The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 1868.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 338, 31 August 1868, Page 2

The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 1868.

Lltest news from the North island is of a far more encouraging character than we have had for some time. Instead of repulses, we have at last, news of a victory, and though it may be a cymparatively barren one and is dearly purchased by the deaths of four brave fellows, still, it will not be without its fruits and will be, we trust, the first of a series of lessons that Colonel M'Donnell will teach the Hau Haus. Whatever may have been said of the Colonial forces, there is no doubt that on this occasion they behaved gallantly, and even Major Hunter, whose conduct very recently laid him open to grave imputations of cowardice has redeemed his character, in that respect at all events, and acted well throughout the fight. Von Tempsky too, one of the best men for Maori warfare ever engaged in New Zealand, was present and altogether if the private differences, said to exist among t those in command are only laid aside the Patea force is likely to give an excellent account of the whole murdering gang. But there is every fear that just when retribution has fairly set in in earnest, that orders from head quarters will come to paralyse the arm of the avenger, and allow the natives to lay down their arms till better opportunities for assassination and pillage arise. There is no doubt that little short of the extermination of the Hau Haus will ever procure permanent peace.; or security for life and property in the North island, and as the Assembly is now sitting it is most sincerely to be hoped that the Ministry will be forced into such an explicit declaration of their policy as to leave no doubt that the war will be prosecuted till this is effected Clemency, in the Maori mi means fear; mercy is a quality that the fanatics do not recognise and one that in their case should be unknown. If Colonel M'Donnell is allowed to go on undisturbed; With his work, he will perform it well if any maudlin sympathy, or Exeter Hall theory is introduced he must of necessity fall short in its execution. It is absolutely necessary to teach the Maori that whether rightly or wrongly, the white man is his master, and to prove to him that justice, though it may travel with leaden feet, yet proceeds slowly and surely to its end. Let a white man or a body of white men commit one half of the atrocities that the Hau Haus have been guilty of, and New Zealand would ring again with the execrations that would follow, and what difference is there between blood barbarously shed, whether by Pakeha or Maori. Murder committed by Maoris is at times almost justified by the phfio-maori element, though on what grounds, we are utterly at a loss to understand. Ample provocation for ample punishment has been given, let us hope that retribution may be exacted to the'uterinost, and thatJhe warning in store for the native race may be of such a kind as to strike terror into their savage hearts, and so through fear, (as all other means have been tried and found wanting) secure for the colony permanent peace.