"FRIGHTFUL MASSACRES."

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVII, Issue 4197, 26 January 1871, Page 2

"FRIGHTFUL MASSACRES."

Next to Magua Charta, and trial by jury, there is no privilege on which the Briton so prides himself as his old traditional right of grumbling. The exercise of this almost constitutional power has been no doubt productive of immense goo I at home and in the colonies ; but at the same time, while duly appreciating the advantages to be derived from indulging in such a glorious prerogative, and fully reserving to ourselves the liberty of grumbling whenever the slightest opportunity occurs, we must raise our voice against turning this liberty into license. In every community there are of course individuals who fancy themselves gifted with a divine "afflatus," of which the Ministry for the time being must be devoid. Not a move escapes their piercing eye or their prying research ; and, if reasons for any action on the part of the Government were as plentiful Jas blackberries, and patent as their own blindness, they would refuse to accept them, aiul would go out of their way to discover motives. A.s \o\\g as tliey are not allowed a finger in the pie they carp ; they take a gloomy view of things, and in some cases— happily for the country these can be but few — they invent sensational telegrams calculated to inspire terror and distrust. One of the s>t\,ndard seajiegoats for a length of time has boon the JTativo Office ; and it is surprising how easily and fluently men can write ou the native question, whose sole knowledge of the Maori is derived from having seen a couple of chiefs walking about Queen-street. We all know that th« Maoris are a warlike race ; that they are quick at taking offence ; that, like our own ancestors, they look upon warfare as tho most ennobling of pursuits ; ami, with only these grounds to go upon, the sensational paragraphist makes up his budget, and disseminates through tne island news of slaughter, death, and destitution. We need only iustance what happened but a few days ago. The report of a massacre in Waikato actually at one town gave names of individuals ; and in that town are living many who, if they have no relations in Waika£o 4 at all events can aucribec irieads arooag s»3aa.V>Yto."&ts. k. generation which reads Wilfcie Collins, and admires iV'iss Bracidon, will greedily devour telfcgrams headed "Frightful Massacres ;" and at once indignant settlers and interested partisans rush frantically into print, ami ask, " What is the Native Office about ?" What can be the object of these sensational writers ? What is the aim of the aspirants who, iv the hope of themselves attaining office, cry down every man in authority ? Do they desire to see realised the pictures drawn by their lively imagination, and behold homesteads in flames, and women and children falling beneath the murderous tomahawk? Even of them we canaAfe bdievfi thia > but wq musii confess that our thorough impression is Sha* a berate use is being made of rumours ■without foundation to hamper the action of <he Cfovernment, with a view of pitchforking another party into office ; and this not through patriotism, unless a hankering after the loaves and fishes of official life can be dignified by that name.