The New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Wednesday, August 26, 1846.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume II, Issue 112, 26 August 1846, Page 2

The New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Wednesday, August 26, 1846.

The false sympathy which has been shown in many quarters towards the New Zealanders who have resisted the authority-of the British Government, must in a great degree be attributed to misconception'of the native character and of the nature of the present contest be•tween them and the -Government. That reverend demagogue, Dr. Lang, in a letter published in the Sydney papers shortly after the destruction of Kororarika, attempted to exalt into a patriot and hero the rebel Heki, and in a strain of maudlin sentimentality professed that his heart bled for Kawiti, and a Mr. Merrett has written a great deal of.nonsense professedly with the same object. Because the revolting excesses of savage warfare weranot at first indulged in by Hekl and his followers, he was cried up as a miracle of moderatiooand valour, and this perverted notion of the contest was strengthened by the fatuity of Captain Fitzroy and the misrepresentations of the Chief Protector Mr. Clarke. We know that this prime favourite of our Governor declared in his despatches on the Wairau Massacre that the natives invariably acted. on the defensive, and assuming as a matter of course, and -in -direct contradiction to the evidence, that in any collision between the two races the natives must be right and the settlers wrong, had the wicked audacity to call for the punishment of the survivors of that tragic catastrophe. And the system pursued throughout Mr. Clarke's Protectorate and daring j the time of Captain Fitzroy's misgovernraent, was a base truckling and yielding to the demands of the turbulent and disaffected natives, in the vain hope of ing, by pampering and petting these insolent contemners of authority, while the peaceable and well disposed natives because they gave no trouble were passed over and slighted, — and we are now reaping the natural effects of this system. Stripped of the prestige and false glare which the pseudo-philanthro-pists would throw round him, Heki is merely a turbulent restless fellow, addicted to drunkenness and other low vices, who formed a rallying point for characters of the same stamp with himself; one whom we may hope the determined energy of our present Governor has deprived of the power of working further mischief. In this district the nature of the struggle and the character of those engaged in it is too plain and unmistakeable to admit df similar misrepresentation. No perversion of the truth howeveringenious, no art, not even that of Mr. Clarke, could elevate the principal actors in the Wairau massacre into heroes. Murderers from the beginning, they have continued, the contest in the same savage spirit, their hands have ever been swift to shed blood, and for the sake of common humanity it is necessary that they should he put down, and an example made of the principal offenders. This is as strongly felt by the great body of the natives as by the -settlers, and therefore they lend | their -zealous co-operation to remove the evil. They see that these men are-effectual obstacles to the progress of improvement in this country, and the amelioration of the condition of its aboriginal inhabitants. They have had sufficient experience of the intentions of the settlers towards them, to -know that the/intercourse between the two races must be productive of unmixed good to them, and that the more intimate and closer the relations between them, the more the weaker race must be benefited. But the great body of New Zealanders regard the British Government as a beneficent Power, whose authority would be exerted to prevent the recurrence of those exterminating wars which were the bane of the country ; they see that it is absolutely necessary there should be some -controlling .power to keep the peace, and to ensure to each man the fruit of his labours, and for this reason they cheerfully lend their aid in putting down the rebellion. The number of the disaffected in proportion to the whole amount of native population is perfectly insignificant. In this district, out .of twenty thousand, not more than two or

three hundred, outcasts from different tribes, are to be found in arms against the Government, and these are now fugitives, closely pursued by a greatly superior force. — Rangihaeata aud his adherents are the representatives of the old savage times, when every man's hand was against his neighbour, >and the greatest bully obtained the greatest influence. They find this influence rapidly failing before the progress of civilization, and we may hope that in a few years, by a series of well concerted measures on the part of our present Governor, it will be entirely extinct. In the mean time we may aid the cause of peace and order, by exposing the real nature of the contest, and stripping their soidisant heroes of the plumes with which ignorance or a worse spirit has invested them. The contest is really between the worst features of savage life and civilization, and it is not difficult to predict which will eventually prevail.

News was received on Sunday that a fight had taken place between the friendly natives and the rebels, in which two of our allies were killed, and the same number on the part of the rebela, one of these being Epau, the murderer of young Gillespie. It was reported yesterday that Rangihaeata had contrived to escape from his pursuers, and was making his way -along the coast. We hope that the natives of Waikanae will succeed in checking his progress, and either capture or destroy him, as while this savage remains at large the district will always be liable to fresh disturbances, and the outsettiers exposed to danger.

On Sunday the Government Brig 'returned from Porirua, which she left on the previous day. She has brought round the men who were wounded in the late attack on Rangihaeata's position in the Horokiwi valley. They were landed on Monday, and taken on litters to the hospital. They are eight in number, seven soldiers and one militiaman. One man has had his arm amputated, but we rejoice to say that all the cases are favourably reported upon, and that the men are rapidly recovering under the able medical treatment and attention they have received.

Accident from Fire Arms. — A serious accident occurred yesterday to a lad of the name of John Cutfield in the employ of Mr. Burcham. Since the murder of Rush Mr. Burcham has always been in the habit of travelling from the Huttto Wellington with a loaded double-barrelled gun in his cart. Yesterday on reaching Wellington he left the cart in charge of Cutfield, who in his absence proceeded to unload it, and in doing this he incautiously laid hold of the muzzle df the gun, and drawing it towards him, one of the barrels unfortunately went off and its conients (large shot) were lodged iii his left arm immediately above the wrist. He was removed to the Military Hospital when Jrom the excessive hemorrage and the shattered state of the bone, amputation was found to be absolutely necessary. The operation was skilfully performed by Dr. Galbraith of the 99th regt., assisted by Mr. Monteith, and we are informed that the patient is going on favourably. We regret that we should so often have to record accidents of this nature, and cannot too often impress upon the public the necessity of excercising a proper degree of caution in handling fire arms.

Last week one of the inmates of the lunatic ward in the gaol died, and on Saturday he was buried. The deceased, who was one of the earliest settlers, had seen better days, but from misfortunes and losses had been reduced to poverty, and his losses had affected his reason. The body was borne to its last home by the prisoners in the gaol, and their conduct on their way «to the grave was so indecorous and improper as to be the subject x>f common remark and animadversion. We mention this fact for the purpose of drawing the attention of the proper authorities to the subject, in the hope that by so doing we may prevent the recurrence of similar scenes.

Wellington Savings Bank. — Mr. S. Re. vans, Major Richmond, Mr. W. B. Rhodes, and Dr. Featherston, the Managers in rotation, will attend to receive deposits at Mr. Ross's office, from seven to eight o'clock on Saturday evening, the 29th August, and at the Union Bank of Australia., from twelve to one o'clock on Mondayforenoon, the 31st Aug^t.

Wjs are informed that^the natives at the Wairarapa have lately been engaged in constructing wooden bridges across the gullies intersecting the route from the different stations to the sea/ "by which the carriage of wool this reason will be greatly facilitated.

Four bridges are completed, and they have been built in a very substantial manner.