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Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3606, 1 February 1883, Page 2

AA-orld that, in the opinion of a highly in telligent jury, any farmer in the colon; may, in broad daylight, in time of peace aud even Avithout inx-text of apprehendei theft, shoot any unarmed natiA'e found tres passing on his farm, precisely as if he Avere a wild boast. Every sincere well-wisher of the country must feel regret at such a result." He said he Avould be wanting in Ids duty to his Queen and to the true interests of the country where he to shrink from condemning so rare a miscarriage of justice. In concluding an address delivered AA'ith much emphasis, he expressed a hope that lie Avould never again Ikia'c to repeat the observations he then made Avith so much pain and regret.

It has been the fashion amongst a certain set of people at home to cherish the belief that the Ncav Zealand settler is cold, heartless, and cruel in his relations Avith the doAvn-trodden Maori. AVith these people it is ahvays the black-skinned brother aa-lio is the model of piety, morality, aud industry ; it is the Avieked white man Avhose greed for land and vicious habits have demoralised a race that previously avus devoted to righteousness. Hoav far missionary gatherings, at AA-hich, interspersed with tea, prayer, and buns, gentlemen returned from '' heathen lands" relate their experiences, are responsible for the distorted vieAA-s that are taken of colonial life, it is hard to say. At all events, the most extraordinary statements are made at these missionary meetings, AA-hich are pretty frequent round and about London, and a\'hile a colonist may not think it worth his Avhile to contradict them, they are firmly believed iv by the credulous Avorthy people Avho find in these gatherings their only excitement. AYe in Ncav Zealand haA'c eA-ery reason to knoAA- that no darkskinned race has been so well treated by Europeans as the Maoris have been. In Australia the natives have been treated like wild beasts, and at the Cape the folloAA-ing incident at the criminal sessions held at Graham's Toavu last November -will show how the nigger fares at the hands of the white man:—ln dismissing the jury Judge Sheppard expressed his thanks and approA-al of every verdict, except that on Bartle Bailey, a Peddle fanner, Avho had fired without cause at a native found sitting in his unenclosed lands. The Judge said he Avas ashamed that verdict had been receiA'ed Avith applause in a croAvdcd Court. He Avould not trust himself to express what he thought of the Aerdict at the time, but gaA-e his opinion of it iioav deliberately. He added:—"lt has iioav gone forth to the