THE NATIVE QUESTION.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 5, Issue 233, 23 November 1861, Page 3

THE NATIVE QUESTION.

(EVom the Neva Zealdnder, Nor. 6.) The departure of His Excellency Sir George G-rey, by H.MJ3.S. Pelorus on Monday last, accompanied by the Colonial Secretary Mr. Fox, on ft visit to the Bay of Islands and Hokianga, will prove to be, we hope, the commencement of a series of peaceful campaigns in the. Maori territory which -will end in restoring the friendly relations between the races, and establish once more, law, order, and seourity in this lately distracted colony. It was, we understand, in consequence of an invitation personally delivered by our old ally Tamati Waka STene (who no sooner heard of Sir George Grey's arrival than he hastened to Auckland), that the JJgapubi tribe has been honored by his first visit. Influential chiefs from other districts, including the lower "Waikato, have also been to see Hjb Excellency and have urgently requested him to visit them, which w,e understand he has promised to do as soon as he returns from the Bay of Islands.

It is said that it is Governor Grey's intention to offer to the Natives a-syetem of civil institutions similar to that he introduced at the Cape of G-ood Hope, and which led to the settlement of difficulties of far greater magnitude than' any -which exist here. The Cape Colony was, we believe, divided into Districts, over which was placed a European Commissioner, Resident Magistrate, and other officers, who were assisted by a District Council of leading Chiefs, and subordinate Councils, similar to theßunangaof theNewZealanders. To every Bunanga or Council were attached, a chief policeman and a certain number of subordinate constables, all being Natives. These officers as well as the members of the District Council, all received pay, varying in amount ; judicial powers, within certain limits, power of local taxation and of constructing public works, were conferred on these bodies. Bonafde settlement by Europeans on lands within the Native districts, on certain terms, and always with the consent of the Native Authorities, was encouraged, and thus hundreds of Europeans soon became dwellers beyond the frontier, to the mutual advantage of the races. This system, somewhat costly in the first instance, was inaugurated only about seven years since; yet, before Sir George Grey lefl^Bie Cape Colony, it was, as we have heard, actually-hot, only paying its own expenses, but leaving a surplus — the funds being provided by the local, voluntary taxation of Caffres and other Native races. We have no doubt that when Sir George Grey's plans for New Zealand shall have been laid before the public, whether in print or evidenced and explained by the practical introduction of the system, their aptitude for the emergency will be admitted by all who really understand the " Native question." There will of course be some small . critics and some of the worshippers of the "British Lion," who have predicted that the sword alone can solve the Native difficulty, who will fail to see any merit in Sir George Grey's plans. The fact, however, that this system has been successful at the Cape, will induce all reasonable men to afford it a fair trial here, and to give their best support to the experiment. The Governor's exertions will be backed up by all those who have the welfare of the Colony at heart. The annual cost of active military operations in New Zealand, with such a force as that which we have now in the Colony, would not, we believe, be less than one and a half million sterling ; of this sum one half 'may be taken to represent the extraordinary war expenditure ; the other half will be the cost of maintaining the same force in time of peace. The difference between the cost of troops now here, if used merely as a protective force, and their cost as an aggressive force, will therefore be three quarters of a million annually. We do not suppose that for a long time to come Sir George Grey will advise Her Majesty's Government to remove a single soldier from the Colony ; and if by a wise and pacific policy a sum so large can be saved, we suspect that fact will go far towards ensuring the approval of that policy by the loan burthened people of Great Britain. The characteristic from which we argue most favorably in Sir George Grey's proceedings is the quietness with which he has gone about his work. He has been a month maturing his plans ; receiving in the meantime personal visits from such leading Chiefs as have come in to Auckland to see him. He has launched no protocols ; neither threatened nor cajoled ; and now he is off to the Bay of Islands, accompanied by a single Responsible Minister and an interpreter, for the purpose of taking the first practical step towards the solution of the problem before him. " A third class clerk and a sealed letter " are no longer to be the medium of communication with the Native people. "His works will follow him," will tell their own tale, and, if we are not much mistaken, the thing will be done before it is talked about. The Natives of New Zealand have lost faith in the barren generalities and unfruitful promises of the Representatives of the British Government ; but when they find that something is being done, and done with their own assistance and concert, they will learn to value the hand that guides them in their search for " light," and aids them in the great work of self elevation, on which the national mind has been intent for several years.

