The Star. SARURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 1868.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 98, 5 September 1868, Page 2

The Star. SARURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 1868.

— ♦ — Those who took part ia the public meeting held ia Chrißtchureh on August 3, for the purpose of considering the serious and alarming aspect of Native affairs, have every reason to be satisfied with the position they took and the decision arrived at. On turning to the last number of ZSansard received from Wellington, we find that Mr Graham, an Auckland member, moved a resolution to the effect that the circumstances of the colony no longer require the services of a Defence Minister, and that the whole duty and business of the department should be transferred to tho office of the Colonial Secretary. Mr Graham pointed out that a great deal of the cvii on the east and west coasts of the North Island, withiu the lasfc three years, had been brought about through divided authority, and that if the work of the Defence Department had been left entirely to the Native Office, many thousands of pounds and much bloodshed would have been saved. There is no doubt a very considerable amount of truth in this, but Mr Graham was nearer the mark when he said the Colouy was actually paying a large sum annually — over £53,000 — to a body of men who ara directly interested in the continuance of a Native war. As Mr Graham said, these men feel " that tliey must do something because they are employed." It is al«o clear that the Maoris get bewildered between the Native and Defence departments, net knowing which to look to for guidance in their relations with the colonists. Mr Stafford, on behalf of tbe Goverument, intimated that they intended to dispense with the services of the Defence Minister as soon as circumstances would permit, but he declined to agree with that part of the resolution which sought to transfer the work of the department to the Colonial Secretary's office. The fact was, he said, that the Colonial Secretary was already overburdened with work, and could not possibly undertake the supervision of a department which demanded so much attention. Iv short, Mr Stafford desired the House to leave the Government to deal with the question, and he succeeded in altering the resolution to that effect. While we are on this subject, it is not out of place to point out that the colony is charged with over £23,000 a year for what is called the Native Departmeut. Most of this large sum, as we find on reference to the detailed estimates of last session, is spent in salaries paid to gentlemen who are styled llesident Magistrates in Native districts. We have often wondered what these gentlemen foHnd to do, and whether aome of our misunderstand-

ings with the Natives could not be directly traced to blunders made by them. Why should it be necessary to appoint Resident Magistrates specially for the Natives ? We see much in the plan which is highly objectionable, aud we believe fche members of a financial Reform League iv Auckland unanimously recommended the complete abolitiou of the Native Department. It must be admitted that the people ol that province are in a position to judge whether the largo number of officers >n the department are necessary for the maintenance of satisfactory relations with the Natives. We notice that Mr Stafford promises retrenchment in thia direction, and we hope to find, when the estimates are brought down, that the colon} is no longer asked to spend over £70,000 a-year on a body of men who feel that they must do something for the salaries they enjoy.