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Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 980, 10 June 1879, Page 2

We know not whether Rewi was inspired or not to give utterance to the opinion that the Native 3finister should have a Maori associated with htm in the ?-lini.srry, or Tehat the chief meant should be the sex of the Mauri. It has been that Mr. Shcehan should marry " Tavrhaio's daughter. Perhaps the iu>n»r woultl be too much for the Native Minister's weak nerve 3. But whether lie adopts this suggestion or not, or whatever Rewi may have meant when he said that the Native Minister should Lave a Maori associated with him, there can be no question as to the wisdom of having in the Ministry such a representative of the Maori race as the chief of theNgatimanio--1 potos. All doubts as to how native qttes- ; tions should be treated could be settled on : the spot. Rewi alone would have to be met as the embodiment of the 3laori race re- : cognised by both Maoris and Europeans. | There would then be no necessity to trail j British dignity in the dirt in the attempt | to settle differences such as the present. I There would not be half-a-dozen angry and insulting Maori advocates, with | diverse opinions, to listen to, and to satisfy nr offend. Under the circumstances, tlie i course at present being pursued of meet- j I iri',' the natives eit nmssn and di.-c't.-s-tiir ; with them native matters is the I only one that is open to the Ministry, but it is a bad one, and has proved itself ' so from the inception of our native policy. We know of no native who would answer so well as Rewi in the .dual capacity of representative and mediator. He is a ; Maori brave; a man of great decision and force of character, and,, as such, greatly respected by his people. What he has said has invariably been law, and the additional authority with which, in the Maori mind, a seat in the Cabinet would invest him, would increase his influence with the natives. Tatvhaio i 3 not the King ;. he is only the selfditbhed t: King" of the Maoris. The late meeting at Te Kopwa proved incontestibly that whoever else the principal natives ate inclined to follow, they wi" not follow him. Tawhaio has not caused the present rapture. The fanatic To Whiti has done that; and it would take more than a wave of the King's hand to stay the present untoward proceedings. Rewi possesses more weight amongst bis people than any other half-dozen Maoris, even if thej should happen to be chiefs ; and we may congratulate ourselves that the sedate, inclusive, and silent old warrior has come out of liis shell at last. It was predicted by Maori sages not long .ago thai he never, would bend his stubborn spirit to the European. What do those

prophets of evil think now that he has visited the metropolis of the Worth, and proved himself capable of adapting himself to European customs to a most extraordinary extent. Wo may date the commencement of the settlement of the "•native difficulty" from the day on which Tlewi lately crossed the confiscation boundary to enter upon European territory—not a3 a foe. but as a friend, this time. It matters not how. the present rupture may he treated—whether it be quelled with a strong arm, pr whether the natives subside of their own accord, for [ the sake of policy—the "native difficulty" must continue for many years, and the wisest course is to endeavour to come to some plain, straightforward understanding i:v* 1-- what .position the two .rapes are to occupy towanls each other! :,