NEW ZEALAND TACTICS ; WHO IS LIABLE FOR THE COST OF THE WAR ?

Wellington Independent, Volume XX, Issue 2218, 13 June 1865, Page 1 (Supplement)

NEW ZEALAND TAC TICS ; WHO IS LIABLE FOR THE COST OF THE WAR ?

(Wellington Independent, May 20.) Ouu esteemed contributor, "Another Pakeha Maori," has sent us the following interesting communication. As his experience of native affairs, and extensive knowledge of the questions connected therewith, alike render his opinion valuable ; we should be glad to hear from him a little more frequently : — My last letter to you consisted principally of an extract from one of the numerous little historic records which we have of tho early days of New Zealand. I trust you and your readers will pardon my again quoting from one of them, giving the author's opinion and views on (I was going to say two subjects, but it really is only one) New Zealand Tactics, and who is liable for tho cost of the war. Perhaps it is rather a hobby of mine, but I am fond of spending these long evenings in turning over the pages of these " little histories " of ours ; and it was in doing so that I found many passages in Mr Power's " Sketches in New Zealand, '* expressing views and opinions which were lightly, if ever, thought of then — but which the present state of affairs show were rightly arrived at. Many of your readers may ask who Mr Power was ? Mr Power was D.A.C. General attached to the troops quartered at Porirua aud Wanganui, during tho troublesome times of '4G and. '47, and is now high up in that service. Not being, in tho general sense of the term, a military man, it shows a thoughtfulness of character, and an amount of foresight not often met with, to find that his views, and almost predictions, of what New Zealand tactics ought to be, and the best mode of conducting such, are so coincident with thoso set forth by our Ministry at the present time. I will first quote his " New Zealand Tactics, 1 March, loth, 1817. " There is no prospect of a ' shindy ' iv this district (Whanganui) but our old enemy Rangihaeta is evincing symptoms of restlessness. Ifc appears to me that Uie best plan would be to make an attack upon him just before his potatoe crop is ripe, so that, if he himself should succeed in j escaping, he would lose the means by whichhe lives, and, with his followers would become a burden to his friends for the whole winter. This would soon tire all parties (i.e., himself and followers) particularly if the system were pursued for two or three successive seasons. Nothing would so soon break their spirit and self confidence, as they would see the utter hopelessness of a contest in which they have but little power to injure, while they may be harassed, impoverished, and perhaps destroyed, at the will of their enemies." j " A harassing war will be the only effectual one with Maoris ; a war of sudden and unexpected attacks, that would never leave them an hour iv confidence, that would be constantly at their heels, that would not allow j them to cultivate, or to reap the fruits of their cultivations ; a war carried into their own homes in the same way that Washington destroyed thu strength and confidence of the ' Five Nations ;' that would stop all intercourse with white people, prevent them from procuring tobacco and blankets, cut them off from the sea-fishing, and keep them in constant terror and trepidation. For this purposo three or four small steamers not draw ing more than three to four feet of water, would be more useful, and instil more terror than a whole squadron of frigates. They would appear and disappear so rapidly that the natives would be kept in a constant state of anxiety and never know when or where to look for them." " Vessels of this description could cross most of the bar harbors, and run a considerable distance up such rivers aa tho Wauganui and the Manawatu, while for all purposes of rapid communication they would be invaluable." So much for the " tactics" which have been partly carried out and found effective, after a lapse of eighteen years from the time the idea was put on paper. And now for one more quotation about " who is responsible for the war," although I fear I am trespassing too much ou your valuable columns. Mr Power says: " It is the common jargon to talk of it being the birthright of Englishmen to govern themselves ; it is also the birthright of Englishmen to pay for themI selves, particularly when they want to extend their hereditary faculties to the government of others. In the case of New Zealand, if tho governing propensities of the colonists broiight on a war with the natives, on whom would the expense fall ? On tho Homo Government, which furnishes the protection in troops, ships of war, transports, barracks, &c. # # * * " Those who pay the expenses buy the right to govern, and the best possible cure for (their) legislating propensities, or rather for the evil consequences that may result from them, would be to leave the colony to fight its own battles at ils oion expense, by sub' stituting local corps and militia for troops of the line, and winch would also have the ad-

vantage of saving an immense expense in transport ; it would also be a gain in point of efficiency, as no body of men can be so well adapted to a country as that which has had tho benefit of long residence in it, and has had experience in tho mode of warfare of tho enemy." I trust that your readers will not think that I side with Mr Power in his views of carrying the war iv an indiscriminate way into the Maoris " own homes ;" but Ido say this, that his views on the subject generally are those which I believe all who wish this unhappy war brought to a conclusion will coincide in, i.e., leave us to fight our own battles.