NATIVE POLICY.

Thames Star, Volume VI, Issue 1772, 7 September 1874, Page 2

NATIVE POLICY.

(To tho Editor of the Evening Star.) 'Sib, —Tho native difficulty lias again been brought prominently before the public*, by reason of the late minis torial action, which, it is to be sincerely hoped, will end in there being no " difficulty" at ! all between the races, or in materially I diminishing its alarming proportions. I .would, wish, with your i permission, to make a few remarks upon this subject, or more properly, upon the character of tho opinions which hare been expressed by a large proportion of tho public. I think the Government,, in their treatment of this as of many other matters, have been judged prematurely, not to say harshly. While it;must be acknowledged' that there has been a seeming tardiness an,d over leniency in dealing with the natives, it must also be Admitted that the Govern-, ment have been surround«d with difficulties on.all sides, difficulties not only pre-. sented by the opposition of thie MaOries but by that wretched class of .obstructionists the Pakeha-Maories. In the first place, the country was burdened by a debt begot ©f the war policy. The natives of this island proved themselves no mean foes; and it had to be acknowledged that the war policy did not answer. Then we enter into peaceful. negotiations, which means the conciliation of the natiyos with' the object of coming to terms for opening up the country. This has been termed the "flour and sugar policy," and is looked upon as an expedient which is dpgrading to the British Lion. But the point appears to be that the Government are beset with a difficulty to extricate themselves from which two courses are open; and of two evils they naturally choose the least. Having had recourse to the last named policy, the question" is, are they carrying out that policy in the manner which is most likely to forward the result which it is desired to attain. I firmly believe that the present Government are doing, so > and it is mostly by. such statements as those lately made by your morning contemporary that people a*re led to deubt—those at least who are sufficiently modest^toadmit the difficulties, to be contended with. The Advertiser; has been hammering away at Mr. Mackay and his superior Mr. McLean on the principle, presumably, that it is adyisable to look at n» en 'generally in the light of rogues until you discover them to be honest. That reasoning which would attribute'to these gentlemen interested motives in the perpetuation of the native difficulty is very crippled, for, supposing the attitude as\ sumed by the natives towards European* were to be reversed to-morrow, the necessity for. the services^of Mr. McLeaih would not" cea,se ; no, 1 nor for many yea¥§ to come. I apprehend that the lengthened explanation of one of the many charges that have been made against Mr. McLean, appearing in your issue of; Friday^ will open the eyes of a good many to wsfact that not only are the intentions tif'" the Government, honest; t but that their operations are oftentimes obstructed by the people. Of this we have evidence — thus: supposing a rush; of Ohinemuyv land had taken place at the last jgrreat agitation, would not the tactics of the; Native Minister or his agent have beenl rendered useless. But we are ever apt to fancy ourselves better cooks than our fellows, and the consequence frequentlyis that the broth is ." mucked." No man knows the native temper better than Mr. Mackay; and if we wish the land of this province opened, we.had better place implicit faith, in the men most likely fcf achieve tie object.

Mog.