THE WAIMATE PLAINS DIFFICULTY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 3420, 27 March 1879, Page 3

THE WAIM ATE PLAINS DIFFICULTY.

[SPECIAL."]

WELLINGTON, Maroh 26.

Major Brown has arrived hore. Captain Blake has left Hawera to interview Titokowaru. Hone Pihama and other influential chiefs strongly condemn Te Whiti's action, and will support Govornment to the utmost. Te Whiti's instructions to the Natives were to remove the surveyors poaceably threo times, and if they camo back again to do as Hiroki did. When told that his action would lead to bloodshed, and reminded that he had always preached peace, ho replied oracularly, "I have spoken." Government aro determined to end the opposition onco for all now, and are taking steps to render resistance impossible. Te Waharuinui, tho great Ngatimaniopoto chief, will attond tho King's meeting. It is the first time he has dono so.

NEW PLYMOUTH, Maeou 26,

Tho Herald's Hawera correspondent wires : — " All is quiet, and there is not muoh excitement here. There is more down towards Wanganui, but the people are very anxious to know what steps Government intond taking."

Commenting on the state of affairs, the Herald this evening says:— "The Government seem to have made up their mind as to correot oourse to pursuo — that is, to push on the sale of the first block of IGOO acres. Thiß decision of Government appoars as bold and prompt as that of Te Whitis bufc in order to make suoh a stop effective, there must be at hand that material force without which the law to a Maori of To Whiti's type is a vory dead-letter." Further on, the Herald says : — " Wo will readily give Government credit for at least common sense, and knowing that they aro acting under greafc responsibility, we do think thoy must see their way clear in the matter, but there is to us one patent fact, and that is the great remissness of the present Government in not pushing on roads in this district, whijh would have had the effect of robbing the difficulty of half its terrors. A metalled road from Hawera to Inglewood, instead of a mud one, as it promisos to bo in a month, would have surrounded the disaffected distriot and mado it vulnerable at any point in the rear, while the coast road would have mado it accessible in front, but owing to portions of these roadß being unfinished, thoy aro praotically as bad and unfitted for military operations as they were years ago." It concludes as follows : — " There is, however, a course of action opon to the Government whioh may yofc retrieve tho past, thafc is to go with the sale, but afc fche Bame time push on branch railways from Opunake, with a respectable forco of say 500 men. We do nofc exactly care whafc they are called, navvies or police ; all that we would insist on is tbat the men are in a sufficient state of organisation to take care of themselves under any contingency, and at the Bame timo to push on the work. The exercise of power in a reasonable way, by the making of metalled or iron roads through the disaffected districts is the true and only permanent solution of the Nativo difficulty. Anything Bhort of this is but of a temporary character, and does little to promoto the real paoiflcation of the Nativo raco." Another telegram from tho Herald's special says — " The whole of tho survey parties have been transplanted from the Waimate plains by the Natives, and camped at Waingongoro river. The Natives are unanimous that ifc is by Te Whiti's instructions. Everything is being done with quiet good humour on both sides. Mr Skeet shifts from Raupokonui on Monday. Mr Climie recoived a day's notice, and the others the same. Mr Anderson, who is at Mutarangi, had some Natives to breakfast with him ; they swallowed somo brandy, and thon quietly stated they were going to remove him from the Plains. The Natives are in the besfc temper and full of joking. Whon told the soldiers would return with the surveyors they said 'all right ; we will not fight.' There is no doubt bufc the surveyors will be put on fche Plains again as peaceably as thoy have been put off. Te Whiti's influence is considerably increased by liis prophecy coming true. Titoaowaru seemß anxious, and the majority of the Natives seem afraid they have gone too far, and fchafc fche future action of the Government will make thorn pay a heavy penalty in loss of reserves, &o. In fche meantime tney aro busy ohopping up the peg* and pulling thorn out of the ground with picks. A freater portion of tho country will require to c re-surveyed."

[From the own Correspondent of the Lyttelton Times.]

