South Canterbury Times. MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1881.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2688, 31 October 1881, Page 2

South Canterbury Times. MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1881.

The Volunteers have gone to “ The Front ” ; but what they are going to do there, if the Maoris do not “ show fight,” Heaven only knows. The Ultimatum of the 19th inst. gives no hint of any measures in the carrying out of which the Volunteers can be of service. The only punishment threatened for non-compliance with the demands made therein is deprivation of the lands ; b»t this is merely a legal matter, a matter of more Gazette printing in Wellington,—the Volunteers can have no hand in this. “None of them will be allowed to occupy lands in defiance of the law.” In defiance of what law ? What law is there to compel any one, European or Maori, to quit lands legally claimed only by the Crown, as these Parihaka lands will then be ? All visitors to Parihaka are warned to leave and go to their respective homes or the reserves set aside for them. But what are they told, in the Ultimatum, is to happen to them if they do not go ? Simply this : they are to go “ in order that they may not be involved with those who are working confusion, and may not suffer with them,” that is to say, we suppose, “ may not lose their lands likewise.” That would be a severe punishment for paying a visit to, and making a long stay with, a party of friends ; but it is one the Volunteers can have no hand in administering. Mr James Mackay, whose name is wellknown in connection with Native affairs, and was for some time employed as a special commissioner to enquire into these very disputes, recommends that Parihaka should be surrounded, a step which he believes would not be resisted, and then he says, “ As soon as the settlement could be surrounded, let some officer of the Native Department go boldly into the centre of it, and tell the Natives of Ngatiawa and Ngatitama north of the Waitara to clear out with their goods and chattels within 48 hours ; at the same time giving them a written guarantee that all awards of the Compensation Court

would be surveyed and titles given for them, and all promises to make reserves would be fulfilled. Next pursue the same process with the Natives south of the Waingongoro. Then order any of the Ngatiranui present to return to their reserves at Waimate ; and subsequently. Natives claiming Stony River and Opunake blocks might be ordered to locate themselves there, and the Crown would gazette these lands as being relinquished, and enable them to secure titles through the Native Land Court. The Wanganui Natives, about 300 in number, should also be ordered to return to their own districts. A redoubt on one of the volcanic mounds commanding Parihaka might be constructed ; and, the peace of the country being secured, Te Whiti could then be justly and fairly dealt with.” Suppose this scheme or a similar one were adopted, and the visitors ordered to clear out; how are the orders to be enforced? On what ground could a forcible transportation of the considerable numbers collected at Parihaka be justified ? They are breaking no law by collecting there, and it would seem very hard to make it a special offence in order to punish them, not for that offence, but for another offence altogether. So long as Te Whiti retains his influence over the Natives they will do nothing to require the armed force collected there to resort to powder and shot as persuasives, and if they do not the “ demonstration ” will no doubt have its effect in preventing the Natives from taking too violent measures in support of their claims, not only at the present time, but in the future ; but it is not likely to modify their opinions as to the justice of their claims, or to prevent them in the future from committing civil offences, such as pulling down fences, in pursuance of them. It is hard to see what direct good the collecting of an armed force about Parihaka is going to do, if there is no fighting to be done. The only work that they could usefully do in that case would seem to be to arrest Te Whiti, and so far as we can learn of the nature of the approaches to that place the Armed Constabulary on the ground could have done that as well as a larger force. If Te Whiti can be lawfully arrested now, he could have been lawfully arrested long ago, and should have been, while the pick of his followers were in gaol. Possibly he would not have offered any resistance, or have endeavored to avoid arrest. If he had wished, or should now wish, to avoid arrest, the rough nature of the country about Parihaka will furnish him with hundreds oi hiding places. The saying that “ discretion is the better part of valor,” had never better reason to be borne in mind than it has now by those in charge of the movement against the Natives, for if by any rashness or carelessness, a conflict is precipitated, a cry of “shame” will arise against them from every civilised people under the sun. It would be a shocking thing if so large and well equipped a force as ours should be the first to commence a war with a mere handful of undisciplined and unprepared barbarians. Even if some of the latter lose their heads and fire upon the volunteers it would seem but Christianlike and humane to treat these as ordinary criminals if it were at all possible, and not involve a whole tribe in the punishment of a few ill-advised and intemperate individuals.