C. O. DAVIS AGAIN.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 14, Issue 744, 16 December 1869, Page 3

C. O. DAVIS AGAIN.

(Evening Post.) Maori sympathisers are most indefatigable in propagation of their doctrines, and the ingenuity they display in placing them before the public under fresh aspects is truly wonderful. We hare just noticed Mr George Graham's proceedings in England, and we now find Mr 0. 0. Davis writing a letter to the Southern Cross, in which the following passage occurs :—" So satisfied was M'Lean with the sincerity of their (the king party's) assurances, that he recommended the Governor to liberate Te Hura and his companions, who were incarcerated at Mount Eden, on account of certain acts perpetrated by them during the war. In reference to Mr M'Lean's action in the liberation of the unfortunate Maori prisoners at the present time, there is no doubt but that it will have a most beneficial influence not only on the Maori king, but on the whole native population. So merciful and so manly an act will be looked upon as a pledge that the present Government are working for the pacification of the country ; and it is fervently to be hoped that a greater pledge will speedily be given by the Government, namely, the disbanding of all the forces, European and Maori, thereby relieving us from a large and useless expenditure, and relieving from the minds of the Maoris the prevailing idea that we are, for mercenary purposes, prolonging the war." The barefaced audacity of such a proposal as this, almost takes one's breath away. Extravagant as the savings and doings of the class Mr G. O. Davis belongs to have often been, this is certainly the highest flight yet attempted, actually to disarm, to deprive ourselves of all means of defence, and trust the maintenance of order and i he protection of our lives and property tu a set of half-modified savag-s which has kept us in constant dread for the last 10 years! What a pleasant reflection for the inhabitants of Sew Zealand, and cheerful prospect for intending emigrants, that we are existing solely by the forbearance of king Tawhiao, and liable to be pounced upon at any moment! The most charitable supposition that can be entertained with reference to Mr Davis is, that he is a monamaniac. If he is really in full possession of his faculties, a very much harsher epithet might with justice be applied to him. Experience has clearly siown us that the best way to maintain peace with Mr Davis' dusky friends is always to be prepared for war; and we have far too much confidence in the intelligence of the people of the Colony to brieve that they would submit for a moment to such an utter suicidal course as that proposed.