THE MAORI (PRISONERS) ?

New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 276, 30 September 1864, Page 6

THE MAORI (PRISONERS) ?

We understand that the prcscnce in the North of tf.o escaped prisoners from the ICawau is likely to lead to very serious difficulties. Come hack they will not, though every amount of coaxing has boon tried. It seems that the question will not be allowed to rest as it is —that if we do not interfere the Maoris themselves resident in the district in which these men have entrenched themselves will take the initiative. A number of influential natives belonging to Kaipara came down the river yesterday, and, it is said, seek an interview with the Governor upon the subject. Tliev arc anxious, it would seem, to assist the Government in retaking these rebels, and would bo pleased if troops were sent to assist them in the work. It seems that after all the poor savage has keener notions of honour than have some of our own colour. These Natives think that it is a disgraceful thing that we should tamely admit our inability to retake a couple of hundred fugitive Maoris, once our prisoners and who have escaped our charge, and who defiantly sit themselves- down in a settled district, within twenty-five miles of the Capital, declaring that thev will not go back to our keeping, and that if we attempt to retake them they will resist to the death. The Maoris generally throughout the island will say, ''ifthis is all the JPakeha can do, with 10,000 men and an illimitable supply' of the material of war—if he sit down tamely under this defiance hurled at liiin on his own lands and close to the Capital—what may we not dare to do by thousands and in an impracticable broken country unopened up by roads!" The Maori war has been a disgraceful one for England. Caused by her neglect of duties which she had specially and voluntarily taken upon herself—carried 011 with imbecility, and with such meanness as we see has already disgusted the very soldiers who have been put to the severest duties upon insullicient pa> r and food—concluded with a hollow and disgraceful peace, which, as everyone here foretold would, as it has done, lead to a renewed and extended war field—the war in New Zealand is a monument o*' shame to the British Government. But deep as lias been the humiliation which has been brought upon the British nation by her injustice both to the Native and European inhabitants of this Colony, the cup of li-jv shame has not yet been drained. It remains to be told to Europe, to be blazoned in France, to be the scoff and jeer of America, that two hundred escaped prisoners have squatted down in a British settlement and delied the Governor to take them with all the forces he caa bring, and that this threat has been sufficient to enable them to remain unmolested.

There is a general feeling amongst the Northern natives that war among themthemsclves, on more than one ground ot quarrel, is immiueiit, and to this cause is owing, we believe, the fact that provisions are in some parts so scarce among tliem. Large breadths of land arc being planted and sown to provide for the coming struggle. The Northern hapits ot' the Ngapuhis are anxious, we understand, that the runaway prisoners shall be allowed to remain at large in the North —the natives at the head of the river and throughout a great portion of the large Kaipara district are as anxious t hat they should ho at once retaken and removed. They say that to allow these lueu to rem:iin will be to light a lire in the stubble that will blaze from the head of the "Waifcluafa to the North Cape. One thing ia quite clear, the responsibility attaching to the escape of these Maori prisoners is very great indeed. It is 110 light matter that can be hidden in a corner.

Since writing the above the postman has .arrived from Matakana. His statement is that the natives are still busy building the pa 011 the hill near Mr. Mcilileioim's farm ; that the\ r have killed four of his cattle and two more belonging to Mr. Matthews and his brother, and that they say that they will require four head of cattle a week to keep them in beef: that they cannot starve, and that the settlers whose cattle they take must send in their bill for the value of llieni to their l'riend the ' Ivawaria.' We also hear, from the same authority, that a number ot natives from the Upper AYairoa district (lC_aipara), arc preparing to join them, and that the combined forces will be engaged in an attack upon Tircrau and his party. A\\; have before adverted to the probability of this being the upshot; of the escape of these Natives. Tircrau has for some time past been aware that there was an intention of renewing the land-feud which it was supposed Sir George Grey had patched up, and his determination is this—not to fight with Mattieifs party, but to throw himself upon the Governor, calling on him to maintain the decision which he has given in regard to the old dispute. Tircrau says that he is a British subject- and claims the protection of British law. Whichever way we turn embarrassment is threatening the Governor. Trulv. for his sake, we could have wished that "he had allowed the Ministry to retain their responsibility in this Native matter a little longer. We suppose lie must blame Mr. Cardwcll for giving him just enough rope to If wo are to have war in the North let the odium and the cost be saddled on the right shoulders. As far as matters now go, it is purely an Imperial atbiir. We trust that it will be allowed to rcuiaui so. It will be seen bv our Omah correspondent's letter, that the re jel Maori* are provisioning their pah for a s'.ege. V. e learn from another and a reliable soure:'t .iafc thev have been supplied with several kegs of powder from the so-called" irieuilly natives and that they have procured some 200 stand of arms from tho same souiw- AV e also learn that many strange native* unknown to the settlers, are wandering about in the neighbouring Europr-au sett laments, and a considerable amount of al.u'ia has beeu occasioned among tho settlers themselves. — ■September 28.