THE NATIVES' CHANGE OF POLICY.

Waikato Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1781, 4 December 1883, Page 2

THE NATIVES' CHANGE OF POLICY.

Our To Awnnmtu correspondent wiites yesterday :— -Everyone will bo glad to learn th.it tho native difficulty is indeed appioaching the end, and that Mr Bryce's policy lias borne fruit. There will be in future a bettei understanding between the Europeans and Maoris. The bariiers are broken down, never again to bti raised, and kingiMn has leceived its death blow. Land .sharks will have to turn their attention to a more reputable mode of earning a living, for the natives aie astute enough to see the folly of belling the whole of their land, though I do not think it is. desirable that tliey should ictaiii the whole of it, by all means .sell some, but not all. Lease a portion for long tei ms, and keep the remainder to cultivate for themselves and children. The new act has put a stop to the wholesale alienation of native land, a most pernicious practice, and one which in a very few years would have reduced the natives to a state of absolute beggary, for the improvidence of the lace is well known. It is to be hoped a pioper .system of education will be established ; by this means they will become useful member of the community. Natmally they are inclined to be oideily and law-abiding, for then own laws and custoni-s aie rigidly <»bsei ved by them, but under tho seductive influence of rum, and the temptations of miseiupulous white men, who, to attain their purposes, stick at nothing, they have not exhibited that trait in a very marked degiee. Let tho tialficking in land and its concomitant evils of cheating and temptation be put a stop to, and the nati\ c chaiacter will present a very different aspect. There is one \irtue, however, 111 which they aie .sadly deficient, that is, kindness to animals ; their poor horses are overworked, and ridden to death. They should be .severely punished for this, and taught that the law will not allow a person to ill-use an animal simply because it is his own. But theie are many .similar cases among Euiopeans, and for which they also should be punished, for they cannot plead the excuse of not knowing better. I may mention in regard to the meeting at Kihfkihi, that Mr W. H. Grace assisted Mi Bi yce in every possible way. He possesses a great deal of influence with the natives, and this influence he used to assist Mr Bryce in opening the country. They listened to his arguments and persuasions with the respect they merited, and agreed with liitn that it was desirable to come to terms without delay. One significant fact is, Tawhiao was not mentioned in the arrangements made for opening the country.