AUCKLAND OPINION ON TE WHITPS SPEECH.

Patea Mail, 3 October 1881, Page 3

AUCKLAND OPINION ON TE WHITPS SPEECH.

.In , considering Te Whit fa late speech the Auckland Herald says—lt seems difficult to think that such utterances as these are not literal commands that the natives are to oppose the taking possession of the land by force, and if necessary to lay down their lives in the effort. In the. event of an outbreak the plan of operations would probably be for a force of about 500 men to march on Parihaka and break up that hotbed of trouble. Then the Maoris would bo scattered through the bush. There they could not long remain, for food is scarce, and they would have to separate,- and take refuge at the head waters of the Wanganui and Mokau rivers, and in the Tuhua country. To these recesses and fastnesses we could not follow them at present, and they would be removed from the possibility of doing any damage to European settlements. But, in the meantime, (he West Coast would be terribly injured. High prices have been paid for the land, and a large amount of capital has been embarked in fencing, clearing, planting, and in buildings and stock. The Maoris would, possibly for a brief time, take to their ancient custom of surprises, and this would cause a panic from one end of the district to the other. The steps taken by Government and the Commission to pacify the district are approvingly referred to, “ But,” says our contemporary, on the whole, disappointment must be felt that, after all that has been done, Te Whiti should still be able to threaten at Parihaka, with several hundred men at his back, and that fencing should still be carried on. It was professed at first that the fencing meant only the assertion of a right to a particular piece of land. No such pretext can be set up now. All claims have been investigated, and it is quite clear that the natives are now fencing as a protest against our being there at all, and not against our occupation of anj' particular piece. The policy which the Government have already pursued will no doubt be continued —that is, to bear as much as possible. The natives must, however, either soon desist from their troublesome conduct, or they will infallibly cross the line, and their action become belligerent, and force will be used. We presume that the-Government will not again resort to arresting natives.

Pure vaccine lymph having been obtained from a calf in Auckland, a vast number of parents with children waited upon Ur J. M. Moore for the purpose of having their little ones vaccinated with that which they knew would convey no constitutional taint. Olives sent to the Thames by Sir G. Grey to be planted, have all been taken up, and there is enquiry for more, the Thames people being determined to give the olive plant a fair and thorough trial.