THE COST OF OUR DEFENCE.

Hawke's Bay Weekly Times, Volume 1, Issue 46, 18 November 1867, Page 286

THE COST OF OUR DEFENCE.

(From tbe Colonist, Nov. 5.) Though it is'admitted that the neck of the Maori war is broken, and although the late Defence Minister, Major Atkinson, stated in his place in Parliament that the settlers of Taranaki, the hot-bed of the rebellion, were quite prepared to defend themselves without any aid from the Central Government ; that Auckland Province, where the Maoris are most numerous, was equally desirous to undertake its owu defence; though Otago, Canterbury, Nelson, and Southland, the Provinces of the Middle Island, need'no defence whatever- —even their local policemen,-except in gold-bearing districts, enjoy a comparative sinecure as far as regards, crime—yet the Colony is now saddled with an “ Armed. Constabulary Force,”which is realiy.the old Defence Force, with all its expen sive officering and commissariat, under another name. 1 The Act came into force by proclamation of the Governor on the Ist of November, and the total cost of our pefence for 1867-68 is, in round numbers, £109,000. If we add to this the expense of our Volunteers and Militia, £21,000, we have agrarid total of £130,000 ! The influx of diggers to Auckland, which is not unlikely to take place, will settle the Maori difficulty. Eight or ten thousand diggers, if they should - invade that Province in such; numbers in search of gold, will for ever stop any possible rebellion; for if the natives wax warlike, they will find rough, and ready, and deadly foes in the miners. This is another reason, were such necessary, why this unwarrantable cost-L-this' increase of place-and patronage,.should mot have been allowed by our far too submissive Parliament, which :has greatly degenerated since its mistaken increase in 1866;