A NEW SCHEME FOR DISPOSING OF MAORI PRISONERS.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 6, Issue 334, 21 December 1865, Page 1

A NEW SCHEME FOR DISPOSING OF MAORI PRISONERS.

(From, the New Zealand Advertiser, December 15.) Mb Stafford has originated an idea relative to the disposal of the Maori prisoners at pre sent on board the hulk Manukau in this harbor, and there is little doubt that if it should prove practicable he will effect a great saving to the country, and give satisfaction to those colonists who argue that the natives taken in arms against the Queen's authority should be punished instead of being fattened at the expense of an already much over-burdened Colony. These prisoners number some fifty or sixty able-bodied men, and the proposal appears to be to portion them out to the Pro vinces for the purpose of being engaged on public works for a stipulated period. These fellows are perfectly useless at present; but if Mr Stafford's proposal meets with success —and we do not see any reason why it should not —we shall be relieved of the burden of keeping them any longer, and the labor they will have to perform will prove a wholesome chastisement for their misbehaviour. We do not know whether the offer we have alluded to is restricted to the Middle Island, but, as we have not before heard anything of it, we presume Mr Stafford thinks Otago or Canterbury the most proper locality for trying the experiment. The following letter from the Colonial Secretary embodies the proposal. The document was transmitted by his Honor the Superintendent of Otago to the Provincial Council, with the request that they would give him the benefit of their advice upon the subject treated of:— Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, sth Dec, 1865. Sir, —The Government desire to give to certain Maori prisoners, between fifty and sixty in number, now in confinement on board the schooner Manukau, in the harbor of Wellington, a conditional pardon, subject to their having been employed on some public works for a certain number of months, and having conducted themselves well while so employed. It will be announced to such prisoners that any of them who may be guilty of contumacious or riotous conduct while employed as proposed, will render himself liable to be confined for a longer period, or to be deported to such place as the Governor may determine, or to such other punishment as his Excellency may think fit. I believe that some of the Provincial'Governments will be willing to receive these prisoners, and to employ them on public works, in which case the General Government will transfer them to the Provincial authorities, the subsequent expense of their custody and maintenance, while employed on Provincial works, devolving on the Provincial Government. I have to request your Honor to be good enough to inform me whether the Provincial Government of Otago is disposed to accept the services of prisoners on such terms, for a period of not less than sis, and probably twelve months, and, if so, of what number. It is probable that other prisoners of the same class may be dealt with in a similar manner, some of whom it may be proper to detain for a longer period. Should your Honor, therefore, decide on receiving prisoners of that kind, it may be calculated that their labor would be available for some considerable time. I have, &c, E. W. Statfoed. His Honor the Superintendent, Otago.