THE NELSON EXAMINER. Nelson, October 5, 1844.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume III, 5 October 1844, Page 2

THE NELSON EXAMINER. Nelson, October 5, 1844.

Journal* become more necessary a* men become more equal* and individualism more to be feared. It would be to underrate their importance to suppose that they serve only to secure liberty : they maintain civilization. '■ Da TocauiTiLLX. Of Democracy in America, vol . 4, p. 202.

The labouring mountain has brought forth its mouse. His Excellency the Governor, and H.M.S. Hazard, and H.M. brig Victoria, with the 160 soldiers and "big guns'* brought from Sydney, have paid the Bay of Islands a visit, and after much backing and filling, and marching and countermarching, have extracted from Johnny Heke, the flag-staff destroyer, an apologetical note, quite original in its kind, in which he assures " Friend Governor " that " disobedience and rudeness in him is no new thing, but inherited from his ancestors," and begs him on no account to imagine that it is a new feature in his character. Further he condescends to assure him that " he is thinking of leaving off " his rude conduct towards the Europeans, offers to put up a new pole, and declares that the old one belonged to him, for " he put it up, and it was never paid for." This we can readily believe, especially if it was erected in the Hobson-Shortland days.

Caligula marched a great army — cohorts and legions, beasts of burden and all munitions of war — to the shores of the German Ocean, where he made his soldiers fill their helmets with shells, and returned to Rome in triumph.

But, to soothe the insulted inhabitants of Russell, and in deference to the convincing arguments of the new teacher of political economy, Hone Heki, Russell is to be declared a free port.

After the displays of Government authority and retributive justice at Tauranga and Waikanai, no one will be surprised at the result of this affair — at least, at the nonpunishment of the offending chief. ' And even the bestowal of such a boon Jhpon the Maories as the opening of the port of Russell in-return. for their outrages at that place, is quite in keeping with the proclamation which put all disputed lands for the time being in their absolute possession as a reward for theirHjrntaTfespcity at Wairau. It if * maxim of Government to concede

everything to the insolent riotings of thi Maories — nothing to the reasonable remonstrances of. the whites.

Let us not be understood as condemning all the details of the proceedings at Russell. The Governor's speech we think was verj good, and explained in the right way and in the right style the advantages of British rule to the Maories. Had this been the first defiance of British authority — had the chiefs assembled too been the guilty parties — their ready delivery of their arms and persons into his power would have made the Governor's clemency, in pardoning the delinquents and restoring their property, worthy of all commendation. Were we ouite sure, too, that there wa3 no collusion about ths matter — thatjthe thing was in no sense and in no particulars got vp — that the submission was not induced by any previous intimations from missionaries or others in the secret of Government's intentions, that pardon for the outrage, and redress of so-called grievances, and acquiescence in all their demands, was to result from such submission,'— -we should have more hopes of the effect of such proceedings than we have at present. The fear of the troops and big guns shown by the chiefs we believe to have been genuine ; their disapprobation of Heki's conduct, their gratefulness for the Governor's lenient treatment of them, and their promises of good behaviour in future, we can imagine were for the moment sincere.

But then, after all, there stand the naked facts : — first, that Heki never gave himself up at all — that some attempts to take him were "^apparently made without effect — that the only atonement offered was a written apology pleading hereditary disposition to riot and allowing that amendment might be .worth consideration — above all, that Russell has been declared a free port, because the Maories created a disturbance ostensibly about the effect of the establishment of Customs.

Further, it is far from being the first time the Maories have set British authority at defiance, and successfully. Each succeeding insult extorts further privileges — each is a direct consequence of the preceding one. The imbecility displayed by Government in the Tauranga affair, the insolence they put up with from the natives though with troops on the spot, and the impunity which attends the murder and impudently avowed cannibalism of natives by the Maketus, emboldens the Maories to resist and murder Government officers themselves at Wairau ; the murder at Wairau is rewarded by possession being given them of all lands they claimed, sold previously or not ; troops are taken to Waikanai only to pardon the murderers without investigation or condition ; then, in open day and by force, at the seat and under the very nose of Government, they rescue Te Mania, taken prisoner, for which they are rewarded with a bill to exempt them in fact from punishment for theft; next they cut down the Russell flagstaff and insult the inhabitants, and, in reward, all restraints of fiscal and police regulations are removed from their trade with foreigners and others in potatoes and women. Will the fourth or fifth act oi pardon, or rather reward, for offending produce any other consequences than the first, second, or third did ?

Doubtless the natives in question will be represented as artless and interesting children of nature, dismayed at finding them - selves deprived of the simpler comforts of civilized life received in exchange for the pigs and potatoes with which they welcomed the seafarer to their shores, and offered him after all rather as proofs of goodwill than objects of barter. How cruel to interfere with so innocent a commerce ! And if in their ignorance they cut down the flag-stafi that by some magic influence kept theii hardy visitors aloof, surely one would approve of the deed that aimed at reviving this civilizing intercourse, this pleasing reciprocation of kindness and beneficence ! But what is the true atate of the case ? The whalers deserted the Bay not solely or even principally because port and customs dues

had been established, but chiefly because he existence of a police was a sort of restraint upon their reckless amusements «nd wild licentiousness ; not because spirits were dearer so much as because drunkenness was finable and debauchery more liscountenanced and becoming more disreputable. And the native chiefs were annoyed because the desertion of the whalers had deprived them not only of the sale of their poor potatoes, but of the revenue derived from a more Uflpative article of commerce — their femal<Pj»laves. At least so says common report. Facti fama sat est — and if true, it is as well it should be known. These were the grievances which justified their rebellion against British authority,, which they pledged themselves by the Waitangi treaty to obey ; these are the natural rights which it became British authority to suffer a handful of savages to wrest from it by threats, riot, and violence. The reasonableness of the thing is not much increased by the fact of the natives having been prompted by lawless Europeans or Americans. But the probability is that the abolishment of Customs not satisfying either, the next riot will be got up to obtain the removal of the Police establishment.

But why this singular act of favour should be done on such grounds to the natives of the Bay of Islands, while it is so clearly unjust and detrimental to the Europeans and natives of all other parts of the colony, we cannot conceive. Direct taxation will produce little enough we presume at Russell, and if so, the expenses of Government at that place must be defrayed by increased taxation on Auckland, Wellington, Nelson, and elsewhere. The greatest numbers of natives being in the north, the European inhabitants in that quarter ought to contribute more rather than less to the expenses of Protectorships, for instance, than the southern settlers. Moreover as they get vastly more than their share of Government expenditure, they certainly should not be taxed less than their share for the support of Government. We hope the southern settlers will not submit to this injustice without protests and remonstrances.