THE GOVERNOR'S PROCLAMATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 679, 3 December 1864, Page 1

THE GOVERNOR'S PROCLAMATION.

[From the " Daily Times," Not. 29.] If the Governor's notorious proclamation was the last, card his Excellency had to play, nothing is more certain than that it will prove perfectly ineffectual towards winning the game. Its results are 'so far precisely what those who condemned the proclamation expected. When it was published* we abstained from the severe line of criticism indulged in by the Northern journals, although we could not blind ourselves to

the improbability of its proving effectual rathe cause of peace. We were charitable enough to Buppoae that Sir George trrey was in possession of exclusive information, causing him to believe that his i conditions of peace would be assented to Iby a large proportion of the rebels. But it appears plainly that there is not thex slightest general disposition on their part to come in under the Governor's terms 1. a * cxce Ption9 utterly unworthy of notice, and of no value as indications of native feeling, the proclamation has everywhere been treated with contempt. We must look beyond the Proclamation itself for the reasons of its i non-success. The terms are liberal to a fault, and are far removed from the conditions demanded by the Ministry. Between the Governor's proposals and the policy of the Ministry, the" difference is immensely in favor of the Natives, and yet in B pite of this they will not listen to them. The plain fact is Sir George fcrrey has thoroughly lost the confidence of the Natives. They do not believe him— they neither credit his promises nor respect his policy. The Maori has sufficient strength of character to be able :to respect it in others. He.canhate and yet respect the same individual. But he has a supreme contempt for weakness and inconsistency, and never forgets broken promises. Sir George Grey, with all his knowledge of the Native^eharacter, has succeeded only in securing the suspicion and contempt of the rdce. An illustration of. how the Governor is appreciated was recently afforded in connection with the efforts made to induce the escaped Maori prisoners to surrender themselves. The Governor had occasion to request the services of Tirarau, a loyal Ngapuhi chief, in the negotiation* with the runaways, and his Excellency despatched Mr. White, the Interpreter,' to fetch him down. But Tirarau would not come; and further, he expressed his opinion of the Governor in the following language :— " General Cameron goes thus " (straight) ; Te Pokiha (Mr Fox) " goes ; but the Governor goes O ' " (in a circle)." And sd it is ; frotn first to last there has been a want of that straightr ' forwardness which was so marked a characteristic oi Governor Browne. Afad we believe that at this moment Colonel Gore Browne would be: listened to by the natives where Sir George Grey would ■ be scoffed at. As another instance of the deeprooted suspicion the natives have of Sir George Grey, William King, of Waitara, said to the messenger, Mr. Parris, who had brought the Governor's Proclamation, " That bait has a hook in it for me. Tell " the Governor's messenger to be off, and " let neither pakeha nor native come here " again to talk of peace from the Go- " vernor." In the face of such determined mistrust of and antipathy to the Governor, it is hopeless to expect that his Proclamation , will prove effectual. The tenth of December will come, and instead of the wished-for — we can hardly say expected peace, the position of the Colony will he worse than ever. . Daring the last six months of inaction the temper of the natives has not improved ; in iact, there are too many evidences that their feeling of hostility and spirit of determination have increased. There is reason to believe s that the rebels have been able during the virtual suspension of hostilities to recruit their exhausted energies, and make preparations for another campaign ; and there is little doubt that the resumption of the war will find them able to make, as much resistance as they have ever done. The increased disaffection of the native population in the Southern districts of the North Island is an ominous sign. Our Wellington correspondent, who nevec errs on the side of exaggeration, cannot conceal that the position of affairs in the Wanganui district js critical in the extreme, whilst between that and Taranaki the rebels are increasing in numbers nnd in hostility. A most unfortunate circumstance is that the Governor's proclamation completely tied the hands of the military commander at Wanganui, who, but ior it, could most probably have - taken, steps which would have smothered the fires of rebellion which it is hut top probable will now break out into flame. As it is Colonel Logan has been compelled to ,be a passive , spectator of proceedings which might at any moment plunge the district into all the calamities of war. Whilst affairs' are in this unsatisfactory state in the South', they' are little

better in Auckland. On every hand we see the fruits of the weak and vaccillating policy of the .Governor. The history of the escaped prisoners increases in absurdity. Surely a more wretched business could not have been. Here are some two huudred badly arraed, and half naked Maoris, within thirty miles of Auckland, and within six hours' march of several thousand troops, actually bidding defiance to all attempts to induce them to surrender or even to betake themselves elsewhere. They will not even listen to the Governor's proclamation. The spectacle is humiliating in the extreme, and one eminently calculated to increase the contempt in which the Natives generally hold the Governor.

The question is, what is to be done after the tenth December ? What steps are to he taken when it is found that the rebels "will not listen to the voice of the "charmer, charm he never so wisely?" There are some indications of an intention to resume the active prosecution of the war in the Taranaki and Wanganui districts. But what of the Waikatos ? It is not likely they will remain quiet whilst the troops are engaged against Jheir brother rebels in the South. -If the war be resumed we may depend it will arouse the whole disaffected native population, and the flames of rebellion will extend from Auckland to Wellington, and possibly embrace the hitherto unscathed territory north of .the Auckland Isthmus. It may be that the Assembly may succeed in elaborating some policy which may render a prolongation of, the war unnecessary. The natives would be far more likely to listen respeotfully to terms proposed by the Assembly, which if they were sufficiently liberal and dignified, might prove effectual in bringing about peace. But we confess we see but little probability of such a desirable result. The relations between the races are, we fear, ,of such a nature as to render a lasting peace impracticable. The' question will be whether it is better to soften down the process of extermination, and postpone the almost inevitable contest of races, or plunge headlong into a struggle which must be final and decisive. Humanity and expediency point to the former course, for it atieast affords a chance that peaceful relations may be established — and besides, we are not in a position to carry on unaided a deadly and prolonged contest. Of course there is a limit to forbearance, and it is for the Assembly to fix it. Two or three years' peace would save the North Island. With increased settlement, roads and telegraphs, the safety of the North would be secured. It would be in every sense wiser to even " patch up '« a peace that secured to the Colony the opportunity of opening up roads and promoting colonisation, than for the sake of abstract ideas of government to commit it to a desolating war, which if it resulted in the absolute conquest of the natives would exhaust the resources of the Colony, and bequeath to our descendants a burden that would throw back New Zealand half a century in the march of advancement New Zealand can no more than Great Britain afford to go to war for an idea, and we maintain that all the Assembly is called upon to do is to exact such conditions from the Natives as will afford reasonable security to the Colony. It must Insist on roads, if it give up every acre of -conquered territory not required for them Railways, it is said, have finally conquered India; and roads, with /their contingent advantages, will do the same for this Colony.