THE CIVIL COMMISSIONER’S REPORT.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 60, 21 August 1862, Page 2

THE CIVIL COMMISSIONER’S REPORT.

To the Editor of the HawJce's Bay Times. Sm, —The Herald of the 2nd instant contains a report from the Hon. A. H. Russell, Civil Commissioner, §c., which your contemporary describes as a plain, unvarnished tale; but most probably under a more critical perusal from the editorial eye some blunders, and more fallacies, will be discovered. There appears to be a remarkable confusion of ideas, and treatment of effect rather than cause, which is surprising, considering the greatness of the author of the document in question. What would be thought of a doctor, who shows his skill only in treating the effects of disease, leaving the cause still in operation ? Yet this is just what Dr. Russell attempts. He finds the natives disposed to be displeased with the Government, a discovery for which be deserves great credit, seeing it has been known to the public over two years. He finds they are watching events, and seeking to obtain all the advantages possible from the Government, all which is as new to the public as his other discovery ! The symptoms (not the disease) are shown in a number of claims for additional payments for land, or for re-ad-justment of boundaries, which means in plain English, giving back (yratis) land that has been bought and paid for, &c., &c. To deal with these questions appears to our Solon the right plan, as if he did not know, as every non-official settler in the district knows, that if they (the natives) were paid in full all they demand, and had all the land returned to them that they claim, immediately, ere a month was over our heads they would advance a number of new claims. Any one acquainted with their character knows'they are seldom at a loss for an excuse for breaking a contract. Remove the cause, and the effect wall cease, is a motto with some quacks, but Hr. Russell’s plan is to deal with the effect rather than the cause. The yenuine method of working “ the policy” is perhaps inadvertently indicated in the clause proposing to buy off the opposition of the “ Bottle-of-smoke,” alias Henry te Apatari, by making him an “ Assessor” (with a salary of course). A capital plan no doubt! Then what a confusion of ideas is displayed when he recommends that persons to be appointed to office under the “ policy” would be better providing “ they had not been previously mixed up n'iih native affairs ,” and immediately nominates a person for office who has been connected with native affairs all—or nearly all —the time he has been in the district. The person in question may, or may not, be a fitting one for the office ; but whatever knowledge he possesses of the natives in this district has been acquired by being an agent of the Government in the Land Purchase Department. It is further noticeable, that whatever influence either the Civil Commissioner himself, or the individual styled by him Capt. A. H. Russell, possess with the natives, has been acquired by dealing with them about land, by becoming “ tenants of Maori landlands.” But greatness must not be measured by the same standard as common folk. But how galling was the conduct of the ‘’ first of native gentlemen,” of whom so much fuss has been made by the allies of the Fox party, may be gathered from the open confession that Renata, “ when told the Commissioner was ready to meet them, to arrange matters,” immediately walked away ivithout making any reply. Shade of the Norman conqueror ! canst thou unmoved witness such conduct towards the representative of thy Crown ! such treatment of the special representative of the Majesty of Britain ! Would a Puritan Cromwell have allowed his representative to be thus served, when charged with messages of state ? A Blake would have delivered his next message, not a Russell. But Blakes are scarce now-a-days, and Russells abundant. The next humble message delivered to the haughty Lords of Pawhakairo appears connected with additional tribute, under the veil of assistance to build a mill. Even then they evaded giving any reply to the “great question” of the day. What a pity the Fox Ministry had not got “the A 50,000 a year for native government” voted beforehand, as in that case their hands would have been free, and their chosen officer might have offered a persuader in the shape of a thousand or so copies of Her Majesty of Britain’s likeness, and thus perhaps induced a loyal subject to acknow-

