The Timaru Herald. SATURDAY, JUNE 14, 1879.

Timaru Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 1476, 14 June 1879, Page 2

The Timaru Herald. SATURDAY, JUNE 14, 1879.

The prospect of native affairs on the West Coast is improving 1 , and there seems now to be every likelihood of war being averted. The natives who were so bounceable a few weeks ago, are already very much cowed, showing plainly enough that, if the Government had been firm m the first instance, there would never have been any disturbance at all. The extensive preparations for war, -which their vacillation and apathy at length rendered necessary, have already cost the colony a pretty penny, and, even if not a shot is fired, the trouble, for which they are entirely to blame, will probably involve an expense far exceeding the amount derivable from this year's land tax. Large bodies of armed constabulary are not equipped and disciplined and victualled and moved about the country, for nothing. The mere pay of the men is only one item, and by no means the largest, of the outlay accompanying such operations; and when the accounts come to be laid before the House, we venture to say that the charges for defence will be somewhat startling. We feel sure, though, that no one will grumble at the actual length of the bill, however severely they may condemn the Government for having so mismanaged affairs, as to necessitate such a waste of money at a time when the colony could ill afford it. Having got the country into the mess, Ministers acted quite right m launching out boldly m order to get it out of the mess again as speedily as possible. It would have been of no use to half do what they had resolved upon doing. Anything short of putting the whole of the West Coast districts into a thorough state of defence, would have been worse than useless. It would have cost a large sum, without gaining the desired object. As it is, however much we may grudge the thousands now being spent m defence, which are urgently needed for profitable services, we have the satisfaction of knowing that they have answered the purpose of their expenditure, and effectually checked the tide of Maori aggression. Havingsucceeded m doing so much, though, the Government will be deserving of the strongest censure, if they do not do a great deal more. Having shown the disaffected natives that they are m a position easily to protect the European settlements from encroachment, they ought to follow up vigorously the steps • already taken, until they have secured all the lawful rights of the Crown m the district, and made an example of the disturbers of the peace. For many years past, the West Coast natives have been allowed to offer a passive, but effectual resistance to European progress m a variety of ways. They have prevented the establishment of a continuous line of telegraph between Wanganui and New Plymouth, they have forbidden the construction of a lighthouse on Cape Egmont, and they have thrown obstacles m the way of the completion of ordinary means of communication. This, state of things, humiliating and inconvenient as it was, the Government wisely permitted to continue, m the belief that it would give way m time before the march of events, and would be got over more cheaply and safely by patience than by force. The present, however, seems an admirable opportunity for patting an end once for

all, to every kind of native obstruction on the "West Coast. The settlei-s are or soon will be all armed and on their guard against attack. The various posts are all fully garrisoned, and the means are at hand for bringing into the field any number of efficient troops that could possibly be required. The district is, m short, completely under our control, and will have to be kept bo m any case for a considerable time to come. Now, therefore, is the time to make a demonstration which, whilst acting as a memorable warning to the natives, will be of great and lasting service to the colony. If the Government, having made every proI vision against open hostilities on the part of the natives, were to proceed to occupy and survey the whole of the confiscated lands, including the Waimate Plains, and to complete every projected public work m the district, without regard to native claims or protests, they would enormously advance European settlement, and enormously diminish the probability of any disturbances m the future. There is every reason to believe, too, that they might do all this now without having recourse to force. If they let the natives know plainly that their turbulence and menances had brought about a crisis, and that henceforth the supremacy of the law is to be absolutely recognized, the chances are that no resistance would be offered, but that the natives would quietly submit to the inevitable. If not, for our part, we would have no shilly-shally with them, but would push on all the works under cover of an armed force, and treat any interference with their progress as an act of rebellion. If this were done thoroughly well, and if the murderer Hiroki were seized, if not voluntarily surrendered, and hanged, and Te Whiti either driven away or put on his trial for treason, the prosperity of the West Coast would be assured, and all the cost of the operations would be recoiiped tenfold to the colony. We fail to understand, indeed, what other course the Government can take than this, if they mean to derive any lasting benefit from the warlike preparations now being made. The natives are clearly showing the white feather, and are inclined just now to accept any terms that we choose to impose upon them. But if, as soon as it is found that the ploughmen have retired and the immediate danger is removed, the Government stay their band and leave things as they were before, the natives will immediately conclude that we were at least as much frightened as they were, and will lose no time m regaining their hold upon every rood of doubtful territory. It will then again be simply a question of time as to when they will next grow too overbearing for the safety or peace of the settlers. If, on the other hand, the Government now press their advantage firmly, and take undoubted possession of every acre to which they have a lawful right, the natives will never again intrude, because their custom, as well as our law, recognises the importance of actual occupation. In short, the natives having exhausted our forbearance — and Heaven knows it has been long - suffering enough — we ought to teach them a lesson, -whether they fight or not, which they would never forget. Having once got the upper hand of them, we ought never to remove its pressure until every vestige of a native difficulty has been eradicated from that part of New Zealand. If, indeed, we now establish European supremacy m a trenchant manner on the West Coa.?t, the effect will be felt throughout the whole native race, and will wonderfully facilitate all our future dealings with them.