HIS EXCELLENCY AND THE ESCAPED PRISONERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 274, 28 September 1864, Page 6

HIS EXCELLENCY AND THE ESCAPED PRISONERS.

To the Editor of the New Zealand Hei'.ald. Si it,—ln your issue of to-day I see that the runaway Maori prisoners arc building a pah at Omaha, declining to return to the aims of their true love at the Kawau, who, I regret to find, is quite love sick in consequence. Now it appearsto methat Natives don't build pahs for pacific purposes, and that the duty of the Governor, since the disposition of the troops are at his will, and his only, is at once to send a military force and take these men into custody. As to the fear of causing a Avar in the North, if all our lighting doesn't enable us to do what is right, I do not see that we have gained much, and it is far more probable that the Northern Natives will arrive at unfavourable conclusions, by our letting men liavo their own way, than by adopting a strightforward manly course. If the G ovemor thinks it is more in accordance with hi.s views of justice, that these rebels should he fed and clothed at the expense of the Colony, I maintain that wo who are taxed for these purposes, should at oneo protest against such an imposition. Those who have had the greatest experienco of the Maori character tell us, that leniency is attributed to ieu,. and kindness to sinister motives, and this Kawau blunder of his Excellency will biirig down uj on us the ridicule of the whole Native population. The farce of his sending troops to the Manukau Heads to intercept the fugitives where they were not, aild leaving them unmolested in th< ir actual retreat, reminds one of the pretended search on a theatrical stage, the object being all the while in full view of the whole house. There is one way of escape firm the dilemma which I would suggest to his Excellency, by which he will cover his retreat. Let him follow the example of the late Superintendent of Otago—let him proclaim the Hill of Omaha a prison, and as he has to eat a given amount of dirt, it will thus be exhibited ill a tolerably inoffensive form. I am, &c., JIsTITIA. Auckland, 2Gth September.