Wanganui Chronicle. AND PATEA-RANGITIKEI ADVERTISER. "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA." THURSDAY, AUGUST 12, 1880.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXII, Issue 9188, 12 August 1880, Page 2

Wanganui Chronicle. AND PATEA-RANGITIKEI ADVERTISER. "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA." THURSDAY, AUGUST 12, 1880.

The third and final report of the Koyal Commission appointed to enquire into and report on Native affairs on tbis coast has been presented, and fully completcß the work which Sir William Fox and Sir Francis Dillon Bell undertook. The three documents form together one perfect whole, which will for ever remain a monumentof patient persevering industry, of thoroughly exhaustive inquiry, of unswerving rectitude and fair dealing, and of skillful statesmanlike management at a time when it was most urgently called for. The praise may seem extravagant ; but let those who doubt the justice of our panegyric, study the reports carefully, and if tbey do so with minds unbiassed by party politics or personal animosity towards the Commissioners, we are sure they will rise from the examination with an impression quite as favourable as our own. To form this high opinion of the work of the Commissioners it is not necessary that the reader should agree with every conclusion which they arrive at, or wilh 'every inference they draw. Least of all is it necessary that assent should be given toa proposition affirming the advisability of appointing the Commission in the first place. There are some, we may suppose, who would have preferred to carry matters with a high hand, to reoceupy the plains entirely by force of arms, to root out Parihaka, and at any price put a stop to the fanatical ravings ofTe Whiti. But persons still holding those views should remember that the general opinion throughout the colony has been, from the commencement o£ these troubles, strongly in favour of preserving the peace. Mo doubt could be reasonably entertained as to the power of the European population, not- only to subdue, but actually to annihilate the Maori race ; but the price of victory would have been too great, and even in far more prosperous times would entail a burden heavy to be borne. If we admit that it was advisable to avoid war, no better way of arriving at a basis on which to settle the Native difficulty on this coast could have liven fouud than by the appointment of a Eoyal Commission, composed of men ivho were thoroughly conversant with Native law, and Native usages and habits of thought. A great deal has recently been said about Government by lioyal Commissions, and about the present Ministry endeavouring to shift

on to. other shoulders responsibilities which' they themselves should bear. We need not stay to inquire whether there has been any ground of complaint on that, account with regard to other Commissions, -but certainly there has been none with regard to the West Coast one. Parliament could, it seems to us, have got at the truth by no other means than those which have been adopted, aud it is to be presumed that the truth was what was wanted to enable the legislatureHo deal justly and mercifully with the Native race. Ministers could not themselves have made the necessary examination, and a Parliamentary Committee would have been equally futile. The inquiry had, of necessity, to be entrusted to some one, and tho appointment of a Royal Commission was the ordinary constitutional course to pursue. Let us be thankful that so excellent a selection of Commissioners was effected, and let us hope that Parliament, being now in possession of all the facts, and of a report on them which is a masterpiece, will do their part of the work, and not separate before passing measures calculated to set tho West Coast Native difficulty at rest for ever. In their third report the Commissioners indicate the legislation which appears to them necessary. It has been summarised in the following manner:— "To allocate the Court awards and Government awards ; to declare the various classes of reserves ; to survey exterior boundaries and hapu divisions of re-, serves ; to issue ■ grants in trust for tribes, and also to small Lapus and individuals ; to subdivide reserves ; to individualiso the title whenever tho chiefs and people are ready for it; to make a formal abandonment of the land returned by Sir G. Grey conditional on the maintenance of peace ; to make regulations, with the assent of the chiefs and people, for the leasing of reserves ; to settle any special claims and grievances ; to constitute the land from Stoney Biver to the Waitotara a special land district ; to determine how and when the land shall be disposed of ; to temporarily put the Land Board under the orderß of the Governor; to make such regulations for village and small farm settlements, especially in the back country and foreßt, aa will attract population, and ensure the rapid occupation of the country; to incorporate the powers of the Public Works Act, Telegraph Act, and Harbour Act, for making roads and railways through any reserves, for the Cape Egmont lighthouse, and for other works ; to declare obstruction to the Act an offence punishable with imprisonment ; to take such new execn'ive powers as may. be wanted in any emergency to ensure peace and to j repress all outrage to the orders of the Governor." The last paragraph of the report contains a suggestion which, although it will take a good many people by surprise, and may excite indignation in the minds of others, is merely the natural, not to Bay necessary, outcome of the peace policy which has from tho first prevailed throughout the colony. The Commissioners strongly urge the necessityVof opening up communications withTeWhiti.with tho object of inducing him to accede to the proposals of the Government. It is pointed out that filling the gaols with Maori prisoners does not tend towards the settlement of the questions at issue. It is suggested that Te Wlrti should be plainly told what the Government intend to do, and should be invited to concur in the partition of tho lands as recommended by tho Commissioners. This, they say, he appeared prepared to do at the lime of bis interview with Mr Maokay. But, whilet asking his concurrence, the Government should let -Hun understand, beyond a'l doubt, that, whether he approve or not, they intend to take their share — that is, that after making provision for Native reserves the balance of the land will be settled by Europeans. The Commissioners do not suggest how communication with Te Whiti should be opened up. They leave it to his Excellency — that is, to the Government — to name the agents, but they strongly urge that no time should be lost in making the experiment. It seems to us that if the course pointed out be adopted, no more fitting agents could bo found than the gentlemen who have so far had the conduct of this matter, and have played their difficult part with consummate ability, and in such a manner as to prove conclusively to the Natives that their interests could have been committed to no safer handß. Unless Te Whiti be a maniac, he must see that eventually he will loso the game, and that he had better accept terms while he has yet thp opportunity. We still believe that the fencing which has been going on was undertaken for the purpose of thoroughly disgusting the Government with the multitude of their prisoners, and thus inducing them to release all, or to finish matters by forcing a trial in a Court of Law. If this be so, the plan has failed. So long as there were fencers, so long were they led captive to New Plymouth, and shipped off to other parts of the colony. The Natives, after seventy of their number have thus been removed, appear to acknowledge the failure of the device, for no more are coming forward. It is certain that Te Whiti does not mean war, and that being the case, and granting him the possession of his reason, it is probable that if approached with caution he might be prepared to accept terms which would release him from the awkward and not very safe position he at present occupies.