The Invercargill Times. TUESDAY, JUNL 23, 1863.

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 66, 23 June 1863, Page 2

The Invercargill Times. TUESDAY, JUNL 23, 1863.

In onr last we reviewed the policy of Sir George Grey; we will now look at the justice of that, policy. When a Governor is appointed to a British settlement, it. is not unnatural to suppose that it is a part of his duty to look after and protect the interests of the European colonist as well as the aboriginal inhabitant. How has this duty been fulfi.led by the " powers that be ?" Every Province in N T ew Zealand is, and has been bidding for settlers to come out from the home country. fn one Province it is cheap land, in another land for nothing — their passage money is advanced, the capabilities of the soil are lauded, the mildnfss of the climat is prominently brought forward ,• in one place likened to the south of E' gland. in another to the south of France. The high price of labor, the certainty of acquiring that most envied of blessings — a piece of land of one's own — everything to induce the sober, energetic, hard-working man to leave the land of his fathers and realise a paradise in the new country. Lecturers are sent home, photographic views are distributed, till the charmed rustic beholds a panorama in which the wilderness is blooming as a rose, and he himself, in the evening of life, sitting under his own fig-tree. Taranaki is described as the garden of New Zealand, possessing all the attractions to secure successful colonisation, a good climate and rich soil. Believing in the power to protect on the pirt of the government 30 anxiously desirous of securing colonists, a colony established itself. In no part of New Zealand have the settlers turned their attention to bona Jlde settlement with greater energy and perseverance. They improved " each shining hour," and were rewarded by seeing that the wilderness did bloom like a rose. If they were not pushed ahead with hot. house force by the discovery of goldfields, or being a great commercial centre like other provinces, they had at any rate comfortable homes, well tilled fields, and well stocked gardens. They were satisfied, and, proud of their adopted home, looked forward, as the shades of evening closed around their lives, to their. children peacefully succeeding them in the in

heritance they had so struggled for and obtained. But, alas ! it is but a fleeting dream. They are startled from their fancied security by having their flocks taken possession of by the natives. Startling as this is, they are startled much more when, on applying for redress to the Government in which they trusted, they are told that they must make up their minds to lose their cattle, and think themselves lucky if they do not lose their heads. But they are warned against making reprisals They must on no account force the Government into an uuuatural war with their Maori brethren. No, they must bear their losses with Christian fortitude. Presently they are told they must leave their homes — homes which had taken years of patient industry and trial to make — leave them to be sacked and destroyed — or the Government would not be answerable for their lives. Tliey must come into the towns, and leave their farms to the mercy of their black brethren. They must separate from their wives and children — ship them off to another province ; but they are allowed the privilege of fighting — not in their own fashion, — not as the Dutch Boers, by exterminating a tribe, and thus striking terror and resppct into the Ravage mind, but according to the most approved red-tape rules. They are pliced under incompetent generals, they have all the hard work, the dull monotony of garrison duty imposed on them ; they have the satisfaction of seeina* their houses burnt, and their cattle driven off; but if, maddened by the sight, they dare to break through the discipline imposed on them, they are punished. Their fair Province is to be the battle ground on which ignorance and incompetency may run riot. If we have done nothing else, we have lowered the prestige of the British soldier in the eyes of the Maori. More than ever is he convinced that he is the white man's superior iv military tactics. in civil diplomacy ; and it has cost us thousands to teach the lesson. The Taranaki settler is now at liberty to return to his sacked home, his fields covered with thistles — blessed privilege. In the meanwhile, he has become a ruined man; his stock, driven off by the Maori, are not returned to him. Oh, no ! The Government could not thiuk of compelling restitution. They appeal to that Government fbr pecuniary assistance — it cannot be given. The General Assembly is petitioned — their claims are acknowledged — their sufferings respected. Joy again visits tbeir harrassed minds ; and, while waiting" patiently for the anticipated help, they are informed that the money was intended for the construction of military roads-— that, the}' are not to get redress. As tlie next scene in the play, Waitara is given up to the Maori, for justice demands it. He had been injured, and ought to have his grievances redressed. We ask, is this even-handed justice ? Will such a policy as thi-*; tend to quiet the disturbances iv the North, inculcate respect for the British name, aud prove to those in the home country that the specious promises of the various emigration agents are to be depended on ? Not even here does the injustice cease. Mr Ebenezer Smith, of Exeter Hall, denounces the unfortunate settler as a greedy, rapacious mortal, always striving to client bis Maori neighbors, and, by his ac s of immorality and ciim», raising disturbances between the races ; while the vicious example of his private life tends to almost nullify the virtuous lessons inculcated by the missionary. On the other hand, Mr G-ildwin Smith stigmatizes him as an apathetic cowardly being, too listless to combine against the foe, too timorous to meet the foe in the field, insinuating that so lonf**" as the British government finds troops, the settlers will find it their interest to stir up disturbances and profit by the military expenditure, while the idea of protection is utterly repudiated. Thus, the Nevv Zealand settler stands in the enviable position of not being allowed to defend himself or his property, and being ooncidcred a coward for not doing so— the sole privilege accorded is to look on at its destruction, and bear the loss with such fortitude as he can compass. But, let us tru-t that the past has t.iught a lesson to Sir George Grey, and that, giving up his false conciliatory policy, he will carry on the wir vigorously, determined to do justice to the settlers vvhom he is appointed to trovern, ancl to teach the Maori that mur ler and rapiu 1 * can and wiil be punished. Do tii , and ths M oi will learn a sa'utary lesion, that the white is the predominant race. In the conduct of the war we would strongly reco mend the Governor to have nothing to do with the friendly natives. In the last war it was incontestably proved that they furnished the rebel natives with information of cur movements, which led to disastrous results. In no case were they of any service to us. Allowed the opportunity of obtaining the earliest and most reliable information, they used it without scruple, and if they vouchsifed to give us information, it was with the view of misleading. At the present crisis the most powerful friendly chiefs opeuly tell us they cannot protect the white settler, though they have the inclination. Where, then, is the use of harboring the friendly natives, and admitting them to our councils ? It is evident that no good can be obtained by pursuing such a course — much harm may. But, above all, we would urge on the Governor to submit to no interference on the part of Bishop Selwyn, and the so esteemed philantropie party, as they have exercised their baneful influence long enough. That influence has invariably been brought to bear against the European. In the colony, by misrepresenting his motives to the Maori, thereby inciting him to a resistance he v. ould otherwise never

