THE COLONIST. NELSON, FRIDAY, AUGUST 12, 1859.

Colonist, Volume II, Issue 189, 12 August 1859, Page 2

THE COLONIST. NELSON, FRIDAY, AUGUST 12, 1859.

We have heard, and with regret, that at Wellington there seems to be a feeling of •opposition springing up between the native inhabitants and the settlers. The latest news which we have, gives no notice of any actual outbreak, but from reliable private sources we have gained, that the settlers living in the out districts have been warned, and that in consequence, they have left their stations and are retiring upon the town. Some local movement is spoken of as the ostensible reason for this agitation on the part of the Maori population; but it derives its origin, and is directed by a much more extended organisation—one which comprises the native population of nearly all the Northern Island. Some eighteen months ago, a proposal was made that a King should be elected to rule over the Maories; this was treated with what was then thought sufficient contempt; it was regaided as a sort of play-thing movement, amongst a parcel of people only half educated. They had heard of our English institutions, and thought that in imitation of our responsible head, they should have one too. They accordingly elected a King, of the euphonious name of Potatau. How far the selection of such an official can be legal in a colony governed by English law, we must leave to the Crown lawyers; and whilst not accepting Mr. Potatau as our King, we can watch the results of this enthronement.of a mimic potentate, and these are, that the very animosities which used to be the life-blood of their existence are smothered up, and tribes hostile to each other, are coalescing. The King of New Zealand, if the Wellington Independent may be depended upon, can call to his aid fifty thousand of armed warriors. There has been a careful provision for the future amongst them; and whilst a flask of gunpowder cannot be purchased by a white man in Wellington, we are told that, the amount held by the natives can be reckoned by tons. There is an old proverb that a little learning is a dangerous thing; and we appear to have just taught the aboriginal inhabitants of this colony that, dangerous amount. That they could ever oppose the force of our arms, or the execution of British law, we do not believe; but a great deal of annoyance may be caused, especially to those who have made their homes in the outlying districts. Organisation is not wanting amongst them, for we find that I Wiremu Taho has travelled round, and the very tribes that first ridiculed the idea, have gradually subscribed their allegiance to • this new monarch. They should carry,'on the joke a little further, and afford us some likenesses of Potatau, on a new issue from;; their royal mint, and we shall then1 seewhat inscription they will put around his' august head. They can hardly .say "Da gratia," and " Typo gratia " would be; enough to frighten the superstitious amongst them. ' . , , [,«■' ■ . We, in this land, have some reason to be thankful that the native population is not only. smaller, but infinitely far more advanced in civilisation. Those with whom we come in contact, have more than once proved their appreciation of the real justice of English law. We can remember an instance where a chief waited on our presiding Judge, after an English jury had given their'verdict upon a Maori prisoner. .lie,

poor man, was insane, and the act that he committed, was. during his fit of mania. According to native custom, he should have been sacrificed by the hands of an enraged family. . Our English law protected him, and those who would have been the most eager against him, came forward to acknowledge the justice, and bow to the decision of the Pakeha's Judge. We, therefore, may look with a certain amount of indifference upon the troubles of the Northern Island. All that we might have to apprehend, would be a visit from some gentleman with an unpronounceable name; that he would meet with assistance here, we do not think, for amongst the real gentlemen of this province, can be classed the Maori chiefs, with intelligence uncommon in its amount. They have assimilated themselves to European habits and civilised manners; and were an irruption to take place, and the chiefs of the Waikato thought fit to visit Wakatu, we shall find amongst our ablest supporters, the native population of this district. It is now but a few days gone, that we advocated the calling out of a Militia, and the formation of a Volunteer Rifle" Corps. A few hours" oifly passed, before a paper nicely headed was drawn .:.up and left for signature. The wonder, of the nine days has already been forgotten, and the Volunteer Rifle Corps is as far from formation as ever. Always so here, a rush for a few hours to support any newly. advocated . scheme, and •then a dulness worse than ever. If there be one thing which it behoves us to attend to more, than another, it is the means of self-protection—not that we need fear King Potatau or his mob, but that there may be other and more skilled antagonists to meet. The fact of a man or Sfate being armed frequently prevents attack, and it is, therefore, the truest economy to be prepared. We do not wish for bloodshed; far be it from us even to use an argument that would lead to such v result; but yet, like the Qaaker, we say, "keep your powder dry, and shoot low." The aspect of affairs in the Northern Island is now too ominous for us to pass it over in silence. With a wise discretion the Press of those districts has not published all it knows ; neither do we, and we, therefore, only a second time offer a suggestion, and that is the enrolment of a Volunteer Rifle Corps. A nod is as good, they say, as a wink to a blind horse. We have given one signal, and we will wait to see if Blind Bay has so infected the inhabitants of Nelson, that they are incapable or too supine to notice it.