THE DETENTION OF TE WHITI.

Patea Mail, 26 June 1882, Page 4

THE DETENTION OF TE WHITI.

The Auckland Free Lance says ; The West Coast Peace Preservation Bill and the Indemnity Bill will of coarse become law, although up to the last moment the Peace Preservation Bill has been strongly opposed by a considerable section of the House of Representatives, and has received only a half hearted support from many members who have voted with the Government. The assumption of power to dej rive a subject of the Queen of his personal freedom on the part of any Government, only because, in the opinion of Ministers, it is in the public interest to do sp, is a very formidable proceeding, and may establish a precedent which in the future may have inconvenient results. If a Maori who gives trouble can be treated in this way, there is no reason why a Pakeha who is troublesome may not be silenced in a similar fashion. Sir George Grey, as all know, is autocratic by nature and intolerant of opposition by temper, and has practised political kidnapping in the persons of Te Ranparaba and Te Ua. He would not probably have been unwilling to operate in the same way upon others, and was forced to support the Government for consistency sake ; but it is not certain that, when the hills are passed and the excitement over, the position of the Government will be materially strengthened. There is a natural and honest dislike to high-handed proceedings on the part of persons in power, the force of which we will perhaps be made to feel hereafter. The great ProConsnl has lost much and gained nothing by what is miscalled his magnanimity.