THE NATIVE DIFFICULTY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 153, 28 June 1879, Page 4

THE NATIVE DIFFICULTY.

{New Zealander.)

A very general feeling of satisfaction pervades that native etTairß have fit lest reached a crisis, whereon the Government most act resolutely, or elee stand out of the way and let others perform a duty upon which the welfare and credit of the entire Colony depends. The men of Hawera deserve, as fhey doubtless will receive, the thaoks of the entire Colony for taking prompt and resolute action to convince their troublesome Maori neighbors that there is a limit at which forbearance ceases to be a virtue, and that they do not intend any longer to permit the law to be outraged with impunity. The settlers do not desire war, nor is there the slightest pretext for asserting, as some hove done, that there has been any rashness displayed in other quarters in precipitating events tending to hostile collision. No one, save perhaps a few malcontents and miscbiefnmngers, desire to bear the first shot fired or hot blood shed between Europeans and Maoris, but all most generally desire that the Maori tribes should be taught that their ccts of lawlessness will be punished. And the feeling is coupled with one of regret that the beeistancy displayed by the Government has been construed by the natives as being the effect of timidity, and through this they have become the more emboldened. There is no reason to suppose that the Premier, or any of bis responsible advisers, have been laggards in taking decisive measures in dealing with the native question, from any fear of ultimate saccess, bat they have evidently held faith in " masterly inactivity," until everything; from their own point of view, was in readiness for action. Local opinion, however, at the scene of disturbance, viewing the pressing exigencies of the hour, has not waited for the perfection of deliberately maturing plans of operation, but seeing the necessity for action, has decided that it should be performed, and in performance the settlers have done well ' and, boldly. We do not gather from the fragmentary and slightly sensational telegrams coming to hand that they ere at all eager to io more than they have done, bat that they are prepared, should emergency arise, to give proof by appeal to arms that the natives are not to do as they like with impunity, This is a moat satisfactory and reassuring manifestation, and will do more to settle the native difficulty than any diplomatic negotiations, in lengthened tedioasnees long drawn oat. The ultimatum of the Hawera settlers to the natives is — Good behaviour first and always, and then settlement of your claims in equity and good intent; but lacking the first essential we shall teach you a stern leseon. la this view all loyaj, order, loving, colonists will concur, and the settlers who have thus struck while the iron is hot may be assured of the moral, and, if need be, the active support of the entiro New Zealand community. We are glad to be able to atate positively that the Ministry, now fully alive to the urgency for ready action, have determined to take ■; the best measures for circumventing any possible Btrategetic tactics on the part of the natives, A Cabinet meeting was held yesterday, and the members present^ seemed imbued with the spirit, and " ironclad " opinion of the, great warrior Wellington, who held : as the cardinal point of successful stratgey that before deciding on pounding 1 the enemy with either guns or rifles it was necessary to. maka roads leading right into the heart of his fortresses. The Bubjecte debated on in the Cabinet were mainly these. At, a greet expense the Colony, is already committed to maintaining id the field an array of Armed Conßtabujaiyr-raw levies aa yet, but of good stuff — and aIBO a volunteer force. If it came to an actual brush with an enemy, this force would, no doubt, give good account of itself, bat this is not likely to presently ensue; and even if it were the country such force would, have to traverse, to reconnoitre, and probably fight in, would make such effective force woefully weak. Rewi spoke, /words of suggestive warnipg when looking at a parade of half-fledged mounted volunteers a few days since, he said, ! " these -are not the men to fight in the bush." So also, with equal force, applies the remark that infantry, if they have not lines of concentration to fall back on,, cannot do much except to flounder into disaster io the (angled New Zealand bosh, So think the members of the Ministry, wisely advised, end this briefly told) is the scope and purpose of their present intent. The Mountain Track, a line of road of no immediate value, except as an accommodation for local traffic, has in its formation served thegpod purpose of opening up communication in the dirpclion pf Parifraka, the stronghold of the present Maori fanaticism and discontent. It baa -also served 'for a better purpose. It has kept a party of strong and lusty men employed in the district, and it has suggested that more road work might be .done, and with .infinitely good results. The. Cabinet members yesterday bad under consideration a proposal to carry a road, that, is to cut a road> line through the busb, jhree chains wide, with twenty feet cleared of scrub and nnder-growth in the centre, so that an armed force might, if needs be, march right into the heart of Te Whiti's stronghold. We understand from reliable authority that an offer haa beeq ; already made to do the work. ' The proposing contractor, t a man of good practical experience/

says " K ive me the means to pay my men twelve shillings a day, furnish each of them with a riflo and a supply of ammunition, and employ your Armed Constabulary to scout and warn them of any impending danger, nnd I'll carry on as many miles of road clearing as you want, right through the disaffected country" Well, the cost of tbs kind of work will ba considerably more than if 'twere done under perfectly peaceful auspicea, but then it must be remembered (hat it is merely forming one of (b. 9 links in the chain of internal communication already mapped out by the . surveyors, and that moreover it would beep in the district a strong force of lußty men, who in the event of serious disturbance, would be a help in pressing trouble. The prosecution of this work will also be the best possible ossuranre to the be'eagured settlers that the Ministry have their best intaresta at heart, and in their preservation and safety they are also aimicg nt effecting two other all important results — the allayment of " Maori scares," by subjugation of the naiiveß themselves, and the opening up for settlement of much valuable country at present scarce known to civilisation.