The Hawke's Bay Times, Published every Monday and Thursday. THURSDAY, 8th MARCH, 1866.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 7, Issue 356, 8 March 1866, Page 2

The Hawke's Bay Times, Published every Monday and Thursday.

THURSDAY, Bth MARCH , 1866.

“KUIXIUS ADDICTCS IV EASE IN TEKBA MAGISTRX.”

Almost from the commencement of the native rebellion we have been able to see that the grand difficulty in the way of its settlement would be the disposal of those of the rebels who might be taken prisoners. We do not say that we foresaw how great that difficulty would become, nor the full extent of the expense it would entail upon the colony ; but we could not be blind to the fact that prisoners would accumulate, and be a serious burthen to us. Hence we have always advocated their debarkation to some of the numerous Islands which abound in the Southern seas. We had no predilection for the Chathams, having, in fact, an idea that there might be a difficulty in the way of adopting that locality ; but we saw that their actual removal from these Islands -was the only method of preventing them from returning to their old positions of rebels. Certainly circumstances have proved the correctness of the theory, for the sole effect of the ordinary method of treating them has been to recruit their strength at an enormous cost, and return them to their ranks, like giants refreshed to head again the assault against their too feeling and too easy captors. The Government have felt the difficulty j and after trying all sorts of philanthropic schemes, and proving the unadaptahility of each and all of them, have actually arrived at the rational conclusion to deport them to the Chatham Islands, —a step that should have been taken at the very first; — and then we should not have heard anything about the escape from Kawau Island, nor probably anything of the celebrated disagreement between his Excellency and Mr Fox. On the East Coast there are now about four hundred of these prisoners, and their number will probably continue to increase for some time to come. It is quite evident, therefore, that something must he done to remove what threatened to and indeed had already become an intolerable burden. Having re_solved upon their debarkation, his Excellency gave instructions to J. H. Campbell, Esq., R.M., to proceed to Turanga and superintend the conveyance of the first portion of the prisoners from that place to Napier, there to await the arrival of Captain Thomas, Resident Magistrate of the Chatham Inlands, who would receive the charge of a detachment of them and convey them by the s.s. ‘St. Kilda* to their destination, —Mr Campbell accompanying him and returning with the vessel for a second detachment of prisoners. . But while we acknowledge with pleasure that in this instance the Government are pursuing a rational course, we cannot ignore the fact that in another direction they are acting a most insane part; and we greatly fear that Mr Stafford will discover, too late, and to the cost of the Colony, that his ideas of doing without a defence force are erroneous. We this morning give extracts from the Wanganui and Taranaki journals in proof of what we say, and we know full well that neither on the East or West Coast are the rebels defeated, or, what is the same thing, they do not believe that they are so ; and will, when they see the defences of the Colony reduced, show themselves as aggressors by the enactment of their usual deeds of blood. Oar intelligence from Poverty Bay confirms in a striking manner the above views. It is admitted that the rebels have suffered much loss in that district, but though scotchT

the rebellion is not quelled, the fact being that they await a favorable time for renewing the assault, and meanwhile take every opportunity of inflicting damage upon our stragglers. While at Wairoa things have a threatening aspect,—the party that escaped at the recent engagement being unsubdued, irritated by failure, armed and determined on revenge if possible. The time has arrived in which the continuance of the war or its cessation depends entirely upon the course taken by the Government in the matter of colonial defence. On the one hand the rebels must see that the great defection from their party of those who have sumbitted, and their actual loss of friends by the transportation of the prisoners, leaves their cause in a hopeless state, provided always that the strength of our defences is maintained; while, on the other hand, if they find that we retire from before them, they will resume their courage and make more formidable work for us than before.