaus) as at any time in the history of the Colony.’' Unfortunately the rabid

mania fer fanning discord is not confined to the Daily Times, but is shared in by the Northern press, and it is evident that the Government is likely to be hampered much more by unscrupulous journalists than by the Maoris. Justice, humanity, and the duty of one colonist to anothei are utterly ignored by the Northern press. The folly and wickedness of this course of procedure are so well set forth in the Lyttelton Times of Wednesday that we cannot do better than reproduce it, and shall be glad if the reproof contained in it imparts even a grain of common sense in the councils of our contemporary : Latest news from the North, when carefully analysed, is calculated to excite apprehension, but there is still reason to believe that war may be avoided by careful diplomacy and judicious precautions. It was believed that Tawhiao, or rather his chief adviser, Manuwhiri, would come to terms with the Government about Sullivan’s murderer and the attempt on Mr Mack ay’s life. No one supposed for a moment that either would be surrendered to justice, but it was thought that the Government would be permitted to appx’ehcnd the former m King s territory, and that the latter would be dealt with according to Maori usages, as for an offence committed against themselves, ilus solution of the difficulty was considered probable, and it would have been satisfactory for a variety of reasons. The permission to apprehend an offender would have virtually amounted to an admission that the Queen’s writ “runs through the land,” and the decision to punish in their own way the Native who attacked the Government ambassador while under the King’s protection would have been both a guarantee of good faith and an indication of good-will. , It is now said that no formal answer to the Government message is expected from Tawhiao, “ who is believed to be the cause of Sullivan’s murder.” If the remainder of the information contained in the telegram published yesterday is reliable, it would be more correct to say that Tawhiao was indirectly the cause of the murder. The native who committed the murder was, it appears, one of an organised King force known as aukati keepers. It is the business of these men to watch the aukati, or boundary line of the King’s territory, and Pubukuku had asked what he should do in the case of Natives crossing and re-crossing to work on the roads, to lessees of land on the frontier, or their servants, who might over-step the line he was appointed to guard. His instructions were conveyed in one of those enigmatical, figurative, and ambiSious messages so characteristic of the Maoris, he saw a mantis, or grass-hopper as it may be called, on the manuka bush, he was to pick it off carefully, but if a reptile crossed the road he was to ‘ ‘ kill and eat it. ’ The interpretation given of this message is likely enough to be correctit is, at any rate, in keeping with the Native character and the surrounding circumstances. Chance travellers, represented by the mantis, were to be carefully warned off and turned back when they crossed the line of demarcation, but when owners or occupiers of adjacent lands, or their servants, ventured outside the boundary of the confiscated territory, they were to be killed and eaten. Pubukuku, so far as we have yet heard, attempted to carry out his instructions. Sullivan, a servant of landholders on the frontier, and one of a party employed in fencing, was murdered, and his body was mutilated in the usual way. It has been stated that Sullivan was “involved in quarrels that concerned women belonging to the Kingites.’’ A full investigation, if it could be made, would most probably show that these wretched and licentious quarrels, as in other cases, were the direct cause of the murder, and that the welfare of the Colony has been and is endangered by men who gratify their animal passions at any hazard. It is proper for the Defence department to take precautions in case of an outbreak; to strengthen outlaying stations of the Armed Constabulary, and to lay in ample stores of forage and ammunition. But it is not necessary, and far from judicious, to publish, even in outline, what has been done in this or that quarter. When the Maoris read, as they certainly will, that “upwards of 60,000 rounds of ammunition were recently added to the large stock previously accumulated at the Waikato Constabulary stations, and that “the Government is advertising for tenders for stores, forage, and transport which may be required by the Colonial forces within a radius of fifty miles of Cambridge,” they will naturally come to the conclusion that war is meant while peace is professed, and that TVT are endeavoring to “close in upon them” with a view to their extermination. All these precautions can be taken, these preparations made, without holding out a challenge to the Maoris by ostentatious publication, and without giving them information wliich they may find serviceable in the event of an outbreak. Again, it is exceedingly injudicious to say publicly that “correspondence from Aotea states that the formal announcement of the intention of the Government to occupy the Pawai block would produce such a pressure on Tawhiao as to main? )iim accede to the demands of tho Government, ’> things can only serve either to provoke or inform those Natives who desire war and are always on the alert to precipitate another conflict between the two races. If war should result from recent complications, some of the Auckland newspapers will nave a great deal to answer for. It will be said and justly, that they incited to rebellion on tiie one hand ftnd stirred up a desire for vengeance on the other { thgfc they advocated a war of extermination in a manner calculated to unite all the factions of rebeldom in a of hostilities and stubborn resistance; and that they “hounded on” those Europeans from whose cupidity our relations with the Natives have always stood and stand in danger. In the leading columns of the Auckland Eveniny Star of May 10—the paper is said to have a large circulation—we find the following “We (lo not hesitate to say that half measures should po longer bo thought of, and the speediest and most effectual way of annihilating the gangs of murderous savages that produce chronic unrest, and compel colfinisfs t.O keep up a vast defence force and an unlimited pjmenditure on flour and sugar, should be now tl}e rft!i4 popular. If the Ngajmhia undertake the clearing of the country for its possession, according to ancient Maori usage, and according to the laws on which the greatest nations of the worldeven respectable England—made a start in the world, they would certainly be invited to come on. If the Arawas or other tribes are desirous of a new slice of country, or tho settlement of ancestral accounts, they should bo encouraged to make their proposals on the principle of no cure no pay. Nor do we think that onr settlers themselves should be deprived of a share in the settlement of the Native question, or be compelled to bottle up the indignation caused by such a daring murder. We cannot see how any feelings of humanity should be allowed to interpose between a righteous public indignation and an organisation of savages whose bond of union is the defence of murder; and just as the Ngapuhis and other Native tribes might be legitimately rewarded by the land of the Kingites, so settlers might be encouraged to bring in heads.” The article, after a good deal more about allowing settlers head money for every Maori scalp, concludes If we are to have peace, and peaceful settlement for ever, the Government should simply fix a date and fix a line, and point to the Hanhaus, and say to the settlers, there they are, a hundred pounds a epalp—up and at them.” This, as we learn from ft reliable correspondent, is only one of a series of aptlglns in the same strain, some of which ape evep pipiv, mpendiary in their tone and language. It ip Dclteved in Auckland that the articles m quesUqp'af'e i> inspired and paid for by the owners qf interests in the tipper Waikato,and; this belief is said to be founded “on good grounds.” Whether the conjecture is right or wrong matters little. The fact re-, mains that an Auckland journal has repeatedly advocated a savage and brutal war of extermination. The policy of the Government, sanctioned by its success hitherto, and endorsed by the public opinion of the Colony, is that which has been pursued during the last four years. This policy, as stated by Mr Fox in his recent address td the ofcctqrg of Rangitikei, has been— To abstain frpm carrying .the war into the King country ; to engage iff nqTiqSjllltics which might not be forced upon us ; to ,endeavor, by t conciliation, to regain the confidence of the alienated or half-friendly tribes ; but at flic same time to put down by the strong hand any aggression upon the settled districts which might be attempted by tho hostile Natives. There has yet been no concerted aggression upon any settled district, and it follows that war should bo avoidable.