The Present War Cloud and the Maori Trouble.

Otago Witness, Issue 2309, 2 June 1898, Page 38

The Present War Cloud and the Maori Trouble.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, — Now that the present war cloud Is flovering over us, and the air is filled with the hatred and bitterness of pent-up years — like the thundersto'rin of the tropical climate, charged and ready to deliver its devastation and death on whatever it may touch— we in New Zealand are just as likely to get mixed up in the genei-al broil as not. Hoes it not, then, lie with us New Zealanders to be t>! epared in ease of emergency .to defend Qiir country from the- enemy, and not ruisgauge out strength, but- make sure that we could hold the " Britain of ihe South" against all comers. We hw* "the Rawene trouble fr?;,sh upon us, and (he action the Government have taken in that little row T think was quite unwarranted when a little tact and statemaaship would have saved ail the trouble. A paltry dog tax! -a tax: 1 think the Maoris were quite right in resisting, as the'l&vv should not -apply -to the Maori, as he, in his natural state, depends on hunting^and fishing for a living, and, of course, his dog is indispensable. Far from letting the dog tax be a bone of contention between the Government and the Maori, I thiiik the Government should concede the point for the sake of peace. In case of a foreign foe invadine our land, would fcit not be better lo have the Maori as a faithful ally rather than an enemy ? for then we would have no time for war about dog taxes, and his serviced aa ft fighter and his knowledge -of 8' rategic bush war would be invaluable. We read of Colonel Pale Penton congratulating Colonel Newell on the successful conclusion of the Raw«ne trouble ! Shades of Cameron and Yon Temnsky ! "How havo the- mighty fallen J' I think he might have kept his congratulations for a mightier but not a braver foe than a coaple of hundred Maoris. I .have waiter! with expectation that .some abler pen might have taken up the Maoris' cause and have shown the -ricKcrslous way the Government have acted in this affair ; but to -set things right wouldifc not be a graceful act on the part of the representatives of our anost'Gracious Majesty the Queen to give those arrested a free pardon and remit the dog tax on the commemoration of her eighty-ninth birthday ? The history of New Zealand would then hand it down to posterity as one -of the most merciful acts of <the Seddon -administration. — I am, Ac,

PAKEHA.

According to the " New Zealand Mines Record," oil shales of varying thickness, 2£ffc and upwards, underlie Duragey's and Hnghea's lignite pits «t Cambrians, *nd Beck's and White's pits «t Idaburn.

At- Aramabo, a thriving suburb of Wangannl, on Friday, Mitchell's Aramoho JFreez'iDg Works were formally opened, making the second industry of the kind there. The gathering was very large and representative of the commercial and ' pastoral interests of the district. Apologies were received from* the hon. the Premier and Minister for Lands. The new works \>\&. fair to be vevj successful, having sufficient stock in hand to "keep going for the present aeaaoD, with a promise of - ! 50.000 ■•beep to start next; lemon* . ■