THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1879.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5649, 24 December 1879, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1879.

Most important news is communicated to us from Wellington by our own correspondent — but news which we have been looking for from day to day. The Government have resolved to take decided action with regard to the Waimate Plains, action which may brill" on a collision with the natives. The circumstances need scarcely be recalled, borne fifteen years ago, the district of which the plains are a part, was confiscated under the Isew Zealand Settlements Act. They ought then to have been occupied, as were the confiscated lauds in Waikato. 'But unhappily our rulers at the time, as they have often been before and since, were too busily occupied with party manoeuvring to give calm consideration to the permanent interests of tho country, and were not indeed so profoundly acquainted with native affairs as they ought to have been. The merest common sense indeed would have sufficed to show that, to confiscate land on which were a number of natives, and to make no arrangement as to what was to be taken, and to allow the natives to re-occupy their old settlements, and any spots they chose, wa3 to create a new and formidable difficulty, and to necessitate the doing over again of the work of war. The Ministry did not see the full extent of the evil; they probably thought that some step would soon be taken, and they were short of funds. Then ensued the revolt of Titokowaru, which, if the lands had been settled, ceuld not have taken place. Sir D. McLean, when he succeeded to the control of native affaire, saw the difficulty, but was afraid to Ejrasp it —indeed, the position of Ilia Government rendered it inexpedient to a'tempt anything. He proposed to the natives to purchase tho land at a certain rate, and to assign reserves. This might have been successful, but was not carried out. When the Grey Ministry succeeded to power, communications were opened up with the natives, and it was thought that the survey would be allowed. That expectation proved fallacious, as indeed wa3 expected by all those who were acquainted with the subject through other channels than Government officers, who have a habit of saj'ing to Ministers what they know Ministers want to hoar. Several months before the survey was begun, a gentleman who happened to be at Turanaki questioned Hone Pihama on the subject, asking whether the survey would be allowed to go on. He said, ' ; If the Government want to take the Wnimate plains, they must cover it with people in a night; it must be occupied with small settlers. To send out detached survey parties, and to plant a settler here and there, is simply to invite attack from Te Whiti." As everyone knows, the survey wag commenced, the surveyors were turned off, and then it was discovered that promises had been made to the natives which ought to have been carried out. When the survey was interrupted, and when the natives commenced to plough the land of the settlers, a strong force of Constabulary, with the best officers who could be obtained, was mustered on tho Vv'est Coast, and although the natives have declared that their intentions are pacific, and although many of their most determined warriors have been taken prisoners, the force has been maintained, and even augmented. The fact of the Government doing this, at enormous expense, in the face of a prossing necessity for economising, naturally gave rise to the idea that they meant to take action soon. It is well known that the natives at Parihaka have been expecting something to be done, for some weeks ago Hiroki cleared out. Probably they are better informed as to the designs and resources of the Government

than persons out of the Cabinet:. If anything is to be done at all, the plan of operations which the Government propose to adopt seems to us to be the best. Eight hundred, men are to be placed in redoubts on the Plains, under this direction of the Native Minister, who lias had considerable experience of native warfare in that district. Road-making is to be commenced, and if the natives offer any obstruction, the Constabulary will bo marched on to Parihaka, in order to destroy that nest of insurrection. What information the Gorernment nro possessed of, we do not know, but wo believe the natives are better prepared than is generally supposed. It seems to be generally understood that they will resist. They cannot, of course, contend with such a force as we can place on the Plains, but they may cut off detached parties and harass by means of ambushes. The Government must also be aware that an attack on Parihaka will postpone indefinitely any hope of making such an .accommodation with the King party as will enable us to penetrate their coiintiy. There are ninny coiisidentthins dissuading the Government from commencing a campaign, but there are also many on the other side. A large force is being maintained, costing nearly as much ;>s if engaged, in actual warfare. If a dash be made, and the focus of disaffection destroyed, then a large part of the force may be dispensed with. If nothing is done, the force might have to be kept up for years. Then again, the present state of affairs is such as to keep unoccupied and consequently unproductive, a large and fertile district, and that the colony cannot afford to do.