THE GLOBE. MONDAY NOVEMBER 28, 1881. MR. ROLLESTON AT PAPANUL

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2388, 28 November 1881, Page 2

THE GLOBE. MONDAY NOVEMBER 28, 1881. MR. ROLLESTON AT PAPANUL

The Native Minister is a man who invariably “ means business.” He is not in the least fond of beating about the bush, but speaks oat his mind with the straightforwardness of a politician who has settled convictions, and does not understand those persons who have none. The tortuous and timid utterances of many of the candidates for the present elections are not at all to his taste. And as with individual politicians so with parties, ho would have them strong in their belief of the rectitude of their own cause, and determined to stand or fall by their settled convictions. He either fears his fate too much, or his desert is small, Who dare not put it to the touch, and win or lose it all.”

And in this connection he is a thorough believer in the necessity of party government. He says—“ I believe that if men are to make themselves felt they must express their opinions strongly and decidedly. They must hold by men who have common sympathies and common aims, whether it be in the Government or the Opposition. I have a firm conviction that the Government cannot be carried on unless there is an Opposition which fairly criticises its action, and which is capable of taking its place if it fails in doing its duty.” These are words well suited to the present time, when the want of firm party lines is most grievously felt. With such lines more clearly cut we should not have to complain so much of the number of candidates coming forward whose views shift themselves to suit the character of the audience. It is, however, useless to blink the fact that a considerable change will have to take place before the state of things that Mr. Rolleston longs for will eventuate. There are a number of theories abroad antagonistic to true party government. Among these, one of the most powerful and most mischievous is that which claims that the various districts of the colony shall bo represented in any Ministry that may be formed, quite irrespective of the talents of the individuals chosen. This localisation of the various units of a Government is destructive to true party government. Time will no doubt set the opinion of the public in the various parts of the colony straight on this particular subject, as on other similar ones; but in the meantime the utterances of such men as Mr Rolleston on the subject of true party government cannot but do good. As is natural, the principal interest in Mr. Rolleston’s speech lies when he takes into consideration the two departments with which h| has been specially connected, namely, the Land Department and the Native Department. With regard to the general system of settling the land in New Zealand, Mr. Rolleston is not an alarmist; indeed he considers that this country is far better situated with respeet to the manner in which its lands are parcelled out among the inhabitants than any other of the Australasian colonics. His re~ sume of what has been done of late by the Government in procuring dona fide settlement by small holders and of its intentions for the future is interesting and exhaustive. The manner in which settlement on the West Coast of the North Island has progressed is characterized as “ marvellous.” The judicious mixture cf laud for cash payments and land for deferred payments has been found to work most satisfactorily, and the measures adopted by the Government of widely advertising throughout the colony the various sales of land have mot with even more success than was anticipated. The village settlement system is described, as developed in the West Coast, where it

Las had full play, and attention is drawn to the provisions made for the 1S " poaal of the now pastoral lands in May next, and for the settlement _of some 3,000,000 acres in Otago, which ‘ will soon he out up and opened for sale either for small agricultural settlements, or for deferred payment pastoral lands, or for small runs capable of carrying sheep to the extent of 5000 upon each.” Mr. Rolleston says truly that the Government have had a very trying and anxious time with regard to Native matters, for “ they have had to take what ia considered, and what no doubt is to some extent, abnormal action to meet an abnormal state of circumstances.” But he says, with equal truth, that the Government have met with sympathy and approval from the country. And then he proceeds to dispose of the objections raised in certain quarters against the policy of the Government. As is well known, these objections hinge mainly on the non-occupation of the confiscated lands on the West Coast by the Government immediately after confiscation. Now Mr Rolleston shows clearly that the only reason why such lauds were not occupied —as lands similarly situated were in the Waikato—was that the Natives themselves would not admit of the settlement of the question on the Coast, and that blood would have had to have been shed if the Government had insisted. The vicionsness of the arguments used by the detractors of the Ministerial policy is thus very clear. The Government of the day abstained from enforcing their claims for fear of a rupture between the two races. In point ef fact the opponents of the Government base their charge of inhumanity against the present Government on the very humane wish of a former Government that no blood should bo shed ! As to the assertion that Te Whiti did not know what land was reserved for him, Mr. Rolleston effectually settles that point. Te Whiti had every means of knowing the position of the reserves. Special messengers were deputed to point them out. Surveyors had never been on the land north of the road, which, coupled to the fact that this land was pointed out to Te Whiti as belonging to him, clearly indicated that it in reality belonged to the Natives, in addition to the scattered blocks to the south of the road. And finally the Native Minister went himself to Te Whiti, when the latter absolutely declined to admit the right of the Government to share the land on the Coast with him. Says Mr. Rolleston : —“ There is not the slightest doubt in the world that Te Whiti knew as much about the intentions of the Government as the Government themselves.” To all sensible unbiassed men Te Whiti’s position is plain enough. Mr. Rolleston shows how ho had collected men from all parts of New Zealand to Parihaka, before whom he had assumed the position of a man through whom the Atua or Divinity spoke. To retreat was incompatible with self-love, and possibly with safety. All arguments were naturally wasted on such a subject. And finally Mr. Rolleston treats of the nonsense which has been talked about giving the Natives an opportunity to prove their claim to the West Coast Lands in a Court of Law. He said—“ I did not believe in making an offer to refer to a Court of Law that which was a foregone conclusion. The Courts of Law would not go beyond the laws of the country. No Court would order that land sold by the Crown, and occupied by Europeans, should be given back to the Natives. There was no question that the West Coast Settlement Act, which ought to be looked upon by the Natives as the charter of their liberties, could not bo set aside by any Court of Law in the country. Therefore it was a mockery to offer such a resort to the Natives. What was the good of sending them to a Court of Law which was guided by the law of the country, when we knew what that law was to begin with ? ”

Mr. Rolleston’a narrative of onr transactions with the West Coast Natives is valuable, and will serve to place the public in possession of a succinct account of a very interesting phase in the history of New Zealand. The public have all along supported and sympathised with the Government, and we feel confident that any impartial man who studies Mr. Rolleston’s speech, will rise from its perusal with undiminished confidence in the wisdom of the Native policy of the Hall Ministry.