THE HAWKE’S BAY TIMES. NAPIER, THURSDAY, JAN. 23, 1862.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 30, 23 January 1862, Page 2

THE HAWKE’S BAY TIMES. NAPIER, THURSDAY, JAN. 23, 1862.

Philanthropy, Humanity, Justice, Christianity, and a thousand other such words of lofty sound, are impressed by the pro-Maori party and the ardent admirers of the policy of Sir George Grey into their service, which serve the purpose of diverting the attention of a large class from the true state of affairs as they exist amongst us, and tend only to mislead. This is particularly the case with the thousands in the Mother Country who are swayed by Exeter Hall eloquence, and the good Bishop Selwyn and his co-workers for evil to his fellow-countrymen in this colony have certainly displayed the wisdom of the serpent in availing themselves of this almost omnipotent auxilliary for the attainment of their ends. But the appeal to the above class is not the only ofie that has been made ; another numerous body was known to exist at home whose, sensitive feelings could only be reached by the way of the pocket, and therefore to them the cry of economy was added to that of piety. Throughout the length and breadth of the land a cry was raised—“ There is a wicked war raging in New Zealand, a great proportion of the expenses of which wiii fall upon us. The colonists covet the lands of the New Zealander, and are about to exterminate the race, and this war is likely to cost a great deal of British money ; therefore, it must be stopped, no matter at what cost to the colonists.” These, and a multitude of other cries, have not failed to produce the wished for effect on the people and the press, as shewn in the remarkably altered views taken and published during the last few

months in the leading newspapers received from England. We cannot say that we are in any degree surprised at this, when we consider the influence possessed by the party of which Bishop Selwyn may be considered the head and representative here, and the mistaken views generally held by those who are most liable to be influenced by them there. There is an indistinct remembrance of tales of injustice and oppression inflicted by the white man on the North American Indian and other savage races, which has often resulted in the annihilation of whole tribes, and without stopping to enquire whether these stories apply in any degree to the colonists of New Zealand, they proceed to confound them -with the state of affairs here, regarding the colonists as a set of unprincipled adventurers, coveting the birthright of the Maori, and destroying him because he resists so unjust a demand. The native race are supposed to be a converted and good Christian people, who, in defending their rights, are only just and patriotic, all that they wish for being to keep their own possessions and advance in civilization. And the missionary party, so far from endeavoring to correct such ideas, are only too well pleased to nave them to work upon and turn to account. As might have been expected, the influence of such a feeling is felt even in the Colonial Office, where the facts are better known, and the course pursued by the recently recalled Governor, in order to quell a rebellion and re-establish Her Majesty’s rule together with law and order, could not but meet with approval. It was felt that the war must be ended at all events, and another Governor, one well known for his ability in dealing with semi-barbarous races by bribing and flattering them—by yielding to their caprices and succumbing to their threats, is requested to take the matterin hand and instructed to bring about a peaceful state of things, no matter at what cost of money or principle. Such, at all events, is to be judged from all that has yet transpired with regard to the native question. We have not failed to keep the gradual unfolding of the Governor’s policy before our readers up to its latest development in the visit of the Iron, the Colonial Secretary to the rebels of Upper Waikato. Ample details of this visit will be found in our columns, and of the terms offered to the rebels for their consideration. These amount to a granting the whole of their demands ; they are to have the deciding of the question of the right of Teira to sell the Waitara block, for the court to which this discussion is brought is to consist of four Maories and two Europeans, of which two, the Maories are to appoint one. Certainly this is neither more nor less than giving up the whole question, as, if expressed in other words, it would be—“ You shall have Waitara ; but as it is necessary that some court should decide your claim to it, in order that the law may be satisfied, you shall virtually constitute that court yourselves, so that the law shall be satisfied, and you shall be allowed your claim. - ’ But this is far from satisfactory to them ; they reply—“ We have it already”—“ We hold it by the strong arm”— “ It hangs on the Gospel hook”—and “ We will not give it up to that wild beast the law” “ Your proposal for arbitration comes too late after we have it securely in our power.” But this is not all. The cunning Maori can see the conclusion to be drawn from the Colonial Secretary’s premises ; — :t You, by now proposing to submit this question to arbitration, after you have declared war with us and fought about this land, admit that you were in the wrong from the first; and we have only been defending our rights in resisting your oppression. We are no more robbers or murderers. It is you who are guilty of all that you have hitherto charged on us, and we are blameless.” The .remainder of the terms offered by Mr. Fox were such as to command acceptance, if it were possible any terms could—“ The Go-

vernor will not make you give up your King, nor any of the plunder you may have taken from the Taranaki settlers if you keep it to yourselves; nor demand the murderers of the white man, though, if any offender does permit himself to he taken, he will be tried ; so this rests with you—keep out of the way.” “If you object to roads through your territory as likely to endanger the stability of the Maori kingdom, the Governor will not make any, only you must not hinder the white man from travelling in the tracks you use,” We do not say that the above are the very words made use of by Mr. Fox, and yet, as they contain their true sense and meaning, they can only be regarded as a rather free translation from the Maori tongue as given to the natives. > It becomes a serious question to the colonist, and one that deserves more time and space than we can now give to it —What does the policy of the Governor mean, as regards the European settler as well as the native race —the outline given to the friendly natives by the Governor as “ some of his thoughts” exemplified in the terms offered to the rebels as some of his acts ? This appears to be—place and patronage to be bestowed on an army of European officials, —more numerous than can now be obtained, or for a long time to come—that is until a sufficient number have taken their degrees as Maori doctors. The same for the whole of the native race, who possess any of the semblance of chieftainship, as Government officers, and a host of others as police. Taxation—to meet the enormous expenses of the system —for the whole body of the colonists, it being absurd to suppose that the Mother Country, which refuses to bear the necessary expenses to maintain Her Majesty’s supremacy in these islands, will be burdered with such as this, and that in time of peace (so called). One other question remains, which is— The probable result of all this—peace or war—the salvation or extermination of the native race ? And we fear that to all who are acquainted with the Maori character but one response can be given,—as long as we can yield them all they please to demand, a superficial peace will endure, during which time they will become more and moi'e capricious, overbearing, and exacting, till the limit is reached, for it is not to be doubted that there is a limit beyond which Governor Grey himself tjjdl not pass. When that period arrives—and no man can say how near it may be even now —war is inevitable, and such a war as may well be believed to be one of extermination.