THE New Zealand Herald. SPECTEMUR AGENDO. WEDNESDAY, MAY 21, 1873.

New Zealand Herald, Volume X, Issue 2905, 21 May 1873, Page 2

THE New Zealand Herald. SPECTEMUR AGENDO. WEDNESDAY, MAY 21, 1873.

Wb have received nothing direct from Waikato ; but an important telegram reaches us from Wellington, which places us in possession of the latest phase of the native difficulty. True to his engagement, Kewi sent a reply to Mr. Mackay yesterday, the 20th ; but it was " couched "in ambiguous tcrm~/' and "the " Government interpret it to mean " that Purukutu is not to be given " up." This reply was anticipated by us. Erom everything that has transpired since the murder of Sullivan, it has been demonstrated that Tawhiao approves of the crime, if he did not expressly sanction it. Rewi's letter deals with three points in the question, which may yet be referred to the arbitrament of the sword. First : As to the personal matter, Mr. Mackay is ' formed that " the native who attacked him has " been reprimanded." Second, with respect to the murder of Sullivan, he is told " that Purukutu has come to " Te Kuiti": and third, in reference to the general question of the relations of the King-party to the Europeans, Mr. Mackay is advised "to leave " trouble alone." The letter, it will bo seen, is not eo very ambiguous after all. On the contrary,we think it gives a very fair and expficit explanation of the native mind and intentions. Two things are clear: first, that the leading chiefs are either unable or unwilling to punish any of their followers who may commit an outrage, such as tho attempt on Mr. Mackay's life; aud second, that the Kingites will protect Purukutu. "He has come to Te " Kuiti; he is under the shadow of "the King flag; let him rest in " peace." There is no mention of reprimand, nor any condemnation of his crime. " Purukutu has come to Te Kuiti. But Mr. Mackay had asked, if the King would object to Europeans following Purukutu across the boundary line and arresting him, in the event of Tawhiao

declining to surrender him to justice. ! To this Kewi, as we have seen, returns the significant answer to Mr. Mackay " leave trouble alone !'' This latter point, however, raises the whole question. It brings us at once face to face with the Maori King and his pretence to absolute sovereignty within his own borders, and the Government must elect whether they will submit to hare the law and authority of the Crown trampled in the dirt, or take steps to enforce the law at all hazards. This is a serious question, and one which should be gravely considered. If the Government resolve not to pursue the murderers into native territory, they admit their weakness before the Hauhaus, and suggest to them the possibility of slaughtering Europeans with impunity. On the other hand, if the Government resolve to pursue Purukutu into the King's territory, if; means " trouble," i.e., war. Now, war implies a suspension of the colonising policy in the North Island for some time ; loss of life and waate of treasure ; but conducted with vigour, and a stern determination to | make it final, it likewise means peace and progress in the not distant future. It is for the Government, however, to weigh the consequences of either step, and having arrived at a determination, to make it public and adhere to it.

Our own opinion is, that it would not be politic to get into collision with the natives prematurely. That a collision is inevitable, we think, can

hardly be doubted. We should give the King a further chance, which Mr. Mackay appears to have done; but at the same time also, a period should be fixed for the final reply to enable preparations to be made to enforce our demand. In a former article, we suggested a month. That period would be sufficient for our purpose, and it would enable us to detach many supporters from the King. But if, contiary to all expectation, it is resolved not to attempt to enforce the law against Purukutu, then it is quite clear that the Waikato must be abandoned, or that the settlers must stand on their own defence. Either alternative simply means a state of anarchy which would ruin any country. That the King means to oppose the spread of settlement, and if possible establish a reign of terror in Waikato, is plain from Manuhiri's reply to the friendly chiefs at Te Kuiti, that his " thoughts were the same as " when the Governor's proclamation " issued prior to the Maori war; and, " that the results woulu. be the same." We cannot, in the face of this declaration, which is neither new nor unexpected, pretend to think that we may avoid another struggle for supremacy with the Maori King. It may be staved off for a time: but come it will.

Moreover, we do not understand that Jiewi will desert the King. We would very much rather see it, than hear it spoken of as a likely event. The truth is, that the King and Mauuhiri are nobodies. They are the symbols of Maori sovereignty and nothing more. Kewi is the man who gives strength and substance to the King-party : his defection would cause it to fall to pieces. Without him, Tawhiao and the Waikatos would be fugitives iu the laud. Let us have some decided act of liewi, disavowing and forsaking the King, and we shaU believe that he has lost hope in the supremacy of his race. Till then, we shall take leave to doubt his friendly intentions.

From the Thames we have corroborative evidence that the Hauhaus are mustering for the struggle. An influential meeting was held in the Native Office, Grahamstown, at which several leading chiefs attended, to take steps to prevent the young men from joining the King, of which the old men stand in dread. Ngatimaru will take no step to prevent it. Action has been postponed. Then, again, our Napier exchanges speak of the state of native feeling on the East Coast as being very disturbed. The Maoris have been assured by Europeans that they have been cheated out of their lauds by the settlers who bought from them; and it is said that an outbreak is imminent. Thus difficulties multiply on the hands of the Government.

