THE STATE OF TAURANGA.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIII, Issue 3208, 28 October 1867, Page 4

THE STATE OF TAURANGA.

It is uieless for v* to pretend ignoranoe of reportg of prerailing dis*flfectioH and animosity among natUe tribe* auirounding our settlements in the Bay of Plemy which have received confirmation to a great extent in recent attacks upon Opotiki, in the menacing attitude assumed by natives at that place, and in the wavering allegiance of those of Whakatane. Notwithstanding, the world scarcely needs the assurance that we ourselves are externally in a state of absolute peace. Our buildings are progressing, capital inconstantly being introduced iuto our midst, the cultivation of occupied farms it steadily and uninterrqp'edly proceeding, and our population dwell in safety — not under their own vine ami fig tree, — for not many of our specimens of those valuable shrubs have yet reached maturity, but at least with^ a consciousness of latent strength to resist any probable attack, and with a determination to render available the rich bounties of Providence which lie scattered in every direotion in this highly-favoured region. Still, we oaanot attempt to conceal the fact that the great bulk of lands allotted may not yet be safely used for the purposes for which they were intended. The consequence is an exodus from the district of military Bettlers, who, finding that they cannot with impunity turn their lands to account, carry away with them their energy and enterprise to " fresh fields and pastures new." That a military population was one precisely suited to form a settlement is a matter whioh is open to question, but it is certainly fair for us to inquire whether the people for whom the confiscated lands of the/ Tauranga district were surveyed, and to whom they were allotted, have had an opportunity of proving themselves useful settlers in the sense required by the Military Settlement Act. It the district isinow in a condition fit for settlement, why are the distant farms unoccupied ? The owners of the land are known. Many of them have already drawn and selected their lots, and yet the blocks remain in the condition they were in when the surveyors left them. An inference surely is deducible from this. Either the military settlers are a class incapable of turning their valuable possessions to account, or they are deterred from occupation of them by not an unnatural or culpable apprehension for their own safety. The latter, ifc cannot be denied, is a, plausible version of the case. With goldfields in our neighbourhood, perhaps in our very midst, ifc i* high time we should know what obstacles exist, or what combinations of circumstances hinder settlement from proceeding. The Government have done wisely and well in ordering the erection of ablock-honse near Pyes Pa, and sincerely hope that the not unreasonable fears of intending settlers will be allayed by such a precautionary me asure. Of the threatened invasion we have no fear. Apart from a knowledge of the fact that the Maoris are greatly addicted to what is termed,in colonial phraseology, "bounce," we are certain that no organised invasion of the settlements in the Bay of Plenty can be accomplished, not because a co-operative attack by Maoris in overwhelming numbers would not be formidable, but because that co-operation is impossible. It has been •aid of crime and criminals that they are ropes of sand which bind the guilty together j and a similar ' want of unanimity *nd combined action, and the ex^ isience of tribal jealousies and family feuds, cherished for generations, are sure tocorrode the materialcomposing that bond Of Union necessary to enable them to hope finally to triumph over the pakeba. Brides, discipline is greatly in our favour, and experience has taught us that a handful of Europeans could bid defiance to a cloud of disunited savages. We have in this therefore one of the best of material guarantees that, whilst we dwell in compaiative safety, it is because there are " none daring," though it would be perhaps preferable if there were none desiring, "toma'ie us afraid."— Tccumnga Record, October 12.