THE NATIVE DIFFICULTY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 804, 9 June 1879, Page 2

THE NATIVE DIFFICULTY.

[To the Editor of the Herald.] . Sir, — Your paper of Saturday last contained several curious epistles, relating generally to the present unsatisfactory look-out m Native affairs. One martial writer suggests calling out the Militia m this district ! What for ? The settlors, as a body, have nothing to do with these land disputes which are constantly arising here and elsewhere. "Let those that make the quarrels, be the only men to fight. I have several valuable sons, whose lives are precious, and I am not disposed to get them maimed or killed m private squabbles. When a National question arises, I don't doubt they will be all there when wanted. Another of your correspondents wants a permanent sitting of the Native Land Court, to investigate the before-men-tioned questions. Why, for the last 'l3 years, nothing else but investigations have been going on, and the more the investigation the greater the confusion. These lands should have been confiscated and sold, and settled, and afterwards fought for if need be. But a war hereabouts, even if it began and ended only m killing or mutilating one poor friendless loafer for the assertion of such very questionable claims on either side, black or white, is a little too much for this old soldier. Next, we have one writing a lot of stupendous twaddle about the Ngati-. porous dping something m the West Coast affair which will astonish the

Natives of these parts. The truth really is, that this very interesting and warlike tribe have no interest whatever m our Taranaki business one way or the other, and are utterly useless outside their own country, except against some poor devils with whom they have some ancient feud to settle. Besides which, they are not likely to draw off all or any large number of their fighting men from their own land. They havo too many affairs of their own want looking aftor. We all know, who know anything about onr Native allies, that so long as Government rations and pay aie to be got, any amount of Maoris will make a tremendously warlike Bhow of performing prodigies of valor m our oause : but that'B about all. I have seen tribe after tribe armed and paid, who, having no particular ill-will against our enemieß, took matters amazingly easy. So much bo, indeed, that the farce might have been prolonged, if left to them, until the youthful of the lot had died of old age.— Yonrs, &c, 0. L. W. Boubfibld.