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Lyttelton Times, Volume LII, Issue 5827, 29 October 1879, Page 4

The Native policy of all Governments ought to be out of the. reach of party warfare. That Native questions are not party questions, is a principle which* everybody not only admits, bat is fond of asserting. All Governments are especially careful of the principle, though individual Opposition members sometimes, and Oppositions as a whole occasionally, have forgotten it, in their anxiety to damage the Governments which they were < seeking to drive from power. But the present Government was never in that category. The high tone which has always characterised their professions forbids the supposition that in such an important matter as the Native policy they did not mean all that their speeches conveyed. The country, if it believes, as it must do—for who can resist the evidence of the public spirited tone adopted by the pure moral party—that the Government were sincere when in Opposition in all they said' about the Native management,. mast greatly rejoice. Ministers have never admitted that there can be any difficulty in the management of the Natives, or rather in the government of the Natives, for management is a word for which they profess the utmost scorn. They have cried bat over and over again that the majesty of the law has been outraged and defied by criminals and murderers of various sorts, and they have always clamoured for the immediate arrest and punishment of the scoundrels. As they now have the power to act, they have the opportunity to distinguish themselves, for which they care nothing, and to do the public a service, for which they care a great deal. To begin with there is Hiroki, who is hidden away somewhere on the Taranaki side of the North Island, and there are Pakura and Epiha, who have signalised themselves on the East Coast lately at Ohinemuri. Nobody has yet been able to capture Hiroki, and the two others have just slipped through the fingers of Mr Maekay. We expect that the Government which once looked upon the continued freedom of these men as a great crime, will at once have them brought in, tried, and if found guilty, punished in due : course of law. The reflection is very consoling to those who eipeot to see that perfect union of the two races which is the only guarantee of peace, and which, now that the pure moral Government bar come to power, is so near. After. these three troublesome people are disposed of, there are sundry others who will require attention, and when these have been bagged, Te Whiti can very well be made to take his tnm of appearing before a Court of law. The prospect is really very encouraging. It shows that an Opposition which studiously refrains from partisan distortions always makes a most admirable Government