NATIVE DIFFICULTY.

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

NATIVE DIFFICULTY.

OPINION'S OF THE PRESs\

The Patea Stall says — Th<»

Maoris

J are going to settle the native difficulties. Their evil genius is hurrying them on to their destiny. Fearing nothing, because knowing little, they are rushing forward to meet tho extinction that would have overtaken them had they fled from it. We cannot help speaking of the struggle that appears to be at hand, as if it wero inevitable. Our people, for the sake of peacu, will endure boing called slave*, while the title is obviously ridiculous — whit's in a name — but to be treate I as s:ieh is more than they are prepared for. There are some Sbttlers who have courage to restrain their courage, who c>uld submit

to insults and threats rather than strike a blow that would ki'uMe w:ir throughout the Islaud. But there are a greater number who have only ojo kind of courage, who will resent injury, or insult, let. the cousequences ha what they may. ft is pretty certain then, that the insolence of some fanatical Maori will procure for him a broken head, and then

We have before expressed ouropinion that a resistance to Maori aggression and insolence was the true ' peace policy ' for the Government to follow. The policy of the Government, however, is not the present question. Whatever that, policy shonM hive been, it is certain that rt si-tun o s » t the policy that the individual settler should adopt at the present conjuncture, ivet every man who is tempted, teach the insulting barbirian what his place in the universe is; remember what thousands of lives and wh,it millions of mon^y he may throw away by losing his temper. The colonist, while certain that victory will incline to his side, bus yet far more to fear from war than the savage. The

Maori's miserable pah and his patch of potatoes are the work of clays, bat the European s town, pastures, stock, fences, and commerce are the achievement of years. The object of the present trespassing of the natives on piivate property is no doubt to provoke resistance, to mako thesettlers strike the first blow, so that they might better engage the sympathy of their countrymen. It is to be hoped, therefore, that they will be defeated in this scheme, and left to force the war on themselves, or return to peace of their own accord. This latter coarse is not likely to be adopted by them, and if they pursue the former as earnestly, proceeding from words to deeds, as they have done of late, they will bring about the evil day soon enough to please the most impatient fire eater among us. No doubt the majority of the Maoris, while they threaten to exterminate us, thiuk they are offering us all a reasonable alternative, namely to quit the conntry. As neither of these generous offers can be entertained, it will be necessary to show the Maori majority that they are not reasonable. It is because this ridiculous alternative seems reasonable and because we seem to be rejecting fair and just offers, that this majority are able to work themselves up to a fighting pitch. The alternative to extermination, which they offer, will seem reasonable as long as extermination seems possible. It will only be by convincing tho native that neither be, nor his gods, can exterminate us, that we shall be relieved of bis pressing offers of safe conduct out of the country. When the day arrives, let us hope that in mercy to ourselves and to him, this conviction, will be driven, somewhat roughly, into his thick head. As M r. Tregpar remarked at the settlers meeting, " We cannot return the land to the Maoris, so we must return the Maoris to the land."