not unreasonable to suppose that the present Ministry may do this, seeing that two of its members are better acquainted with the Maori language and with Maori affairs than any other two members of the House. The Fox Ministry, if it had the confidence of a majority of the North Island members, had not the confidence of the North Island public, nor of the North Island Press, only one paper of seven published out of Wellington giving it any support. The Daily Southern Cross, the Aucklander, the Haioke’s Bay Times, the Herald, the Taranaki Herald. anti the News, as well as the Advertiser, all published in this Island, and which may be presumed to represent public opinion, have all hailed with satisfaction the downfall of the Fox Ministry. Not a member of the Provinces of Taranaki or of Hawke’s Bay, could be found to support, while seven cf the Auckland members aided in kicking them out of office. So much for the analysis of the division which consigned the Fox Ministry to those Opposition benches upon which they are constitutionally fitted to shine, and at the same time saved the Colony from the calamity from which the administration of its affairs by them must have inevitably inflicted upon it. The advocates of peace-at-any-price never tire of quoting Governor Browne as an authority when they wish to make it appear that to attempt to enforce obedience to the law would reduce the Provinces of the North Island to beggary ; albeit he is the last man they would quote on any other subject. The non-enforcement of obedience, however, is ruinous to the Province of Auckland, and is found such an intolerable nuisance in the Province of Hawke as to make it doubtful whether war itself would nut be a change for the better. As regards Taranaki, it is admitted on all hands, from His Excellency downwards, that such a state of affairs as exists there cannot be permitted much longer to continue. Wo have always doubted if Wiremu Kingi would have resisted British troops if he had not been assured by his friend and counsellor Archdeacon Hadfield that the Imperial Government would never use force to eject from the disputed land at the Waitara, and the natives now in a state of passive rebellion throughout this Province and Hawke’s Bay would be less unruly if they did not feel, from past experience, that they could proceed to any lengths with comparative impunity. Their conduct would not be so violent if they were convinced that the forfeiture of their lands would be the price they would have to pay for their resistance to the Queen’s authority. They would be able to understand such a policy, it being quite in accordance with the course they •would themselves adopt under similar circumstances. Be this as it may, it is time the policy—as Mr. Domett once rightly designated it—of rewarding outrage by concession, was brought to an end. This can never be the case as long as the out-settlers are left in a totally defenceless condition from fear of alarming the native mind, and while that defenceless condition is made an excuse for not adopting a more vigorous policy. Instead of the out-settlers being compelled in the case of an outbreak, to fly to the centres of European population, why could not military posts be established in different parts of the interior, round which the settlers could gather as a nucleus, and by which the aborigines could be over-awed and held in check—the invariable course adopted in Canada and the United States in former days, and which we now find recommended to be adopted in California, to protect the settlers and Northern miners from the incursions of the Indians. Instead of any troops being stationed at the “centres of population” in the event of an outbreak, where they would not be required, these centres being well able to protect themselves, they should be drafted to the out-districts, where they would prove of essential service ; but while it is held that the settlers are not to even arm themselves for fear of exciting the native mind, such a course as here indicated will nsver be adopted. Our new Premier, it would be seen, takes it for granted that England has determined that there shall be no war. It appears to us that he to ohastily jumps at this conclusion ; for the Duke of Newcastle expressly says that " it would be better even to prolong the war with its evils, than to end it without producing in the native mind such a conviction of our strength as may render peace not temporary and precarious, but well-grounded and lasting.” And the Times: “If the sword has been drawn we cannot sheathe it with disgrace ; but when the war is finished we ought to take measures which effectually prevent our being drawn into any more contests of the land.” If the Duke of Newcastle and the Times can justly be said to represent the English nation, neither one nor

ledge a nominal allegiance to that Most Gracious Sovereign. A real allegiance of course no one can expect at present. The paragraphs respecting the money for Mr. Mason’s run are too good to be “ quoted in part,” proving as they do that the gentleman who acts the part of chief performer, “ although he may he an honorable man,” is certainly a diplomatist of considerable ability, far superior to the united officialism, relatives of discretion included, of this district, if not “ more than a match” for the astute “ Grey” himself. No wonder Hapuku felt wroth at finding himself overreached by one so many years his junior. But how am I to describe the amusement I derived from the paragraph in which the hon. the Commissioner informs his employers how he wrote to Mr. McLean, offering to meet him, and co-operate with him in settling land disputes. After Mr. McLean’s having been head of the Land Purchase Department so many years, as well as chief adviser to the Governor on native affairs a great portion of the time, it would be a lack of courtesy, if not an insult, for any lately appointed official of the common order to otter even to assist him in arranging matters connected with his own special department; much more to presume to offer to co-operate with him. Wont some of the members of the Assembly, who know somewhat of Mr. McLean’s ability in that line, raise a laugh over that portion. Ur. McLe an evidently did not consider the offer sufficiently important to ride post haste about the country to obtain the valuable assistance of his newly-fledged colleague. How delicately the Commissioner states that he has induced Capt. Bussell (I wonder if he is a relative of the Commissioner) to visit certain districts on a magisterial tour, and how glad he was to obtain the services of Capt. Russell, who is so intimately acquainted with the Commissioner’s own views, and whose judgment and discretion are to be quite relied on, and who will doubtless do all that is possible, &c., etc. The modesty displayed in this part is too evident to be passed over. Could not another appointment as Resident Magistrate, or something higher, be provided for this promising official ? Could not Mr. McLean be induced to accept him as a colleague ? Or is he held iu reserve for the post of General-in-Chief of the Maori force that is to be armed and trained for our protection (?j, and at our cost ? Such judgment, such discretion, is too valuable to be lost to the public ! I fear I have trespassed too far alreadj', otherwise I might notice the “ fallacy” of supposing that the Wairoa natives may in a few years require all the land in that district, and the “ omission” of any reference to the conduct of the Mohaka natives towards the settlers, as in the case of Mr. Dolbel and others ; and can only in conclusion just notice how the Commissioner found at some places a disposition to accept “ the good things offered,” provided they should not be called on to pay their debts (see first paragraph of report); which is only another indirect admission that some of the natives will gladly accept government assistance and salaries, provided they may remain, as hitherto, practically above the law in all cases where the law would not be in their favour. With them it would still be “ heads, I win ; tails, you lose in all their dealings with the pakeha. Yours, &c., A Saxox. Ahuriri, 11th August, 1862.