NATIVE NEWS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3096, 10 January 1871, Page 3

NATIVE NEWS.

(to the editor of the independent.) Sir,— The "Evening Poßfc," in its leading artiole of the 7th instant, makes allusion to fche "threatening aepeot of native affairs," and in its usual style attempts to ahow tbat we aro quite unprepared and totally incapable of repelling any attack the Hauhaus might; make on our outsettlements in the Waikato. With an evident attempt at concealing the delight which the writer of this article (and I presume also o£ the one which called forth thafc excellent letter signed "Veritas,*" published not long since in the columns of the " Evening Post") feels afc tho prospect of another Maori outbreak, he makeß use of the remark that *' it is very sad that such ahould-be the case, bufc ib ia useless trying to hide the" facts," and then goes on to Bay " the news published yesterday waa no Maori rumor, but reliable information forwarded from Auckland, and it tells ua plainly enough that the Waikatos have afc last determined upon making an effort to take back the land of which they were deprived by confiscation." Now, sir, it is a notable fact that afc fche meeting which took place at Pahiko on the 9th Nov., 1869, between Mr M'Lean and the leading chiefs of Waikato and Maniapofco, fche whole of the talk on tbat occasion was in roference fco the capture of Te Kooti, and the coming to an open understanding as to whether there should be peace or war — whether the natives then assembled would acfc in concert with tho Government in.auppreasT ing crime and punishing outrage. Nofc a word was said aboufc the confiscated landa — the Waikatos have bo completely given up all hope of ever regaining possession of their territory that they never even alluded to the subject. Ifc is true Rewi, who is a Ngatimanapoto and nofc a Waikato ohief, aaid, " Let my land at Taupo be restored to me," but Mr M'Lean explained to him that no. land had been taken afc Taupo; fche object of sending troops there was not to take land, bub to pursue and punish murderers, arid to protect thoso tribes who adhere to the Government. The only request fche Waikatos made was that Te Hira should be given up to them—this Mr M'Lean consented fco, upon Rewi becoming answerable for nis good conduct ; : bufc ifc is perfectly woll known that the Stafford Ministry had promised to release Te Hira from prison, and Mr M'Lean in giving him up, simply carried out in good faith that which hia predecessors had intended to do. So far matters looked well and promiaing enough, and there ia not; the alighteafc doubt our . relations with the Waikatos would now be very different to whafc ifc is, had ifc nofc been for thafc unfortunate despatch of Earl Granville's in whioh he stated thafc we had no rightful claim to the confiscated lands, and thafc we should relinquish onr hold upon them. This opinion, backed, up by such articles as I havo alluded fco at the commencement of my letter, raised a hopo in the minds of a section of the Waikatos that they had only fco kick up a row and fchey would regain possession of their territory. Thafc is what a misguided portion of the tribe is trying to bring aboufc, and that is what we have to thank Earl Granville and the "Evening Post's" twaddle for. Rewi, at tbis moment, is dissatisfied with the action of the Waikatos in sheltering tho murderers of Mr Todd, and has withdrawn his Bupporfc from fchem. He was nofc deceiving Mr M'Lean, when he said afc the Pahiko meeting " That the sunshine and the rain fall on the words now Bpoken. It is nofc a matter of little importance that we have seen and conversed with Mr M'Lean. If only a fragment of light is now visible, like the dawn, ifc will Boon Bpread." Instead, however, of the genial rays and nourishing showers then invoked, scorching blasts and destructive rains have killed, the tender plant; which .had already begun to germinate, and whioh might by this time have been in full blossom. Ifc doea not require a vaßfc amount of genius to find fault in others, indeed we have had a speoiraen lately in the writings of your evenmg,conteinporary of what can be done with a very limite 1 Bupply, but let those wiseacres who are so clever at spotting blemishes in others try their hand at; solving the native difficulty and it strikes one they would coon discover, like the frog iv the fable, perhapa when too late, that they had undertaken to accomplish much more than they were capable of performing, The native question is by no means an easy one to deal with, but I will not trespass on you farther on fchis occasion., I may return to the subject; afc a future date if I may be afforded space for doing so in your valuable paper. — I am &c. Epaminondas.