Mr Bryce before his Constituents.
[By Telegraph.]
(Pee Psess Association.)
Wellington, This day. Mr Bryce addressed bis constituents at Wanganui last night. His speech was chiefly occupied by explaining bis native policy, and the reasons for his leaving the Ministry. He said divergence of opinions arose between him and the majority, but not all of his coll -agues, and it was unreasonable to expect a man either to carry out in his owa Department views he did not approve of, or abstain from doing what he thought ought properly be done. His native policy had been consistent throughout in an endeavor to make a a settlement of the native claims, a settlement of country and a vindication of law and order. He reviewed the various steps taken, and spoke at great length regarding the responsibility he felt when he moved the [constabulary across the Waingongoro. He had made roads without asking the Maoris' consent, and had completed the telegraph, and commencfl the lighthouse, all against Te Wbiti's predictions, and established a constabulary camp within two miles of Parihaka. The law had been vindicated by the arrest of the fencers, and till September all went well. Then he thougiit the time had come for him to visit Te Whiti, accompanied by a force sufficient to command the resoect, and say to him: " This is a very smaii country; too small to hold two separate authorities- If you are the man of sense some people suppose you to be, you will see that for yourself, and you will also see which of the two authorities must prevail. Either the Queen or you must prevail, and I must see the authority of the law shall from this lime forth prevail at Parihaka as elsewhere." He would also have told Te Whiti he must no longer harbour criminals, and he would have arrested Hiroki. He had little doubt he couid have done this, but he could not give the details of his plan, as it was possible it might yet have to be done. He believed Te Whili would have consented quietly, but, if not, he would have arrested him also. In any case Te Whiti's mana would have been destroyed. At the time he (Mr Bryce) could have put 2000 men on the ground within ten days, and another 1000 in ten days more. He believed the steps he proposed would have, settled the West Coast difficulty, and he was ambitious of doing this. He had not felt himself particularly bound by the West Coast Commission report, but denied that he had departed from them. He thought leaving Hiroki under the protection of Te Whiti was an indirect encouragement to the natives to commit crime, and there was no analogy between Hiroki's presence there within two miles of camp and the murderers of Moffat, or the Waikato murderers, who could not possibly be got at, and whom to attempt to capture would involve war. "Why he first Resigned, He had in September, when he found the majority of the Cabinet disagreed with him, sent in his resignation, but withdrew it for a time in the hope of converting his colleagues to bis views. When he found, however, this impossible, he retired. He believed any idea of negotiating with Te Whiti or getting him to recognise f.he confiscation was perfectly preposterous until Te Whiti's power was broken. He did not thiuk it would be safe to release the remainder of the prisoners while his mana existed, and while the criminals were safe at Parihaka there was a strong inducement to crime. Secret of Te Whiti's Power. He believed the natives had lost faith in Te Whiti, but were in great fear of being bedevilled by him and in justice to them, his supremacy should be upset. The Royal Commission. The Jioyal Commission had not detached r single foi.owur from Te Whiti; tue
great progress of settlement on the Wes Coast during the last fourteen months had been due simply to the fact that we showed a determination to hare our own way, and to support it by a sufficient display force. Mr Bryce spoke for over two hours, and was patiently listened to, and a vote of thanks and confidence was carried unanimously.
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Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3818, 24 March 1881, Page 2
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709Mr Bryce before his Constituents. Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3818, 24 March 1881, Page 2
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