THE MAORI KING AND THE PREMIER.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5350, 21 May 1878, Page 3

THE MAORI KING AND THE PREMIER.

“THE PARLIAMENT OP US TWO.” (From the Daily Telegraph.) It is very evident, from what .the Aei o Zealander says, that Sir George Grey is extremely anxious that the preposterous proposals which lie made to the King natives ri.ouid not be submitted to the General Assembly before they are so far agreed to by the Maoris as to prevent the colony withdrawing them without brinrino’ di-honor on the Government. Ihe New Zealander, which is now tho Ministerial Di-can says, in reference to the late Hikurangi meeting, that “Tawhiao appears fully to recognise the fact that it is desirable the whole affair should be settled before Parliament meets, and his word is pledged to have tho third anil' final meeting before that time.” We imagine that Tawhiao would not have recognised “ the fact" unless its desirability had hoeu impressed upon him by the Premier. It, might have been suggested to the King that, in accepting the proposals, he had everything to gain and nothing to lose,'and that if he did not quickly make up his mind Parliament would step'in and prevent Sir George, Grey, from giving public property away for no beneficial object. The 'New: Zealander soya that it was the bounden duty of the colony to suitably provide for King Tawhiao and Ids people. The only duty in this respect that we can see devolved upon the colony was to provide suitable prison accommodation, for those miscreants and murderers amongst Tawhiao’s people who have hitherto found .a safe; nay him iu the King country. As for Tawhiao himself, the duty of the colony was to leave' him alone in the obscurity into which his self-imposed isolation had relegated him aud his; tribe. We venture to think that the mast mischievous day’s work that Sir Geor.e Grey has ever done for this 1 colony was accomplished at the Hikurangi meeting. In the first place, his actual presence at Hikurangi Was tantamount to a recognition by the Government of Tawhiao 'as King of tho Maoris. Secondly, though it was impossible for the Premier to make complete restitution of the confiscated Waikato lands, the proposals I o made amounted to as near to it as could bo, for they permit the most disaffected natives in New Zealand to 1 return to country out of which they were only driven by an immense expenditure of blood and treasure. Thirdly, the offer of a gift of money was equal to an admission that a wrong had been committed by the Government, and that £SOO would be given in reparation of an injustice. However anxious Sir George Grey may bo to conclude the degrading concessions he has made to the King without interference, we may be sure that the General - Assembly will not rest quietly under the degradation that has been imposed bn the colony. We trust the General Assembly will repudiate the disgraceful bargain the Premier has made, and absolutely refuse to concede anything to the King until all niurderers in his ‘keeping have been de ivered up to justice, and the Queen’s supremacy acknowledged.