We are fully alive to the necessity for supplying Auckland with pure water, and tve are no advocates for delay; but the course the City Couucil has taken is gravitating towards an indefinite postponement of the question. What we submit to the Council, in the interest of the public is, that it should stand out altogether, so far as initiating a scheme is concerned, aud give a guarantee to a private company to exercise on its behalf all the powers conferred upon it by the Municipal Water Works Act, 1872. If the City Council does this, we have no doubt whatever that the city and suburbs would have an abundant supply of ptfre water introduced without delay. The City Council, iu addition to a concession of the powers conferred upon it under the Act in question, should also undertake to get an Act of the Provincial Council passed, bringing the general law of 1572 into operation, in terms of the Ist section of the Act. This would place ratepayers in no worse position than they would be in were the City Council to undertake the construction of tho works, with this material difference, that they would not be responsible for the cost of construction and maintenance, whereas if the Council borrowed money for the purpose, the eutire property within the borough would be liable for repayment. We do not mean to say, however, that the water supply would not pay. On the contrary, it would pay handsomely ; and, moreover, would materially assist in the development of maufacturing industries by providing cheap motor power and an unfailing supply ot water, to say nothing of its advantages in a sanitary point of view. But wo hold that the City Council, as at present constituted, is not a proper body to initiate, much less to carry out, such

an important undertaking. The i wretched bickering, and want of intelligent perception of wliat is required of them on this, and other matters of importance, fully bear out what we say ; but there is another reasou why the Council is not the proper body to initiate this work. We refer to it in its representative character. The Auckland City Council in no sense or way represents the ratepayers of the city. It represents a small clique of active political wire-pullers ; and it will continue to represent these, and these only, until the borough is split up into wards for purposes of representation. We protest, therefore, against the Council playing ducks and drakes with the funds, and tampering with the bestjjinterests of the city, in the way they have been doing on this water supply question. If the work were undertaken by a company, there would be a guaranfee that the best and cheapest source of supply would be selected. And there would benoroom forjobbery; or at least there would be an absence of suspicion of it. Now, what the city wants is an abundant supply of water, at as cheap a rate, and as speedily as possible. These wants cannot be supplied by the Council, while private enterprise could do so. It is a matter of no consequence to the citizens where the water 1 comes from, or whether it is pumped J or brought in by gravitation, so long < as it is plentiful, pure, and cheap. The i

City Council should have no feeling on the matter; but as members of that body have admitted that they are biassed in a particular direction, there is all the more reason why the whole affair should be taken out of their hands.

Froic the South, we have further intelligence regarding the crisis in Otago. It appears that the Opposition, led by Mr. Donald Keid, have signed a memorial to the Governor, to the number of twentyseven, protesting against a dissolution ; and a threat is made, that if it is granted Macandrew will be opposed for the Superintenaency. We do not quite understand this threat, except on the supposition that they expect that Mr. Macandrew will be again returned. But they forget that the constituency which, as an electoral unit, elects the Superintendent, could also return a majority of pledged supporters from the various electoral districts, and in all probability would do so in j nstiee to the Superintendent. Party feeling runs very high, however, and we ave told that £500 has been subscribed to pay the election expenses of Mr. Macandrew's opponent for the Superintendency. He is not named ; but we presume the lot will fall upon Mr. Donald Reid, who ran the present Superintendent very close at the late election. Meanwhile, we learn from Wellington that the Government will grant a dissolution.

The Government have secured a supporter in the election of Mr. "Webb for Lyttelton. The show of hands at Invercargill was in favour of Mr. Cuthbertson. A poll was demanded by Mr. Wood, who has declared himself an adherent of Mr. Stafford. Mr. Wood formerly sat in the Assembly for a Southland constituency, but he was not, in any sense, a man of mark. However, he has considerable local influence, and stands a fair chance to be returned. This would be no loss to the G-overnment as the late representative, Mr. Calder, was a strong supporter of the Opposition. He retired on becoming a contractor.

It would seem that the fates had willed that everything Dr. Featherston puts his hand to, in the way of sending emigrants to New Zealand, should miscarry. We have had so many_ instances of failure, the result of mismanagement or want of foresight, that we are not surprised at anything that transpires in that direction. A sample of how our emigrant ships are despatched will be found in our telegraphic column. Dr. Featherston telegraphs to advise the departure of the ship Edwin Fox from Brest, for New Zealand, after repairing damages. An inquiry had been held by the British Consul into charges of immorality preferred against the captain, but although these charges were declared groundless, twenty of the passengers returned to England ; and the doctor was removed for drunkenness, and another appointed. We shall look forward to the report of the passage of the Edwin Fox with considerable interest. She is doubtless one of Shaw, Saville's high-charter ships, miserably found and worse officered. We trust the vessel may arrive safely at her destination. There are four other vessels on their passage to the colony, having 259 statute adults on board.

We have to congratulate the Harbour Board upon the apparent unanimity of members on the subject of the proposed graving dock. Mr. McGregor's report, which was read, was a sensible document, aud one which, we think, should be acted upon. He suggested a dock 300 feet in length, 50 feet iu breadth, and 1G feet at the bridge at high-water spring tide. Such a dock would be capacious enough for the steamship Victoria, which was here the other day, and would meet all the requirements of the port for half a century to come, unless for very small vessels engaged in the coasting trade. Mr. Niccol, who is an authority on the subject, approved of Mr. McGregor's suggestion. The report was referred to the Dock Committee for further consideration.