The Patea Mail. Published Wednesdays and Saturdays SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1875.

Patea Mail, Volume I, Issue 90, 19 February 1876, Page 2

The Patea Mail. Published Wednesdays and Saturdays SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1875.

Tun AVairoa native diiliculty rem dm; just where it was a week ago, an I the Native. Department has, as ye‘, met with no success in altering’the si nation. Captain Wake went down on -Sunday, but, as lias already been untitled, Ids eloquence failed to pursua.de Hie trespassers to abandon Mr Dickie's ground. On Tuesday, a regular korero took place, Major Drown, Native Commissioner, and Captain 'Blake,, as Nat ve agent, attending. A large number of Maoris were present, but the result was as unsatisfactory as before. The .Native Department, so far, has achieved not liing, whilst the natives have taken possession of private property, .and have, as tncy threatened at the outset, defied the Government. Wo are informed on good authority that their clearing, to which the owner so specially objects, is being gone on with for ultimate cultivation purposes, irrespective of the first section, belonging to .Mr J. Dickie, they have taken possession of another, the property of Air AV. Dickie—on one they are preparing to plant, on the oilier they are said to be about- to build a large wliave, and in all rospoctsconstitut.’ tnemselv -s the owners ol the land. Whilst this is permitted by the. Government, the Messrs Dickie hold Government grants for the very land, and yetno firm steps are taken to secure the unfortunate purchasers in their holdings. It is said, though wc can hardly credit the report, that in the diiliculty Alajor Brown has telegraph -d requesting Sir Donald McLean” to comedown in order to settle the trouble. We cannot think there can ho any foundation for tiiis, though no doubt the Commissioner is in constant communication by telegram with the Native Alinister, and hence the rumour may have got afloat. There can he little question that the very natives preferring their claims to these lands arc perfectly well aware that they aye preposterous, hut they know they will either lie bought off or allowed to remain in possession of their seizure, as in the case of Riddell. The Ministry of the day have, throughout their career, pursued a faltering and timid policy, and have earned respect from neither side, Maori or pakeha. There is no doubt as to the equities of the case. Messrs Dickie duly bought and paid for their land, the vendors being the Government. Surely the latter would not make such a mistake as to sell other people’s property ; in any case they are bound to protect those who purchased from them. The Government, instead of being firm in Liddell's case, allowed the natives to take possession ; they seem inclined to do the same thing with regard to Messrs Dickie’s property. It is hard to say whose turn will come next, to what extent Alaori greed is to be fed, and how the insolence of the natives at Wairoa is to be borne. Presuming that the sections already taken of arc allowed to he retained, there is no security to the holder of any ground in the AVairoa district, and, as a matter of course, settlers will hesitate in making any improvements or do anything to enhance the value of land —no matter how honestly come by—that may be taken away at any moment in obedience to the dictates of savage caprice. The shilly-shallying that has so far taken place in ejecting the Alaorishas given rise

iu some very severe remarks, and, what is more, lias created a n.'i-st painful i (.*•“!;:nl distrust and want • >’confidence amongst the settlors. That the matter v.ill he patched up, and that the Maoris will receive compensation for ibandoning contemplated robbery, most probably will be the case, but such a-epnrso will be the means of sowing seed' Tor future trouble. SlionM this be. every settler's ground in AVairon may be seized on consecutively, and the Maoris will ebluT lie bn lied to leave or lu-iel't. in possession. Sueli an undignified and cowardly course will bring' no substantial pace, and, as to any rolianeein Government protection, settlers will feel Irene. Already, us we are told, the Maoris begin to think themselves masters of the situation g-nd most plainly and candidly dcc'nre their intention to hold on to the ground seized unless it he twice acquired.. Their perfect candour in this particular, entitles them to some negative credit at all events, whilst the shiftiness of purpose of the < lovernment, their conduct, very closely a p] iroxima ting absolute cowardice, cannot but become the sooT of both races, and most fatal to the settlement of the country. A Government grant is held to be an inviolable tenure—tenure that the. Government guarantees, t nnrethal no man or men, be t!i• -y black, white, red. or eoppercmloured, can dispute. Such is not the case in New Zealand. Conciliation at any price, whether it at the cost of honor, or the expenditure of money, at the expense of the settlors or otherwise, must be the manner observed towards Maoris.- There need have been no fuss over tins claim. A squad of Armed Constabulary, a firm front on the part of the, Native Department, would have settled ev'Tylbing. Now the marandi rs have united tlnnns'-lvcs into notori'iy with (heir race, and the dii'ticullie.s of settlement are greatly enhanced. Hill! decisive action might yet siuv ill consequences, though we have no hope of it b -ing taken. The lullypop system, the only one, if report be true, that M.ajor llrowu is authorised to enter on. mav soolii his .Maori children for a time, but very shortly, wln-n these sweet-meats are consumed, his .Maori children' will be naughty ag-in, to he trailed in the same way. and as often as opportunity occurs. The while settler is only secondary in consideration, but it may be (hat there is a limit even to ids law-abiding nature, and that the Native Department may try tin-greatest patience bey mid all bearing.