THE New Zealand Herald. AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 1879.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5495, 27 June 1879, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald. AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 1879.

In , his speech to his constituents Mr. Ormond referred to an article which had appeared in the Hawkc's Bay Herald, in regard to alleged dealings of Europeans; with the King party. Iα conclusion he stated that the newspaper had " retracted the statement," so that, we presume, nothing will occur which wou'd render it inexpedient for us to comment on the article and the statements involved. The following is a portion of the article referred to :—■ A. chief of the Ngatiawa, writing to the JVcw Zealandcr, has thrown off his reserve, and lias stated publicly that Tawhiao's, if not Tβ Whiti's, recent action is due to the evil promptings of four Englishmen—Majors Mair and Juckson, and two civilians, Messrs. Moore and Searancke. If this ne true, we hope to see Messrs. Mair, Jackion, Moore, and fciearancke soon strung to four convenient trees, a feast for birds of the air. Of two of the renegades we know nothing, except that, for years, they have been classed witli pakeha-Maoris, objects of dislike and suspicion to both races. Searancke is somewhat better known. He originally, by some means or other, managed to obtain a. post as surveyor under the New Zealand Company. Three dajs after he landed, he proved, to the satisfaction of everybody, that he was totally incompetent to perform the simplest surveying work. To travesty the old fiaying, " he cnuld not survey, to drag the chain he was ashamed,"and for some years he lived a disreputable life about Wellington, finally disappearing from the ken of Europeans, except at _ uncertain intervals. Major Mair is also a pakeha-IVlaori. He is thejson of an old mission- ' ary, and was onco, we believe, a shoemaker in the Waikato. He fought with the friendly natives in the late war, and so got bis commission. His savage ties appear to have overcome (. his sympathy of blood, and he has turned traitor. Truly, the task of the Ministry is complicated, if they have not only to contend with open and armed enemies, but with foes in the camp of the Europeans. Now, this is a specimen of about tho If coarsest kind of newspaper writing, which only injures the side which the writer intends to support, and raises sympathy for those whom ho attacks. It has been one of the traditions of the Native Office since its institution, that no European, out of its pale, should ever say anything to a native, - and that all who did so were enemies of the Government and of their own race. Everyone who has been a few years in NowZealands know that, and how obloquy has been sought to be cast upon men of all sides, who dared to expres3 their opinions to a Maori. We hold that every European is entitled to advise the Maoris k to "stick to their land" if he thinks fit, and is at liberty to counsel anything except crime, or treason against the Crown. We should very much question the prudence of advising the Maoris j to do or not to do certain things ; but, in the absence of proof that anything like treasonable advice has been given, to _ raise a cry that any particular individuls ;, should be -"strung to four convenient trees, a feast for birds of the air," must 8 be simply disgusting to every rightthinking man. In regard to what is said about Major Mair, Major Jackson

.nd Mr. Searancke, the writer shews an gnorance which is quite absurd and lighly censurable. Major Jackson served yith distinction during the war; he ias since been an active and energetic >ettler ; lie now- comvnancls the Waikato Davalry ; composed of settlers in the dis;rict, and for several years he represented Waikato in the House of Representatives. And yet he is one of the two " renegades," as they are called, of whom this writer confesses that he knows aothing. Major Mair has also served re-ith distinction, and for years has held ?n influential position. He is a gentleman of intelligence and culture, to whom ive never heard attributed any dishonourable action. If Major Mair had been a " shoemaker," we should not have thought of reminding him and the public of it as a disgrace. On the contrary, to have attained Major Mair's position, and acquired his education, would have been highly creditable to any shoemaker. 33ut the statement is not true, and, that it is made, shows the want of knowledge, as well as want of proper feeling, on the part of the writer. As to "savage ties," that isalsaa slur arising out of ignorance. However, the statements made in this wild article haviug been retracted, it is quite needless for us to say anything by way of refuting them. There is no doubt, however, that the attitude taken up by Major Jackson and Major Mair laid their conduct open to remark. What, if anything, they had to do with influencing the natives in the hostile course they took can never be known, and we think better of them than to suppose them guilty of advising the Kingites to a course which would be injurious to them, and which they knew would be injurious to the country. The worst that can be said of them is, that at the late meeting they plainly and undisguisedly, in the face of both Europeans and Maoris, shewed that they were unfriendly tr Ministers ; and when Tawliiao plainly repudiated the Queen's authority, those Europeans on the spot who seemed to be against Ministers, could scarcely escape blame. They must almost expect to suffer, for public opinion insists that, in dealing with natives, we should shew a united front, and demands that Europeans should not thwart efforts,made by any political party, to obtain the entire submission of the Maoris to the Queen's authority. For the proper method of procedure in the circumstances, we need not go farther than Mr. Ormond's own speech, in which we find the following :—"He wished to say that, neither directly nor indirectly, had he interfered with negotiations with natives. He had communicated with his late colleagues, and received replies of a similar tenor." In speaking thus, Mr. Ormond, by implication, censures any European who " directly or indirectly interfered with negotiations with natives." There is no doubt that is the safe plan to pursue. Public opinion would condemn any attempt made by Opposition members to interfere in native negotiations, whoever were the Ministers, so that no party advantage could be gained, while such action woulc also be a mistake, because it woulc enable Ministers, in case of failure, t< cast the blame on their party opponents.