Wanganui Chonicle AND PATEA-RANGITIKEI ADVERTISER. "NULLA DISE SINE LINEA." MONDAY, NOVEMBER, 6, 1882.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXIV, Issue 9662, 6 November 1882, Page 2

Wanganui Chonicle AND PATEA-RANGITIKEI ADVERTISER. "NULLA DISE SINE LINEA." MONDAY, NOVEMBER, 6, 1882.

It will be seen by our telegrams that the King natives have rejected the proposals made by the Native Minister on behalf of the Government. It is very improbable that the subject will be reopened for some time to come. Certainly Mr Bryce will not take the initiative in further negotiations during his present visit to the King country ; nor, if the natives were to seek another interview, would he consent to the smallest modification of the terms in the only direction which would be likely to lead to a mutually satisfactory result. 'I he proposals are, as we have already said, very liberal ; and we now learn from the report of Saturday's meeting that Mr Bryco not only regards them as such, but believes that he will be blamed in some parts of the colony for having offered such large con~ cessions. On that head we think he has nothing to fear. The colony would be very glad to give back twenty thousand acres to the landless Waikatos, to pension Tawhiao and confer on him the offices of Legislative Councillor, Justice of the Peace, j and Assessor under the Eesident ] Magistrates Act, if in return the natives would entirely abandon the King movement and settle down under the law of the land. But whatever may be Tawhiao's personal wishes with regard to the Government proposals (and we believe he was quite prepared to accept them and abandon his shadowy royalty), his followers were of a different way of thinking, and to their influence we attribute the answer that he must keep his mana, or in other words that he would not surrender the kingly title and such authority as has hitherto attached to it in the eyes of the natives. Tawhiao seemed unwilling that the negotiations should be broken off, and no doubt entertained the hope that a compromise of some might be arrived at. He suggested that Mr Bryce should take more time for consideration. No good purpose would have been seijggd by consenting to delay. Saturday was the day which had been agreed upon for Tawhiao's answer, no fresh points for discussion or consideration had arisen, and the Native Minister knew well that under no circumstances whatever could the Government recognise the Maori King. Ho therefore took his leave, but his last words seem to imply that in his opinion Tawhiao's answer had been prompted by others and was not an expression of his own feelings. "It is right "said Mr Bryce, " that the whole people should hear Tawhiao's reply which was that the responsibility of accepting or declining the offers were thrown on Wahnnui, and they were rejected." The discussion, if such it can be termed, appears to have been conducted in a frieudly manner, and Mr Bryce was assured that the natives had no intention of going back to " darkness and isolation." But however that may be, the Native Minister's mission has clearly failed as an attempt to overthrow Kingism with the consent of the tribes who recognise Tawhiao's authority. The country is still shut up, the Queen's writ will not run, and murderers and vagabonds have still a place of escape from justice.