The Waikato Times. "OMNE SOLUM FORT PATRIA." SATURDAY, MAY 24, 1873.

Waikato Times, Volume III, Issue 163, 24 May 1873, Page 2

The Waikato Times. "OMNE SOLUM FORT PATRIA." SATURDAY, MAY 24, 1873.

Wb celebrate to-day the Birthday of our Sovereign. She has sat on the throne of Great Britain smce the year 1838. Dating- the period that has elapsed since she commenced to govern she has often been 1 tried and never found wanting 1 . She has endeared herself to her people by her social virtues and the strict regard she has always shown for the constitution under which she reigns. We most cordially wish her many happy returns of the day. The celebration of the birthday of our Queen with a " King " in the territory over which she has assumed the sovereignty within a few miles, cannot fail to strike us all as particularly incongruous. We naturally ask ourselves on whom rests the disgrace? for disgrace it undoubtedly is. There are so many sides to this question, that to answer it intelligibly in space allotted to an article, is almost impossible. When we use the term disgrace we only mean to apply it in a political sense Extreme carefulness not to exterminate people capable of civilization has no doubt, been the cause of many of our past trouble?, 1 and indirectly that of the ills which we are suffering 1 at the present time " Spare the rod and spoil tiie child," is a motto tl.afc is thoroughly exemplified in the case of the Maoi is When we first settled amongst them they were children in the sense of not being civilized or capable of understanding the advantages ! that civilization would confer upon them Physical force and a particularly rough moral code was all that guided tliern in their relations with one another. | We have pandered to their notions of right and ! wrong 1 , and are now suffering the consequences. In • the very early days of colonisation no doubt the 1 physical force of the natives had to be submitted toMight was admitted to be right by both peoples; one acknowledged the theory from necessity, and the other enforced it from conviction. Let us pass over the period that elapsed between early settlement and the time her Majesty's forces came in contact with the abon^m^s of this inland. Then c >mmemenced the military history of this colony, and we venture the 6pinion that no history that has been, or could be written, has brought equal disgrace on the British army — disgrace that should never have fallen upon it. Want of bravery could not be imputed to it; the lives lost in gallant, though probably unnecessary attacks on fortifications? prove that the British soldier had not lost the dash or the courage that carried him victorious through the Indian mutiny. Let the disgrace rest on the right ohoulders. Personal feeling was allowed by those who had the guidance of affairs to influenco their political or military iu;ts. It was truly a case of a house divided against itself. We have always believed, and belie-vo now, that had Sir George Grey not been Governor of this colony and Bishop Selwyn its bishop, Gei.eral Cameron would ha\e put down opposition to Government once and for ever. We can respect the Bishop for the action he took, but not so the Governor. The former, us a Minister of the Gospel, could not stand by calmly and see the people he had undertaken to Christianise slaughtered ; he had nothing to do with the political side of the question, On the contrary, the governor of a colony, in his official position, has nothing te consider but the interests of those whose destinies to some extent were placed in his hands. He, as governor, should have been able to appreciate the fact that severity is often tiue mercy. There is another phase of this question which is anythiug but creditable to the colonists themselves. We allude to the barefaced manner ii] which the "native difficulty," as it is commonly called, has been habitually used to lever one party into power or to oust those who held it. This , perhaps, excepting the existence of anarchy in otn midst, is the most unpleasant feature in the wholt matter. It reflects upon us as colonists, and enables any man to point at us with the finger of scorn It is our most earnest wish, a* it must be that o , every colonist of New Zealand, that when we cele brate she next birthday of our Sovereign that then shall be no puppet " King" to dispute authority with her. We conclude by again wishing long lift ' and happiness to Her Majesty Queen Victoria.

