THE Oamaru Mail WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURIST. TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 1879.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 974, 3 June 1879, Page 2

THE Oamaru Mail WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURIST. TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 1879.

Lort> arc the huzzars of the haters of the present Government rather than lovers of the Colony at uhat they designate the utter failure of the native administration. Yet it would be dilheult to say what these people want. They do not appear themselves to' know whether they would like the Maoris annihilated, or left tu peace as they have been tor tin.- last nine years. At one time, they declaim against those in power because they do not have the shot down tike itogs, anil at another they expatiate on the horrors likely to follow the touching a hair of their heada. These are not the men from whom to derive an intelligent opinion on the question, How should the Maoris be treated I Sir George Grey and Mr. Sheehan are actuated by motives very different from those of their detractors. They have reputations at stake, and, as they have a full knovrl>;rluv of the history of native matters, r.ti<l the peculiarities of the people v.irh whom they have to deal, it is not likely that they will make sltip- [ wreck of their trust. That they are honest is indisputable ; that they are clever is equally plain. The only thing we feared was that the Premier might be a little too soft towards the aggressors, and somewhat neutralise the decisive action of the Native Minister. Bat his conduct at Te Kopua has relieved «5 of any suspicions on this score. There was a time when insults were accepted by our administrators with meekness for which ho warrant could be found in any mora! code. A coarse impudent rebutF was the signal for an undignified retreat, instead of punishment. This was the price at which active hostilities were avoided. Natives have therefore been taught to believe that they can insult and pillage', and even vary the monotony by an occasional murder. This is the key to their conduct in entering upon the lands of Taranaki settlers,

plough in hand. Like other savage nations, they are naturally warlike, and admire a man for his ouiroye in>>re than fur anything else. With them no one is so great aa ho who has pat, his enemy beyond the reach of troubling him again. What they admire in their own kind they lilso admire i:t those of others. But as

they adore a man fur his bravery, so they acorn the man in whom there is even the appearance of cowardice. They are cunning enough to know as well as we do

that we are lenient with them because we :tre afraid of them, and that is why they occasionally do such strange things as that which we bare just heard of. They know that so tenaeioua were we of peace that three or four murders were condoned rather than break it; and they think that

it -will be so now. We hope not. It is harrowing enough to read that some of our legislators have been compelled to suffer the companionship of the perpetrators of the murders that aroused the blood of colonists -when tliey were committed. The time has arrived when., firm but not aggressive action is necessary. The natives mu3t be taught that we can no longer brook insult, or view with complacency the perpetration of outrages of any kind. To do this a firm but just attitude towards the Maoris must be assumed. Wc have already seen that both the Premier and the Native Minister are capable of putting such a policy into force. Their past conduct in regard to native affairs has clearly established that fact, and wc have, therefore, every confidence that, if they are permitted to carry out their policy without the interference, if not the opposition, of political opponents, they will not only succeed in establishing peace upon a firmer basis, but will lead to a better understanding between the two races. To do this it is necessary to show the natives that while we are prepared to treat them fairly and honestly, wc are determined that they must become law-abiding subjects. It is true that native affairs in Taranaki at present wear a gloomy appearance, and that prognostications of serious trouble are freely indulged in, equally as much so by those residing near the scene of the impudent outrage as elsewhere ; but we do not anticipate a war resulting from this latest piece of bounce. The natives are not, wc believe, iu a fit state to go to war with us. They are undoubtedly a shrewd people, and they must see and know that directly they enter upon hostilities they must at once lose all hope of ever again being in a position to ask concessions at our hands.. They must have learned by this time that they are incapable of waging a successful war airaiust the civilised population, and that hostilities between the races can only lead cither to the extermination of themselves or to their being rendered a poorer people. The situation is one that requires careful handling, but we have every confidence in the Premier and Native Minister treating it in such a manner as will, while avoiding open hostilities, clearly show the natives that if they want war we are prepared not only to fight them but to make the warfare one of cither extermination or complete subjugation. But in order to carry out such a policy there must be no intermeddling with the natives by those who, while they cry aloud for peace, would dance with joy if they found the preseut Ministry embarrassed bv another native war.