THE GOVERNOR'S VISIT TO WAIKATO.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 6, Issue 357, 4 February 1863, Page 3

THE GOVERNOR'S VISIT TO WAIKATO.

(From the Independent, Jan. 27.)

Abortion of the public has. long persisted in seeing war in every movement at head quarters, although time after time their confident anticipations have been totally confounded by the result. A mere ordinaiy visit of inspection ; a customary set of tenders for the conveyance of military stores or ammunition ; the erection of a shed for sheltering gallipots and doctor's stuff ; a man of war or two rendezvousing on the'coast, have served, each in its turn, to excite the anticipation — we will not say the hope — that war is not very far distant. This constant perversion of unimportant events has kept up a state of excitement all through the summer, producing much evil in every portion of the island — confidence in the, future being at the basis of all progress. At the same time we are free to admit that, looking back on the events of' the past few months, it is not surprising that occasionally the hopes of the more sanguine among us should have been almost crushed, and faith in the ultimate triumph of Sir George Grey's peaceful policy well nigh obliterated. The hopeful have, however, now become more hopeful than they ever were before, and if on no other principle than that drowning men catch at straws, we may surely conclude that the most sullen and distrustful of the " less negotiation and earlier crisis " school, will regard the circumstances of the present moment as indicating a turning point in native affairs. The gradual passing away of the summer is, of itself, a sure indication that Sir G. Grey will not be hurried into any deviation from the course he has pursued j and the recent invitation he received from the Maori King to visit Waikato, may be regarded as foreshadowing the triumph of a patience almost more than mortal — indeed we are by no means loth to believe that the effect of that invitation will be to give such a fillip to the country's jaded hopes, as will lead to the general conviction that the peaceable settlement of the native difficulty is among the " all things " which patience and perseverance are proverbially reported as being able to accomplish. Sir George Grey has been in New Zealand somewhere about sixteen months, and during the whole period has been most anxious to visit Ngaruawahia and converse with the King and the Upper Waikatos. On his first arrival he was advised to refrain from visiting that district uninvited. The visits to the loyal tribes in the Lower Waikato and other districts signified, as plainly as actions could signify, that the first overtures for a meeting between the Governor and the King must come from the latter. The Governor and his advisers had their hearts too much in their work to insist on the overtures being very marked, for they had knowledge enough of human nature to know that otherwise the estrangement between the Waikatos and the Government was only likely to be increased. There was probably much to be gained if the pride of the former could be mollified ; only an increased determination to set the Government at defiance if it was inconsiderately wounded. The Governor has at last triumphed. The invitation from the King's party may not have been the most hearty, but it has broken down *' the middle wall of partition," and though probably, the immediate results of the Governor's visit may not be very apparent, yet experience supplies stronger reason to believe that the little leaven which Sir George Grey is sure to leave behind, will eventually do its work rather than that the visit will be altogether unproductive.

We are also the more inclined to look hopefully forward, because of the change in the tone of the journals which are supposed to draw an occasional inspiration from head-quarters. We lately alluded to the encouraging tone assumed by the Southern Cross, but the Nelson Examiner had already struck the same key. Early last month it observed, " with some satisfaction," that the Native Minister " does not expect to get over our present difficulty by a" short and sudden leap," and also " that the true chronic nature of the disease is in a way to be appreciated at head-quarters, and that the delusive hope of a sudden cure will not again distract the Government, or ag~airi figure in the authoritative despatches of the Governor," — rather an unexpected conclusion from the heretofore ceaseless advocate of "less negotiation and an earlier crisis." Now that journals of this class counsel patience, we may fairly conclude that the, policy of the Governor is gradually bringing about

a change, the favorable nature of which is .becoming conclusive to Messrs. Bell and Domett, whose mouthpieces the journals above named are- respectively known to ..be. Presently, perhaps, the whole Colony will take up the same cue, and, abandoning? all idea of a mushroom solution of Native troubles, see in the gradual increase of the European population the best auxiliary safeguard for the prosperity of both races — an increase which it will see can be brought about only as systematic attempts at excitement are discouraged, and confidence in the stability of the future is restored ; a confidence which in our own Province is more and more visible every day. Difficult or impossible as the complete restoration of confidence may be all the while Taranaki remains the " dark spot " it is, yet we may not unreasonably conclude that even that dark spot will get fainter and fainter as the influence of the increases in Waikato, where it has at last succeeded in obtaining a footing.