THE MAORI MESSENGER. Auckland, April 24, 1851.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume 4, Issue 61, 24 April 1851, Page 1

THE MAORI MESSENGER. Auckland, April 24, 1851.

It is with infinite pain we find ourselves called upon to notice the unfortunate misunderstanding which lately arose between certain native tribes and the eonstitutejjT authorities ; as it is not merely, our. fluty hut our most anxinus .desire, taj the errors into which these tribes' have fallen, find to show tliem Ijow ulteily impossible it wns to listen to .any opinplniiits from men who had come armed seemingly for the express purpose of attempting to enforce those comp'nints, we shall he obliged to state, as briefly as possible, the origin j

and progress of the brawl, and to point out tlic various mistakes into which our I native friends were subsequently led. It would appear then, that on the evening of Monday the 14th instant, a shirt was stolen from a shopkeeper in Short" land-street by a native then abiding with the Ngatipoa tribe, by which tribe some obstruction was offered to the police as they were conveying the thief to the lock-up. A struggle ensued, and, in that struggle, a chief of the Ngatipoa's was not only struck but also carried prisoner to the lock-up. This was the origin of the subsequent discord, and it was at this especial juncture that the first error on the part of the Natives was committed, since instead of reposing confidence in the justice and integrity of the law—instead of proclaiming.their grievance,to the authorities -they precipitately quitted Auckland to arm and assemble their tribes, and eventually to return in an apparently hostile manner. In the meanwhile, the case of the chief had been at once investigated and, no misconduct being nttached to him, lie was liberated forthwith. • The law, moreover, was still open to this chief; who had but to prove that he hud been outraged by the police to iiuure an adequate punishment of the offence. There is nothing which Englishmen regard with so much jealousy as the pure and uncontrolled administration of justice. Should the mightiest noble of' England become involved in any infraction of the law his offence would be as rigidly inquired into as that of the meanest of the people. Such things as tumultuary assemblages of armed men are never overlooked. No mattet whether those assemblages be for the avowed purpose of obtaining a redress of real or imaginary wrong. We tell you this that you mav be convinced that the peremptory order which was issued to the assembled natives to' quit .-Mechanics' on Thursday last would have been much more peremptorily enforced had a' body of armed Europeans assembled ns the natives then did to' make demnnds which no Government*—even the most feeble—cou d for a moment listen to. Were a Government to be intimidated by an armed force what security ronld there be for the lives or properties of its peaceable subje.ts? We are delighted, fio.'n the peaceful termination of this unfortunate misunderstanding, that the nativdsAnse enabled the tribes to perceive 'ti&ttithe order which commanded their' departure was the only one which a due regard for the dignity of the law permitted', and we eann t hut applaud the promptitude with which that order was obeyed, and the pruden cewhich, after due consideration of the case, determined the tribes to make n manly and satisfactory acknowledgment of the error they had committed. Such conduct enhances them largely in European esteem, —it being a maxim of enlightened men, in all ngesthut fools arc e»er ready to fight in support of the wrong, whilst it is only the truly brave who are open to conviction and make amends for unintentional offence. The interests of'the natives and the Europeans are much too intimately allied for either party not to be most anxious in promoting the welfare, the happiness, and the prosperity of the other. Each possess the menus of contributing to tie

other's comfort. Through a long succession of peaceful years relaiions of mutual kindness and good will have? cemented the bonds of nn ali'ecti'nate and growing eslei in. Not only have the Europeans striven to instruct the natives in every art of industry, but they have eagerly invited them to pnrieipatc in all their enjoyments and sports. Why therefore, should there be any insane or mistaken stiife between such brethren? Thank (iod the darkening cloud lias passed not, however, we trust, without inculcating this most important lesson that in all causes of complaint they need but to be preferred to the constituted authorities, who "ill not fail to render full nnd faithful Justine.