"BE SELF-RELIANT."

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 191, 15 August 1939, Page 7

"BE SELF-RELIANT."

SEVENTY YEARS AGO.

ADVICE TO NEW ZEALAND.

" TIMES'" LEADING ARTICLE.

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, this day.

New Zealand's affairs have been frontpage news in the English Press during recent week*, but this experience is not unique. Seventy years ago '"The Times" utilised its principal leading article,over a column in length, to give New Zealanders friendly advice that they should be more self-reliant in handling the problem of rebellions Maoris. At that time there were two schools of. thought in the young colony, one favouring the continued use of Imperial troops against the lighting tribes of the North Island, and the other claiming that colonial volunteers aided by friendly natives could more effectively carry on the campaign in dense bush country. From the wrappings of an old parcel which had not been touched for 70 years an Englishman who enjoyed a New Zealand holiday laet summer recently came across a copy of "The Times" of January 29, 1809, containing a leading article which he correctly assumed will greatly interest New Zealanders of to-day. "Benjamin of Anglo-Saxon Family." "However abundant may be the news, and however urgent the political questions at home," stated this editorial, "we need offer no apology for calling attention to the Colony of New Zealand. That young settlement, the little Benjamin of the Anglo-Saxon family, has always been a favourite with the English public. A new experiment in colonisation has been tried there, which, though a little fanciful, hae been very attractive of sympathy. A vertical section, ae it has been called, of English society was to be transported to the Antipodes to reproduce, as far as it was possible in a new country, the polity and habits of life of home." The editorial expressed favourable opinion regarding

the chances of emigrants, though it suggested that possibly the little colony, abundantly supplied with clergymen and professional men, was a little overbishoped. "Generous to Prodigality." But this hopeful country, continued the article, was disturbed by the outrages of a remnant of barbarians. "The Mother Country, as usual," it continues, "has been generous to prodigality. To help this infant community it hae sent soldiers half round the globe, and expended immense sums of money. Some time since no less than 10,000 British troops were stationed in the islands under the command of a general officer, and with all the apparatus of transport and commissariat which are fitted to regular war. "For a quarter of a century this policy has been persisted in, and though it is difficult to apportion the military expenditure of the Empire to its several destinations, yet no one is ignorant that millions of English money have been spent in fighting the Maoris. The extravagant cost and the doubtful success led to remonstrances, which were in the end successful. "It was said, with probably a great deal of truth, that there was "a class of settlers in Xew Zealand to whom a Maori war was by no means a calamity. If a formidable chieftain desolated the farms of a district, there appeared as the consequences of his outrages a large fleet of British transports; ships of war of the Pacific squadron entered the harbours; commissariat officers, with unlimited powers of making purchases, investigated the resources of the country; the price of beef, pork and corn rose in the market; and the local traders made their fortunes by driving bargains with their deliverers. "No wonder> that advanced politicians at home complained of the colonies as drainers, and not feeders of the national wealth, and demanded that England should turn them all adrift, and stand again alone in the ocean." Speaking in Manly Tone." The self-reliant section of the settlers won the colonial argument, and "The Times" reviewed the different opinions. As for those who were demanding continued help from the Imperial forces, the English commentator reminded them that England's sympathy with Xew Zealand had already for years

been far from barren, except to England. "In fact," the article continued, "we have paid far more than enough for Xew Zealand, and our people will rather be disposed to approve the sentiments of Major Atkinson, who is firmly convinced that the colonists are capable of taking care of themselves. This is the manly tone in which we desire to hear men of our race speak." It was suggested that the self-reliant policy in dealing with Maori insurrection was well within the powers of the colonists, who were upwards of 200,000 in numbers, while the disaffected Maoris were probably not more than 20,000, and that there was a large body of natives who were said to be available against their turbulent brethren. Debt From Ancient War. "In such circumstances there is not the smallest need of Imperial assistance." the article proceeded. "Let the colonists remember the position of the early settlers of America, when the tribes of Red Indians, far more numerous and even more ferocious than the Maoris, lurked in the woods about each village, and by their cunning, cruelty and malignity encouraged the superstition that they were specially animated by the Powers of Darkness." "The Times" concluded with the declaration that the time had come to make an end effectually of Maori insurrection, ami that for this there would be no better means than a levy of a few hundred loyal Maoris associated with the colr>iists. It was this policy adopted by the Xew Zealand Government which ended the trouble, and when in 1870 Major Kepa (Kemp) with a force of friendly natives defeated Te Kooti at Maraetahi it was all over. But a portion of the recent loan conversion was one of the outstanding items of debt remaining from this ancient war.