South Canterbury Times, MONDAY, JULY 19, 1880.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2289, 19 July 1880, Page 2

South Canterbury Times, MONDAY, JULY 19, 1880.

Duitixu the discussion that took place on the Maori Prisoners’ Trial Pill, Mr Header Wood hit the right unit on the head when he asked “ would it pay ? ’’ In the existing - condition of aifairs this is really the question of questions. The occupation of the Waimate Plains, —the maintenance of an armed force in the North Island—and the equally questionable maintenance of a large contingent of able-bodied Maori ploughmen in gaol —are matters which, in these hard times of much borrowing, financial stratagem, railway relief works, and soup kitchens, should be submitted to the £ s. d. test, li is hardly creditable that with farming at a discount, and tens of thousands of acres of private land in the market looking vainly for’purchasers, this expensive little game of roadmaking and settlement should be continued unchecked. We have repeatedly protested against it as a reckless and wanton waste of public money. It is an injustice, not only to the Maori prisoners whose claims instead of being properly investigated in a court of justice are burked by the gaoler, but lo every

settler in New Zealand. A large number of false issues have been dragged into this matter. The question, as Mr Wood sensibly remarked, is a financial one. Is there anything to warrant this playing at soldiers and settlement in the North Island? Admitting that the resources of such places as Canterbury and Otago arc tolerably clastic —that the South Island is a good milch cow for the North—cannot the mono}' be applied to a better purpose ? The colony is understood to be bent on retrenchment, but direct!}' the discontinuance of the Armed Constabulary is hinted at, the old parrot cry of a Maori war is raised. The Maori, with all bis noble traits, is evidently a useful scarecrow for some people. His long discarded war paint is the only poor apology that can be scraped together for the retention of military mountebanks in tlic North. If the latter could only be got rid of, we believe the Maori would lose much of his fierceness. Instead of the savage that ho is usually represented, he would be found gentle, docile, and tractable. Still it answers Taranaki and the Armed Constabulary (especially their officers) that the Maori should be untamed and untamcable. Could ho be reclaimed the prospects of a number of lazy, able-bodied while men would suddenly be blighted, and instead of the rillo, the Vagrancy Act would be called into requisition. The colony is pretty well sick of this armed settlement, business. Wc are it ware that it quite coincides with the ideas of the late Native Minister, Mr John Sheehan. Hut the opinion of an ex-minister of the Crown, who sanctioned the distribution among (lie childish savages of such ge.w-gaws as yellow umbrellas, wooden legs, wizard oil and chemises, in order to induce them to sacrifice their birthright, is not of much consequence. The Native polity of the late Ministry was the foulest bint in their administration. Their interference with the Waiinatc Plains at a time when the colony was surfeited with land for settlement was as stupid, as the process adopted was imprudent and the abandonment of the survey was humiliating. 1 >nt if the late ministry, misguided by the recklessness, if not debauchery, of the Native Department, made a fatal error, surely it is not incumbent on the present holder of office that he should follow up their blunders. The confidence, which Mr Sheehan has has forfeited, has been transferred to Mr Bryce, and the colony looks to him for something better than a continuation of the Sheehan wooden leg and tombstone policy. It is high lime that the Maori war scarecrow was pigeon-holed. Taranaki has enjoyed a good living out of Maori war paint at the cost of the rest of New Zealand long enough. Wc trust that Parliament will insist (irmly on a material reduction of the Armed Constabulary, if, indeed, that practically useless body is not abolished. The armed occupation of the Waimate Plains is a monstrous injustice to the rest of New Zealand. When land becomes so scarce that the Maori must be forced aside, it will be time to talk about armed occupation. The Waimate Plains arc not wanted for settlement. In Auckland, Otago, and Canterbury there is land enough for settlement for many a long year to come. To bring fresh land into the market at a time when farming is at its present low ebb is as in judicious as it is unfair. What possible prospect is there of these plains repaying the money that lias already been spent on them ? The policy that is being pursued is without the shadow of excuse or extenuation. In every direction wc find railways and public works of a probably reproductive nature standing in abeyance for want of money, while at the same time the public revenue to the tune of £200,000 a year is being showered down on the Waiinatc Plains. Taranaki has drained the vitals of the colon}- long enough, and the time has come when this systematic robbery of the North and South for the sake of one little arid spot must be vigorously resisted.