MR. M'LEAN'S ANTAGONISM TO THE GOVERNMENT.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 13, Issue 667, 25 March 1869, Page 3

MR. M'LEAN'S ANTAGONISM TO THE GOVERNMENT.

(From the New Zealand Advertiser, March 15.) The behaviour of the Provincial authorithorities in Hawke s Bay furnishes one of the most montrous instances of the sel6sh and insane ultra-provincial spirit tha Colony has yet seen. The having found the Arawa division of Native Constables in every point equal to the best part of the force, de-patched the recruiting officers to the Ngatiporou settlements to enlist a number of that warlike tribe on similar terms. Eighty-five men were pro* cured, thanks to the cordial help of the leading chiefs; help the more gratifying as it was hardly to be expected, the chiefs generally looking on the new organization as some diminution of their tribal autho«» rity. Mokena, Arapeta, Hotene, and Rapata joined in person. This chief, we may remark, has been rewarded for hit services at Turanga by a commission as Major. Up to their arrival in Napier roadstead, all were contented and full of spirits. Ropata went on shore, and visiting Mr M'Lean, that gentleman thought it his public duty to advise Ropata and his men to break their engagement with the Government, and remain for the protection of the East Coast. After some delay and discussion, and the use of some little violence, Ropata carried off with him on shore sixty-five out of the eightyfive men. The remaining twenty, under Hatiwira and Eru, proceeded to Wellington in the St. Kilda, and arrived here on Saturday afternoon. With reference to the alleged need of detaining these eighty* five natives, it is sufficient to remark that two thousand two hundred (2,200) rifles, have been issued by Mr M'Lean as Government agent to friendly natives of Hawke's Bay and the East Coast, and that the Ngatiporou alone in a few hours furnished an armed contingent of two hundred and sixty men for Poverty Bay in addition to eighty who had preceded them. The Turanga garrison of eighty furnished to Major Biggs, when first Te Kooti's movements towards Poverty Bay were discovered, were collected from the Aitangahauiti tribe of Tolago Bay and Mawhai in less than two days from the hour the summons was dispatched. The Ngatikahungunu of the plains near Napier can turn out three to lour hundred men at half a day's notice, and two hundred more can be had in fine weather in two days from Mohaka, Wairoa, and Nuhaka. We are speaking now of men whose loyalty is probably to be relied on, and who could be had without endangering the districts from which they would be drawn. Ultra-provincialism is intelligible, and Colonialism is intelligible, but tne notion of drawing ad libitum on the pockets of the Colony for war in and defence of a district, whilst at the same time its authorities—by intrigue and force, and persuasion, prevent its overflowing resources in fighting men from being used in other places, is a novelty which startles us out of our propriety. Either Hawke'* Bay is a part of the Colony or it is not. If it is, the Colony is bound to come forth toifci support, and this view the Government* one and all have taken so far; but then it must share risks with other places, and submit to the Government which controls the colonial expenditure, and which has information from all sides, and is cognisant of the risks everywhere. If it is not part of the Colony, and pretends to independent alliances, Hawke's Bay will have to pay those allies out of its own funds, and bear its own risks single-handed as best it may.