The Star. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1869.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 243, 22 February 1869, Page 2

The Star. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1869.

' ','■' > ;.-: -v : — The public were beginning to bope, if not believQ, that the war in the Nortb Island was almost ended; they are ; startled by learning that a brutal ma 3 sacre has been perpetrated at an outlying settlement in Taranaki. Full details are not yet to hand, but a telegram from Nelson, which will be found in another column, leads us to believe what we at first suspected — that the massacre is tbe work of the more violent among tbe King Natives. If such is really the case, and we fear it is, the whole of the Waikato Natives may be hurried into a war in spite of themselves. This, no doubt, is the object of the murderers. That Mr "Whiteley, who has laboured zealously and well among the Natives for nearly, half a century, and who was venerated by all parties alike, should have fallen a victim to their ferocity is a clear proof that no consideration will restrain those among them who are bent on war. The news from the Upper Thames must be received with large deductions, It is incredible that any Europeans could for one moment think seriously of satisfying even the absorbing lust for gold by an alliance with murdering savages. If such , overtures as are mentioned were really made to the Upper Thames Natives, it was probably done as a ruse to induce them to throw open their country to the large body of miners who have patiently waited for months the result of Mr Mackay's negotiations. And even this must have been done in merej thoughtlessness, But we prefer toi disbelieve the whole story, because there appear to us so many ways in which it might be satisfactorily disposed of. We cannot believe that our countrymen could be guilty of such a foul crime as they are charged with. We confess to having been greatly surprised on reading the advice given ia a morning contemporary, formerly distinguished for its strenuous advocacy, of. a chivalrous attitude towards the Natives.' One can hardly believe that the journal which published the famous •' A.ke Ake" article after the stubborn and gallant defence of Orakua by; the Natives could now express a wish that "the men of " Taranaki will be allowed to deal with " the wretches as they think fit, and "that a., price will be set on their " heads sufficient to induce the other " Natives to join in the pursuit." Truly, the advice of The Times is bearing fruit when we are also told by our morning contemporary that " the " sooner they are exterminated the " better," and that there will be no peace till Te Kooti has been " hunted " down." What are we coming to ? It is one thing to regard " extermination" as a deplorable necessity forced upon us by circumstances ; it is quite another thing to hound on public opinion to this as a policy. The Press appears to be doing the latter.