Governor Sir George Grey has been, quietly, but with the steadfast perseverance which is his own, unravelling the tangled Bkein transferred to his hands. Rumour is busy with his plans for the settlement of the Native difficulty ; these plans are understood to embrace a complete system of Government for Native districts, to be administered by the Natives themselves guided or assisted by a European officer, and they provide also for the admission of Europeans as hondfide settlers in Native districts. To the Governor's recent departure for the Bay of Islandß we have referred elsewhere.

The advices from Waikato continue to be peaceful ; the Natives are busy with their cultivations, an unusual breadth of land being under crop. The chiefs of the Lower Waikato have been in frequent communication with the Governor ; it is understood that they are prepared to accept the new institutions for the working of Native districts ; , there is no ground to believe that, under these circumstances, the men of the so lately disaffected party on the Upper Waikato will long maintain their attitude of sullen expectancy. Our friends in England, therefore, those who have an actual, as well as those who have a prospective interest in this Province, — the old colonist and the intending immigrant — will see that their anxiety for our safety here has been needless, and that the war, which we hope will hereafter be distinguished as the v last," has long been over.

Speem Whaees. — Oapt. James, of the Salcombe Castle, whioh arrived in Auckland from Otago on the Bth mist., reports that he was in eight of Cape Kidnappers during the first three days of this month, and that he saw sperm whales each day. We hope at no distant time to Bee Napier in a position to fit up oneorxaore veßsels for the deep sea fishery. The fish are now Bhy of entering the Bay, but, they are frequently seen within thirty or forty miles of the port.

A Compabisok. — Lord Brougham now and then relapses into a Bar recollection. The following is his best, and, as such, is his most frequent story. It is a happy instance of the elucidation of facts in court: — During the assizes, in a case of assault and battery, where a stone had been thrown by the defendant, the following clear and conclusive evidence had been drawn out of a Yorkshireman : — "Did you seethe defendant throw the etone?" "I saw a stone, and I'ze pretty zure the defendant throwed it." " Was it a large stone ?" " I should say it wur a largeish stone." "What was its size?" "I should say a sizeable stone." " Can you answer definitely how big it was ?" " I should say it wur a stone of some bigness." " Can't you give the jury some idea of the stone ?" " Why, as near as I can recollect it wur something of a stone." " Can't you compare it to some other object ?" " Why, if I were t£ compare it, so aa to give some notion of the stone, I Bhould say it wur as large as a lump of chalk!!"

Life's Bairn. —God over all ! How the tired heart falls back upon this, like a baby on its mother's breast. No rebuff there! Ah, were we not so childishly impatient ; were we willing to wait His time, instead of demanding our own imperative " now !" Could we sleep sweetly and trust Him for the waking ! Be the sky bright or cloudy, could we only trust ! Ah! many a hard lesson must we learn, many a rebellious tear choke down, many a despairing "why has thou forsaken me" stile, ere we can learn that sweet tranquil lesson — " God over all." — Fanny Fern.

