CANTERBURY AND THE WAR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 233, 11 August 1864, Page 4

CANTERBURY AND THE WAR.

Tn common justice to the people of Canterbury, from amongst whom emanate the, Pbilo-Mubi'i paces of the JPrrts.?-, ,we think ib but right- toreprint frVsm ahother Canterbury journal, and one of more moderate views, the accompanying article. We can easily understand that, as in Auckland, so in Canterbury, a third journal bolstered up solely for party.purposes, is kept in existence, and that-, as here, it may really not represent the opinions, of one in n hundred. This is, we believe, the position of the Ccodtrlivvy Press. There ii a mercy which is weakness, and even treason against Ilie common good. Sueli mercy would shield the felon from the felon's doom, -would palliate even the foulest crimes against individuals, or against the state; would find excuses where none exist; would fain persuade us that the ends ol' justice, and the interests of society at large are., best served by allowing the <-riininal to go free and unpunished ; and would htt.vo uc believe that the only way to prevent the recurrence of crime is to shttku hands with those who commit it, and tell them that they have been more sinned against than sinning—that they are to be pitied rather than blamed. This is just the sort of mercy which the peace party in New Zealand would have us show towards the Maori. They would have us believe that rebellion is no crime, and that the j eromy with whom we are. contending is a very much ! injured individval. In their, fanatical partizanship, I or may,we call it party cry, they accuse tlio colonists ! of all the sins begotten of eovetousness, and howl | th.-ir dismal prophecies about coming evil, and imminent disaster, with a pertinacity which would be amusing, were it not mischievous. Our contemporary tile I'rcxtj may, in some sense, be looked 011 as | the chief exponent of the views of this pd.rty. We are not awnre whether it h'ls been elected to that post, or whether, with that cool assumption which has been the chief characteristic of its history, it has taken the appointment for granted. We only know from time to time that tlio public are treated to a dissertation on the evils of war in general, ntid of the particular wickedness of this Maori war in particular. The J'rrs-s has a very fitting ally in the iW«; Zealandcr, a paper which carried its fanaticism so far as to insult the crew of lI.M. ship ' Esk' 011 a late occasion, charging them directly and by inference, with gross cowardice and neglect of duty.. Between them, the iVm.and AV« 'JSeahnMrirbiiv'o (lone much to keep up a spirit of resistance among the Maoris. The one quoteß from the other any statement which could be construed as damaging to the cause of tho Europeans and favourable to that of the Maori. Of couse these find their way to tho camp of tho enemy, and wemnv easily imagine with what efi'ect Itewi mid Thompson wdl quote them to their deluded followers. No one doubts the chivalry of tho Press, just as no one feels surprised at tho ease with which it adapts itself to circumstances. On this cjtiesti'oii of the Maori war, however, it has maintained its consistency with amazing steadiness, or rathor with an obstinate blindness to consequences. Tho murders committed by the Natives have been extenuated, or altogether ignored, and no opportunity has been lost of showing what is mildly termed the vindictivencss anil ayc-rico of tlio colonists. All sorts of arguments have been tried to make the public of Canterbury believe that the war in which wo are engaged is an unholy one. When everything elso Aiiied; when no fictitious huntings-down with blood-hounds could be trumped up, tlio loaders of tho iVm are informed with all the gravity of a judicial deliverance, and as if tho matter were beyond a doubt, that the Auckland people were altogether to blame for tho waV; that they alone caused it, and that they found it so profitable an investment, that they would not, so long as they had tho power, allow it to come to an end. It is wonderful with what equanimity wo learned that our pockets were being picked for the exclusive benefit of the Auckland colonists. We are not aware that anyone, except our well-informed contemporary, was satisfied With the correctness of the charge against the North, and we have failed ourselves to discover any evidence as to its reliability. On tlio contrary, we have every reason for believing that those colonists who have been driven from their homes, as well as theinhabit'lr.ts of Auckland, would he exce'edinirly glad that the war should bo brought to a close, l'erhaps the I'rvt-s may bo in receipt- of information not vouchsafe d to us, and which fully justifies it in insinuating inteiestcd motives against the Mini: ters who are responsible for the prosecution of tlio war.

This is very likely. At tlie same time wo, and tlio majority of tho public of this province, tire to be excused if to Consider tliesc insinuations not only unfounded, but mischievous in the highest degree. The iVc.v.s professes great sympathy with the Maori, and i.ake.s .so miich pains to convince us of this, that we begin to doubt it altogether. AVe cannot help thinking that our contciiuxirmy is actuated by other, and less noble motives. The triumph of party is a sweet solace which is calculated to compensate for any amount of labour, and any exercise of invention. Aficr all that the frexx has said, we are at a loss to understand precisely and definitely what policy it advocates. It has never laid down one as icg:uds our dealings with the Natives. It has been conspicuous lot* tiie bitterness with which it has attacked ail other policies, "but we have failed to gatlur from its pages even the shadow of a substitute for these. Let the I'irxx, if it would have its sincerity unquestioned in this matter, lay distinctly hctore the public the line of action it would have us adopt, and, leaving vague hints, and crude gener.litks, put us in possession of its real views on tho matter. They could not fail to be interesting : they might even he instructive. — Sl<nulmd, July, 2'.). »