East Coast News Letter.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VIII, Issue 1476, 14 November 1881, Page 2

East Coast News Letter.

PUBLISHED EVERY EVENINd

GISBORNE: MONPAY, NOVEMBER 14, IS6J|

When one reflects on the expenditure which has been incurred in settling the Native difficulty, the conclusion arrived at will be that the sootier it ia settled once for all the better it will be for the Colony, which is now overburdened with a debt out of all proportion to the number of its inhabitants, one-fifth of which has been incurred in stifling Maori rebellions, and in the "sugar-and-blankec policy "of past administrations. The firm "attitude taken by the present Government in dealing with the turbulent Natives on the West Coast, will be appreciated all the more, when it is known that altogether it has cost the Colony the sum of £6,654,717 for defence purposes since the year 1856. The Otayo JJaitt/ Times finds the expenditure from 1856 to 1874, according to Parliamentary returns, to have amounted to no less than £3,331,065, out of loun, and £771,416 out of revenue. For the three years subsequent to 1876-7 the defence expenditure was £303,434 out of revenue, and £227,306 out of loan The expenditure for those miscellaneous objects known as Native purposes, and which include a good many I of those transactions known only to the heads of a corrupt department up j to the year 1876-7 was no less than £801,596. We may safely add for these several objects for the four years ending 1880-81 another million, and we have thus a gra'id total of £6,654,717 — a very grand total indeed, considering the scant results gained by it. " And even to this," adds our Otugo contemporary, " we might fairly add nearly a million spent in the purchase of native lands, a great portion ot which is useless. Imagine those seven and a-half millions spent in railways producing only 3 or 4 pflr cent, instead of being absolutely wasted and unproductive, and what an enormous difference it would have made to our financial position. We may sifely say that one filth of the taxation of the colony results from past Native and Defence expenditure and for the present year the votes for defence alone are nearly £300,000, including £175,000 out of loan. The probability is that even this sum will be exceeded. Thus the burdens of the past and the burdens of the present represent something very much like £600,000 per annum on account of the irrepressible Maori." The gain therefore which will accrue by the action now taken to crush out all Maori disaffection will be incalculable. It will be a memorable warnj ing to others, who profiting by the lesson taught to Te Whiti will abstain from similar courses. Already we see evidences of a better understanding between the two races. In Waikato, Tawhiao desires to be on amicable relations with the Uovernment, and the long carried out system of isolation has now been completely broken down. On the East Coast we have the Natives accepting the now order of things, and shewing every disposition to participate and assist in the settlement of the country. Throughout the North Island the only locality where disaffection lurked was at Parihaka. Then; can be no doubt, that the final blow has bi»en struck at an attempted Maori rebellion ; a bloodless victory has been obtained, and the result will be enduring peace. It will be a fitting termination to the long struggle which has taken place. The money which was voted for defence purposes during the last session of Purlin men t will not have been spent without a purpose. Let us hope that it will be the last call made on the taxpayer for war preparations ; sufficient and more than sufficient having already been needlessly spent in this direction.