The Express.
London, England, 1861-08-16 00:00:00

(Stamped, ld. Additional.) [TWOPENCE

THE WAR IN NEW ZEALAND.

The following is the proclamation of the Governor
of New Zealand, referred to in the Australian intel-
ligence which we published yesterday
TDOILtD GOLD BROWFE, Governor.
In ceder to avoid misapprehension, the Governor directs
the attention of the chiefs and people, assembled at Kgarne-
walla, to the present condition of affairs iu New Zealand,
and states distinctly the course necessary to be taken in
order to avert the calamities that threaten the country.
In the year 1858, a portion of the Maori people+, resident
in Wakaito, pretendedto set up • Maori king, and Potatau
was chosen for the office. He was installed at Itangiawhia
in the month of June in that year. On Potatau's death, in
1860, kLatutaera, his son, was nominated his auccessor.
Diversity of opinion existed from the commencement as
to what would result from this movement. home were
led to believe that its supporters desired only the
establishment of order, and a governing authority among
themselves ; while others viewed with apprehension a con-
federacy which they deemed fraught with danger to the
peace of the colony. The Governor at first inclined
towards the more favourable view of the movement, but
aeon felt misgivings, which have been justified by the
event.
The Governor, however, has not interfered to put down
the Maori King by force. He has been unwilling to relin-
quish the hope that the Maoris themselves, seeing the
danger of the course they were pursuing, and that the in-
stitution of an independent authority must prove inefficient
fur all purposes of good, would of their own accord abandon
their attempts.
The Governor can now only look with sorrow and dia.
pleasure on what has been done in the name, and by the
adherents of the native King :
1. An authority has been set up inconsistent with alle-
giance to the Queen, and in violation of the treaty of
Waitangi. 2. A large number of the adherents of the
native King have interfered between the Governor and other
=Mee tribes in natters with which they had no concern ;
have levied war against the Queen, fought against her
troops, and burned and destroyed the property of her peace-
ful subjects. 3. Other adherents of the King have assisted,
encouraged, and harboured the men •ho have committed
somethese outrages.tun since . A.weanribip.r
aofnd several hundredwimthienn
forty miles of Auckland, for the purpose of inter-
fering with the due course of the administration
of justice. 5. Her Majesty's mail has been stopped ; juris-
diction has been usurped over her Majesty's European sub-
jects ; and other offences have been committed to the sub-
version of her Majesty's sovereignty, and of the authority of
the law.

At this very time the adherents of the native King are
using the meat strenuous efforts to possess themselves of
arms and ammunition for the purpose of effecting their
objects by intimidation andllviolence. The Governor cannot
permit the present state of things to continue. No option
now rests with him; he has been commanded by her
Majesty the Queeu to suppress unlawful combinations, and
to establish beyond a question her Majesty's sovereignty in
New Zealand.

Submission to her Majesty's sovereignty requires-1. That
every man yield implicit obedience to what the law,
which is the same for all, prescribes for the public
welfare. But while the law exacts what is essential for thin
object, it confers great benefits and guarantees freedom and
security to the weak as well as to the strong. 2. That
rights be sought and protected through the law, and not by
a man's own will sad strength. No man iu the Queen's
dominion' is permitted to enforce rights, or redress wrongs,
by force ; he must appeal to the law. 3. That men do not
enter into combinations for the purpose of preventing other
men from acting, or from dealing with their own property,
as they think fit. This is against the law. 4. That every
man, European or native, under the Queen's sovereignty
submit to have roads and bridges made on his land, wherever
the public convenience requires them. But land can only
betaken for these purposes under lawful authority, and on
payment of a reasonable compensation.
On the other hand, her Majesty's sovereignty secures "to
the chiefs and tribes of New Zealand, and to the respective
families and individuals thereof, the full, exclusive, and
undisturbed possession of their lands and estate" forests,
fisheries, and other properties, which they may collectively
or individually possess, so long as it is their wish and desire
to retain the same in their possession." This is the Maoris'
safeguard for their lands, and it has never been violated.
The Governor has been falsely accused of desiring to intro-
duce a new system in dealing with native lands. This he
has never attempted, nor has he the power to do so. The
Queen's promise in the treaty of Waitaugi cannot be set aside
by the Governor. By that treaty, the Queen's name has be-
oorne a protecting shade for the Maoris' land, and will remain
such, so long as the Maoris yield allegiance to her Majesty
sod live antler her sovereignty, but no longer. Whenever
the Maoris forfeit this protection by setting aside the
authority of the Queen and the law, the land will remain
their own so lcng only as they are strong enough to keep it;
—might and not right will become their sole title to pos-
session.

The Governor sincerely hopes that a correct appleclation
of the real interests of the Maori race will induce the ad-
herents of the native King to omform to her
Majesty's declared wishes, and to abandon the
baneful and dangerous course they are pursuing.
Her Majesty has an earnest solicitude for the welfare of her
native people, and it will be the duty of the Governor
to give the fullest effect to measures calculated to secure
that end.

The Maoris cannot be more anxious than the Queen and
her Governor forsthe complete establishment of law and
order amongst the Maori people, and that the institu-
tions of the government should be, u far as practicable. in
accordance with their interests and wishes ; but the Maori
must not forget that these objects are unattainable without
their own cordial co-operation. The Governor last year
convened a meeting of chiefs to commit with him upon na-
tive affairs, and has declared his intention again to assemble
chiefs from all parts of these islands for the same purpose.
Her Majesty has been pleased to approve of these pro-
ceedings.
It is the Governor's wish that the coming conference
should devise measures for the introduction of lawand order,
and the establishment of useful institutions in native dis-
tricts, and it will be his earnest desire to give effect to ■ny
measures approved by the conference which appear likely
to promote the welfare of the native people and to
bring all her Majesty's subjects in these islands, both
European and Maori, under one law, upon terms of equality.
The Governor earnestly bopem that the chiefs and people
who are adherents of the Maori King will abandon their
present perilous position ; they will thou receive the same
invitation as the other natives of New Zealand to choose
some of their most respected and influential chiefs to re-
present them in the approaching coufeieuce, and to afford
assistance in its deliberations.

The Governor now states specifically what his demands
are :-1. From all, submission without reserve to the
(teen's sovereignty and the authority of the law. 2. From
those who are in possession of plunder, taken from her
Majesty's European or native subjects—restoration of that
plunder. 3. From those who have destroyed of made **ay
with property belonging to her Majesty's subjects, Eu.
repeals or native—compensation for the lenses sustained.
Compliance with these demands will satisfy the Queen
and har Governor ; no other demand will be made on
Waikato, the past will be forgiven, and for the future the
well onducted will be protected, otlenders punished, and
the rights and privileges of all maintained by the Queen and
her laws.