SIR GEORGE WHITMORE'S BOOK.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12551, 3 January 1903, Page 8

SIR GEORGE WHITMORE'S BOOK.

♦ "THE tAST MAORI WAR." (Fnoit Our Own ConnivSPo.N-DENT.) - LONDON, November 15. I am indebted to my old friend Sir George Whitmore for an advance copy of his new book, which comes out this week. It is published by Messrs Sampson Low, Marston and.Co., and is entitled "The Last Maori War in New Zealand." It is excellently printed and "got up," and contains many effective illustrations, including.a number of good portraits. Of the book itself I may say at once that it is a very able and lucid history of the events of 1865-69, as seen from Sir George Whitmore's viewpoint. In putting the casethus I do not intend for one moment to imply that his viewpoint is, not or may not be, the true and just- one. I mean merely that ho give 6 one side of a controversy which has many sides, each of which has found vigorous and impassioned advocates. Sir George Whitmore can at- least argue with strong reason that, inasmuch as ho proved liiii faith by his works by'carrying through with entire success the military operations which finally endrd the Maori war in New- Zealand after tlie Imperial troops had totally failed in tho endeavour, and as his success was largely due to his accurate view of the situation which had been so grievously misjudged by others, his version of the event is entitled to be received • with respect as that of one. who judged the case aright at the time, a'ld who is not therefore merely " wise after the event." Naturally much of Sir George's book is directly or indirectly a very incisive attack on his old antagonist; the late Sii; Donald M'Lean,. and in a less degree on the lato Sir William Fox. He starts his' introduction by saying: "Tho first rumours of the unexpected and sanguinary repulse suffered ■by colonial troops at Ngutuotomanu, on the West' Coast, fell upon the public and upon the Parliament then in session with a perfectly unwarrantable consternation. The feeling of alarm was fomented by daiiy reports published in the press from the narratives of survivors (many of whom were deserters) . amd from their sensational correspondents." Sir George proceeds! "Tho most senseless panic appeared to seize all classes, and seemed to grow in intensity in proportion to tho distance from the only seat of danger, At the front, in Tarnnaki. the settlers braced themselves once. more to face the worst; but along the coa?t the alarm grew mile by mile, till in Wellington itself there were some, who expected from day to day to sec tho advance of Titokowaru's- band, then only 70 in number, taking possession of tho suburbs of the oily. It was during this excitement, and when Parliament itself had shown as yet no spirit worthy of the crisis, that Mr M'Lean brought forward his alarm resolutions. These were so called from the few words they contained: 'That this House lias learned with alarm,' etc. The Opposition in 1868 had been obstructive and factious to a degree. The condition of.the country, never so critical as then, weighed as nothing to such patriot* as Mr Fox, who thought he saw in the difficulties of the Government an opportunity to overturn and supplant it. He had already propos:d two votes of confidence (sic), which resulted only in exposing his own want of public spirit and impatience by any means to gain office. Both were defeated by substantial majorities.: and even Mr Fox would probably have hesitated to bring down a third had not Mr M'Lean opportunely afforded him the opening. Mr M'Lean's resolutions could only be treated by the Government 8s a third challenge, - and Mr Stafford accordingly at once picked up .the glove that was thrown down."

Of Sir Donald—Mien Mr M'Lean,—General Whitmoro says: "Mr M'Lcau waa a selfraised man, who had for years lived among the Maoris, and acquired their language. Ho understood them well, and knew all their, siiperstititions, traditions, songs, and modes of thought. Having been subsequently long employed by Government, and entrusted with large sums of money for the purchase of native land, he acquired a considerable influence over the Native race, who saw in him the 'distributor of nearly all the money they could at that time acquire. Ho was, too, highly qualified to deal jvith Maoris. His bulky presence, to which they attached much importance, impressed them. His address aud manner were pleasinp to them, and he represented in their eyes the Government of the polony." General Whitmore admits that in existing circumstances: "It was impossible that Mr M'Lean should escape very unfair and often ungenerous attack. In Parliament the Opposition thundered against him, the press and publio condemned him, and at last Mr Stafford, who had consistently supported him, had to make a. Cabinet question of his defence from the bitter attacks upon his character ami. conduct in Parliament. By a small rriajorily the Opposition was defeated, but the public feeling against Mr M'Lean grow in intensity, till, when Mr Stafford was himself out-voted in 1861, Mr Fox at once broke up Mr M'Lean's department and relegated him to private life." When elected to Parliament "Mr M'Lean took his scat among Mr Stafford's supporters, and there was probably no man in the House upon whoso loyal support Mr Stafford had a better right to rely; yet when the time came to have in some measure repaid his obligation, and in his turn to wivo yeoman's service to his chief, it was reserved for Mr M'Lean to play the part of Brutus to his Cffisar, Mr Stafford. . ; . To compare small things with great, not less did Mr M'Lcair in 1868 ' surprise': Parliament and shock his friends by his unexpected and ungrateful tergiversation and by his alliance with Jiis heretofore implacable enemy; Mr Fox. The 'alarm resolutions' came at an unfortunate moment for 'Mr Stafford, and almost succeeded through fortuitous eiicinnMr M'Lean in changing sides tonk with him his friend and colleague, Mr Ormornl, and his pocket Maori vote the chief Tareba." Xext Sir George Whitmoro has a " go" at Sir William Fox. Ho says: "Mr Fox, who knew exactly the value of every vote just then, resorted to a very unworthy expedient to secure a victory for the resolutions. Of the' many oloquont and highly-educated men v.-ho formerly adorned the llouso of llepro-Fc-ntativcs of Now Zealand, "none was over so perfect a master of vituperative invectivo avMr (afterwards Sir William) Fox. . In early times he had used this weapon against Mr M'Lean. with a violence and virulence that created a sympathy with that gentleman. Now ho brought it to boar upon the Defence Minister, the high-sonled Colonel Haultain, whom he lashed for not having yot proceeded to tho front. When, howover, Lieutenant-colonel M'Donnoll's reports had been received, and Colonel jfaultain asked for the usual courtesy of a pair in order to go there, Mr Fox tried to gain a vote by refusing it. Happily, however; Mr Fox was not successful, for his old. friend, tho Bayard' of the House, Dr Feathcrston, saved him from the . disgrace of winning a division in such a manner, and gave his own personal pair to the Defence .Minister. Yot, and notwithstanding. all tho favouring circumstances, Mr M'Lean's resolutions wore not carried, though tho Goi'ornment escaped defeat onlv by the Speaker's casting vote." Later, Sir George-Whitmoro says: "An agitation arose, excited by Mr M'Lean, whose hostility to the Government since his defeat knew no bounds. Mr Stafford had attributed Air M'Lean's defection to the Fact that lie had demanded that a large sum (£56,000) should he placed practically at. !■■» cv.-n. uncontrolled 'disposal iti iix-kt to-pro-

