THE NATIVE DIFFICULTY.

Southland Times, Issue 1752, 10 June 1873, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE NATIVE DIFFICULTY.

(From the Eveniig Stains Correspondence.)

Auckland, April 17. The most remarkable event here is the sudden conversion of the Thames Advertiser. It has apparently had time for reflection, counted the cost of raising a force, and so modified its comments and suggestions as to render its thoughts useful and worthy of attention. It has been taking stock of the Thames available voluntary fighting men, and finds that it. can muster about 300 willing to take the field. I suppose a knowledge of this fact has rendered its tone less warlike. Most people lose their head in cases of great excitement, and the people at the helm of sensational newspapers appear to suffer most in such critical times. They print their newspapers, write their editorials, and select their news for the purposes of selling their issues and satisfying the cravings of sensation-mongers, instead of forming and leading public opinion. There is nothing easier than to draw on imagination for details circumstances will not supply. It is more pleasing to concoct a thrilling paragraph than to narrate in plain language a simple fact. Far more simple to influence a multitude than convince a man of error.

There is one benefit the Colony may derive from the enthusiasm of the people on the Thames, if they are sincere in their expressions of patriotism. The estuary of the Thames is at the mouth of the two main arteries of the disaffected dictrict, the Thames and Piako rivers being the highway to |Hau-hau*and Maori King land. Neither provisions nor ammunition can be carried into the disaffected districts if these two inlets are carefully guarded. The Thames people should mount guard over these points. The Advertiser points out with great wisdom and clearness the stratgetical importance of these two positions. A glance at the map will shew at once the great boon the Thames goldfield has been to the Province of Auckland, not only as a source of wealth, but as forming a settlement, outlying though it may be, hi the heart, as it were, of the King country. The King Natives know from those located at the Thames the tone of public opinion ; and when nearly -two thousand people gather together to hold a public meeting, at which the representative Natives are present by invitation to take part in the proceedings, it is certain that the existence of such a numerous white population, so close to the scene of outrage, must have a larsre amount of influence on those disposed either to sulk oi robel. The Maoris who have taken part in the meetings held at the Thames have all been unanimous in declaring that the outrage should be avenged ; stating that had Maori blood been spilled, the Maori would have been the avenger. They make plain in their speeches what we fail thoroughly to appreciate in its full Maori significance —that is, punishment for crime means forfeiture of estate, confiscation of land being the Maori mode of punishment for misdemeanors. A correspondent here has mooted the idea that Tawhiao, fading to give up Purukutu and his companions, the confiscated boundaryline should be moved southwards, so that it would include 50,000 acres more of Native estate. The idea is more sensible than ninetenths of those so freely promulgated at tha present time. The papers have been writing about firearms being supplied and repaired for the Natives, and singled out one especial case on which they descanted at some length. I took the trouble to investigate it, with the following results : — Six months since a Native wanted to have a gun repaired that he had in some manner broken. He applied through the regular channel for the necessary permission to the Government Agent. Dr Pollen allowed the repairs to be made — hence the cause of the rumor that the Natives are collecting firearms.

From a careful attention to opinions and facts, I believe the following to be the real cause of the murder :— Tawhiao has appointed for some time past "aukati," or boundary keepers, to prevent encroachments and trespassing on Native lands. Purukutu was appointed one of these keepers. He himself, however, had a personal grievance as well as a tribal duty to perform. Messrs Walker and Douglas had leased from the Natives a piece of land outside the confiscated boundary. In this portion of leased land Purukutu held an interest, which he had neglected to claim when it passed through the Native Lands Court ; and consequently received no benefit from the lease. By shooting the man working on the land, or, according to Maori usage, removing the cause of difference, he hoped to re-establish his right, and avenge himself. Now one, can imagine easily the reluctance Tawhiao must feel to give up his follower ; and how annoyed he must be to find himself embroiled in such a manner and against his will. He knows the man has a' grievance, and has acted in accordance with his father's customs. We can easily see why Rewi is " pouri" about the matter — why the Hauhau bigots should seek to embroil a whole people to shield one of their brethren, by making an attack on Mackay — and why Tawhiao should have summoned his follower to come to Te Kuiti to give an account of himself, and determine what must be done. The best and most just of us would feel a reluctance to yield a kinsman up to justice and death were he to solicit our protection ; and a greater moral amount of elevation would be requisite to induce the man himself to yield himself captive to the law he had offended, for the purpose of preserving peace between the Pakeha and his tribe. It is the old land trouble over again. It seems a singular tiling no means can be devised to prevent its everlasting recurrence. Perhaps, however, now that the Native race is more fully represented in the House and the Ministry, more effective legislation on this head will be obtained. Tribal titles are necessarily confiscated, while it is scarcely consonant with our ideas of justice and equity that an imperfect title, whether leasehold or freehold, should be held effective if once obtained, and occupancy alone deemed a sufficient cause to. maintain such an imperfect title as "good" against all claims and claimants. It is tho action the Native Land Court was formed to j>revent : i.e., Rewi's selling or leasing Hoani's land without his knowledge or consent. It is easy to say the man had not complied with the law in establishing his claim ; but we find white people equally negligent and gnorant, although they maintain an army of skilled men to expound its mysteries and protect their rights. I have a word or two to say about our means of resistance should we be so unfortunate as to be dragged into war. It is urged by some who profess to be well-informed on the matter, that were war declared on the 21st of this month, failing Purukutu's appearance, it would have the effect of detaching the Ngatimaniapoto and many other tribes from .the King party, and cause their adherence to be given to the Government, whereas if the declaration be procrastinated, the different tribes will most probably become in some manner involved, and a coalition among them take place. The Armed Constabulary number about 700 men, in effective order and provided with all the baggage and paraphernalia requisite for a campaign. The Commissariat Department, however, would have to be organised. There are about 180 of the Armed Constabulary stationed on the Waikato. The different Volunteer and other corps on the Waikato number about 459 men, but these varied bodies have, I hear, no camp equipage, and are unprovided for taking the field. Whether a number of the men who served in the late campaigns could again be gathered together, seems a question on which there is a variety of opinion. Should we, however, get embroiled with a large section of the Natives, a new force will have to be enlisted, drilled, and trained, before we can hope to achieve any important advantage over the men with whom we have so often fought.