SOLUTION OF THE NATIVE DIFFICULTY.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 3139, 4 June 1879, Page 2

SOLUTION OF THE NATIVE DIFFICULTY.

TO THIS EDITOR.

Srrt, — As it appears wo have arrived at a critical period in the history of the Colon}', on account of the present disaffected state of the natives, and people are at. a loss as to what; conr^o should be adopted by the Government! to tide over the crisis, I would suggest, as a

complete solution of the native difficulty and the question of occupation of confiscated lands in the Provincial District of Taranaki, that immediate steps should be taken to have the railway line constructed from Stratford to Normauby. As your readers are doubtless aware, the line is already completed to Mau-g-anui, and will soon be open to Stratford — a distance of thirty- one miles from New Plymouth ; from thence to Normanby is a distance of aboufe twelve miles, and us there are no difficulties of a serious nature to contend with, with judicious management railway communication could bo extended to that point within a very few months. For this purpose I would recommend that the Government should employ about 300 men, supplied with sufficient arms to protect themselves in case of interruption by natives. As this work is already under contemplation by the Government and is part; of the " Public Works Scheme " of the Colony, it would be of material advantage to have it proceeded with at once, as ib would keep a sufficient number of men employed to enable the Government to meet any emergency, and when completed to occupy and settle the Waimate Plains, and would convince disaffected natives of the utter honoless-

ness of attempting" to occupy lands held by Europeans. From a strategical point of view, in case of an outbreak by the natives, men could, in a few hours, be concentrated at any point found necessary to occupy, and outsettlers protected from any sudden attack. If we are compelled to resort (o hos-tilities—-through railway communication would prevent a recurrence of the deplorable state of affairs with which tbe unfortunate settlers of Tarauaki are already too familiar, and leave us iv a position to dispel the illusions of the prophet To Whiti, and deal iv a decided manner with the fanatical natives of Parilia'-ca. As a farther advautage to bo derived from the extension of thg railway to Norinauby, the Government would bo enabled to sell the lar^e tract of land through which it would pass to bona fide settlers, and thus supply the last liulc in the chain of settlement between Mew Plymouth aud Wangauui, and ciuse the Province of Taranaki to become one of the bast districts in the Colony. — I am, &v.,

Labor omn t ia vincit. Tnglewood, June 2, 1879.