THE Otago Daily Times. "Inveniam viam aut faciarn." DUNEDIN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 853, 15 September 1864, Page 4

THE Otago Daily Times. " Inveniam viam aut faciarn." DUNEDIN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15.

In the complete absence of auy news from the seat of war, we turn to the leading columns of the Auckland journals, in the vague hope of finding something or other to afford an inkling of the intentions of the Government. But we cannot extract the smallest crumb of information—the war for the present hangs fire and nobody appears to know for how long it will continue to do so. Our anticipation that it would require something more than the terms accorded to the Tauranga Rebels to induce William Thomson and his allies to make offers of surrender is fully confirmed by the silence of that Chief, and the absence of any sign of an intention to submit on the part of the main body. On the other hand the rebels are apparently not inclined for the present to disturb the lull which has taken place in hostilities, and are evidently waiting to see what the future movements of the General are likely to be. As we have before urged, this period of mutual inaction affords a most favorable opportunity for negotiations, aud for testing the point whether or not the rebels are willing to submit on terms sufficiently liberal, without being inconsistent with our dignity. If, after such an opportunity was offered to the insurgent Natives to makepeace on fair and equitable terms, they persisted in their obstinate hostility, the colony would at least have the satisfaction of knowing that if the war must be prolonged, every other alternative had been exhausted. It is very desirable that both the colonists and the Natives should know what the Government intend to do. We read a great deal in the Auckland journals of the ability and determination ofthe Government, i. c., the Ministry, io work out their policy. But what that policy is, excepting a vague intention to put down the rebellion, it is difficult to learn. It is somewhat odd to listen to boasting of this kind, when one remembers that the Ministry are, in respect to the conduct of the war completely at the mercy of the Governor, who can at any time checkmate any foolish move of his advisers, by vetoing the use of the troops. His Excellency's powers of restricting the operation ofthe Confiscation Act, and the instructions he has recently received, really leave but the shadow of control to the Ministry, Iso far as the question of peace or war is i concerned. But if we cannot learn what, are the intentions of the authorities, civil and military, we can at least glean what to satisfy tbe Auckland people, they ought to be. It is not surprising that the opinions of the Aucklanders differ very considerably from those of the people of Otago or Canterbury on the subject of the war. In Auckland the native war has so far heen a pretty little game of " heads I win, tails you lose." But to the people of the South it has been a very different | thing. To the one it has been the means of creating a temporary fictitious prosperity caused by a large military expenditure ,• to the other it has created financial difficulties, the stoppage of public works, ancl general derangement. Two-thii-ds of the colonial expenditure are contributed by the Middle Island, and of this Otago and Canterbury supply threefourths. The people of the Southern provinces have a right then to demand that this anomalous state of things should not last any longer than is absolutely necessary. Of course the party of which the Southern Cross is the organ is indignant at the tone adopted by the Otago and Canterbury journals. The Southern Crow is lavish in its abuse, and tries to hoodwink its readers into the belief that " peace at any price" is now the motto of the South. The Southern Cross knows that this is not the doctrine of those it chooses to abuse. The Middle Island has all along afforded every legitimate support to the Government in the prosecution ofthe war,.but that is no reason why it should sanction a useless prolongation of hostilities. None would more strongly protest against a psichecl-up peace—to be broken again at the firsfc opportunity — than ourselves. But until the door is absolutely shut to peace ou fair and reasonable terms, we shall not cease to preach that moderate polic}', which we believe is the only one that holds out any hope of success. And there is every reason to hope that Sir George Grey shares this opinion and will act upon it. It is amusing to see how little the experience of the past campaign has opened

the eyes of the Auckland journalists. The New Zealand Herald, for instance, goes in for the complete and compulsory disarming of the rebels. No doubt such a result would be a most desirable circumstance, bufc our contemporary puts on one side altogether the question of the possibility of carrying out such a measure. " Nothing " short of an authoritative demand for all " arms held by the natives," says the Herald, "can meet the circumstances " of the case, or satisfy the reasonable expectations of the colonists. Such de- " mand should be at once followed up by " the creation by legal enactment of a " properly organised system for carrying " out the intentions of the authorities " The Government does not want for pre- " cedents if it is disposed to institute prac- " tical measures iv the matter of disarming " the natives of this country. Whenever " such a step has been desirable, the " possession of arms without licence " has invariable been declared ille- " gal; the extent of the illegality " is fixed, and rewards are offered for in- " formation against offenders in that behalf, " to be proceeded with under such guards " and restrictions as may secure the " smallest possible amount of annoyance " to the peaceable subjects consistent with " the attainment of the objects of the " measure. Any profession of disarming " the Maori at the present time that does " not embrace some such provision, cannot " possibly result in anything practical. "We believe a measure of this nature to " be absolutely necessary at this crisis in " New Zealand. We declare at once we " have no faith whatever in a system of " voluntary disarmament on the part of " rebels themselves. The few compara- " tively worthless firelocks presented to " the Government at Xauranga aud else- " where even if they amounted to several " hundreds, do not represent the arms in " possession of the natives."

On the principle of "no askee no havee," the Herald is right, hut considering the difficulty of catching the Maoris themselves, we fancy the task of hunting up all the firearms of the natives would afford employment for the whole of the colonial forces for a considerable period. We agree to the full with our contemporary as to the desirability of depriving the Maoris of their arai3; but we think it would be better, or at least more dignified to insist only on demands that we can enforce if necessary. The formation of military settlements, and the opening up of roads would render the question of disarmament a matter of slight moment, particularly if the traffic in gunpowder were effectually restricted..

In spite of the fire-eating advocates of a war policy the Government ought to open the door to the possibility of peace, by inviting the leaders of the rebellion to negotiations ; or else decide on and declare as an ultimatum, the conditions on which their submission would be received. Tbe present state of uncertainty is highly injurious. The troops are idle, and the insurgent tribes know not what is to be the next move. If the Governor is prepared to accord liberal and honorable terms to the rebels, let them be at once declared. But as we have before said—Why not attempt to bring about a conference of the leading chiefs and the Governor, when an understanding of some sort could be arrived at. If negotiations fail to settle the difficulty, and nothing is left but to carry on the war, tbe people of the South will be a3 earnest advocates of a " vigorous prosecution" of the war, as the Auckland folks now are. One cannot forget, however, that an indefinite prolongation of the war means a war of extermination. If such should occur, best make as short work of it as possible. But we must be allowed to believe that a judicious policy would avoid any^ such calamity.