THE PAI-MARIRES AND THEIR VICTIM.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume V, Issue 256, 24 April 1865, Page 3

THE PAI-MARIRES AND THEIR VICTIM.

[From the Nelson Examiner, The present appearance of our native troubles is more painful than any that has preceded it. The tore has assumed a loss and less healthy color for some time past. The slow, inefficient remedies applied, the hesitations of the surgeons, have in* duoed that slow form of ulcer which we are accustomed to.look on as barely curable. The murder of the Rev. Mr Volkner is quite unlike any of the so-called murders that have preceded it. Those were the bursts of violence, or the forms of savage war. This has an envenomed character, a tone of deliberate hatred about it. Every reader of history perceives that, in the Pai-Marire fanaticism, the opponents of British rule in these islands hud a powerful weapon of which they would not fail instinctively to make use. But history tells us that before a religious belief can take hold of a whole people so as to upset society, it has to ally itself with human desire* and passions. The Pai- Mari re faith wobld have languished and died out if it had not found a soil of bitterness in the Maori mind. It is flattering no doubt to human vanity to think that miraculous gifts are not denied to our own nee and day. But Maoris are naturally incredulous, and have imbibed from their European neighbor* plenty of the spirit of unbelief along with the forms of faith. So transparent a folly as the Pai-Marire wonders, would have met with scorn from the sceptical native if he had not been prepared to welcome them, and rally around them, by hatred, fear, contempt, and the desire for independence of those whom he hated, despised, and feared. The spread of the Pai-Marire fanaticism indicates the degree of alienation of the Maori; its •avageness shows how little the dogmatic faith of Christianity can grow to any good fruit without the previous and hearty recognition of the beauty and power of the Christian moral system. Mr Grace was one of the most mischievous of the party among the missionaries who busied themselves as native sympathisers in the beginning of our distractions. He trod on the verge of treason — nay, it was rather the weakness of the Government than any vestige of loyalty, which gained tolerance for his actions in the earlier days of the king movement. “ Even-handed justice commends the ingredients of the poisoned chalice to our own lips.” God grant, for the sake of all these misguided people, that the bitter cup may not be drained to the dregs. What the causes of such a ferocious temper have been, we will not try to recapitulate faults on both sides, the calm outside observer will say, and we are willing to accept bis decision. But there is one special cause or aggravation of the evil that must be insisted on, again and again; the languid uncertain action of our anomalous governmental machinery, First one influence then another prevails. Encouraged by one hand to be knocked down by the other, hope and resentment must combine to keep alive the seeds of strife. In the last chapter of the history of the last year’s campaign in Waikato, we had a paraded war of words between Governor Sir George Grey and his Ministers. The Assembly met, a new Ministry was formed. Sir George Grey was all complaisance and cordial co-operation—and the ecbo-ss ofspeeches at home have done nothing to alter this happy concord. Sir George Grey is about to remove to Wellington, in puisuance of his agreement; he acts in all respects up to ins programme; but still there is a hitch, still there is languor. The military are a half independent arm of Governmenu —the Commander of the Forces is not agreed ns to the policy or the method ofcarryingit out, and this able aud spirited General who, if serving his own masters, would win fame and a peerage in the great wars, seems stale-mated before a few half savage, ill-armed, and divided men. Tha Maori weakness and disunion is more than matched by our own, and all our great resources, instead of forwarding the cause of peace and goodwill, are wasted, or add gall to bitterness. The military forces of Great Britain must be withdrawn before unity of purpose can be introduced into our Government, and it will be much if there be yet time to bring about such unity before the •bame of exterminating another fine race is fixed indelibly on our annals. We, the British people, have been trying to rule by good intentions. Our great governing men have committed the arrogant ain of fancying themselves equal to a very great and difficult task. Probably they are now awake to their wrong, but wo fear it will not depend on the leaders of the country to rescue the colony from its impending financial ruin, without which there is no hope left for the escape of the remnant of the Maori. It will probably bo seen shortly that the colony is prepared to make yet greater effort* than she has done; but without frank and liberal assistance, we fear that the task which has been imposed is too heavy for our hands.