THE PRESS. FRIDAY, APRIL 13, 1883.

Press, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5481, 13 April 1883, Page 2

THE PRESS. FRIDAY, APRIL 13, 1883.

The Native Minister, it would seem, ia .determined that the opposition which has been met with shall not prevent the preliminary survey of a line of railway through the King Country. The third attempt, it is stated, will be made to-morrow, and this time Mr. Bryce himself is to form one of the party. It is impossible to predict with any certainty what the result will be. It is rumored that Mahuiki's people will again endeavour to obstruct the progress of the survey, and that it is possible that there may be a repetition of the episode which nearly cost Mr. Hursthouse his life. If there are any other members of the tribe imbued with the same notions as their chief there is no knowing what they will attempt to do. But it is quite certain that Mr. Bryce has no intention of permitting obstruction from such a quarter, and of the character Mr. Hursthouse met with, to stay the progress of settlement and the final overthrow of Maori Kingism. He has already obtained the written sanction of the principal chiefs of the district to making a preliminary survey for a line of railway through the country. It is well known that the Natives generally are heartily sick of seclusion, and are anxious to see the country thrown open to European settlement without any unnecessary delay. Moreover, Mr. Bryce has himself made up his mind to see the business through during the next few months; and both the Europeans and the Natives know pretty well by this time that when he makes up his mind to accomplish an object he has generally laid his plans so as to ensure success.

The recent temporary reverses have been made the most of by the Opposition critics. It has been urged that Mahuiki's proceedings conclusively demonstrate that the Native Minister has made a serious mis. calculation; that he has mistaken the temper of the tribes; and that the best

tinny he can do is to quietly allow matters to adjust themselves without any interference on his part. There no doubt was a time when such a policy was the right one to follow. When the whole country from the northern boundary of the Taranaki settlement to Alexandra was in a state of excitement, when the leading chiefs of the district thought it the right thing to treat the Premier of the colony with contempt, clearly an attempt to pass through the King Country, or even to penetrate a few miles beyond the boundary, would have been disastrous to the peace of the colony. But the whole position has completely altered since that date. The firm, and at the same time thoroughly just, policy pursued on the West Coast has convinced the Natives'tbat as long aa they obey the law and respect the authority of the Queen, they will be treated with justice, and even with generosity. The leading chiefs of the Waikato no longer distrust the Government. They have at the same time come to realise what the law means, and that the authorities mean to enforce it whenever it is broken. The fact that Mahuiki and his followers aranow undergoing a term of penal servitude for their treatment of Mr. Hursthouse will no doubt speedily become known through, out the King Country, and will, we may be sure, exercise a sobering influence upon any who might otherwise have been disposed to create a disturbance. The opposition to the survey, in fact, appears to have originated on the part of a few unimportant and quite uninfluential Natives. From the first, difficulties of this character were anticipated, and the only mistake which has been made has been to underrate the strength and determination of the obstructives. Mr. Bryce, no doubt, is now in possession of full information as to the present temper of the Natives, and thinks he sees his way to make a third and successful attempt. No significance appears to be attached to the so-called manifesto of Wahanui. The document furnishes an excellent example however, of the character of the Native mind. "Wahanui is one of the chiefs who gave his consent in writing to the preliminary survey. Fβ expressed his entire approval of the Native Minister's plans, and took a good deal of trouble to get the whole business arraiiged. But when Mr. Hursthouse was taken prisoner by Mahuiki he seems to have become thoroughly alarmed. His " this will he the death of us all," on hearing the news, points the conclusion that he has formed a tolerably accurate opinion of the character of the Native Minister. But he evidently does i.ot fully realise what manner of man Mr. Bryce is after all, or he would not endeavor to diseuade him from proceeding with the enterprise now that he has entered upon it. We have said that it is impossible to forsee what acci. dents may arise to still further delay the progress of the survey through the King Country. But, at any rate, Mr. Bryce gives the best evidence of his belief in his ability to carry it through. This time h e is not asking a body of surveyors to run a risk —if risk there be—which he personally is afraid to incur. He is going with the party himself, and this fact alone wilx probably convince all would-be obstruo. tionists that further opposition is quite hopeless.

Ths Otago Land Board have taken the only course open to it in the circumstances with reference to the alleged cases of dummyism. It has refused in the meantime to issue licenses to the purchasers, and determined to submit the papers and resolutions to the Minister of Lands for his opinion and advice. It ■will be remembered that at the last meeting of the Board the Commissioner was instructed to communicate with Mr. Cargill, through whose agency several of the sections were -purchased, inviting him to answer a series of questions. These questions were framed so as to elicit all particulars regardii g the nature of Mr. Cargill's instructions from his clients, and the source from which the money came which paid the deposits. His reply, published in yesterday's issue, was read at the meeting of the Board held on Wednesday last, and no one will be surprised at its nature. The writer quite courteously, but, nevertheless, in most distinct terms, declined to answer the questions, and concluded by referring the Board to the purchaser 8 themselves for the required information. The Dunedin Press, we observe, have come to the conclusion that the attitude taken np by Mr. Cargill tends to strengthen the opinion that there is something; wrong in the transaction. He would hardly, we are told, have taken the course which he has done, if he had been separately and individually instructed by these men as bona fide constituents. For our own part we cannot see what justification there is for coming to any such conclusion. Business men are not in the habit of disclosing their transactions to anyone who invites them to do so, even though the object sought to be gained is a highly desirable one. Whether innocent or guilty it was not to be expected that Mr. Cargill would voluntarily make public transactions between himself and his clients. Nor has any one a right to assume that he has been instructed by his principals not to make the disclosures asked for. At the same time, it appears to us, the Board have taken the proper course in determining not to proceed with the issue of the licenses till the Ministry have an opportunity of stating what ought to be done. And the Government will, no doubt, take care to see that the whole transaction has been thoroughly sifted before the men are allowed to occupy the land. The mere fact that there is a general belief that the law has been infringed makes such a step imperative. Circumstances have been made public which give the transaction a suspicious look, and these suspicions must either be dispelled or confirmed by a thorough inquiry into the whole affair. Considering the important interests aistake theauthoritiesmxistbethcroughlyconvinced that all is square and above-board before they permit the country to be occupied by the recent purchasers. After what has taken place with reference to these transactions it would be little short of suicidal for the Government to do anytbing,that would produce the impression that they had sympathy with dummyism in any form. Nor will the wonld-be purchasers have any ground of complaint. A searching inquiry, if they are innocent, will in no way injure them, but will, on the contrary, clear their characters from the grave suspicions under which they at present rest.

FaBMEBS* Co-OPKaATTTB ASSOCIATION. A meeting of farmers was held in the Wakanni schoolroom on Wednesday evening, for the purpose of discussing the question, of asking the New Zealand Farmers' Co-operatiVe Association of Canterbury , : to open a branch at Ashburton. The Secretary of the Association, Mr "Williams, was present, and there was also a good attendance of the Wakanui residents. A number of the farmers agreed to take np shares provided the Association start a branch in the Ashburton district.