THE ABANDONMENT OF WAITARA.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 124, 15 June 1863, Page 3

THE ABANDONMENT OF WAITARA.

(From the Felson Examiner, May 30.) The proclamation of the abandonment of Waitara in our present state of information respecting its motives, seems a “superfluity of naughtiness” —a piece of insanity such as it is given to those only to act “whom the gods design to ruin.” The signature of Alfred Domett is the most surprising feature of the document, for Mr. Domett is a man ■whose truthful spirit and broad judgment are all but a guarantee for nobleness and good sense, in whatever passes under his name. Yet the ablest and honestest are liable to blunder and to be deceived, amd we are strongly of opinion that such aas been the present case. The form of the proclamation “by and with the advice and consent of the Executive Council,” implies a direct violation of the principle on wliich the present Ministers toot their seats. It signifies that they are the initiators of this act; and, though probably this is not the fact, the impression created outside the colony must naturally and necessarily be so. They were bound, no doubt, to express opinions on the matter if called on; and if they differed on so important a point, they were at liberty to use their own discretion about retaining office or resigning. But it would be a difficult thing to justify them politically in allowing such a use of the authority of their names on a question of native policy, without consulting the General Assembly and obtaining a reversal of last session’s resolutions. But, surprising and grievous as it is to find the names of the Colonial Ministers thus used against the expressed will of the colony, this is a secondary matter. The policy of the act itself is of course, more immediately interesting. Was it intended to pacify and to withdraw sympathy from the men implicated in the outrage at Oakura ? We. cannot guess what hopes Sir George Grey might have of such a result; but this could not have been the object of Mr. Domett, who thoroughly understands, if any man in the country does, the real issue. In 1860 Mr. Domett set forth the true cause of quarrel in his celebrated speech on mana. That mysterious somewhat (which a clever contemporary has since identified with the Latin matters, the strong hand) Mr. Domett happily described as The good old rule, the simple plan. That they should take who have the power And they should keep who can. Nor can wo conceive that he has ever doubted that the life of the native opposition to the Government was the determination to bo subordinated to no law imposed from without. To concede to “the good old rule” at all is simply to extend its jurisdiction. The independence movement was certain to embrace in its protection the men of the ambuscade ; and this Mr. Domett at least knew.

Nor could the Proclamation be a part of a case made up for presentation elsewhere. The colonv has spent a great deal of labor in the attempt to put itself in a fair position at home, and the result has been very little, uulers it has ended by making us rely more on our own judgment, and rest satisfied with the verdict of our own consciences. The world are greedy of evil tales against their neighbors a little way off 1 . And aborigines protectionists, missionary societies, economists, have made up their minds that those who interfere with their hobbies are a bad lot. Mr. Domett would not consent to waste labor on such an object. Nor can a case bo made by this means, which will separate the present from the former outbreaks. Our contemporary the Taranaki Herald has put this clearly. If Waitara was wrongfully held, Tataraimaka was a fair reprisal, and the troops trespassers. But Waitara was held, right or wrong, when the murderous attack took place, and the surrender followed the casus belli. Hence the attack was as much a part of the tara affair as anything in the whole war. Then was the cession a mere act of justice which ministers were eager to have the privilege of assisting in? Waitara, once claimed by Governor Grey as'a purchase of the New Zealand Company, was by Governor Grey handed back, because he could not tell “ whose piece this is, and whose piece that.” It was simply handed back to be disposed in the courts of -mana —the strong hand. And Mr. F. D. Bell, for ycar-s the steady advocate of regular courts, was actively and superfluously consenting. We can understand that Ministers may say here is before us a great, a terrible problem ; wo have to determine the limits of thefautbority of government and to assert it; that done all will follow. Establish authority, and Waitara cases and all others may bo disposed of according so a more human rule than the mana by which the beasts of the field govern themselves. Throw Waitara over then until the great question is disposed of; that paltry patch of land has been a blind too long. - But this superfluous proclamation goes further ; it judges the case by the old despised informal ipse dixit of the Governor in Council; and, not being a cardinal matter, on this view the Ministry had no valid excuse for transgressing the rule laid down by the Assembly. Is this the end of cobweb weaving ; are we to look facts in the face for the future ? If so, wo can forget arid forgive this last dusty, disreputable addition to the feeble tangle. The problem is too terrible for us to care for lesser debates, and the gauntlet, is fairly thrown down. The proclamation, whatever its object, has not quieted \V. King’s adherents. These men sym-

pathiso with Parenga Kingi and his hapu, and so it will be with the active spirits of the race everywhere. We cannot say what number are as yet concentrated: at Taranaki. Rumor speaks of men from the whole length of the Wanganui, as well as Ngatiruanui and Taranaki, on the south, and Ngatiinaniapoto, and other Waikatos, on the north, and even some from Taupo. This sort of information is always vague, as it depends on Maori reckoning, which is often imaginative, and we will not protend to give any figures. But everything indicates a temper far worse than that of 18G1, and the struggle must be expected to bo proportionate.

One hope exists, that the natives may prove as good pupils in war as in other things, and learn quickly, and accept like men the lesson General Cameron has to teach. If they are as brave and intelligent as they are commonly supposed, they will understand and acquiesce in a signal defeat. We have no good evidence that they are peculiarly treacherous. Their barbarity in war is not to the purpose, and would not prevent their being peaceful and true neighbors, if once convinced that they cannot succeed as opponents. And the best ground of hope is that they have never been wronged by us, and even in war can and do trust our honor.