TOWN EDITION. Evening Post. MONDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1881. THE PARIHAKA MEETING.

Evening Post, Volume XXII, 17 October 1881, Page 2

TOWN EDITION. Evening Post. MONDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1881. THE PARIHAKA MEETING.

Whatever may be the tone Te Whiii chooses to adopt at to-day's Parihaka meeting, it cannot — or at least should not — influence the declared policy of the Government in regard to West Coast affaira. Naturally tho meeting of to-day has been looked forward to with exceptional interest. It is the first which has been held since Te Whiti, for the first time, departed from his habitual caution and vagueness of utterance, and committed a distinct act of rebellion. At the meeting of last month he openly incited his followers to resist the law, and plainly told them to resist with violence. Since then he has seen active and resolute preparation mado by the Government for meeting the impending difficulty thus foreshadowed. He has doubtless been kept informed of tho remarkable unanimity with which the pxiblic opinion of tho Colony demands his complete and permanent suppression. He lias at last received a vibit from the Native Minister in person, aud has been authoritatively and officially warned of the seriou3 consequences that mu->t attend the Btep he has taken in overt rebellion. Yet we hear from all quarters that he remains aboolute'y inactive so lar as military preparations go. What do©3 this singular inconsistency between his words and his deeds really mean ? j That has yet to be 1- arned. There may be some occnlt meaning so far undivnlged, but we are strongly under the impression that it will tnrn ont to ba eimply auother move in [ the game of chess which Te Whiti has ! played so long and so patiently against | many successive Ministries. We believe, in short, that he is merely continuing his famous policy of " worry." Thrash tho Government into concessions by force of arms, l c knows he cannot -. worry them into com esßions, he thinks he may. It is his only otance, and he is paying his game, regarded from his view-point of the position, with ooneummate skill. Matters were becoming a great deal too peaceful and settled for his purpose. It was necessary to take a new departure before any useful uneasiness could be excited. So he did take a new and bold departure at his September meeting, and it has already hid part of the desired effect," to the extent of putting the Colony to heavy expense and serious inconvenience in preparing for the contingency which seemed to be threatened. " He nffcy deem his purpose to have been sufficiently accomplished, and so may once more preach non-resistance, or may instruct his followers to suspend fencing operations until further notice. We hardly thiskhe will do so, becausahis " worry" policy is capable of being carried a good deal further beforp it need necessarily lead to a collision. Still, he may adopt a milder tone and this won!d be much more embarrassing

than one of increased acerbity. Our contention is that even should his utterances be gentleness itself, and in the utmost degree deprecatory of violence, that ought not to obliterate the recollection of his treasonable worda spoken last month. So long as he kept the peace for us, discountenanced violence, and limited his proceedings to harmless practical protests against the European occupation of the land claimed by him, it would have been unjustifiable to deal harshly with him. But he has now shown that he is not to be depended on. He may at any time, after lulling the Government and the settlers into faise security, suddenly command some very injurious proceeding, Buch a3 the forcible removal -of the settlers, as the surveyors once before were carted over the Wain?ongoro, or the ploughing of their gardens and pastures as on a former occasion. Or he may issue orders for a muoh more serious form of mischief. We cannot afford to run this risk. We have sold the hind, and in effect have guaranteed its peaceful possession by those whose money we have taken. We must consider them a hundred times before the quasi-rebel, Te Whiti, and his slavishly obedient followers. The Parihaka difficulty mnst be positively settled this time. The colony cannot be kept in a perpetual Btate of anxiety, uncertainty, and costly military preparation. The West Coast settlers cannot be left exposed to the constant risk of being harried by some of the Parihaka natives whom Te Whiti may bo nnable to control, or may secretly en- ; courage as a part of hia snbt'e and tortuou3 policy. Let Te Whiti now preach the most angelic doctrines, and proc'aim the mo^t pacific sentiments — this ought not to affect the action of the Government. He has at length committed himeelf to an act of rebellion by inciting his followers to forcible resistance to the law. He mnst be hold to that utterance. He haa shown he cannot be I trusted to preserve tho peace, and it must be put out of his power to cause further trouble and expense.