THE GOVERNOR AND THE MAORIES.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 620, 11 May 1876, Page 3

THE GOVERNOR AND THE MAORIES.

Silt,— ln your lender of the 6tli instant you dwell with some length upon the official visit of his Excellency the GoTernor to Waiknto, and the sought for meeting with the Mnori King, together with your own theory upon the native mind. That his Excellency, through and at the instigation of the eo-calird Maori Doctor— Sir Donald McLean— is desirous, by side- wind prompting, to bring about a meeting with Tawhwo is on the face ot it, certainly as probable us (he fact seems to bo known to you. I may know more of this suljett than I care to divulge or Bpeak of, since in injunctions of a confidential nature 1 hold myself bound in all honor not to violate slightingly without cause. But if your clear aim would be that the truth be known, and to exhibit it with equal fieedom and impartiality as touching the disposition of tho nativo mind, it is this : that neither the chiefs, Tavrhia and hii subjects desire such a meeting ,if Sir Donald McLean is any way connected therewith. 11ns perhaps from thrtone hitherto pxpi-fßied by your columns, ib not likely to be in favour or to bo endorsed, but that it is none the leis true, 1 am in a Letter position to state than any of tlie affirmations of your frontier conespondontß, ■whom, if more gencrtilly linovvn to your rerclcre, their hulf-gleancd, half surniiecd rigmaroles abou the natives would tempt a smile of nonchalarce That, however, you may strive to footer up the declining pol.cy of Sir Dona'd McLean, hii iufluence (which maj havo teen easily weighed by drnms) with tho chief of standing and dignity is most certainly on the wane, nnd will assurodly continue to do no, whatever efforts may bo employed to subvert it, bo fur as tho Kmgites are concorned ; and the fame appears to be the caso with the European population, judging from the free opinions expressed all over the Inland against that decaying structure tho Native Department, around which a halo has been cast by its mysterious, (hough none the more wonderful, twists and windings. — I am, &c, Coi.omal. [We publish "Colonial's" letter, as we always liko to give both tides of tho qnestion, but we place very little value on the opinions expressed, for we know fhe contrary to bo the caso. The letter of our Alexandra correspondent, which appears elsewhere, is no rigmarole, and it tells a very different tale. That Sir Donald McLean has enemies i« only natural and proper, and evidently our correspondent is ene of^them. — Ed. W.T.J