THE WAIMATE PLAINS SURVEY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 5336, 27 March 1879, Page 3

THE WAIMATE PLAINS SURVEY.

(By Telegrat?ii.)

(FEOM OUU OWN CORRESPONDENTS.)

Wellington, March 2Gth,

The Now Zealander in an article, evidently from good authority, taya, in reference to the Waimale Plains business:—"lt must not be overlooked in discussing the bearings of the question that the Natives Lave it in their power to inflict some injury. Another murder would render the passive aotiin of the Government no longer possible. Hirolci is still at large, and justice remains unsatisfied unt'l tho time lias come when the Governineut can assert it* power to compel hii being delivered up; but a second affair of the kind would demand an instant march on Paiihaka. We trust that future bloodshed m*y be prevented, but we should not be found un|>r>pared. The land muat be re-occupied, although we have come doubt of the propriety of sending1 back the surveyors unle3s protected by a sufficient force. Even wera the survey completed, the difficulty and danger of Bottlers going ou the laud might prevent occupation. The determined attitude of the Natives requires to be met by one equally determined. Are we then called up an to employ force to root out (Te Whiti and hia followers from Parihaka—in other words, to strike at the hes<d And front of the mischief ? No Government is anxious to rush iuto war it it can. be prevented, and it it seldom wise to be i the first to begin. Though it would be unwise to neglect any measure of precaution and safety, we thick there U another and more direcc method of effective retaliation. Theivare from Wellington to Haw*r* me hundred men, poSßeesing stout hearts, who would hold any position aligned to them on conditiuss —we

sp«ak with confidence, knowing many .of tbe rions of settlera™that--if.;the Government gave 60 acres of land in the plains to each man, on the condition that he held it for seven yews, a hundred picked men would volunteer at once to proceed to their land, prepared to hold it against all comers. The men of Wairoa (now : Waverley) held their redoubt and their land, though ■ completely isolated, and surrounded throughout the whole period of Titokowaru's war, aud they numbered little more than 50. The quantity of land we.have suggested would bo a fortune to many a man; nor would'the sacrifice on the part of the Government be great—-oa the con'rary, we think it would be a gain. Indeed, if more settlements were ne.e - sary to impart security, they should be at once made. Here, then, is the answer to Te Whiti, who might be distinctly informed that Government would plant posts- of Volunteer settlements from Waingongara to Parihaka and deprive them of the reserve intended >to be set aside for the use of the Natives. This is what we should understand by a. strong rpolfby, and we are well assured it is one that would prove eminently successful. -^Whatever power might be legally wanting to give efftct to the contract could be obtained from the Assembly when it met: public opinion would endorse a stroke oi policy at once so vigorous and sound." ■■ >; 1 The Post, in its article oh the same subject, »ays:—" We Bhall not be surprised to hear or some more fatal and decisive action on tho Waimate Plains era long than the removal of a surveyor's camp equipments per bullock-drays, or than the pulling up of a few pegs. If, however, blood is shed, the time for further parley will have passed. There will be but one course open to the Government, and that we have no doubt they will at once take—to exact a terrible reckoning, and at all hazards to bring Ihs offenders to justice. We are quite able to do this. If there it to be another fight on the West Coast, perhaps no better time could be found for it. The Natives are coventrated there; we know th* ir strength and pisition, and we know that neither could oppeseany effectual resistance to the forces which could be brought against thorn. The Waimate Plains must be opfiiod up fir settlement; the law, which. for 14 years has bean trifled with, must be strictly en'orced; we must have poesession of this confiscated land at whatever cost now. and the satety of life and property on these plains must be assured. This must be done peaceably, if possible, but if not fo, theu by other means. We need not fear ' a little war' on the sore of • expt-nw, for theieis abundance of land in the same locality which would pay the expenses, if tho Natives should foolishly render such an application of it necessary, in-tead of the one that is at present contemplated, of assuring them in the peaceful pn-maneut occupation of the blocks not a'ready taken. If there i? any outbreak, the truest mercy will be in its immediate and severe repression. The Nativea should be made to understand this, and tboie who are inclined, as the majority are, to moderation and submission, must be made to comprehend what they have to gain by controlling and restraining their less reasonable and more impetuous comrades, and what tbey have to lose if they fail to make this control and restraint effectual and perfect."

New Plymouth, ifarch 26th.

The Herald's Hawera correspondent wires :— "All is quiet, and tbere is not much excitement here.: There is more down towards Wanganui; but the people are very anxious to know what steps the Government intend taking." Commenting on the state of affairs, the Herald this evening says:—" The Government seem to have made up their minds as to the correct course to pursue—that is, to push on the Fale of the first block of 16,000 acre 3. This decision of the Government appears as bold and prompt as that of Te Whiti; but in order to make such a step effective, there must be at hand that material force without which law to a. Maori of Te Whiti's type is a very dead letter." Further on it says :—" We will readily give the Government credit for at least common sense, and knowing that they are acting under great responsibility, we do think they mint see their way clear in the matter. But there is one patent fact, and that is the great remiss ness of the late and the present Government in not pushing on r. ads in this district, which would have had the effect of robbing the difficulty of half its terror. A metalled road from Hawea to Inglewood instead of a mud one, as it promises to be in a month, would have Burrounded the disaffected district, and make it vulnerable at any point in the rear, while the coast road would cave made it accessible in front; but owing to portions of these roads being inferior they are practically as bad, and as unfitted for military operations as they wore years ago." The Herald conclude? as follows :—" There i», however, a course of action open to the Government which may yet retrieve the past—that is, to go on with the sale, but at the same time push on the branch railway from Opunake with a respectable force of, say, 500 men. We do not exactly care what they are called—navvies or police: all that they should insist on is that the men are in a sufficient state of organisation to take care of themselves under any contingency, and at the same time to push on work. The exercise of power in a reasonable way by the making of metalled or iron roads through the disaffected districts is the true and only permanent solution of the Native difficulty. Anything short of this is but of a temporary character, and does little to promote the real pacification of the Native race."

Another telegram from the Herald's spec;al says :—" The whole of the survey partie3 have been transplanted from Waimate Plains by tbe Natives, and have camped at Waingongoro lliver. The Natives are unanimous that it is by Te Whiti's instructions everything is being done with quiet good humour on both sides. Mr Skeet shifts from Kau pokonni on Monday. Mr Climie received a day's notice, and the others the samo. Mr Anderson, who is at Matarangi, had some Natives to breakfast with him. They swallowed some brandy, and then quietly stated they were goin^ ti remove him from the plains. The Natives are in the le?t of temper, and full of joking. When told tbe soldiers would return with the surveyors they said, " All right, we will not fight." There is no doubt but the surveyors will be put on the plains attain aa peaceably as they have been put off. Te Whiti's influence is considerably increased by his prophecy corrJng true. Titokowaru seems anxious, and the majority of the Natives seem afraid they have gone too far, and that the future action of the Government will make them pay a heavy penalty in the loss of the reserves, &c. In the meantime they aro busy chopping up thn pegs, and pulling them put of the ground with picks. A greater portion of the country will require to be re-surveyed.

Wellington, March 2Gth._ Major Brown has arrived he>e. Captain Peak has left Hawera to interview Titokowaru. Hone Pihauoa and other influential chiefs strongly condemn Te Whiti's action, and will support tho Government to their utmost. Te Whiti's instructions to the Natives were to remove the surveyors peaceably threa times, and if they came back again, to do as Hiroki did. When told his action would lead to bloodshed, and reminded that lie had always preached peace, he replied oracularly, " I have spoken." Government are determined to end opposition once /or all now, and are taking steps to render resistance impossible.