We have received the follow ing from our Alexandra correspondent :—": — " Owing to 3omo remarks th.it I made in my J report of the Volunteer meeting held last Saturday in Alexandra, an impression has been established to the effect that I wished to throw cold water on tin* mo\cment, and that I meant it to be understood that the ofiicers appointed were iiirfliiccut, and not legally appointed. Tins T emphatically deny, and am sorry that such a view of my ' rcmar, 3 should ha\e been taken. I hope that tins denial of ! any intention to injure the laudable, and, in these times, I necessary spirit of such meeting, w ill remove any unpleasant impression thatmay have been established, .111 1 again wish tho 1 corps every success, and speedy organization. Mr Mackay has fixed upon a site for tho redoubt that is to be built between Alexandra and Kihikihi. The position, which is a very commanding one, in bituated on land lately bought by Mr Bosanko from Mr Phillips. It comuinnds botli the fonls across the Funui, is about seven miles from here and four from Kihikihi, and is in sight of both Alexandra and Kihikihi redoubts. The route of the telegraph Mire is to be changed It will now take an eastern by south (likU 1011 nuiii AU \ar.Jlr;i, .111 I 'mv ( . some distance on tho north tide of Punui, will pass within one mile of tho redoubt mentioned above ; the lino will then pass by Te Awamutu to Kihikihi, from there to Rangiauahia, and across tho Moan.ituatu 1 ->wa.ii|) li> (Jivnbridgo ; so that it will completely circle our fiontier. We hope that the Government will loso no time in completing the road along this route." Our Uaglun correspondent writes iw follows, on the 2 1st instant : — " Houi te One faent word to the settlors liviii" on Ruapukt block that they wero on no account to bo disturbed by the present aspect of affairs, or to entertain auy idea "f leaving, as lie meant to take them nil under his fatherly protection, and to die for his Pakubas if necessary. The evening previous a large meeting had been held at Matukatuka, (lloni te One's place), to consider what should be done. A number of Hauhaus who had come there from Kawhia with the intention of living at Matakatuka, were ordered to leave, and return to their own settlement. We notice by a telegram ;n; n another column that a steamer named the Lalla Uookh was to leave Auckland to-day for Waikato. She will piove a welcome addition to our mosquito fleet. Opposition is. tho soul of trade. 111 reference to a telegram received from Cambridge and published in our hist issue, we have boon requested to btato that Mr Willi mis never said that the natives were preparing for war.

