NEW ZEALAND AFFAIRS.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 4, Issue 195, 15 June 1861, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND AFFAIRS.

C Prom the Empire, April 20J

The New Zealand -war is at an end. So, at least, the proceedings of Governor Bi'owne would have jus to suppose. For many a weary month the safe and scientific sap had worked-its way up the valley of Waitara. Twelve months of harassing warfare had desolated the European settlements, ruined the settlers, witnessed repeated coldblooded murders, and left probably two hundred British soldiers and sailors either maimed or, in inglorious graves on. the Maori soiL At length the -troops: seemed about to reap, the reward of their toil and bravery, in the complete humiliation of their bold and obstinate enemy. A powerful battery of artillery had been brought to bear upon the strong pah of Te Arei; on the heights of Pukerangiora, where the enemy had fixed his centre of operations. The position of the Maories became no longer tenable, and they -sued for- peaces Atthis moment the. government of New Zealand was in a position to dictate its own terms. The native allies of Wiremu Eingi were getting tired of fighting. Reinforcements of British troops had arrived, and more were on their way. - A powerful steam squadron was on the ooast, ready to co« operate with the troops ; and a new commander, whose name and services bore with, them a prestige of success, had arrived on the scene of- operations. Under these circumstances, Governor Browne, and his Ministers proceeded to Taranaki j and. the colonists: awaited, with .breathless impatience, the. promulgation of those terms which . some fondljr hoped, though many too prophetically doubted, were to bring them compensation for the past,; and an: assuralee of peace and safety for the. future. . ,-.. . • , . ;':*' -,-.-.

iThe;N9WiZ.ealaiid mail hasjnow, arrivecl, and the conditions of peace offered: to the Waitarainsurgeuta are known. They are Bu.6h,as .may well'iev ' produce, in 'this colony the astonishment which they excited in Taranaki.- /Not %he~slighteßt "oom-; '* pensation is demanded for ail the losses and sufferings of the settlers— not ; -the. least retribution" 'for the deliberate murders perpetrated by the natives. The Waikatos have gone home; Wiremu Eingi evaded' attendance at the conference, by senidiag his daughter in his place j : and the Taranakia and Ngatiruanuie, as^the papers inform us, , "mbyed-ofl^ southward, .carrying; with them the sheep, cattle, and other booty of whioh they had plundered 1 the^ aefctlerß; "All.lthe honours of war remairimththe^enemy^ The* yictorious troops

are left only an empty pah, : as' a- Var trophy for aU~tbe4iv«s- that -have- been sacrificed;-- -Brthiß state .of affaire Governor Browne tella the -enemy tliathe. wishe3 things to return to the Btate. iti .which they were before the war. The survey.^of the Waifctra block, of land,-which was so rudely interrupted, by Wiremu,; IKngi, nmst : be allowed "to proceed ; but the title f*gtili left an openiques!tioT), and. a) I are to be allowed to state thei rclaima freely, subject ' t to. the, decision of the Government. All guns-captured "by the natives are td be returned -and all plurfder from the settlers to be restored— including, we presume, the. houses that have been' burnt, and the sheep and cattle that have been long since devoured. The Ngatiawfc must promise to behave ; well, and submit to the law, in future. The land, occupied by the troops is to be forfeited to the Governor,, pro forma; but his Excellency hastens to inform the natives that this is only a make-believe, and that he intends at once to restore ail that territory to its former owners, reserving only the right to build block houses and to. make roads. Instead of punishment, the belligerent natives are to have rewards. The land which they have dyed with, the blood of our countrymen is to be restored to them, as a local paper remarks " with all" the advantages they have gained from the presence of the civilisation they have scorned and trampled upon." These very easy conditions being complied with, the late enemy are "come under the protection of the law, and to enjoy their property, both land 3 and goods, without molestation." Truly this, is making, war for an idea, with a vengeance. The whole object and consequence seems to be purely ideal ; and the enemy, in all the enjoyment of the substance, is placed in the position of having mercifully allowed the Pakeha to make a drawn battle of it. ■

It is calculated that about two hundred home* steads have been wantonly destroyed by "the natives during the war, and about two thousand headofstocfe. Howisthis 'plunder to be restored?'' What compensation are the settlers to have for twelve months of poverty and danger — the ruin of their prospects, and the sacrifice of the labours of years ? Sir G-eorge Cornewal Lewis, in a recent despatch, took the opportunity of the absence of the Duke of Newcastle, to place on official record an old literary opinion of his — that the parent G-overnment was not bound to protect those of ' its subjects who thought proper to pursue their industry and enterprise in a semi-savage country. The doctrine is open to some question under the circumstances, and it is not quite so gratifying to the national pride as the Cromwellian declaration, that an Englishman, living under the laws, was a legitimate object of protection for the British army, wherever he might be. Admitting that the rule laid down ia to be generally adhered to, it is not likely that the British Treasury will compensate the ruined settlers of Taranaki. But, whatever may be thought of the opinions of .the Under" Secretary, they do not apply in the present case. A British force had taken the field. The enemy were apparently vanquished. No question of British interference remained* for the service has been — so it was said — accomplished. Amongst the terms of peace, .therefore, and besides a most unmistakable submission to British authority, there should have .been a distinct provision for compensation to the settlers. When Mr. Bowlby and his unfortunate fellow-settlers 6trayed out from the British camp in China, ou a mere expe-; dition of pleasure or curiosity, it might have been; fairly saidthat they had placed themselves beyond* British protection ; yet. Lord Elgin demanded a hundred thousand pounds sterling, as compensa- L tion to the relatives of the murdered men, and compelled payment to the Chinese exchequer.There is a homely saying in North Britain, that "it is ill taking the breeks off a Highlander;", and, perhaps, it vsould be a hard matter to exact . a tribute in cash from the New Zealandersj but they should have been compelled to make compensation in land for the injuries they had inflicted on unoffending colonists. We know not whether such land would ever be of much value. In. the present state of insecurity, this is perhaps doubtful ; but it would have been a tangible recognition • of right oh the one hand, and a punishment on. the other. - ■ •. .

It is hard, to say what will be. the next course of events in New Zealand. . The Maori King movement seems to be in a nourishing state, and the late belligerents, having baffled and outwitted the Pakeba, will soon be ready for any fresh mischief that may turn up: It is a satisfaction to know that General Cameron, who has not yet hack an opportunity of interfering, is unfettered by any particular instructions in the event of war again breaking out. Such a calamity is. to be'deprecated;, but there can never bea ny security against; it while the Maories only suffer defeat in order ta secure all the substantial benefits of victory.