POLITICAL SITUATION OF THE COLONY.

West Coast Times, Issue 918, 1 September 1868, Page 2

POLITICAL SITUATION OF THE COLONY.

(TO THE EDITOR 03? THE WJEST COA3T TIHE9A

Stii — The important .question as t-b what line of policy should be adopted by Go= vernment at the present crisis of native affairs apftMfeto have taken a firm hold on the public mind, and is engrossing attention in almost every province in New Zealand. Independent of the discussions which have arisen upon this subject in the General Assembly, it has been freely handled at several public meetings, where speakers of various shades of opinion and ability have had an opportunity of addressing considerable audiences. In Canterbury especially — a pro'tincc which has always exercised great influence upon the directions of New Zealand policy— a~ crowded meeting has, we gather from the "Press," been lately held, at which a number of the principal residents iiJL Christchurch expressed their vieirs, and

were instrumental in passing a series of resolutions, with the intention of forwarding copies of them to the Colonial Secretary, and to their representatives in Parliament. These resolutions, which are too long for full quotation, are strongly in favor of what, in dealing with refractory and murderous natives, has been briefly termed the " let alone" system. The attempt to hold possession of the confiscated lands, and to protect the present occupants of them against Maori aggression, was considered to have been the main cause of all the disaffection amongst the Maoris, aud the immediate abandonment of these posessions was -boldly advocated.

The gist of all the arguments brought forward in support of this proposed line of conduct would lie iv a small compass, and has for its origin the persistent objection entertained by the Middle Island colonists to further taxation. With the full recollection beforo them of the rapid and useless dissipation of the "Three Million Loans," it is not strange that numbers should bo found ready to oppose any course of action which might impose upon this already overweighted colony the necessity of borrowing yet larger sums. One speaker at the meeting alluded to — Mr Montgomery, the Deputy Independent of Canterbury — averred that "it would cost tho colony at least a million if tho Government went into this war," and that " it behoved the people of the Middle Island to be true to themselves, and not to pay for an army of occupation to keep the settlers on land which they ought i'o hold themselves, and numerous other speakers followed in a very similar strain. Notwithstanding the atrocity of the outrages upon peaceable settlers ; notwithstanding tho more recent masacre of some ten of the colonial troops and tho subsequent defeat, iv several different places, of bodies of n^ii sent to avenge their death; aud, lastly, in the faco of the impudently accomplished escape of the Maori prisoners from the Chatham Islands, lhe Government is advised fo sit down quietly aud submit,

with scarcely a murmur, to the calamity of further injury and insult. There is, however, very little prospect of the Executive concurring in the resolutions I have referred to. It is more than jfrobabie that such tamehess, or, as Mr Stafford has already called it — pusillamjaity, will neither re.ce.ivo the sanction of the Government, or the support of the houses; forj however much we, may iament the necessity of c : oiitrib'utmg largely towards the maintenance of peace in the North Island, whilst in this island we are, without expense, in the full enjoyment of that inestimable blessing, it is certain that the proposals which have been made are as unstatesmanlike as they are Selfish. What, it may be asked, would in all human probability be the result of yielding into the hands of the Natives the lands which have already been confiscated for their misdeeds ? It is certain that the warlike races with which we have been contending, would accept the concession — not as a sign thatwe returned these lands in token of amity and reconciliation, but rather as an admission on our part of inability to retain them. They would thenceforth look upon themseves as ilie superior race — at least so far as the cast of war \i concerned ; and their own hopes of success in coping with Europeans would be raised in exact inverse rates to our own demoralization and discouragement. After the confiscated lands were again occupied by the hostile tribes, it is not to be expected that peace and quiet irduld be obtained ; on the contrary, these savages, emboldened by the immunity from punishment they have enjoyed, are likely to push their encroachments into the more settled districts, and be the cause of still more melancholy occurrences.

If the natives, or a portion of them, are determined to be amicable towards the White settlers the boundary line or frontier of the Crown possessions will have little to do with the settlement of the quarrel. The natives trill annoy Us wherever we retreat to. In fact it is my belief that, were the settlers to cross Cook's Straits, and fall back en masse on the Middle Island, there would be found many of the race bold enough to follow if they were able tuid wicked enough — if they fouud the opportunity to reproduce the horrors of the Wairaii niassicrd. It appears, therefore, by far the most sensible plan to look the matter boldly in tho face, and seek a more determined and courageous solution of the difficulty than acknowledging that we are no match for these barbarians. To be successful in this one thing is certain. There must be no paltry and ungenerous threats at separating the two .islands ; or hints of the outlying districts, bearing the entire expense of keeping their frontiers. Such remarks can only originate from men who think the unity of a country is nothing, or from those who forget that a frontier of an outlying district is in reality the frontier of the whole country, and as such should be protected at the colonial expense. For many years it appears that the maintenance of a strong body of men in the colonial pay will be utterly Unavoidable. The only question is, How are these to be employed ? Certainly not in atteinptidg thoroughly to exterminate, or at least subdue these natives, but merely to resist encroachments . and inroads within a certain defined boundary. The construction of redoubts, where the Maori would be held at a disadvantage, and of a perfect network of roads connecting these and the settled parts had not yet been properly carried out. Attempts at this have, it is true, been made, but only pn a small scale ; and these attempts have been abandoned, directly a treacherous lull took place in the native outbreaks. What it would seem is wanted is a continuous line of outposts on the borders of the lands held by Europeans knd the establishment of these necessitate the employment of a considerable body of disciplined men commanded by some officer of ability and experience in bush warfare, whose instructions should be explicit not to carry the war into the disaffected districts, but merely to act as a barrier against hostile tribes. Such a force would effect a great deal more than was ever expected of the Military Settler, for the fallacy of supposing that men could till the ground with their rifles laid across theirpiough handles has already been discovered. In conclusion, let me quote a portion of an amendment moved by Mr E. T. Wakefield, at the Christchurch meeting, which, contains, apparently, more sense than the resolutions which gave rise to it. " That the Government of New Zealand should at once ascertain, determine, and publicly declare within what boundaries it can undertake to defend all the settled districts from unprovoked aggression on the part of the Maori race. That it should then proclaim all parts of the colony not included within these boundaries to be prohibited districts. That all communication whatever, except under special Government authority, should be absolutely interdicted and prohibited, between the Maori inhabitants of the prohibited districts, and other people of any grace or class so that it may become tho interest and desire of the whole Maori people to plead for admission within the boundaries on condition of obeying English law. * * * Mr Wakefield further moved—" That the cost of these arrangements should bo defrayed by the colony, so as to uphold its integrity and honorable position in the world, and a feeling of justice between its various portions both now and in furture times." Pakeha.

In a paper lately read by Mr Solly he stated that there were 10,000 publichouses and beershops in London, and that it" placed in a line they would extend thirty-three miles ! Astounding as this may appeal- to any reader, the calculation is readily checked, and shows 303 houses to a mile, with an average frontage of seventeen feet fire inches.