The Oamaru Mail. WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 22, 1880.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1319, 22 September 1880, Page 2

The Oamaru Mail. WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 22, 1880.

Notwithstanding the very superior scraitetical policy of the Native Minister, the natives «.f the North Island are in a state too closely approaching perfect disaffection to be pleasant. No wonder that Mr. Bryce was compelled to leave the House before the conclusion of the session on urgent public business, and no wonder 1 that he. as quickly as the means of locomotion would permit, shaped his course > for the native districts of the West Coast —the region over which Te Whiti reigns supreme —where the European "rangatira" termed "the honorable" by us, is, in Maori estimation, but a menial of less importance than Te Whiti's body-guard. Before the very eyes of the Native Minister the " fenccrc" have carried on their * operations. We are aware that they did 1 not quite ko the length of those of } their fellows who fill the gaols of ' t he Colony. But that mattera little. The several hundred unfortunates who, by virtue of an Act passed last session, are to 8 fulfil a Ucn? of two veara, with hard labor, , in our prisons, did little more than exhibit signs of disrespect for tho pajieha, and the rebels who stiil surround Te .Whiti are - Join" the same. The only difference is * that the last batches of Te Whiti-smitten ' unfortunates succeeded in eluding the i vigilance of the Constabulary, and escaped s the terrors of the lftw. It is well that there 1 seems to be a perfect understanding oetw een ' theremaining natives and theClonptabulary » not to be caught and not to catch. Our 5 gaols are too strait to admit of the accommodation of the whole native race. The ' capacity of our prisons gauges the measure of our justice. This might create surt prise, were it not known that " special legislation" has been brought to bear upon tjie West Coast natives. The de- ■ luded bat peaceable followers of Te " Whiti cannot put fhejr thumbs to their noses with impunity, whilst JJiroki, the " murderer of Mr. Lean, can don & distinguishing badge and rub shoulders with an armed force without fear of molestation. Such is the native policy which has been » viewed as the salvation of the worst j Ministry that ever ruled the destinies of r the Colony. What is its effect upon the : native race as a whole ? Does it beget re- ' spect for our legislators ami our legisla- > ti»n 1 We have just received a reply from > a locality further north. Major Jackson's Eforaro purchase is being opposed. " Fifty ! Hauhsns assembled and threatened to ' carrv tiis horses and ploughs to the ; Kinir Country." The natives of the • north, too, are opposing the con- . structioii of the West Coast G,03j1 ' a work ttonn which for several years the elc-iaonce of a Mackay and the strategem ■ of a M'Lean were brought to bear; to accomplish which hundreds of thousands of bribe money were paid. Ja this the ' outcome of the liberality of the fiovernr ■ merit in giving back to the "King natives " about 100,000 acre? of laud surrounding the Waikato district? By the ; way, thi3 i 3 a matter that should not be disposed of in a passing notice. When the Waikato Confiscated Lands Bill, which empowers the Government to return this i land, ;va3 introduced at the close of last session, Major Harris, Messrs. Hamlin 1 and Jones, and several other members of . tho Opposition who iiva a>j4 have lived j in tho native districts, opposed jt eyen to ' the extent of obstructiyeness. They argued that it would lock up the majority of = these lands from settlement by Europeans, whilst the remainder of them v.-;ujd only be occupied by renegade natives chose friendship would not in tho smallest dsgree lessen the "King's" 1 influence, and who would make most undesirable neighbors. These views were combatted by the Government and several • members, whose reasons we will not now attempt to fathom. They said that they were eonviftsod that such an admirable stroke of policy wgul4 be approved of by about 1000 of the young «I£ing natives," who would gradually settle upca tb r ese lands. Can there be any doubt now as to who was correct ? Mr. Bryce is surely now re.quired in more than two places at once. From Parihaka to the Waikato confiscated boundaryline the natives sredisaffected. Where Te Whiti's influence en4= tbp " King's" begins. The whole native race is the common enemy of the Europeans. The Native Minister's policy may reduce the number of Te Whiti's peaceable men—he may make roads at a cost of several hundreds daily—he may endeavor to settle the confiscated lands of the West Coast, but the prices are so high in consequence of the terrjbjg cost incurred in taking possession of them t'r.st he will fail in the attempt. But—what i 3 worec—the King difficulty will still exist; there will ctiJJ be a Utopia through which the Queen's writ cannot run. The more we see of the policy of the Native Minister, the stronger is our Conviction that it is purely 'superficial, and but little suited to the grave exigencies with fc-Jiich he has undertaken to grapple. Notwithstanding his vaunted political independence njid honesty, he is !at the mercy of the land-sharjfa E"h° hist ! session cunningly worked, before the open ' eyes of Parliament, their ends through 1 him. For tjie re-instatement of free trade •, in native lands, with all its evils, the . Colony is indebted to thp Hon. Mr. Bryce. "