THE NATIVE QUESTION.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 10, 18 October 1871, Page 2

THE NATIVE QUESTION.

To tlic Editor o£ The Thames Guardian, Sir, —Having observed in your columns a statement said to have been made by Mr John McLeod in the House of Representatives that “ I had encouraged the natives in their opposition to opening up the., road through Ohinemuri, and with having written a lblter he (Mr McLeod) would have beep, ashamed to see his name to, and implied that I had suggested payment to the natives of LI,OOO for permitting the road to be opened,” I would beg to say that if Mr McLeod has taken advantage of his position as a member of the House of Representatives to promulgate an infamous, malicious, and unmitigated lie, and will make the same statement outside of the House as he is said to have made in it, I will prosecute him for malicious libel. Instead of encouraging the natives to oppose the opening of the road through Ohinemuri, I have consistently advised them to allow the mails to pass through, and when the contractor ivas stopped the first time my influence was U6ed to aid and assist him in his difficulties. If necessary he can bo brought forward to substantiate this statement. As to my having written a letter which Mr McLeod would have been ashamed to see his name to, I can only say that he is at perfect liberty to publish any letter written by me ; and I defy him to show I ever wrote anything which will not bear inspection. As to implying that “ I had suggested the payment ef £I,OOO to the Natives for permitting the road to be opened,” if implications are allowable, he may excuse me for supposing that my opposition in the Provincial Council to “ The Bay of Islands Coal Company (Limited) Lcaso Bill,’’-and to the proposed expenditure of public funds for the advantage of a private company, form the key to the animus exhibited in this matter. I have just noticed in the Herald the following paragraph :—“ Mr McLeod denounced Mr Mackay as continually endeavouring to raise barriers between the two races, and as being guilty of fishy transactions in- connection with Ohinemuri, and as carrying on intrigues only to bo characterised as stabbing in the dark.” I utterly deny ever doing anything in connection with Ohinemuri either in my official or private capacity which will not bear the most stringent examination and criticism. If I have carried on intrigues only to be characterised as stabbing in the dark, it is wonderful that the head of the Native Department and his army of assistants have not been able to expose some of them. I fear Mr McLeod is the slave of another man’s will, and is stabbing in the dark under the direction of one who is not much more enlightened than himself. If Mr. McLeod will examine the policy of the present Government, he will perhaps be able to discover that it is not of such a character as to impress the natives with its honesty or straightforwardness. For in one week we have the “ Kupapas” of Waikato under the guidance of Major Mair, an officer of the Native Department, fraternising with the Kingites (among whom arc Todd’s murderers) at Tokanga mutu ; and a few weeks after the responsible head of the Native Department sayo in his place in the House, that “the Government had not forgotten Todd’s murder, but would take their own time to revenge it. It was vengeance delayed, and not abandoned.” The head of the Native Department must know but little of Maori custom, or he would be well aware of the fact that the visit of Major Mair and the Waikato Queenites condoned Todd’s murder, and is considered as a peaee making. I know an old fighting chief and Native Assessor who has always been faithfully attached to the Europeans, who when asked to accompany Major Mair to Tokangamutu, refused to go, saying, “ Todd’s blood is not cold yet, and.if the Governor goes there (meaning if any European goes), he cannot afterwards fight against the murderers.” If after what has lately taken place at Tokangamutu, the Government attempt to capture the persons concerned in the murder, it will be looked on as an act of treacher}', and equivalent to “ stabbing in the dark.” If the Government cannot adopt some better line of proceeding in native affairs, it does not require the spirit of prophecy to predict that the result will be disastrous to the Colony and both races. I am, &c., James Mackay, Jun.