NATIVE AFFAIRS.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1609, 17 April 1879, Page 4

NATIVE AFFAIRS.

New Zealand Times,” April 10.] The plot thickens, and it is evident that affairs on the Waiwiate Plains are rapidly approaching a crisis. King Tawhiao has uttered words of ill-omen. Thus, he spoke of natives «' n ot having only to mourn for their child (To Wheoro’s daughter), but for the land that was being killed, for the cloud over the land, for threatened storms of lightning and thunder, of fire and earthquakes.” Evidently his Majesty does not look upon things in general as wearing a pleasant aspect. On the previous day, from Grahamstown, on the opposite side of the island, we hear that “a small tribe of natives proceeded on board the snagging punts at Waihoa River this morning, and took forcible possession of the gear, Ac., leaving the crew Unmolested. The county authorities are determined to put a stop to this kind of thing, and will ask the permission of Mr Sheehan to proseen'e the offenders.” And at the same date we are informed from Parihula that 400 well-trained, well-armed men could al any time be s.nt down at a moment’s nolice and the Ngatimmui could also furnish the same number. Our correspondents in the disturbed districts—ai d they are both numerous and well informed —are all agreed that the Maoris do not want to fight if they can get. the Waimate Plains back for nothing, or it, in fulfilment of some supposed promise of Sir Donald McLean, the Government will buy the land from them, instead of confiscating it. This appears to he the actual position, and now that further outrages have taken place at the Thames, and that King Tawhiao has plainly stated that in his opinion “ the land was being killed,” it is unfortunately but too clear that it will be well nigh impossible for the Europeans to settle the difficulty both amicably and honourably. The Government deny that there is any danger, but keep on despatching reinforcements of Armed Constabulary, and thus destroy any confidence which their soothing utterances might otherwise infuse. Te Whiti is surrounded by large number of young hot-blooded Maoris, eager for a fight, which they hope may result in sweeping all the Europeans into the sea. The force of troops or Armed Constabulary in the district is hut a handful compared with that at the disposal of the Maoris, and, despite all the official assertion to the contrary, the conviction is forced upon us that the action taken by the Ministry during the past fortnight has complicated the Native difficulty and led the colony up to the very verge of the most serious Native war it has ever had to face. Wo are confirmed in this opinion by the numerous advices which reach us from the district itself. It is now well known that all the worst Natives in the island have collected together under Te Whiti’s wing, and it is impossible to say how long he may be able to restrain his murderous gang from acts of open violence. The King Tawhiao’s openly avowed support will give increased confidence to the lawless crew.

A whole string of negotiators or conciliators have gone up one after another to try their hands at peace-making, but no one knows what terms they were instructed to offer. Mr Sheehan tried, failed, and was openly defied and insulted ; the next step being that the Maoris reasserted their right to the land. Major Brown, Commissioner Williams, Mr Mackay, and Major Blake have all tried in turn, and it is little wonder if between so many cooks the broth has been spoiled. Although no particulars are known, it is at least certain that they have not succeeded in arranging a definite settlement, because Mr Sheehan is about to return to the district, and to have another meeting on the 18th. A flimsy excuse for failure is made by assorting that “ nothing further can be done until the exact nature of Sir D. McLean’s promises to the natives have been ascertained.” It has been predicted that these so-called promises will be used as an excuse by our Premier for returning either the whole or a very largo portion of the plains to the Natives. It may be safely asserted that Sir D. McLean never privately made any such unconditional promises. The public will condemn the bad taste shown in thus impugning the good faith of an honourable man years after hia death, and at a time when it is well nigh impossible to disprove the charge. If it had been possible to arrange an honorble equitable settlement of this Native ifficulty, we believe that Mr Mackay would have been the man to do it. But the business had been so completely muddled before he went up that he was not in the least likely to succeed. The character of the Maori race is well known —give a Maori an inch and he will take an ell, and more if he can get it. The truth of the proverb can be proved by anyone who will try the experiment of making a small donation occasionally to the Maoris with whom ho comes in contact—they are never satisfied, and always ask for more. Mr Sheehan is said to have delivered an ultimatum to Commissioner Williams. It was rejected; but Colonel Whitmore was not sent up with an army to wipe out the insult, probably because there was no army for the Colonel to take with him. In all the various negotiations no definite proposal seems to have been laid before Te Whiti. On the contrary, the object of the Native Minister and of his colleague Sir George Grey appears to have been simply to find out how much compensation Te Whiti would want to induce him to abandon his claim, and his answer hitherto has been, “ As much as I can get; —the whole of the plains if possible.” To this answer there can he hut one reply, viz,, a certain definite proposal from the Government, an ultimatum such as ought to have been delivered in the first instance by the Ministry, but with the full consent of Parliament. Mr Sheehan will probably bo obliged to make an offer at Parihaka on the 18th, and will also have to lay the alternative clearly before his audience. Things have gone so far that with the heap of inflammable materials gathered together on the West Coast, the least spark may cause the whole of the King country to break out into open war. We earnestly trust that if Mr Sheehan has to present an ultimatum, the tenor of the terms offered may prove to be such as the whole colony can heartily endorse and uphold. Hitherto all negotiations have been carried on secretly, and the country knows absolutely nothing about the instructions given by the Cabinet to any one of the “conciliators,” or even to Mr Sheehan himself j but concealment will not be possible much longer. The chances seem to us to be so strongly against the Maoris accepting anything like reasonable terms that it will be little short of a miracle if the plains are retained and occupied by the Europeans without bloodshed.