Original Correspondence.

New Zealander, Volume 7, Issue 525, 26 April 1851, Page 3

Original Correspondence.

To the Editor of the New Zealander. Sir,~A Correspondent of the Southern Cross, who signs himself " Justitia," has thought it is duty, it appears, to enlighten his fellow colonists concerning the late Maori demonstration. Seeing that he seems deep iv His Excellency's confidence, it is rather singular that he should have made bo many mistakes in his statements of the case. The sapient Editor of the Cross, too, always ready to find fault with Sir George Grey, immediately be comes a convert to hii unknown correspondent's views, (of cour6« taking for granted as true all he has staled,) although last week he was of quite a contrary opinion. The simple facts of the case are these. A NgaVi. paoa Chief named Hoera, during the scufflle ensuing on the capture of a native for theft, was struck on the back by some person : — the said chief, though by no means certain by whom the blow v* as given, (for when interrogated by the Resident Magistrate to that effect, he stated that he did not know,) fixes the onus upon a Maketu native named Mikahue or Ilemi Karena. His tribe accordingly comes up in force, and armed to the teeth, to seek utu of some kind. His Excellency feeling the impropriety of allowing so lar^e a body of armed men in the town, deputed the Commissioner of Police to tell them that " they must either give up their arms or leaVe in two hours; or their arms would be taken from them." Nothing was officially mentioned as to their being fired upon, — of courie, they might draw that inference in ca^e of resistance. They asked permission to send their arms to Okahu, which, as it implied a doubt in the honor of the Government, and was moreover contrary to the instructions of the Commissioner of Police, was of course refused. They then finding no alternative, departed quietly and quickly. It may be urged that His Excellency should have seen the natives himielf instead of the Commissioner of Police, who, of course, had no discretionary power ; but Hii Excellency'! policy evidently was to treat them with as much nonchalance, not to say contempt, as possible j and the event proved that he was right. His Excellency in posting pickets in various parts of the town, in ordering in the Onehunga Peniioners, &c, did nothing mote than the circumstances of the case warranted, inasmuch as he and every other sensible man knows that the only way in which Maoris, or in-

deed any one else, can be " acted upon," when under " strong excitement," is] by fear. To have gone further than he did, and have called out the Militia, would have been a confession of our own weakness, which it would not hare been prudent to hare shown, until foiced to do so for our own safety. " Justitia " insinuates that the native policeman who was supposed to have struck Hoera was a slave. If he takes the trouble to inquire, he will find he i* mistaken m this lespect also. Again he says " the natives could never have intended any tbing hostile," inasmuch a 9 they landed under the guns of the Fty. Why did they come armed then ! Besides the natives know very little or nothing of the execution that can he done by cannon. The Hazard's grape shot at the Bay did next to none at all. A shoit extract from the Editor of the Southern Cross's lemarks, and I have done. " What will ibe good folks of London say when we tell them, that not only fiee born Englishmen, but the highest and most infl. ential native chiefs are liable to experience outrage and insult at the hands of the meanest native slave and savage." Can any thing be moie absurd than this? Is not a free born Englishman in the person of a Peei, liable to be taken up at home, by policemen from the lowest grades of society, in any of his midnight or moming revels ? We ought I tuppose to have noble lords in the police for the purpose of incarcerating noble lords, mechanics to asiist the steps of brother mechanics to the lock-up, and so on ad libitum? Apologizing for the length of my epistle, lam Sir, &c, &c, A Constant Reader. Tamnki, April 25, 1851.