THE NATIVE CRISIS.

Evening Post, Volume XXII, Issue 68, 19 September 1881, Page 2

THE NATIVE CRISIS.

* A good deal of uneasiness was created on Saturday night by tho telegrams received from Our Own Correspondent, which wero published in our last issue, relativo to the Parihaka meeting and the seemingly menacing tono of To Whiti's apeeoh. More light is, however, thrown on the matter by tho offioial telegram* since received. These give the full text of Te Whiti's speech, which proves to have been of the usual vague, oracular, and inconsistent oharaotor, but many of his apparently most threatening remarks are materially " toned down," if not entirely reversed as to their bearing by the context. For instance, his statement that " Pungarehu would be a living tomb for tho Constabulary, if 20,000 of them came there," is differently reported by another person as follows : — " Thero might be 20,000 pakehas on tho land, but it would be their Bepulohre"— the latter being evidently a fresh version of the formor — but the context seems to suggest a totally different interpretation from that implied by the latter version. To Whiti's meaning, co far as can be gathered from tho tedious, roundabout, figurative language he employs* seems to be that even if 20,000 armed men came on the land they would not forco tho Maoris to fizht, bnt they would be kept thoro idle as if " buried alive," »s they had been during the last two or three yeara through his tactics. Then again, in one part of his speech he said that the time had now come for both sides to take up their weapons and strive." This in itself would road liko a declaration of immediate war, but ho directly added that " the only weapon which should be victorious in this strife was goodness," and that "the weapon ended with' the prisoners." It is hard to extract any definite meaning out of all this jargon, bnt the burden of Te Whiti's argument seems to have been the same as before, although diffcrent'y expressed, namely, that peaceful " weapons," such as the passive resistance and mild, but worrying, obstruction hitherto adopted, should still be persevered in. The exact meaning of "the weapons ended with the prisoners" is uncertain, bnt it is supposed that, as previously announced, tho oxprisoners were not to take part in tho new fencing, and it haa been stated that so far they have not done so. The least satisfactory feature in the late meeting appears to have been soate symptoms that Te Whiti's influence over his followers is on the wane, and that he may be indisposed to restrain them should they display much eagerness to break loose and act on their own account. The Government, however, have long made careful, although quiet, preparation for all contingencies. Some very strong defences have been erected in suitable positions, and the Constabulary bo disposed as to be able to act with irresistible force in case of any sudden emergenoy. Only the more trained and experienced men arc sent to the front, the now recruits being kept in the background until thoroughly drilled. All this is done to guard against any sudden contingency such as the precipitation of a collision through some unforeseen accident. There is of con red" . this danger, as there has been during the jast 2£ years, but so far no definite apprehensions of any serious trouble are entertained. We have thought desirable to enter into this explanation in view of the somewhat threatening appearance of the latest news from tho West Coast.