The Patea Mail. (Published Wednesdays and Saturdays.) WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11, 1879.

Patea Mail, Volume V, Issue 434, 11 June 1879, Page 2

The Patea Mail. (Published Wednesdays and Saturdays.) WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11, 1879.

We have no desire to surfeit cur readers with. the. native dilUctilrv, or, as in its recent development It is called, “the war.” Yet, while it continues to be the one absorbing topic of conversation in the district, and of the Press out of the district, we can scarcely bo silent on the matter. As usual, wo have to leave homo to near news. Here the air is fall oi vague rumours, which we are Content to treat as such, but at a distance, by the help of the telegraph, rumour becomes sober print, and as the majority of people adopt the laudable practice of believing everything that is printed, no wonder that at a distance the fear of the worst is greater than it is here. Bnt then the printed rumour returns and is widely circulated among ns, stirs up fresh fear, which begets fresh rumours. So the thing goes on, and there is danger that our people may be hurried into some rash act. Rurannr grows fast enough, and flies fast enough in ordinary times when only a few Help it on, but now, when every mind and tongue are at its service, it becomes really dangerous. Already courses of action have been taken which may create the very danger they were meant to avoid. We recommend a little scepticism and a deal of prudence. Although, as we have hinted, we think that the war fever is carrying some of our people a little beyond the bounds of prudence, we are content to blame the fever, and not them. Little follies can well be overlooked in a course of conduct that is on the whole wise. Little dangers that may arise from what has been done are not to be mentioned beside the safety and souse of security which arises from the same source. It is a common thing to make jests at the expense of Colonial Volunteers, and to speak of how they would travel in case of danger. Englishmen can afford to jest in that manner; they know that nothing bnt danger is: required to afford the clearest contradiction to the harmless libel. Ho Cavalry Corps, or Volunteer Force, could exist here or at Hawera when all seemed to promise lasting peace; but the moment the war cloud arose —small as a man’s hand—troops of horsemen were formed. "While 1 political matters seemed at a stand-still, so were the Corps; when matters began to look darker, reenuts began to full in ; and now when thv crisis seems to be at hand, the Corps at Hawera almost doubled in the course o! two or throe days. Besides this, foot Volunteers offer themselves by the score for the defence of their homes. Meetings have been held in every place from Waitotara to Now Plymouth—with the exception of Kakaramea, where a meeting is convened for to-night. No doubt if weapons were at hand, and the settlers had their way, the whole Provincial District would be under arras in a few hours. We have heard of a few amusing eases of persons leaving the district in a state of great trepidation ; bnt these were only green-horns, who would be afraid of a black face at any time. We hope that the distribution ul arms will have the effect of rendering panic impossible, and fear unnecessary.