THE HAWKE’S BAY TIMES. NAPIER, THURSDAY, NOV. 13, 1862.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 72, 13 November 1862, Page 3

THE HAWKE’S BAY TIMES. NAPIER, THURSDAY, NOV. 13, 1862.

Unquestionably, one of the most important principles to be observed in the government of a serai-barbarous people,ms an adaptation of action to promises or threats—of deeds to words, so that confidence may be felt in the governor by those governed. Should this be wanting, such a state becomes precisely similar to an ill-regulated household, in which promises of reward and threats of punishment are alike unavailing to secure obedience ; because past experience has shown such promises and threats to he hut empty words. And yet such lias been the policy pursued by the English Government towards the native race of New Zealand, from the setting aside of Mr. Commissioner Spain’s award at Taranaki, when first the natives were taught that a decision once made was not, of necessity, final, to the present day, when Sir Geo. Grey makes a just demand on the Otaki rebels and receives for reply “ we will never do so.” Cannot any rational man see that if those rebels thought Sir George was in earnest in making his demand—that if they refused to comply, immediate steps would he taken to compel them, the reply they would have given him would have been something different from what it was ?—hut the fact is, that the entire course of action pursued by him from his arrival to the present has been such as to convince them that he does not intend to make them (the rebels) “ send him their Icing flag, cut down their flagstaff, and discontinue their [rebellions] king work”—on the contrary, he has told them, in effect, that he docs not much care about it. Knowing, then, that he was not in earnest in his demands, what more reasonable than that they should refuse to comply? We have said “from his arrival” —in proof we beg to refer to the state of affairs as it was at that time. It will be remembered that immediately after the cessation of hostilities at Waitara, certain terms were offered to the natives that had been in arms against he Majesty’s Government—terms that from their very leniency filled the settlers with astonishment, and which were only justifiable on the ground of a conviction that even such as these would he refused by them : hut, as it appeared to the natives that there was an actual intention on the part of the Governor to enforce submission in case of these terms not being accepted, and as there were ample reasons on the part of the rebels to expect others far more severe, the Ngafinwa submitted, while W. Kingi retired with his people to Waikato, and the others returned, for the time, to their own districts in the neighborhood of Taranaki, sullenly waiting to see what would be the action taken by the Government. After this, in the words of General Cameron, “ much valuable time was lost in dilatory negotiations with the Waikatos” resulting in nothing, until the approach of winter rendered active operations hopeless for the season, and the tribes that had at first left the scene of hostilities gradually returned and occupied the country round Taranaki, being emboldened by the inactivity of the Government. Amongst the “ dilatory negotiations” referred to, was the celebrated “ declaration to the Waikatos” of Governor Browne, of May 28, ISGI, in which was insisted that the king movement should he abandoned, and the right, of the Government to

make roads through native districts admitted, ‘ ‘ because (to quote a despatch of his Excellency) acquiescence in this demand, is almost the only material guarantee for future good conduct the insurgents have it in their power to give.” And also the not less celebrated reply of W. Thompson —(Tamihana ) —refusing the terms offered, and asserting the right of the Maori to as separate a nationality from the English as the Americans, Russians, &c., maintain. At this time (May, 18G1) W. Tamihana knew well that the season was too far advanced to fear any active operations on tne part of her Majesty’s troops, hence the “bounce” of the reply, for, as the course of events showed afterward, he felt pretty sure the governor would insist on his terms at the proper time, and at the end of the next month, intimated a desire to visit the Governor , which, however, he was prevented doing by other influential chiefs ; yet the Governor did hold an interview with some other chiefs “ who were well aware of his declaration, and of his determination to adhere to the terms thereof,” while Tamihana himself believed resistance to be hopeless. “ On the whole (writes Governor Browne, September, 1801) I have found that, during the cessation of hostilities, the tone of the disaffected has been considerably altered and subdued. They appear to have a more correct view of the intentions of the Government toward them, and many of the chiefs that entertained the most unfavorable opinions have declared that they were misled, and expressed their regret. I attribute much of this alteration to the terms of peace dictated at Wailara, and those offered to the chiefs at Ngaruawahia.” To the same effect is a memorandum by Native Secretary, T. H. Smith: — “ The protracted suspension of hostilities * * * and the terms of jieace * * * have had a good effect on the native mind. * * * The presence of so large a number of troops and the military preparations have also had a wholesome effect.” It is pretty clear that at this time all that was needed to secure the submission of the native rebels, and a lasting peace, was a show of firmness on the part of the Government—a determination to enforce the terms propounded—and there seems no reason to doubt that this would have been done, but for the change of Governors (then regarded by some with hope, by others with fear and trembling) It was necessary, we say, that the rebels should be taught that the word of the Governor was truth. Any departure from this line of conduct could not but be fraught with the most serious consequences to the “ race” and the colony. Governor Grey admitted “ the difficulty of retracting without offending English prejudices after it has been publicly declared that the terms demanded of the Waikato natives will be enforced,” but he seemed altogether to lose sight of the danger to the government and the colony from such a course, or lie would never have entered upon it, and so virtually informed the rebels that they might thenceforth do as they pleased, and regard the words of the Governor as airy nothings. The despatch of Sir George Grey (30th November) containing his determination to “ retract from a decision authoritatively expressed by Government”—in other words, to waive the terms offered and threatened to be enforced by the late Governor, and which, the native chiefs were well aware, he teas determined to enforce, is such a confession of weakness as would justify the rebels in all the acts of aggression and expressions of insolence of which they have since been guilty, supposing the document and its contents to have been made known to them (which there is only too much reason to believe was the case) —and even if not, “ the retracting” itself was quite sufficient to urge them on in their rebellion to the Government, and their contempt for its power and its threats. And now, after the failure of all attempts to introduce law and order amongst them—after something more than a years'probation of the peace at any price (be it the sacrifice of the colony) policy—and after all the ex- : pense attending on the system how much

farther are we from a general war than we were then ?—or rather how more general may we not fear that the war will become. The most malignant opponents of the late Governor will not refuse to admit that a very large body of the natives were convinced of the justice of his cause, and the extreme leniency of his terms, and would have supported him in their enforcement; while now nearly, if not quite all these are estranged by what they believe to be the exhibition of our weakness and fear, while the retracting from our demands lends these terms an appearance of injustice, which will effectually deprive us of their aid, should it be needed, and yet if after late events on the West Coast and at Taranaki, all too fresh in the mind of the public to need further reference, our Governor should still cry “ peace ! peace !” will he not well merit the last testimony to his peaceful disposition, addressed from the late Governor to General Cameron, just before his resignation of his office : “ Sir George Grey is deservedly popular with the Maoris, ami will, probably, receive the fullest support from those who have considered it consistent with their duty to suggest to the Maoris that I have been the real obstacle to their obtaining peace on their own terms, and that opposition to me was consistent with loyalty to the Crown. I have little doubt , therefore, that Sir George Greg will he able to re-establish peace, and I recommend you not to incur any further expense which can be avoided.'’