The Star. TUESDAY, JUNE 8, 1869.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 333, 8 June 1869, Page 2

The Star. TUESDAY, JUNE 8, 1869.

,Ottr "Wellington telegram of to-day contains the following mo3t suggestive paragraph ; " the Haroto telegraphic "station will soon be opened ; thirty ." men go on guard." The meaning of this is that the Government finds it necessary to send a guard to protect the advanced works of the line of "telegraph now in course of construction between Napier and Auckland. 3?or the last two years the Government has been slowly pushing on the telegraph across the North Island. Apparently they have reached the limits of the peaceful districts, and now they seem as if they intended to carry on the line by force of arms. - Here is another, glaring instance of the manner in which the taxpayers' money is thrown away. Only imagine the absurdity of attempting to carry on a line of telegraph by force of arms. The Haroto Btation is to have a guard of thirty men. But what about the line between Haroto and the next Btation? How many men will be required to guard that ? And, if not guarded, what is to prevent Mr Te Kooti, or any of his followers, from cutting it in fifty places whenever he pleases ? The idea of defending a telegraph line by an armed force is only more preposterous than that of holding the confiscated lands by the same means. The great telegraph construction companies of England have long ago established the principle never to carry a line through a country infested with hostile tribes, where ifc is possible to substitute a submarine cable. But New Zealand always knows better than its elders how to manage Its own affairs. It scouted the idea of receiving help from Britain, and now when it wants it, as a matter of course, it cannot get it. In spite of the warnings of wisdom it has entered 'upon a war without counting the cost, and, of course, finds itself in a serious dilemma. And now, casting the experiences of other countries to the winds, it is going to push on a line of telegraph through a hoatile country at the unknown cost of having to defend every inch of the line by armed men. Heaven help New Zealand, and send its rulers a little modicum of wisdom.