Hawke's Bay Times. NAPIER, FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 1864.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume III, Issue 171, 22 April 1864, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Times. NAPIER, FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 1864.

As we anticipated so it has turned out. The effect upon the minds of the Petane Natives produced by the advent of their wounded brother from the seat of war is just what might have been expected. About a week or ten days ago, a considerable muster of men left that sink of disaffection for the seat of war, no doubt urged thereto by the desire to repay in kind the wounds inflicted by our troops upon their patriotic relation, and. by the arguments and inducements held out by that unfortunate person. Where, now, is the strength of the law ? Where, now, is the boasted effect produced by the arming of the Militia and the enrolment of the Defence Force and other warriors ? All talk—all smoke, and no fire —a mere gobbling of turkeys. Those Natives have gone to the war, and will return when they have had enough of it, adding fuel to the fire already burning in the minds of some of our Maoris. Steps ought to be taken to put a stop to these proceedings, and, as we said in a former article, the chief of that or any other pah sending or allowing aid to go to the rebels should be locked up in Napier gaol, and his pah constantly occupied by on nrmpJ fnrop Our fighting men are burning with ardour to distinguish themselves, and cry loudly to be taken to the “ front,” there to join in the battle along with the other brave fellows. Here, then, is an excellent opportunity near home (without depriving the Province of the ■£16,000 a year expenditure] of exercising their skill and valour. Now is the time for our Commandant, who is consumed by the ardour of his desire for action to carry that ardour into a proper‘'field, and strike a decisive blow at those rascals of Petane, who have for a long time past exercised a baneful influence upon this Province, and who will never be quiet until severely chastised. No doubt it will be urged that the more blackguards who leave, the Province to be shot at Waikato the better. But to this we reply that if there was any certainty of their being shot, by all means let them go; but up to this date the chances appear to be very much in favor of their getting off scot free, and coming back again full of their own mighty deeds and acts of heroic valour, stirring’up the dormant wickedness of those who hate us, but wiio hitherto, from prudential motives, have kept quiet.

We hear a great deal of the effect of “ moral influence” upon the Natives. What sort of influence that is, remains at present a matter of doubt. Possibly the Civil Commissioner, on his visit to the Wairoa, thought that after having sufficiently subdued the minds of his Native auditors by the appearance of a couple of “ orderlies” in full uniform, and thereby exhibited sufficiently the immense powers with which he is invested* the next best thing to do was to bring his “ moral influence” to bear upon any remaining weak points in their allegiance, and cement the alliance by taking a lease of certain good lauds in those parts. Who can tell ? “ Moral influence” thus exercised may probably be productive of some tremendous results hereafter. In the meantime, the “ masses” are suffering under this preposterous abuse of powers, and cry loudly

for the removal, from the hig& places in the synagogue, of men who thus prostitute their • high offices and authority to their own petty personal pecuniary interests. As it seems an open question as to where the Defence Force ought to be placed, why not send a troop to occupy the Petane pah. It is a capital situation, and could be turned to excellent account and fortified with very little trouble in such a way as to be a sore vexation to any hostile endeavors. One thing is certain —if we do not take possession of that place as a military station, tlie Natives will very soon begin to think about doing so themselves.