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Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 4, Issue 192, 25 May 1861, Page 6

To iJie Editor of tlie HawTce's Bay Herald. Sib,— -In connection with the report from inland, I venture to make the following remarks with a view to rendering a surprise on the part of our sable friends an impossibility, and at the same time cause no unnecessary alarm among ourselves. It is obvious to one and all that we are not only less numerous than the Maories should they combine, but far worse supplied with arms. Let us not be blind to our position. Let us sink for the present all thoughts of roads, sheep, &c, until we are at least in as active a state of organization and readiness as they. If Government neglect us let us form ourselves into a vigilance committee, whose business it should be, in connection with the whole body of settlers, to keep the Province in a state, not of alarm — which arises too often from ignorance — but advised. Let us quietly await the result of thines, and on no account provoke a quarrel— acting mainly on the defensive. Ido not for a moment think this would tend to hasten a rapture ; it might prevent it. As it is always well to know the worst, it is worth while to spend a little time and trouble in this organization, and carry the thing out systematically, we should do well to avoid all subjects of irritation with the Maories, and leave questions of political import to a future date. Just now, what we have to do is to provide for a sudden • emergency. Let us be sure first of all that we cannot do by management what we might rashly attempt to do by force. Can we give and take with the Maori race P Let any one who has had dealings with them answer. Are- we to take possession, of the island, and then ilrive them out of all the good places ? "We are rapidly changing our great relations with this people. They perceive the value-of their lands, and are determined not only to stick to them, but to have -wtu from those who occupy them. . And if this is accompanied with a threat, was it not that the Europeans were too tardy in acknowledging their claims? Can we be surprised at this race, who have never been practically convinced of the vahxe and necessity of British law, and who have never been able to obtain an award for trespass, acting as they have done ? 'Tis more than we have been led to expect that they should quietly await justice for past trespass at the hands of an Assembly who put its seal to the annexation of "Waitara. Considering the men we have to ■' 'deal with, their temper, susceptibility, and, to a large extent, rightfulness of cause, they may be wanting in that discriminating judgment possessed by the average of Europeans, from education, and so on, but not in other qualities, By. forming ourselves intd an honorary committee at this juncture, and passing stringent rules of conduct to be ODseryedby all in connection with, it, a course might . be adopted as honorable as moderate, and as firm as it ■ is urgent. v ■ ' * ■'■""' I am, &c, . ■ -: v „ A COUNTRY SETTLER. • Napier, May 2Srd, 1861.