The Westport Times. FRIDAY, MAY 30, 1873.

Westport Times, Volume VII, Issue 1076, 30 May 1873, Page 2

The Westport Times. FRIDAY, MAY 30, 1873.

The telegrams from Wellington, Waikato, and elsewhere, referring to the actiou of the natives and the Government are as usual conflicting and • contradictory. The sensational item ' " war is considered inevitable," must 1 be taken'for what it is worth, as mean-1 i ing much or little, seeing that it has been so soon followed by another ■ declaring " that affairs arc reassuring," • and yet expecting the Europeans to attack." ' The natives are no doubt in a state, of agitation aud the European settle r 5 justlv incensed, but the desire for war > on either side is, fortunately for the welfare of the colony, not distinctly : apparent. No greater evil could befal tho colony than a too precipitate • awakening of "wars dire alarms," but the situation is unquestionably grave, and the action of the Government ►beset with difficulties. A declaration of war means the instant retardation of all social or commercial progress. While war lasted co'onists might hid i adieu to .all hope of doing good for themselves or the colony they live in, for their best efforts would he crushed out of all semblance of success by the heavy incubus of war taxation. Thus tho assurance that the Government •does not intend making any demonstration against the natives until actually compelled to do so las beeu received as exceeding good tidings by all who think that, until every avenue leading to the merest chance of peaceful settlement has been patiently explored, tho embroilment to arise

from active reprisals should bo religiously avoided. On the other bauds supposing the King declares a set determination not to give up the murder, crs of the man Sullivan, there seembut one alternative left; either the Government or the settlers in the districts must take them. And here again the Government is placed upon the horus of a dilemma. The fighting power of the colonial force is weak in numbers aiid in discipline, and waging guerilla war with the natives even when Imperial and Colonial troops were combined proved futile in all conclusions having any good effect beyond coercing a few tribes into a show of friendly alliance and subjection. A northern contemporary says :

" The Maoris we 'have to deal with may be divided into three parties—-first-the Ngatihaua and Ngatiraukanva Hauhaus at Maungatautari, Wbarepapo, Aratitata,and other settlements, numbering probably from two to three hundred men, the greater number of whom are no doubt ready for a fight; then we have 'the different tribes known as the Waikatos, under Tawhiao and Manuhiri, probably not inclined for war, but sulky still at the confiscation of their land, and certain to resist any armed force going towards their settlements ; and lastly, the Ngatimaniapoto, having a somewhat hostile feeling towards the Waikatos, and having all to lose by a war, but having amongst them men of influence who "would be certain to carry the whole tribe against us in the event of any hostilities. It is difficult to make any estimate of the number of men who would possibly bo against us in the event of war, but we cannot take it at fewer than 1.500, all well armed."

Now to meet ] 500, or even 1000, native warriors on equal terms, adopting similar tactics to the own, pursuing them to their bush fastnesses and fighting it out to the bitter end, means an exp< nditure of men, munitions, and money, far in excess of what tho Colony can afford, and the Government may well pause before firing tho first shot. Tho imbroglio is sufficiently annoying at the eve of the Assembly meeting, without having actual warfare to answer for. Again to leave the settlers of the disturbed districts to take the affair in their own hands, as has been suggested, would only result in more serious complieacations. Some have already been found inconsiderate enough to recommend warto the knife, and the offer of rewards to the settlers for every native head brought in, until the murderers surrendered. Such hideous reprisal would in effect excite the Maori tribes into open revolt, and cause grim visaged war to stalk from shore to shore of the Northern Island. The mistake of the Government has been in not causing the murderers to bo followed up quickly as ordinary criminals, instead of .giving to their dastardly crime apolitical significance. In recognising the Maori King as an independent power, to whom appeal must be made before even a murderer among his own kindred can be brought to justice, savours more of cowardice than prudence, and to the native mind is suggestive of weakness on the part of the pakeha tending to encourage further acts of lawlessness. The Northern Press writing on the question pleads not so much for peace at any price as the .proper enforcement of the law between Europeans and Maoris. The Waikato Times, referring to the uncertainty of peace as being equally calamitous to the settlers as actual war says : "The delivery of the "last-murderers to justice means that no more fighting is to take place; if this concession be not made, we can only consider that another war, hot and terrible is in front of us."

The Coromandel Mail arguing that Kingism is the head and front of native disaffection, says the time has passed for mincing matters with the Maoris, and referring to the chances of war speaks thus plainly : " We venture to say the campaign would he a short one, and that it would not only put down Kingism and its attendant outrages, but end also in reducing the nominal -roll of the civil list by a very considerable number of names. Othello's occupation would be gone, and we should do without Native Ministry, Native Commissioners, et id genus omDe. Break up Kingism and bring Maori and European 'under one law, and from the Native Minister down to the lowest wretch that in the stiapo of Pakeba Maori plays traitor to either race, these men who now, to the hindrance of colonisation prey upon the public purse, would bo driven to that which to their very nature is repulsive —some useful and perhaps honest means of earning a livelihood."