THE EVENING MAIL. SATURDAY, JUNE 16, 1877.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 358, 16 June 1877, Page 2

THE EVENING MAIL. SATURDAY, JUNE 16, 1877.

The Native Jailor (the Hon. Danibl Pollen) has arranged that a meeting of " King" and the Governor shall take place shortly. What is to be done at this meeting '—if it should ever coins to pass—for that depends entirely anon the consent of his august Majesty " King'' Tawhiao bein;r obtained. We think we can foretell. The wretched creatures that Lave become corrupt and effeminate thro-;-.;-h a thorough reliance upon a munificent Government will congregate in considerable numbers at the place appointed, and there they will remain making speeches laudatory of the Native Minister so long as the food lasts, most of which is usually supplied by the Govtrnment. A number of the Maori nihility, from Tawhiao downwards, will be invited ; or it is not improbable that the meeting may be called with their consent—but they will not be present. Should we be satisfied with a policy that can only control a number of miserable, broken-down, demoralised Natives, and that only whilst they are kept under the eye of the Native Minister or his subordinates, whilst "King" Tawhiao and his crew set us at nought, pulling the strings in the security of their fastnesses at Te Kuiti ? What about the murderers of Todd and Sullivan, or the perpetrators of the Poverty Bay massacre?. Let this so-called peace policy be tested by demanding the surrender of these murderers, and what would be the result? If we may be allowed to judge from former experience, we have a right to conclude that the Native "King" would treat our demands with contempt. Can any Native policy, having so little control <->•-'.- r the leading spirits of Maoridom, be 1 u ..- sidered successful ? Should a policy that is compelled to suffer Purukutu, Te Kooti, Tapihana, and others of the same ilk, to go at large, be considered worthy of commendation I We answer—No. Better that the Native Department were abolished altogether than that we should show the Natives how weak, or unwilling, we are to press our demands. The Native meetings at Maungatautari and Ngaruauahia about four years ago were eminently unsuccessful, for they left Native matters just as they were before. Semi-nude grotesque terpsichorean displays were about the best feature connected with them, if we except the dried shark, pork, potatoes, and rum. It was intensely amusing to read the official accounts of these gatherings. It cm easily be con - ceived that the Press throughout -t 1 Colony would only be too glad to have a report supplied them, seeing that but few journalists have any knowledge of Maori (

and that was written at the dictation of the Native Department. If any journalist proved more enterprising than his brethren, and negotiated for a report from what he in his innocence thought to be an independent source, his mind was soon disabused of so erroneous an impression, and he would, in all probability, be informed by bis interpreter that his services had been retained by the Government, who had become aware through one of its numerous agencies that there.was danger that the truth would be told. The result would be, an account so distorted that it would almost be difficult to detect any similarity therein to anything that had been said by a native who was not exactly in the pay of the Government, whilst the fulsome humbug of the friendly natives was exaggerated. The Native Department's reputation, we fear, may sadly come to grief over this Poverty Bay affair, which, to those who are acquainted with native matters, wears a gloomy aspect. Tliere may be no real cause for alarm in this particular instance; but if there were, it would cause not the least surprise amongst those who have carefully watched the trouble that has been brewing between the two races since the patched-up terms of peace. The least the Government can do—having through their mismanagement brought trouble to the innocent people of Poverty Bay—is to protect them. We would not, however, be surprised if this were not done. The stationing of a force at Poverty Bay would imply that there was danger, and this would rob the Native Department of the laurels it has won by gross misrepresentation. The Native Minister can well afford the risk of brazening out what he would term the "little misunderstanding," seeing that there is no chance that he will be amongst the sacrificed, whilst snugly ensconced within the pale of his drawing-room. Murder may take place—but, then, it may not ; and on this latter probability hangs his reputation.