THE NEW ZEALAND WAR

Wanganui Herald, Volume III, Issue 735, 20 December 1869, Page 2

THE NEW ZEALAND WAR

The Times remarks:—The policy of ' self reliance ' advocated by some of the colonists, was sound enough, but it never went beyond words till the emergency occurred, and then there was no. time for preparation. Our readers have seen, how r , the .levies sent hastily against the rebels met with scant success, and became in fact themselves demoialized. But it was not because they were irregular instead of regular troops ; it was because they were untrained instead of trained irregulars. We agree entirely in thinking that a Maori war requires something more than a mere turn-out of volunteers without discipline, organisation, or experience; but there is no reason why all these advantages should not be imparted to a colonial force. The employment of Imperial troops must, as colonial statesmen have, themselves teen and argued, be attended with a certain measure of injury to the colony. The revival of the system may give a little present relief, but only at the expense of future mischief. Probably the Home Government would not refuse to entertain the proposal on the subject which seems likely to be made; but it is certainly the opinion of the public at home that the colonists of New Zealand are numerous enough, strong enough, and rich enough to keep the peace on their j own borders without our assistance, j and that it would be true wisdom on j their part to embrace the same view j of the question. The ' self reliance policy' in New Zealand has failed, not because it was presumptuous or unreasonable, but because it was never put in operation at all. It was ■ perfectly competent to the colonists i to rely upon themselves, but then j they should have taken the necessary ] measures, and provided actually for their own defence. Instead of that they left everything undone, and re^ lieved themselves of the old and new charges together. They saved the expense of the Imperial force without incurring the expense of a colonial force. Hence, when a war broke out there was no army of any kind competent to take the field. Not half j the force contemplated had ever been i raised, and the Maoris had to be en- • countered with raw levies of undisci ! plined volunteers. If a good colonial force had been embodied in 1864, when the resolution of dismissing the Imperial troops was adopted, the colonists would not now have been compelled to appeal to England. If it is now actually desirable, under the

circumstances, that ari Imperii force should be again Btationed in the island, it is dcsiralbid o_dy as ti_6 less of twp evils. Better employ European*troops than let the savages" gain the mastery, but the alternative would neper have arisen if ordinary prudence had been exercised when a wiser policy was first apr proved."