THE NATIVE PRISONERS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1319, 12 July 1880, Page 2

THE NATIVE PRISONERS.

(FROM a CORRESPONDENT OF THE liYTIELTON TIMES.) Wellington, July 10. The Peace Preservation Bill, which was read a first time on Friday, is not yet circulated in print, but J am in s, position to say from authentic information, that its object is to enable Government to deal with Maori prisoners in custody. The time of detention, as fixed by the Act of last session, having nearly expired, I understand that Government intend to postpone the trial of prisoners in the present critical,condition of affairs, especially as they believe they could not charge them with any offence which would involve more than a few days' imprisonment, at the end of which period the prisoners would be liberated to return to Parihaka, where they would become a dangerous element in conjunction with natives who are already assembled there, Jt estiirjated that there are at Parihaka and the immediate neighborhood 300 ablerbodied natives, most of whom are from other districts, and might' act independent of Te Whiti's authority, and 1 repudiate his policy of passively protesting against iaad-making

and occupation of land. Govrirnmont still regard the position on the West Coast as eminently critical. Strong bodies of natives continue at intervals to dig up th® land in front of the line upon which tho road will be constructed, though they do not venture to meddle with tho constructed road. Te Whiti maintains hia ap. parently peaceful attitude, but declines to entertain the proposals submitted by Government on the ground that they would lead to no satisfactory or practical results, but he suggests that Governor Robinson should go to Parihaka and attend a meeting to discuss matters, believing that whatever arrangement would be como to, would involve the honor of the Crown, and be ratified. The Ministry, however, do not see their way to advise the Governor to comply with Te Whiti's request, and Sir Hercules, of course, has no idea of going there unadvised by his responsible Ministers. lam further in a position to say that Government would be willing to come to some arrangement with the prisoners themselves for their liberation on the basis of substantial guarantee for their good behaviour, but the prisoners are hopelessly impracticable, and when any proposal is mooted refer the. Government to Te Whiti, through whom, alone they will receive any overtures,. The most important phase which the matter has assumed, is a proposal from Rewi (manga), of theNgatimanio{>oto tribe, to take the- Maori prisoners under his charge, settle them at Waitara, and become personally responsible for their safe keeping and good behaviour. lam informed, on undoubted authority, that such a proposition has been submitted by Rewi, but Government do not Bee their way to accept it, partly because they have, no absolute security for Rewi's power to fulfil his part of the proposed agreement, and partly because they do not clearly see how Rewi could be introduced in that capacity in regard to Waitara. This might involve future complications in that direction, as it would be tantamount to a virtual acknowledgment of Rowi's mana over this district. What Government, therefore, proposes to do is to obtaiu power from Parliament to extend the period of detention of the prisoners, with authority to liberate a limited number of them from time to time if deemed, advisable under circumstances then existing. As an experiment, it is proposed', to liberate a small party of King's; people, some of whom are undergoing; sentence, and to carefully watch its effect,, with a view to future action in the> same direction if the experiment succeeds. This proposal has already been mooted to> William King (Wiremu Kingi), who has received it in a friendly manner, promising to use every endeavor to induce the liberated natives to settle quietly on their lands.