Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 1869. THE GHOORKAS.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 15, Issue 647, 14 January 1869, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 1869. THE GHOORKAS.

Mb. Crachoft Wilson's proposal to settle tlie native difficulty by the employment of a small army of Ghoorkas, under European officers, seems to us to be such as to commend itself to our most favorable consideration. All parties seem agreed that, although it is quite possible for the colonists themselves to do the work in tlie course of a few years, more or less, it could only be at the cost of the utter neglect of all the ordinary pursuits of industry, and that the work, when done, would find the Colony impoverished, most of its leading settlers ruined, and nothing to show of a substantial character for the sacrifices undergone So impressed have some of the thinking -portion of the commuuitv been with this com iction, that they have been willing to sacrifice their political existence so that they might have military protection. In Auckland, as we know, a large meeting! of the inhabitants was prevailed on | to pray the Homo Government to! suspend tlie Constitution, and appoint an irresponsible Dictator to undertake the work of subjugating the Hauhaus, regardless of what might be the consequences of the step. In our own Province an attempt was made to bring about a like result; but it happily failed, mainly through the able exposure of the effects that scheme would be likely to produce, by some of the gentlemen who addressed the meeting. Yet in spite of this, a result was obtained in the adoption of the memorial praying for Imperial aid, which may in effect amount to nearly the same thing. Those of us who have the experience of the former wars with the Maoris, and remember the vexations and annoyances the Colony underwent from the mismanagement of the troops, from the fact of all control being vested in the war department; and who saw upwards of £3,000,000 sunk in obtaining a very partial and unsatisfactory result, will be exceedingly cautious before they commit themselves to any desire for a repetition of the same thing. The plan was fairly tried ; it confessedly failed either to conquer the Maori or satisfy the colonist, It left its work still unfinished, notwithstanding that it bequeathed us a legacy of taxation which will remain a burden to us and our children for generations' to come.

Now it strikes us that Mr Wilson's scheme has none of the disadvantages attendant upon the employment of Imperial troops. If Imperial, troops are sent to New Zealand to

fight the rebels it is certain that they will be under Imperial control, and still the colonists will have to pay the war bill. If Mr Wilson's plan be followed we shall have our own forces under our own control, and though we still have to.pay, there is not the ground for complaint that we are paying for what we cannot direct —possibly for the perpetration of much mischief, without the power of preventing it. We belie\e that Mr Wilson's plan is just that which the Colony wants to see in working activity, and that if it had been adopted when at first propounded, the Colony would at this time be in the enjoyment of peace and prosperity.