Wanganui Chronicle AND PATEA-RANGITIKEI ADVERTISER. "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA." MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1882.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXIV, Issue 9662, 30 October 1882, Page 2

Wanganui Chronicle AND PATEA-R ANGITIKEI ADVERTISER. "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA." MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1882.

The Native Minister's negotiations with, the Maori King have commenced, and though the meeting which took place on Saturday waß only of a preliminary character — was in fact merely the occasion for exchanging friendly greetings — the spirit pervading the natives who were present appeared to be good, and Tawhiao expressed his willingness to enter on business at a day to be agreed upon. Mr Bryce has departed somewhat from his usual course in presenting Tawhiao and the assembled multitude with beef flour tea and sugar; but exception can scarcely be taken to the gift, for it is said to have been a return for a former present of bullocks made to the Armed Constabulary. Tawhiao has ako been presented with a permanent free pass en all New 'Zealand Government railways, a concession which he did not appear to value very highly, though he signified his readiness to take the gold token which, is the voucher for his privilege. There is no probability that Mr Bryce will return to the policy of his predecessor and attempt to keep the King natives in good humour by, pandering to their gluttony and extravagance. Although so much has been said in anticipation of this visit, the full import of Mr Bryce?s mission to the Maori King is not known. Of course one great object which he has in view is to obtain the consent of Tawhiao and his adherent! to the construction of that portion of the main north line of railway which runs through Maori lands. It is more than the sale or gift of the narrow strip of land that is required, and the route to be pursued cannot be determined either by Tawhiao or any of the chiefs. If the best is to be secured, the pre--. liminary concession must necessarily' be for the surveyors to come and go when and where they please. They must, at all events within certain eastern and western limits, have full liberty to travel through the country and make themselves thoroughly acquainted with its natural features. The terms on which the Btrip of land is to be surrendered is seemingly an after consideration ; nor can it yet be determined what hapus will be principally interested. Bearing all this in mmd, and remembering the difficulties which have for years stood in the way of the opening up ■ of the King country, and it will be admitted that the task which M Bryce has undertaken may prove < one of very great difficulty. He ; may even succeed in thoroughly em- ■ buing Tawhiao with a desire to facil- \ itate the construction of the line, and ■ yet caaj meet with, opposition from ! other influential natives which will J prove very hard to overcome. We do i not say that it will be so ; but, onques- i tions affecting the land, the voice of ' Tawhiao is not the only one whidh ' will be heard, nor is it the one whi/h j will have the greatest weight. How- '. ever, it is evident that the Native < Minister had no other course to pur- ' sue than to commence his negotiations with Tawhiao, who, though he may j not have the largest territorial interest i in tho lands in question, iB recognised c is their political chief by those who * have. To have altogether disregarded l ihe position in which so large a num- j. ber of his countrymen havo placed j

him would have given mortal offence not only to the man himself but to many whose actual interest in the, land ia far larger than Tawhiao's! We have great confidence in Mr Bryce's aptitude for the work in which he is engaged. We cannot say he is popular with the native race, as is Mr Sheehan, nor is it at all desirable that a Native Minister should acquire that exceedingly questionable sort of popularity. Still leas does he stand in anything, liko the , position which Sir George Grey occupies in their regards. But, nevertheless, Mr Bryce has a powerful influence over the Maori at the present time. They know him to be a strong man, and they do not like him the worse for it. They have seen him successful, and they have also seen, that he is just and that his ■word may be implicitly relied on. The first tokens of a wish to renew friendly relations with the Europeans came from the King ;natives themselveß. How far they are prepared to go, it is hard to say, but there can be no doubt they begin to perceive that they are great losera by the policy of sullen isolation. Mr Bryce has therefore something substantial to work on in his negotiations, for the Northern Bailway. . But we have hopes that the effects of his mission will extend much further than obtaining permission for a survey with a promise, of the cession of the land when the route shall have been definitely fixed. We trust that the result of tßis' visit will be that ere long the barriers will be entirely broken down, and that, either by sale or lease,' large blocks of the king country will pass into the hands of Europeans and contribute to the wealth and prosperity of ; the colony.