The Poverty Bay Herald AND East Coast News Letter. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 709, 3 June 1879, Page 2

The Poverty Bay Herald AND East Coast News Letter. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING.

TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 1879.

In this afternoon's issue we publish a lengthy communication under the head of "Native Difficulties," and over the nom de phinie which the writer has assumed of " Interpreter." The letter is written evidently under a sincere conviction that the Maoris are doing no wrong, and that they are in need of some one outside of themselves who shall champion their cause. It would be at the sacrifice of our principles, wei-e we to refuse admission to the communication in our columns. There are always, at least, two sides to a question, and if, fromour own point of view, we feel called upon to advance our particular side of the question, it is no 'more than right we should give all facilities to those who may be opposed to us. For this reason, we publish the letter of "Interpreter." But the writer has assumed that in our late leader, which he has no light to assume. This is, that we intend to connect the ugly word " Repudiationists " with Mr. R.EES and party. We had no such intention. We spoke of a body of men known as Repudiationists, without in our mind singling out any particular individual. The meaning which our leader of Thursday last was intended to convey, amounted to just this much, and no more : — That in the North Island the Maori mind had become demoralised by European Repudiationists, who, for the sake of personal gain, and from no philanti'ophical motives, were opening up old soi*es which had long been healed. Were setting the Maoris against the Pakeha, and helping to bring about renewed hostilities between the two races. We do not say, nor have we ever said, that the Repudiationists recommended force or violence ; but by appeals to the law for men to be reinstated in lands, which they have alienated from themselves many years | gone by, they have unhinged the Native mind. They have led many Maoris to believe that what they can do for one particular Native they can do for them all. This is the evil we complain of and denounce. We said then, and we repeat the Avords now, that it would be Ayell if Parliament could deal with these men in a way that should put an end to the many disquietudes, anxieties, and alarms they have caused, and will continue to cause, unless means are taken to check them. We know very little about Maori complications which occurred in the early days of the Colony. We only know this — that it was but months ago, when the Maori and the European were living upon friendly terms ; that their old quarrels were coming to be forgotten, and that all idea of any fresh outbreak by unreasonable demands on the part of the Natives never entered the Europeans' mind. Then sprang into existence, inHawke's Bay we believe, a body of men who obtained for themselves the unenviable title of "Repudiationists." Since

that time the Natives have come month by month to be more and rnoi'e disaffected. The evil has spread from our own doors to the Waimate Plains, and to other [.arts of the East Coast, and when, where, or how, all will end, it would be impossible to make even a reasonable conjecture. We have no doubt that " Interpreter " speaks correctly enough when he refers to the injuries sustained by the Maories at the hands of Europeans, but he must not forget that — Two blacks will never make a white, Two wrongs will never make a right. "We had buried the hatchet with" the Natives, one part of the North Island only excepted, and the European Eepudiationists have sought to Hit it, and as we fear with an effort that has only been too successful. It must not be forgotten that the ways of the Maories are not our ways j nor their their thoughts our thoughts. They doubtless have a code of honor among themselves iu their tribal relations, some of which we might do well to imitate ; but if the two races are to live on terms of peace and friendliness, the Maories must be taught to learn that compacts made and entered into must not, after a long term of yeai-s, be broken with impunity, because European agitators go amongst them, and for their own purposes, bring about conflicts in our law courts. It these are permitted to continue until the passions of the Europeans and the Maories are inflamed, other conflicts may happen, which we earnestly pray may God forbid.