The Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, JULY 19, 1869.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IV, Issue 167, 19 July 1869, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, JULY 19, 1869.

Op tbe various proposals for meeting the native difficulty tbat have from time to time been laid before the Houses of Assembly, there ia one wbich has beeu brought forward more than once, but which bas invariably been slighted, aud at times even treated with ridicule; however, notwithstanding the cold reception afforded to it by the House of Representatives, we are disposed to view it much more favorably than many otber plans that have been adduced for the same purpose. We refer to Mr. Oacroft Wilson's suggestion that we should import a regiment of Ghoorkas, officer themwith men in whom they have the utmost confidence, and then leave them, to settle our accounts with the Maoris. Probably such a course of action would raise au outcry amongst those in England who are ever more ready to criticise tban to assist their fellow-country-men in New Zealand, and we should be condemned for employing foreign mercenaries to do our fighting; however, we are disposed rather to study the interests of the colonists than the sentiments of their well-meainDg but ignorant advisers.

No one who has read accounts of the numerous actions in which the Ghoorkas have done us such good service in India can for a moment doubt tbeir fighting capabilities, and at the same time there would be another great advantage in employing them, wbich the colouists, in the present state of affairs, cannot afford to overlook — we refer to the large saving of expense, as compared with that wbich is iucurred in employing Europeans. Each mau would cost considerably less than one half of what we are now paying the members of our Armed Constabulary, and they would do the work certainly ns well, possibly better, for they arr, and have been for years, thoroughly trained to their work, iv which they take the keenest delight.

But it would be useless to go to the expense of bringing down a large body of fighting men without first making up our minds what work we are going to provide for them. The question must first be decided whether we intend to act on the defensive alone, or whether we mean to carry the war into the enemies' country, and to follow them up until we have read them such a lesson as will assure them that we are in earnest, and will effectually put a stop to such proceedings as have, at intervals for the past nine years, been costing us so much blood and treasure. Our present policy seems to be to put off as long as possible the infliction of tbat punishment which the natives have so richly earned, but this is a policy which has cost, and is still costing, us fnr more than we can afford to pay. The day when we shall be compelled, either to strike a decisive blow, or to abandon the North Island, excepting perhaps, the larger towns, must inevitably come, and there can be no doubt which course we sball eventually adopt when we are driven to make choice between the two; but why should we persist in a system of procrastination that is gradually ruining one of the finest countries in the southern hemisphere? We have had ample proof that the European and the Maori cannot live peaceably together, and we are begin niug to understand that we cannot afford to live in a state of warfare. Which is it to be, then? Are we, or the Maoris, to give way? If the Maoris, means "must be adopted by us without delay, to arrive at the- necessary consummation, and this we believe cannot be better or more cheaply done than by the employment of a force of Ghoorkas. They are wiry, supple men, to whom. an expedition into the most rugged parts of the country would be mere child's* play, they are first-rate shots, and they are most deadly antagonists at close quarters. There is a vast difference between the Sikh and the Ghoorka, the former is a splendid soldier but he likes to have: something in the shape of loot before his eyes, the greater the amount of plunder that he is likely ~fo>

get, the better he will fight ; the Ghoorka on the otber hand loves fighting for its own sake, aud would make short work of the Maoris, , without beiug deterred in tho least by the knowledge that no benefit was to be reaped, in the shape of prizemoney or plunder. We should be glad to see a largeramount of atteution paid to tbis question in the House of Representatives, for we feel convinced that it is a plau that would meet :.ll our requirements. We have occasionally ourselves received letters from officers iv the Indian army, and we have been shown commnnicatious received by others iv New Zaalaud, aud in all of these the question, when speaking of our Native difficulty, is invariably asked, "Why don't you send for a regiment of Ghoorkas?" We can but echo the qnestiou, aud ask, Why?