The Oamaru Mail WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURIST. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1879.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1050, 1 September 1879, Page 2

The Oamaru Mail WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURIST. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1879.

Tiir action of thp natives in the I pper Thames district air».rds another evidence of the ocas, of what has been termed, in order to gain political advantage, the great native policy. In a district comparatively a short distance from large centres of European population, there exist natives who are apparently as savage as the natives were when Captain Cook visited this country. Tbis is not consequent upon dislike to the present Government. It will be remembered that during the official term of the late Sir Donald M'Lcan, Te Hira and other recalcitrant natives of the Upper Thames district for years successfully opposed the opening of the Ohinetnuri district. The disaffection which prompted this obstructiveness is still smouldering amongst the native tribes of that part of the Colony. It may be said that the action of the Government in attempting to survey the disputed block, which is contiguous to the Ohinemuri block, was indiscreet. But the Government cannot be charged with indiscretion, so far as wo see. Every necessary precaution appears to have been taken before undertaking the survey of the block preparatory to passing it through the Native Lands Court. It is probable that the natives who committed the outrage have now for the first time aaserted their part-ownerahip of the disputed land. Of course peace may bo maintained as perfectly as it was during the reign of the late administration. But will the country be satisfied with maintaining peace at the cost of permitting the natives to remain in undisturbed possession of largo areas of country. Native lands must either bo acquired, or the progress of the Colony must be arrested. The handful of natives who are playing the part of Te Hira are sorely not to be permitted to hold sway over broad acres that they cannot use properly themselves and which would support hundreds of agricultural families. It is a pity that tho surveyors should have almost been sacrificed in consequence of the progressive tendencies of the Government. But nobody but political discontents would, in consequence of the untoward event of Saturday, charge the Government with having exceeded their duty. It appears that the Native Minister intends that the Upper Thames natives shall be treated with tho same firmness that smothered tho disaffection of the Waimate Plains nativps. In doing this he will gain the applause of ail right-thinking men. The aggressors of tho Upper Thames must bo taken and punished as though they were Europeans for the offence they have committed, or we may next hear of rebellious natives committing what the L pper Tames natives evidently intended to commit—murder. Truly, the position of a Native Minister j nc t a Government who disapprovo of political rest al, d waiting for the tide of events to work out a policy for them, is not an unviable one.