The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. MONDAY, MAY 14, 1883.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4479, 14 May 1883, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. MONDAY, MAY 14, 1883.

The Native Ministeris once more posing ; this time as recording the daring deeds performed by volunteers at the fearful battle at Parihaka on sth November, 1881, when the whole colony was breathless with excitement, until they read telegrams throughout the oountry announcing the brilliantvictory of Mr Bryce and his supporters ; and following up with |eulogies on the promptness displayed by the cavalry in the Waikato in responding to a call to arms made during the recent disorderly conduct of a handful of natives. In absurdly extravagant language he spoke of a band of fanatics on the frontier coming down and harrassine settlers; feelingly referred to the volunteer turn out on that occasion as having prevented embarrassment to the Government, and nothing short of serious calamity to the colony; and wound up a very puerile speech by making the ridiculous statement that if the cavalry had not acted as they had done, the enemy would have come down on the town, and certainly carried off many Europeans as prisoners; he might have added " after slaughtering all the woman and children, and burning the town." *11 this twaddle is very nonsensical. There can be little doubt that it is quite necessary that the difficulties and dangers encountered by the conqueror of Te Whiti, and Mahuki, should be shown to have been of some magnitude, in view of an impending session of Parliament. It is quite appar. ent that the usual " native bugbear " is to be produced at the coming entertainment to be given in Wellington, and one can hardly blame the Native Minister for making the most of the small materials at his disposal, when he will have to play a trump in the Ministerial game. What is open to objection is, this constant reliance on old games, completely played out. Regarding this descent of the myriads of government armed men at Parihaka, who, beaded by. a man who knew no fearthere was nothing to fear on that occasion, and he knew it— Mr Bryce rode at the head of a large body of men, to be jeered at by a handfull of Maori children, who—while their mothers looked on laughing—danced before, and mocked the troops which the the Hon. John BrTee rode in front of trumphantly on his white charger, with such feelings as never could have been enjoyed by any Napoleon. The Govern* tnent as well as others knew that Te Whiti had never preached resistance, and they never could have expected that any opposition would have been offered to that noble entry of Parihaka; but Bryce thought over that ancient sth of November affair, and pondered on what might have been, and thinking doubtless of bis chance of magnifying this celebrated bloodless victory, he prepared a series of stock speeches, to be delivered from time to time, as occasion should require or permit. As to the dreadful doings of Mahuki and his few insignificant followers'in the Waikato, the lan* guage of the Minister is eveu more childish than in the last instance. Of coarse the volunteers in this case, as well as in the Parihaka campaign, are deserving of every credit for their promptness ii turning out wheu called upuu; but the

reference made by Mr Bryce, when presenting the prizes of.the Rifle Association in Wellington, to the danger which existed, was simply an attempt to enlarge on the small difficulty which he had overcome, and make capital oat of an insignificant disturbance which might have been quieted by a few policemen. The statement to the effeojg that there was the least danger of the enemy coming down on the towa -and carrying off -Europeans as prisoner.was a gross exaggeration of the "row" which took place. We have paused to wonder what the townspeople wonld have been doing if Mahuki and his twelve or twenty —they have been variously stated —followers attempted to do anything of the sort. We have an idea that a prompt repulse would have been the result, with ' out any cavalry or Native Minister; besides that, there was no chance of any such event occurring. The highly- < colored statements of events were what are usually expected from a Ministerial trip. While having every confidence in the Volunteer force of the colony we most decidedly object to a meeting of them being made use of by Mr Bryce to parade hia valorous acts, and recount the imaginary dangers he has passed through. He.scertainly evinces) a desire to "give them one," but it is only prompted by his intention of " giving two to himself."