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Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 935, 16 April 1879, Page 2

The more enlightenment we receive on the Wsimate Plains dispute, the stronger 1 bionics our conviction that the affair has arisen through a mtsrtndcratandinif. The natives aver that Sir Donald M'Lean pro- ( towd that ample reserves should be given them ..ii 6"i* M»«* '• »'»«' if tlwla*«>* a *»" c , Minister made such a promise, he acted in . a manner at once politic and just. 3lr. Sheelian, astute and learned in -Maori , affairs as he is, could neither have been . r ignorant t,f Sir Donald M'Leaus promise. , : tv«r Mind to the necessity for carrying it , <„. t c ; and we would be surprised to learn j ; that the Native Minister had belied our opinion ««f him by ordering the survey , without first having arranged f«r the , ;apportionment of the reserves which had ; Wen promised by his predecessor, and ■ which are necessary. Without them what is the Maori to do i He cannot be driven into the sea—that would be at variance with our advanced ideas of propriety—nor «an he live on the air any more than his ; pater brethren. There is no other way of 'eonipassing what has been termed the /•native dithVutty," but what mhjht b.tfyore appropriately tunned the evil-, \itisi{i,!ir from European procrastination an.t : trnip-Tisins;, than by absolutely Crown ♦ trantinsc to the natives areas suKieieutty

t>> keep them from want. This ought to have been d»ne long ag->, but that 4vouH not prevent ih fr-in do:n-„' it tunv. There should he no aMeliil-r to strike .1 hard bargain v.irh the natives. »r t»> deal with them grudgingly. They are U-.-fc less keen than we arc. ami may* compel us cither t-> Wat an ttndigui-rit-.E retreat itmti the p-.-rition we take up damaging to. ottr prestige, or to iw>rt!tarois t--« enforce ot»r authority. The s-opnai/e of the survey of tine J"iV'i'>iiihsli U[o t k by the natives of the I [-per Thames is a natural »e«|Uel to the action •*> the Wainiate Mains natives. The fact utile natives are a* much children as tiny are imtt and wi'iiwn ; and. it' they see that the persistency ft' their brethren in another part, is likely u« secure f..f them what they seek, tht-y, to >. although perhaps no.t entitled to the same e-nee.--sions. mat- prefer a similar claim, ikm.r.He iptju-dieiosisnes.* »f allowing ouch n.-.-i.utes as the present t»> occur, it th--y can i,..! avoided. The only rrv.«»ient that will ..perate U-netkUlly upon the native.*, an-! the- only treatment they understand. :.- that which is- the uioat honorable. di_ni-!it-.-f. and determined. Ueuder «»:•» them that which they ate jit.ttly entitled t-> : .-ml if. after Living 'l--UL- .-•, they atv -i>-strut-five, they must be compelled t>- 1 way. |sy the exercise- ••:' a IttcU- dipt .- maey we misfit years ago have, a>-.pu;-.:-t the Vv'aimate i'Eaius much more ea-tly than- no shall acquire them now. haveUa-t thetu settled, and have made an- -ther advance towards f-h'" heart >,: Mre-rid'-m. The ■ tim-.r..-H.sttts* . . -v IV:tald .ML-.-ut was the e;w-' ►■ f tlu-> u ■ b-j-in •; cl.-uc : att-i u-.w t'a-at ate-tiler v»h-- t.-. h-..i caivt'tt ."--r lii-; p-'lify. an>l m.'ie aiir.i-.-i:.; I'-r t:i.- pr->- «>■ iv-pe t-.i air the =.peedy ae-tiii .r:i-fi, hy tairtaean.*, t,-t th-Me large trat' <- f c-funt-.y \-ht--Et the native* tin tt"t re-jittlfc.'. 'Ve .-hall nee.-r make any in this ct»-e"tu-H hy niaktttt; prtif<-ut.-« t-> the Mtv.f is. They kt:---.v as well as v.v i!o the meaninv: *>f ttie v!>E sayitt-.-. " a sprat i-> eateh a tnaekeret." ami '.wit. afrtr a!i --:;: „,.,|;, r[ wifcti- *-f time, an-'t [f-tit-hr. "itlv esa-'i: tu-Te rt.* i.» Eiir eit-1. -.vhcii v,.are eHmpeiied te- -.'-• t-> them and ..peiily ati-l fairly htf.v their landa. c have every e-'-nfideticc in tiic at-itity ft Mr. Sheehiui tf tarry 'Kit what lie ii.'W Cakt'ti in : han-t with»»;tt the aid ft" meddlers. The Eii'sf. dtspitte'-vcr, r.«d er.planati-.ns haviii-r Insert maiitf «>;« L-;rh aides, .rinime.vs <»iily w;w re«ttdaite to settle tttc Waimatc Plains when Mr. was intr-uiiifini.' his .aecoHd eltpffiitatic act. there should have heen s«-» utuch interference by the Press and Ministers. He knew what he was 'ahmit, and the maudlin sympathy and i'i,'Tt">ratt<;« » f objectors was such as would have given him warrant for abandoning his position.