lave dreamt of; at home, by aspersing his character in the most slanderous mannei\ not hesitating to impute the basest motives, till the unfortunate settler, despoiled in the colony, abused and villified in the old country, begins to doubt whether the name of Englishman is one to boast of. Had they been Frenchmen, their position would have been somewhat different — " they do things better in France." Does a tribe offend, they are exterminated — an wholesome lesson inculcated. Our Indian Empire was not won and held by this policy of conciliation. Had Lord Clive been Governer a few years ago, we should have no disturbance now. Had his lordship of Selwyn in terfered with him, he would have hung him without hesitation, and provided a gallows for his friend, the Venerable Archdeacon Hadfield, commensurate with his dignity ; and, in order to prove his thorough impartiality, would also have suspended King Potatu and the New Zealand Warwick, William Thompson. The battle of Plassy, fought with a handful of men, settled the supremacy of the British in Bengal, and that supremacy was firmly established by the conduct of succeeding Governors. However high iv rank or power, however wealthy a native might be, did he offend against the law he was punished, even though the punishment was hanging. Let Sir George Grey follow their example. Two Sikh regiments have been sent for from India. This is a mistake. The Sikh is a bold, powerful, brave soldier, but he has beeu trained to face his enemy openly. In an open field, face, to face with the Maori, we have little doubt but that he would be found equal to the emergency, but in a guerilla warfare, in skirmishes, in fern or behind trees, he is as useless as the British soldier. If we are to have native regiments from India, let us have the Gourkahs. Brave as lions, supple as the cat, the Gourkah has been trained in similar tactics as the Maori, and we question much whether the Gourkah would not out-general the Maori in his own peculiar style of warfare. Biiug the Gourkah to bay, and he will prove a formidable foe, but not brought to bay he is infinitely more formidable. You feel the blow will be struck, but the when and the where is difficult to determine. Such are the men we want to fiyht our insidious enemy — fi<j;lit him with his own weapons. The last mail from the North brings the good news that at last the war, os regards us, has been opened by a victory, and that Geueral Cameron has shown liimself worthy to conduct it*. 1 We sincerely trust he will not be im- | peded by his Excellency. Once entered into, let it be carried on with determination and visror, though all the tribes 1 are induced to join. It is better that they should do so at once, for sooner or later they will. Let the matter be brought to a crisis, or a satisfactory, lasting peace will not be obtained ; it will prove the most humane course in the end. As war has beeu deliberately entered into by the Ma.iri, let it be carried ou determinedly by us. Let it, if neccssarv, be a war of extermination, | until the Maori is taught by experience that he lias met his master, and, thoroughly beaten, sues humbly for that 1 peace he has so wantonly broken.