vide against any possiblo outbreak on the East Coast. .As,.-however, he would, not or could not state; except in vague, general terms, for -what purpose the money was required, Mr Stafford, declined unless he chose to accept the responsibility of defending tho expenditure as a Cabinet Minister. 'This, however, did' not suit Mr M'Lean, and he took the refusal of his extraordinary demand in extremely ill-part. 'Hie removal of tlie 50 "constables without his consent being asked, he chose to consider an outrage, though why ho thought so was inexplainable; and the ill-feeling fomented by him and his friend,?' at this period was manifested in a series of public and private attacks upon tho Government of tho day till its defeat a yoar later, and upon myself and others after. Mr Stafford had rotired, which for persistence and vindictiveness have' rarely been equalled in colonial history. It was under such difficulties, and without a military force, that Mr Stafford had to undertake/tho most arduous campaign tho colony had yet experienced on both coasts of the island almost simultaneously.. •' With a scantily-furnished Treasury, with .intrigue rampant even irt the lines of tho soldiery, and passive resistance among tho most trusted omplc-yces of tho Government, wo took tho field under every discouraging Jrcumstnu'co that could have oxisted-ititho extremity of tho colony; in fact, thcro was so little national spirit that the .sword was almost rendered powerless by the Bhameful. conduct of a few political adventurers who hungered for office, and hoped, if they could cause Mr Stafford's failure, to profit by bis discredit or disgrace." Thus ends the' " Introduction" to Sir Reorgo's hook, which may be taken as the key to its general tone. From the book 'itsolf I shall not quoto much because I feel sure that it will bo largely read by all Now Zcalanders who feol an interest and' a. pride iii their young .nation. For it sets forth most, vividly the real riso of Now Zealand to national rank, and this necessarily dates from the adoption of the "selfreliance" policy whose author and nnostles were' Sir Frederick- Wold arid Mr .1. H. FitzGefald, both now, alas! mere "memories of the past." To them General Whitmore dedicates hi? valuable historic work. Oii'o passage will,-servo to illustrate the moisivo stylo in. which Sir George deals with 'tho political muddling that at ono time characterised tho methods of the New Zealand Government then in power. ■' Ho says: "After a while Mr JFLmii attempted personal negotiation with'Rewi, and was received in a peculiarly humiliating manner by that chicfand others. The nearest to a practical proposition got out of them was a suggestion' by Rowi that wo should lay down our arms first, and then, perhaps, To Kooti would lay down his. To such a point had our imbecile management of affairs made ,us contemptible in' the eyes of the warlike Waikatos, who a fow short months before had been waiting day by day to hear that To Kooti and his few adherents' had been utterly' destroyed at Tiiupo. Though the Kingitos would neither arrest nor attack To Kooti to please Mr M'Lcan, they still did not wish to have their district compromised, perhaps invaded, in consequence of his presence, eo as soon iii the' Minister loft they politely requested the rebel leader to 'move on.' Refreshed and • recruited, To Kooti obligingly took Ibis departure and repaired to tho Patotcre country, whore tho pcoplo favoured him and bis ' religion.'" The author generously defends Colonel M'Donnell and other officers, who had, in his opinion, been used as scapegoats for the blunders of the Government. He also has something to say on behalf of Mr .Tohn Bryco, and freely lashes tho libeller Rusdeii. A very creditable incident in the military career of " Corporal John Ballance," subsequently Prime Minister, is also related. But, indeed, tho book abounds in material of great interest, personal as well as historical. It lias, moreover, an admirable preface by Mr R. A. Longhnan.

■It is not a littlo curious that,throughout the .book the mis-spelling "Maories" is persistently employed. That, hownver,-is a , mere detail—a " spot on the sun."