NEW ZEALAND TO THE SECRETARY OE STATE.

__,-«____ 1,

3

race with the Maoris,) and among the Hindoos and Mussulmans of India. It may not be altogether impertinent to mention that the "lily" fills the same place in the mysterious proclamations of the Maori King, as the " lotus " filled in the missives of some of the native princes in Hindostan. 9. With regard to the second of the causes mentioned above, it is often a matter of surprise, both here and in England, that two experienced Generals, successively at the head of nearly 10,000 regular soldiers and 5,000 of the Colonial Militia, and with all the means and appliances of modern warfare, should not have succeeded in subduing King Tawhiao and his adherents, who are believed to have never brought into the field 2,000 fighting men at the same time. But it should be recollected that, in the opinion of all competent' judges, New Zealand presents as difficult obstacles as Abyssinia to an invading army attempting to penetrate the mountains and forests of the interior, while the Maoris are, beyond all comparison, more formidable enemies than the Abyssinians. It has often been observed that the British army did not lose a single man even at the capture of the Royal Portress of Magdala, whereas the loss of the regular troops and of the Naval Brigade has been heavy before every Maori village and earthwork ; while at the Gate Pa, near Tauranga, in 1864, the 43rd Regiment appears to have lost more officers than any single regiment lost at Waterloo. In a word, it seems to be very generally agreed that the conquest of King Tawhiao and the Hauhaus would have been a much greater military feat than the conquest of King Theodore and the Abyssinians. 10. ~Few will probably be found to advocate another aggressive war in the interior of New Zealand. It is generally felt that we must content ourselves with protecting our existing settlements, and punishing the cruel outrages and massacres recently perpetrated. Eor these purposes, as also to prevent the horrors of a war of race and extermination between the Colonists and the Maoris, to serve as a nucleus for the Colonial Eorces, and to maintain in the eyes of the Natives the prestige of the Queen's name and of Imperial power and authority, a garrison of Her Majesty's Troops is of proved value. As I reported in my Despatch No. 49, of 30th June ultimo, " The Arawas and the other tribes that have fought gallantly " and suffered much for the Crown, are disposed to regard the entire removal of the " Queen's Troops with alarm and dissatisfaction, as a sign that they can expect " henceforward little moral or physical support against their hostile countrymen; " and that (in their own phrase) ' the Queen is riri (i.e., angry) with the Pakehas'; "in other words, that the Imperial authorities are displeased with the Colonists. It " has been represented, in short, that the loyal clans in New Zealand at the present " day would view the entire withdrawal of the Imperial Troops with feelings similar " to those with which the Hanoverian clans in Scotland 150 years ago, while exposed " to the vengeance of their Jacobite neighbours, would have regarded the removal of " the English garrisons from Inverness, Fort William, and Stirling." On my recent visit to the Wanganui tribe, and on many other occasions, I have had personal experience of the truth of the above remarks. Several chiefs have addressed me to this effect: " O Governor, you call upon us to fight once more for the Queen and " the law. We have so fought during the last eight years, losing many of our " bravest chiefs and warriors, who have fallen for the Queen in battle against our " own countrymen. But hitherto we have fought by the side of the Queen's " Troops. Now, to our surprise and dismay, we find that the Queen's Troops are " forbidden to go forth to fight with us; and we have learned that the few English " soldiers still left in the towns will shortly be withdrawn altogether. The enemies " of the Queen have written to us, saying, ' Stand aside, our quarrel is not with you, " who are of the same race and lineage with ourselves; our quarrel is only with the " Pakehas ; leave us to drive the Pakehas into the sea.' It seems to us, the " Queen's Maoris, that we shall be abandoned to the vengeance of the Queen's " enemies. O Governor! why is this ? Why do not the Queen's soldiers now, as " heretofore, help us to fight for the Queen's authority and her laws ? O Eather! " our hearts are dark, and our eyes are misty; we do not understand the mind of " the Queen and of her officers." 11. Of all the painful feelings excited by the present condition of New Zealand, perhaps the most painful is connected with the effect produced on the