It is satisfactory to know that good progress is being made with our public works Some tuno ago it was stated that a third rail was being laid down along th© Waikato line bo as accommodate tho two locomotives, which .ire of different gauges. The third line has now been laid dow n nearly as fur iia Mechanics' Ea_\, and the two locomotiyo* nro running freely along that portion of the ITne The necdon of the line to Onehunga is almost completed, and had it not been for the wet weather which has prevailed of late, and which has prevented the sub-contractors for the supply of sleepers getting the required number -forwarded to tho .works in sufficient time, the line to Oueliunga would have been completed by the end of the present month. However, as it is, tins portion of the line will be finished bvJuty, and the line to W.uk.ito, as far as Mangere Road bejond Otahuhu, is expected to be open for tr illie about Christmas. The work* a'ong the whole line me in an udvnn-cd state, and if it is pjsiible to get the sleepers required on the ground m time. the whole line to Mercer could bo handed over to the Go\eminent m complete working order by Juh, 187 1 This-, of course, presupposes the ability of the U-ov eminent to prowdo the rail-, iVe, with that rapidity which the cnergetie pushing on of the work would demand. It is to be hoped that even ellbrt will be made to push on tins work vigourously, for, of all the railway lines which have been planned in thetolom, not cue is of equ.il importance to the general welfare ol the colony a-> a whole to the shoi t line from AikLl.ind to tho Waikato Crosi. Our Thames corro«p nident supplies the, following. - "Strange news was brought in this morning bv Mr (J F Mitchell, who, with his wife, have deserted the hotel they line been some tune keeping at Pueroa The situation is certainly un exposed one, and, not deeming it safe to leiu.un t'lere any longer with natne disturbances threatening, Mr Mitchell packed up his goods and chattels nnd nude his way t»> Shortland He is the be.irer of am thing but assuring intelligence, the burden of his tale being a possible night attack on the Thames goldfield by the Oliinemun natives. The subject h.id evidently been discussed by them. As toon as he had arrived Mr Mitchell waited on Captain Fraser, X.M , and advised him of what he knew; and, although suu'h an attack H regarded as improbable in the extreme^ sen-e of the term, Captain l'raaer deemed it to be his duty to transmit tho intelligence to Wellington. it Mich a M'lhon as the present, when men's minds are prone to be disturbed l>y rejwrts, re[>ort3 ot all kinds arc not wanting. It ir said that the llikut<\ia. native settlement has been deserted of nearly all but the old men, women, and children ; srareelv a >oung man is to be >een theru, and few arm* of any kind. Another report is to the ellect of two Piako elnefs having withdrawn a large sum of money they had deposited m one of the Thames bulks. The sum is stated at JCI,oOO, and it was taken out in gold. With regard to a report of a Muori having presented a louled gun at two guimligg^rs at Jlikutaia, 1 may shite that I conversed witli a gentleman from llikutaia who happened to bo near the spot at the time. The Maori was said to have just shot a pig, and this act ni} informant witnessed; but he did not see him threaten Europeans afterwards lion ever, tie Maori is described as u most truculent-looking fellow, and the alter circum- | stances may ha\e occuired some time subsequent to the I slaving of tho pig, when the gentleman in question was not present. Afliiirs are certainly assuming a rather serious aspect, but forewarned should be forearmed." — Cross. We compliment the Cross on the improvement in its tone. Tn yesterday's issue it says :—": — " The energy and persevering _, nr of .Tines Muikay m the Waikato deserves high piaisv. IJk telegrams bristle with his name. lie is übiquitous, a la Figaro ; it is Mackay here, Mackay there, and Mackay everywhere — at one tune marking out roads for military purposes ; at another selecting redoubt sites, nnd suggesting a means of arming them to best advantage ; again laying out a telegraph line, visiting district after district, nnd instilling into the people, friendly native mid European alike, his own resolute spirit. "Do nothing precipitately," he says ; but he is prepartng for the action that may come. Telegrams from Alexandra show the eirectofall tins activity. The Kmgites, we are told, are greatly alarmed by tlio persistence of the Government ; and we hope it will be seen that they have cause lor alarm if the time for active hostilities does come, as conic it must, if active opposition is I shown to the pursuit of the murderers. The attitude of ! steady, quiet, but determined preparation is having its effect, j and will draw the friendiie* more closely tons. The Tauranga j chiefs recognise the situation, and proffer assistance to the ' (ri v eminent ; while they also express a desire for tho proper punishment of I'limkutu. They were refused the Snider ritle* though, and property so ; we may want these for those of our ' own blood.' " ! A vorv general feeling exists amongst the settlers of this I province, "Wtys tho Daily Telegraph, that serious troubles will i Biioilty arise with the natives of Ilanke's Buy. The prevailing nnpie3t.ion is not, ill-founded, and there is no good I object to be berved in disguising or attempting to hide Ihe ! fact that the Maoris are in a very excited and dus- ' (ontented condition — a condition, indeed, in which seimi savages require but little to provoke them to commit a breach lot the pence. The systematic manner in which evil-disposed ' persons have, for tho past two vear-*, educated the Maoris to ; believe they have been ill-used both b^v the Government and i bv the settlers, has at length borne fruit, and we hear that the natives have stated that unless their wrongs (9)( 9 ) are redressed, they will take the matter into their own hnnd*, and | re-take possession of the land they have sold. lullawke's I Baj , wo have been accustomed to think that the Maoris of the province have too much to lose to rebel againt the constituted authorities, but we must remember that the number having property is small compared to that which has nothing to risk in the event of hostilities. > The state of native affairs m Waikato is very unsntisI factory. Tho recent murder of Sullivan by a body of Hauhaus, was a political murder, let Ministerial scribes deny it ns they may, and was committed in order to embroil the Government w ith the King party. We arc plainly told, if we are to credit our telegrams, that the murder of Sullivan [ will be followed by others, and if the Maori King persists in sheltering the murderers from justice, we must con- | elude he approves of the crime, and is prepared to j accept the consequences of his conduct. Attempts have i been made to glo/o over the outrage, by comparing it jto murders which often occur in the 'most civili/ed I countries. The comparison does not hold. Murders ]in civilized countries almost ahvrcjs owe their origin ! to a dishonest desire of gain, to jealousy, or to intoxication. The murders of Sullivan and Todd were not attributable to either of these causes, but, were acts of defiance to Government. Is tho challenge to bo accepted, or is there to be another, and another victim, before the Government moves i to defend those whose lives are committed to their charge 9 IWe know the question is beset with difficulties ; we know I that another Maori war would seriously affect our credit at home and jeopardize the successful negotiation of a new loan, neee^ary to complete our railways. But, notwithstanding this, tho question must be answered. — Nelson Examiner.