The Star. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1868.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 185, 15 December 1868, Page 2

Th e Star. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1868.

The Wellington telegram which appears iv our columns this evening conveys intelligence which cannot be read with any other feeling than indignation. We refer, of course, to that portion which speaks of affairs on the East Coast. In order that we may be iv a position to estimate fully and fairly the position of affairs, it may be as well to put together the main incidents in connection with the war on that coaat. It was generally understood that just after the close of the session, when Native affairs on the Bast Coast had pi'ogressed from bad to worse with startling rapidity, Mr M'Lean, Superintendent of Hawke's Bay, had been entrusted by the Government with full powers of administration — that, in short, the whole direction of the campaign was left in his hands. Mr M'Lean's appointment was spoken of with great satisfaction, and it was confidently hoped that he would soon give a good account of the rebels. A telegram dated Nov. 24 informed us that a hitch had occurred between Mr M'Lean and Major Lambert, the latter being commander of the Colonial force in the Wairoa district. It appears that Mr M'Lean had ordered a simultaneous advance from Wairoa and Poverty Bay, his object being to place the enemy between two fires. Major Lambert refused to recognise Mr M'Lean's authority, alleging that he had separate instructions. From whom, was not stated, but it couH only be from the Government. The next telegram from the North announced that Mr M'Lean, by means of friendly Natives alone, had gained a victory over the rebels, and that he requested the services of a European force to enable him to crush Te Kooti. In reply to this request, the Government appears to have decided on removing Colonel Whitmore with a portion of his command from the Wangnaui district to the East Coast. At all events, this was done, although they must have known that Colonel Whitmore had lost, or never gained, the confidence of our Native allies. : When the people of Napier were satisfied that Colonel Whitmore was to be transferred to their district, they lost no time in expressing the .utmost dissatisfaction and even alarm., The Hawke's Bay Herald, speaking of: the appointment, said :— " To send W-hit- " more here at the present time, with " no matter how many men at his " back, would be most disastrous. He " possesses neither the confidence nor " the good-will of auy part of the com- " m unity, European or Native, and " assuredly none would be found to " work cordially under his command. "We sincerely hope hia coming is a " mistake. He haa already been largely " instrumental in drawing down ruin "on this province, and it only wants " his presence here as commander to " precipitate the danger which at !present only looms in the distance." On Dec. 6 another victory over the rebels was announced by Mr M'Lean. Colo- j nel Whitmore had not then arrived oni the scene. On Dec. 7, Mr M'Lean informed the Government that there was " no grumbling among the Maoris " at Colonel Whitmore," and on Dec. 8, he also said that Colonel Whitmore was " acting considerately towards the Natives." The next news reeeivedieonveyed the intelligence that " from' one " end of the East Coast to the other " the strongest feeling prevails against " Colonel Whitmore, both among

" Europeans arid Natives. Most in- " suiting announcements are chalked " on the walls, and contemptuous let- " ters appear in the newspapers. A " memorial Bent to the Q-orernor, de- " precating the interference with Mr " M'Leari by the Government, and " declaring that the worst results must " arise from Colonel Whitmore's unpo- " pularity, and want of cordial co-opera- " tion with the civil authorities, has " been signed by hundreds." Again, on Dec. 12, the telegrams informed us that " private letters from Napier lead " to the conclusion that the late collapse " on the East Coast resulted from the " previous unpopularity of Colonel " "Whitmore amongst the Natives. " However great his military skill may " be, his unpopularity is unfortunately " still greater, and must tend to " paralyse operations. Having been " sent thither against the earnest " telegraphic protests of Mr M'Lean, " the Government now bear the whole " responsibility of the operations on " the East Coast." And to-day, we are told : — " Colonel Whitmore tele- " graphs to Colonel Haultain that the " expedition is completely broken up, " as the Natives are returning home " for the present. That the ' imtne- " diate followers' of Mr M'Lean, " among the Ngatikahungaru, are " aulky, but that the Ngatiporou are " in good spirits and willing to do all " that may be required of them, novr. "or hereafter. They would pursue " the enemy (who has disappeared in " the direction of Maingapowatu) if " they could be supplied with food, " which is impossible under present " arrangements." Such, in brief, is the history of the campaign on the East Coast. We have now to inquire what the above facts disclose. In the first place, it appears that the Government either gave, or professed to give, full powers to Mr M'Lean, and that, under this belief, confidence was generally restored. But, on the very first occasion of a decisive step being taken against the rebels, it is reported that Mr M'Lean's plans were all but frustrated by the obstruction of an officer who refused to obey his orders. It is necessary that the people should understand the exact state of affairs as regards this point. Was Mr M'Lean invested with supreme command, or was he not ? The second fact of importance is the removal of Colonel Whitmore from Wanganui to the Poverty Bay district against the earnest protests of Mr M'Lean. Why was this done? What object did the Government hope to accomplish by the removal of Colonel Whitmore from a district in which he had most signally failed to another in which he was universally distrusted? Mr M'Lean asked for a European force, it is true, but he didnotaak for a commander as well. It is evident, from the tone of Colonel Whitmore's telegram to the Defence Minister, that he is at deadly feud with Mr M'Lean. He actually seems to taunt that gentleman by saying that even his " immediate followers " among the friendly Natives have deserted him. All this is very sad, very disgraceful. And, though it may appear to certain people a " heartless " question, we cannot refrain from asking how much it is costing tke colony. What are we paying, what shall we have to pay for the mismanagement of the Government, the quarrels between Mr M'Lean and the officers in command of the forces ? Mr Richmond, it seems, is now quite convinced that a decisive blow must be struck in the Wanganui district, and so he sends Colonel Whitmore to do it! The man. whom Titokoiraru has beaten and out-g'eneralled on every occasion ; the man whose only idea of fighting the Maoris appears to consist in waiting for them to come into the open, which they are not fools enough to do. How is it that Mr Richmond has only just found out the necessity; of. striking a decisive blow in the Wanganui district ? Where has he been, and what' has he been doing for the last six or eight months ? Sleeping the sleep of Rip Van Winkle, we presume, or trying to make up his mind on purely philosophical grounds. No wonder that people ask each other whether there is any means of release- from this terrible state of things, whether it is possible to get men who will govern the colony vigorously, prudently, and patriotically. Must we be dragged to the

[depths of ruin at thif- heels of Mr Stafford and his colleagues? Is there no means of escape ? The matter rests with the people themselves ; if they are content to endure, if they do not rise and with one voice demand the dismissal of the Government, they may be certain that they will hear of further disasters, and a crushing bill of costs.