WELLINGTON, March 26. The New Zealander in an article, evidently from good authority, says in referenco to the Waimate plains business :— " It must not be^ overlooked in discussing the bearings of the' question fchafc fche Natives have it in their powor to inflict some injury. Anothor murder would render the passive action of the Government no longer possible. Hiroki is still at large, and justico will remain unsatisfied until tho timo comes when the Government can assert its power and compel him to be delivered up, but a second affair of the kind would demand an instant march on Parihaka. We trust; that future bloodshed -may be prevented, but we should not be found unprepared. The land must bo reoccupied, although we have some doubt of the propriety of sending back fche surveyors unless proteoted by a sufficient force. Even were the surveys completed, fche difficulty and danger of settlers going on the land might prevent occupation. The determined attitude of the Natives requires to be met by one oqually determined. Are we then called , upon to employ force to root oufc Te Whiti i and his followers from Parihaka ? In other ' r •words, to strike afc fche hoad and front of the nusohief. No Governmont is anxious to rush into war if ifc can be prevented, and ib is seldom wise to be the first to begin, though it ■'•would be impeachable to neglect any measure of precaution and safety. We think there is another and more direct method of effeotive retaliation. There are fiom WelUngton to Hawera 100 men, possessing Btout - haartej' who would 'hold any position assigned to them on conditions. We speak mtix con-

fidence—knowing many of the sons of setthrs —fchafc, if fcho Government gave 50 acreß of land in tho plains to each man, on the condition that they held it for seven years, 100 picked men would volunteer at once to proceed to their land, prepared to hold it against all comers. The men of Wairoa (now Waverley) held their redoubt and their land, though completely isolated and surrounded throughout the whole of tho period of Titokowaru's war, and thoy numbered little more than fifty. Tho quantity of land we have suggested would be a fortune to many a man, nor would tho sacrifice on the part of the Governmout be great. On the contrary, we think it would be a positive gain. Indeed, if moro settlements wore necessary to impart security they should be at once made. Here then is tho answer to Te Whiti, who might be distinctly informed fchafc tho Government would plant posts of volunteer settlements from Waingongoro to Parihaka, and maintain them out of the reserves intended to be set aside for tho use of tho Natives. This is what we should understand by a strong policy, and we are well assured it is one that would prove eminently successful. Whatever powor might bo legally wanting to give effect to the contract could be obtained from the Assembly when it mot. Public opinion would ondorso a stroke of policy at once so vigorous and sound."

The Post in its article on the same subject says : — " We shall not be surprised to hear of some more fatal and decisive accident on the Waimato Plains ore long than the removal of a survey camp equipments per bullock dray, or the pulling up of a few pegs. If, however, blood is shed, the time for further parley will have passed. There will be but one course open to the Government, and that we have no doubt they will at once take — to extort a terrible reckoning, and at all hazards to bring the offenders to justice. We are quite able to do this. If there is to be another fight* on the West Coast, perhaps no better time could be found for it. The Nalives are concentrated there ; we know their strength and position, and we know that neither could they oppose any effectual resistance to the forces which could be brought against them. The Waimato Plains must be opened up for sottloment ; the law which for fourteen years has been trifled with, must be strictly enforced, we must have possession of this confiscated land at whatever cost now, and the safety of life and property on these plains must be assured. This must be done peaceably if possible, bufc, if not so, then by other means. We need not fear ' a little war' on the score of expense, for there is abundance of land in the samo locality which would pay tho expenses if the Natives should foolishly render such an application of it necessary, instead of the - one that is at present contemplated of assuring them of tho peaceful, permanent occupation of tho blocks not already taken. If there is any outbreak, the truest mercy will be in its immediate and severe repression. The Natives should be made to understand this, and thoso who are inclined, as the majority are, to moderation and submission must be made to comprehend what they have to gain by controlling and restraining their less reasonable and more impetuous comrades, what they have to lose if they fail to make this control and restraint effectual and perfect."