The Temuka Leader THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2 1880.

Temuka Leader, Issue 324, 2 December 1880, Page 2

The Temuka Leader THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2 1880.

The sickening murder that has been committed in the North Island, whereby a young ia*ly of aimiablerchanicter and contaderablo talents ir.s deprived of her life at a moment, wlier not the slightest suspicion of any danger seemed to enter her mind, or that of her friends, is one of tln-se horrible occurrences that too frequently happen in these Islands. The Dobie ca.se was evidently the result of a wanton desire to shed human blood. What could have been tne motive that prompted the native T. Hui to take this innocent girl's life, we are at a loss to know. However, the deed is done, and another valuable life taken, the punishment for which w 11 but poorly compensate her friends for their great loss. But this brings us to another p'irase of the question, and leads us to ask ourselves .".re the Europeans safe who are now taking up the holdings on the Waiinate P.atns 1 Ii is a .veil known fact that the Noith Island Maori does imt admit bei::g conquered by the Europeans, or atm nable to them in any vay. T tat they will not risk a pitched ba tic in the open is well known, but they may nevertheless still hold the right t" bar iss what they term their enemy, aud inflict an injury by a surprise. What is to hinder them, let us ask, repeating Hie massacre which shocked the who'e of New Zealand not many years ago. It is true we In ve always been opposed to going to war with the natives, un'ess necessity demands, a d often the cry of war was attempted to lie raised by the opponents of Sir George Grey's Government in order to precipitate strife with the Maori. That Government, however, had no good reason for going to w.ir with them. With the Hall Government the case is different. The hand of power in New Ze.dand has been toying with the native ever since it has gained the summit of its ambition (the Ministerial Benches). A larjro force is a:ways kept up in the North Island ; to do wh:it ? To cause the natives to hi ugh at them. Fifty or a hundred natives may be taken and forwarded to good pasture, like a flock of cattle, who, well fed and well clad, c >re not a s'raw for the rest. Now, it seems to us that the time has come for adopting more stringent measuiei than have yet been taken by either Q-overnment to put an eud for evei to this uncertainty of life, and property. It has become patent to all that the Maori holds human life, particularly European life, very lightly. How could it be otherwise, when red-handed murderers are harboured by their chief men, and counted by them most likely as so many braves. Just now three or four of the most notorious destroyers of human life are daily companions of their principal chiefs. It is no more than we may expect that these vidians will break out anew and cause another massacre. It may be at a time and a pluce we little think of, but it is not impossible that it will come. Better then for the Government to carry things with a strong hand, and crush them at any cost, than have a repetition of. these fear-; ful calamities. Until the Maori is thoroughly subdued and conquered, no safety-. will remain for settlers oil the of their lands. Time after tim-, if 1 they are not effectually crushed, we may hear of slaughter of inno. ent life in some part of the North Island. The present Government, however, do not seem to ha»e the firmness or courage to go in and delivei a decisive blow, but keen triflng with them in a way that cannot fail to prodr.ee tlvi worst effects. We do not say that the murder of Miss Dobie was a premeditated affair, or has any political bearing whatever ; but we do say that it is another proof that the Maori holds human European life

in little esteem, find while this state", of matters continues''there will be no, safety in outlying parts of the Middle Island. If the murderer of Moffat is not pursued and brought to justice, at whatever cost, the Maoris will be ready to repeat the act the very first opportunity that offers. It is to be hoped, therefore, that the present Government will not shrink from discharging a duty ; a duty not only to the bereaved, but a duty to the whole of the settlers in the North Island. Once the native finds he is thoroughly mastered he will be docile enough, none can be mors so. Until he is so crushed, new outrages will prob;iblybe the order of the day.