The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo. MONDAY, MAY 7, 1894.

Auckland Star, Volume XXV, Issue 108, 7 May 1894, Page 2

The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo.

MONDAY, MAY 7, 1894.

for th» eaius that lacks aesistanco, Fcr the trroaj tiat needs resistance, For tlm futura ia th. distance. !__._. tha good that wa can ao.

The happy termination of the native trouble at Paeroa without bloodshed affords another instance of the efficacy of promptitude and firmness in dealing with native affairs. A very few years ago a much less menacing tribal dispute at Poroti, near Whangarei, resulted in a fatal engagement between the belligerent natives, without any of the guilty parties being brought to justice.

At Paeroa there were gathered all the elements of a very serious outbreak, Large bodies of armed natives had gathered from all parts of the Hauraki peninsula. The excitement was wrought up to the highest pitch, and a very small error in dealing with the, difficulty would have precipitated a conflict, the end of which no man could foresee.

The trouble was met with firmness and discretion. Without delaying until fatal shots had been fired, as occurred at Poroti under a previous Administration, or setting the whole country in an uproar, calling settlers to arms, and placing a large military force in the field, as happened when Te Kooti determined to visit Poverty Bay, through a lack of firmness at the outset on the part of the Premier then at the head of the Government, the belligerent tribes were shewn that they must obey the law and settle their disputes peaceably. The small but effective force under Inspector Hickson, promptly despatched to the scene by the Premier and Native Minister, were, with the aid of Mr Kenny, S.M., successful in getting the hostile Maoris to give sp their weapons and amrauni-

tion. The chief danger being thus removed, the restoration of order was a foregone conclusion, and after a very brief amount of parleying, the natives, who had gone to Paeroa with the full determination to assert their rights over the disputed land by force, started for their homes at Manaia, Coromandel, Mercury Bay, and other settlements perfectly satisfied that justice would be done.

The Premier's attitude towards Tawhiao is equally calculated to inspire respect for the Government and the law of the land. When passing through Waikato a few weeks ago Mr Seddon received a message stating that Tawhiao desired to meet him and would be present at a meeting which had been arranged for with the leading Waikato chiefs, at a settlement some miles distant from Hamilton. The meeting was held, but Tawhiao failed to put in an appearance. He sent an intimation, however, that he would meet the Premier at Ngaruawahia. On arrival at the latter place, en route for Auckland, Mr Seddon received word from Tawhiao, asking him to delay for a day or two, and he would then keep his appointment. To this request the Premier sent a curt intimation that if Tawhiao wished for an interview he must come down to Auckland. This was very different treatment from what Tawhiao had been accustomed in the days when Ministers of the Crown spent weeks in ineffectual efforts to open up negotiations with him.

Since his failure to see the Premier in the Waikato, Tawhiao has been endeavouring to make another appointment with the Premier, in order to lay before him certain proposals for setting apart reserves for landless natives. The Premier, however, has replied that if Tawhiao wishes to see him on these matters he must go to Wellington during the next session, and if Tawhiao does go to the seat of Government, as is probable, it will doubtless be in a very chastened frame of mind.

The policy of treating the Maoris with unfaltering firmness and at the same time with kindness and justice, was pursued successfully by Mr Cadman throughout his administration of the portfolio of Native Affairs. When the Ureweras —the most turbulent of New Zealand tribes—forcibly stopped surveys two years ago, Mr Cadman asserted the authority of the law under peculiarly critical circumstances. His successor in the office, pursuing the same policy, is teaching the natives the wholesome lesson that the law is supreme, and can be no respecter of persons.