OUR POSITION WITH RESPECT TO THE NATIVE POPULATION.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume I, Issue 1, 24 September 1857, Page 3

OUR POSITION WITH RESPECT TO THE NATIVE POPULATION.

A stranger arriving in Ahuriri at the present juncture, cannot fail to be struck .with the peculiarity, if not the absolute danger of its position, a3 regards the surrounding

native tribes. Full details of the sanguinary conflict that took place on the 18th tilt, between Hapuku's people and those of Mona Nri, have beren supplied from the able pen of the "Spectator" correspondent, and have, ere now, been read throughout the Colony. A sirrilar task, it is greatly to be feared, will soon devolve upon ourselves ; indeed we fully anticipate having at no c i; stant time to record other and more revolting scenes of bloodshed and atrocity. For the same feelings of bitter animosity and of unyielding determination that led to the recent collision, continue to be cherished in their fullest intensity. The contending parties, it will be remembered, are located withm a few miles of the town of Napier — in the midst of European settlers ; and it is the prevalent opinion that a certain result of another fight between the opposing tribes will be to render the lives and property of Europeans insecure in the extreme. Already indeed has the victorious chief Moni Nui displayed a degree of insolence and audacity towards the settlers that bodes but ill for his future conduct, should his career remain unchecked. In four instances that have come to our knowledge he has shewn utter disregard, nay contempt, for law and order. An European trader at Waipureka, residing on land purchased from Government, and in his own house, refused Mona Nri some articles on credit. The latter tore the goods into ribbons, and threw them in the face of the dealer ! In a second instance, he forcibly took away from a Eivopean resident goods to the value of £10 ! In the third, he made a blow with an iron bar at an inoffensive individual, who saved his life only by nimbly evading the murderous weapon 1 In a fourth, he threatened to strike with a heavy whip Mr. Hai'ris, the Native Interpreter ! and ibs, too, in presence of Capt. CHing, the Resident Magistrate, who, of course, under present circumstances, is quite powerless to assert the Majesty of the law. And these too we learn, are but a few of many cases in which the law has been trampled upon. Now we have no desire to quaivel with the natives. The interests of the two races are, in many points, identical ; the largej portion of the native population indeed are well aware of the fact, and freely admit it. Of their conduct as a body or men we cannot complain ; on the contrary, mutual confidence and good feeling have long subsisted between the two races. Nor have we any inclination, however much we may deplore the existence of internal dissensions authoritatively to interfere between contending tribes. But when native feuds lead to encroachments upon Evopean property, and engender unwarranted insolence toward European residents, such confidence and good feeling must inevitably be but of short continuance. Indeed, matters have already reached a length beyond patient endurance. A memorial to the "powers that be," praying for military protection, is now, we understand, in course of signature ; and we cannot think that, in such a crisis, the request will be made in vain. For our own part, we see no other means of restoring good order, and ensuring safety to the settlers. We are aware that a serious difficulty presents itself in the want of barrack accommodation, \\ Liuh, according to a recent order Tom head quarters, must be provided by the colonists themselves. Had we the use of our own revenue, or any real control over its expenditure we should nut, in all probability, be long without the necessary buildings. But being debarred this privilege (query, right) and the revenue of the Wellington Provincial Government being appropriated for the period of two years, we leel quHe justified in calling upon the General Government to do for us what we cannot do ourselves, ?'id, by the expenditure of a comparatively small sum, save the district from present disorder, if not from impending calamity.