NATIVE AFFAIRS.

Waikato Times, Volume VIII, Issue 437, 6 March 1875, Page 2

NATIVE AFFAIRS.

King Tawhiao, the autocrat of the Waikato, the savage whose pretensions are familiar in all lands, and whose followers and compatriots have disturbed the peaceful equanimity of the British Empire, has at last condescended to speak of terms of accommodation. The thaw has been apparent for some time, and now the first break in the ice has occurred. Those who have watched native events closely might have foretold this result. One bv one of the great chiefs who formed the backbone of Ta^hiaos power have fallen awmy from their former allegiance. Topine, of the Wanganui river, ; the bravest and most noble type of the race, Pebi and lopia,— these saw the hopelessness of the struggle in whicK.they were engaged, and quietly "i*?* t 0 e Btabhsh friendly relations with the pakeha. The &Bfc& 8 fc Coast .tribes had never been deeply imbued with the national spirit. Like the Swiss of the last century, they had ever been ready to nght for pay, and, the parallel still holding good, to fight valiantly. The "Hau-Htiu wave passed over them but slightly. After a short tremor the invincible utu prevailed. In Te Kooti's raids there was an abundance of the freebooter element, but little of the patriotic. He had no whole tribe at his back, but. the scape-graces of several, besides his companion 8 who were smarting under tbeir enforced ostracism in the Chathams. Even the Uriweras, whose watchword was Ake, Ake, Ake, ( never, never, never, as a sign of their eternal resistance to the Government ) did not rally to the side of the bloodthirsty marauder in numbers, though tl^cy afforded him sympathy and shelter when he sought for safety «n&ong their primeval forests. Coining to our owti coast, we find that the formidable rebellion of fitokowaru was not encouraged or assisted by the Kingites. When Tito asked- for assistance, Manuhiri, the Kind's Prime Minister, replied that the quunel was no?u» of their making. Outsida the l M uitsj of the Waikato, Tnranald and. Wanganui were the outmost* oiL KiDgism,. TUe chief, wipw* t of the* move.

nent was found in TaranakL It was here that th* head ot the great Ngatimaniapoto tribe commenced operations which ended in the Waitara war a ? u i 6i 6 lmmorUl of General Pratt. One ot the bravest and most stubborn of the resident chiefs of laranaki, Tamati Waka, a year or two ago came out from his retreat, where he had been sulking like Achilles in Ms tent, and made his peace with the Government. The outposts, in fact, have been gradually driven in, the advanced warks ha-e been abandoned and deserted, and the time has come to consider what terms can be made belore surrendering the fortress. Where is Manuhiri ? Where is the immobile chief who cried out, no surrender/ who again and again stretched his vision to MaungAtawhiri, andjn firm tones declared iSr -i . Waikato must be restored to the Waikatos? It may be that Tawhiao, taking a leaf from the book of his brother potentate, Louis Napoleon, dispenses with the services of the Minister the moment his policy has failed. Maauhiri is not mentioned in the review between the King and the Native Minister Ha may have heen present, but, contrary to usual custom, Tawhiao was the spokesman. Thus the etiquette, which has been assiduously studied even in Maornand. requiring a Minister to communicate with a Mmistei, has been set aside. The circumstance may be an augury of good. The King went still further, and met the Minister half-way between his capital and the Government boundary. True, he feebly asked for a return of the confiscated land! Sir Donaty flJcLean knows the political bearings of this question. Mr Stafford, in 1 872, dallied with it, made halt' promises, and was turned out of office in consequence. The Native Minister had only one answer to return—impossible. The time wa3 nob one for finesse. To have produced the impression that the Government might yield would have been dangerous to peace, migbt have prolonged the settlement of the question, and must have lowered the prestige, if it had not ruined, the Minister. Tawhiao's keen instincts must have informed him that something more than "convenience" prevented the Governor from meeting him at any other place than Kawhia. The laisse.faire policy has brought the King to his knees. Every day produced fresh evidence that the white race must triumph. The influx of population " over the sea," the advancing steady movement of road parties, the telegraph, the iron horse, the plentifulness of money, and the increase of trade, are all realisable to the Native imagination, and have convinced the insouciant Kingitesthat isolation cannot much longer be maintained. The Waikato must come to the Governor, since the Governor will not go to the Waikato, and terms of peace based on the magnanimity of the superior can be arranged at Kawhia, the sole port to whiej^e King has not abandoned his claims, but which has always been open to the Government when it choose to exercise its authority. The Kawhia treaty will relieve another King from the responsibilities of government. — Wanyanui Heratd.