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KETURN shewing the Lands Sold ; Deposits Paid on Applications for Buns, and TJnagricultural Land to go to Auction at ss. an acre ; Assessments on Runs, and Crown Grant Fees received at the Crown Land Office at Napier ; together with the nett Amount due to the Province of Hawke's Bay, for the period from the Ist to the 31st October, 186.1, inclusive. : 2 ■ | '""..' No.' of Appli- „-. .. .. / „.,_.,.' Area of Land ' .; ' feSw£& * Amount of DeBate, cation. Name of Applicant. District. purchased.. ® Amo^* - - gStoaicS at » P oß **' Rbmakks. ' ■ S ' 6s. an acre. § • ■ : ,:\ -• •- s, „ • .- -: ,- s __ 1861 v; ' a r ps. d. £ s. d. a k p £ s. d. Oct. 1 1025 DonaidGollan. Mangatarata 1600 0 010 0 800 0 O. " 902 George Hunter Porangahau 160 O 0 5 OJ 40 3 4 Purchase at auction " 933 " " 1700 0 0 5 0| 426 15 5 « « " 999 " « 4476 0 0 4 6 1007 2 0 « « « 1000 " " 4000046' 90 00 " « " 1001,1004 " " 1720 0 0 4 6 387 0 0 « « " 1026 Thomas Tanner Ruataniwha 192 0 0 10 0 96 0 0 " 1027 Alexander Grant " 80 0 0 6d. 2 0 0 " 1028 « " 463 0 010 0 231 10 0 " 1029 " ". 300 0 010 0 150 0 0 " 2 1030 G. G. Carlyon North Ruataniwha 3290 0 0 6d. 82 5 0 . " 929 Win. Lyon Otaranga 400 0 0 5 0| 100 8 4 Purchase at auction. " 1031, 1032 James Watt North Ruataniwha 1250 0 0 10 0 625 0 0 " 1033, 1034 ) 1035, 1036 }G. G. Carlyon " I 1951 0 010 0 1037 ) 975 10 0 " 1038 E. Harwood &J. Holden " 200 0 0 10 0 100 0 0 " . 1039, 1040 George Hunter Homestead, Porangahau* 160 0050 40 00 " 1041 John Glenny North Ruataniwha 490 0 0 10 0 245 0 0 ♦ This includes homestead selec « Partof942 A. G. Tollemache Otaranga 540 0 0 4 6 121 10 0 S^t^dSSS^™ o™^0 ™^* 111 ™" " 1042 R. J. Duncan North Kuataniwha 200 0 0 10 0 100 0 0 " 1043 H. A. Duff Ruahine 100 0 0 10 0 50 0 0 16302 0 0 5585 .19 1 3370 0 0 84 5 0 Oct. 2 1044 James Marshall Sub. Section 69, Meanee 56 0 0 10 0 28 0 0 " 1045 Andrew Luff North Ruataniwha 200 0 0 10 0 100 0 0 Simultaneous application, " 1046 " « 160 0 010 0 80 0 0 [since withdrawn. "12 1047 James Hallett Homestead, Mangaone 80 0 0 5 0 20 0 0 "12 1048 T. K. Newton ■ Puketapu 16 0 0 10 0 8 0 0 "19 1049 E. Harwood &J. Holden Sub. Sees. 64, 67, Hampden 104 0 015 0 78 0 0 "26 1050 J. N. Williams Otaranga 500 0 0 6d. 12 10 0 "28 967, 968 G. G. Carlyon Gwavas 1700 0 0 4 6 382 10 0 "31 1051 William Couper Kauranaki 1600 0 0 6d. 40 0 0 18618 0 0 6282 9 1 5470 0 0 136 15 0 Assessments on Runs — " 4 John Lavin On 9028 acres at |d for 1860 9 8 1 Deposits on Buns— 18618 0 0 6291 17 2 5470 0 0 136 15 0 " 25 J. N. Williams Otaranga Block 6000 0 0 25 0 0 24618 0 0 6316 17 2 5470 0 0 136 15 0 Ito 31 A. G. Tollemache & others Crown Grant Fees, £46 Deduct salary of Receiver of Land Revenue 6 5 0 /'* . 6310 12 2 Deduct one-sixth due to the General Government 1051 15 4£ Nett Amount due to Hawke's Bay 5258 16 9J Crown Land Office, Napier, C. LAMBERT, Bth November, 1861, Acting Commissioner of Crown Lands.