The Sun.
London, England, 1864-03-15 00:00:00

matter of course, and, more than that, distinctly
and avowedly in the interests of peace, we are
quite leisurely, and with plenty of time to lock
about us while gliding onwards, drifting
drifting, drifting into war. A bold decision,
adopted at once—a resolute attitude assumed at
the outset—and the evil now entangling itself
beyond all chance of diplomatic unravelment
would never, we might almost venture to
say could never, so far have complicated
itself. It is the same old difficulty typified
in the far off classic times under the symbol
of the Gordian Knot—the:knot that could alone be
severed by the sword of a conqueror, defying as it
did the utmost skill directed toward ;ts disentangle-
ment by the hand of the diplomatist. Lord CLA-
RENDON'S phrase has, in truth, again become
lamentably applicable—we are drifting.

The intelligence which reaches us from New
Zealand confirms the favourable anticipations
which the news brought by the last mail encou-
raged us to form. The victory of Rangariri was
decisive, and was quickly followed up by a division
of five hundred men, under General Cameron, pro-
ceeding up the river in the Pioneer steamer as far
as Ngaruawahia, the residence of the Maori KING.
The General telegraphed to Sir GEORGE GREY on
the 9th of December to give him the welcome in-
telligence that the QUEEN'S flag was floating over
this cherished retreat, and that no opposition had
been made to his taking possession of it; indeed,
neither he nor his,men had seen any natives. This
is an important point gained, and the result of the
expedition proves the wisdom of the General in
following up his advantage so quickly while the
Maories Were disheartened and weakened from their
losses at Rangariri, 150 of their best men being still
in the hands of the English. The natives appear
to have been thoroughly discouraged by the reverse
which they met with. They had concentrated their
forces, and entrenched themselves in a strong posi-
tion with a skill which renders them no mean
antagonists in such cases. As it was, our success
was not achieved without paying a heavy price for
it, many, gallant officers and men falling under the
Maories' continuous fire. We regret to learn by
this mail that two more officers have succumbed to
the wounds received in that encounter. They were
Lieutenant-Culonel AUSTIN and Ensign Ducnow,
the former of whom especially distinguished him-
self in leading his men. The result of that day's
encounter, however, has been most valuable in pro-
ducing moral as well as physical submission. The
natives must now see how totally unable they are
to cope with English troops, let their advantages of
position be what they may. However skilful they
may have been in harrassing our forces by their
guerilla-like movements, they nsust be convinced
that, thanks to the flying columns inaugurated by
General CAMERON, and to the clearing of their
thickets by the laying down of good high-
ways through the interior, they will no
longer possess any advantage in that re-
pect. Tokens of submission have been re-
ceived from several of the chiefs sines the great
encounter. WILLIAM TIIO3IPSON, whose submission
is, perhaps, the most valuable, since the European
leader exercises great influence over the native
mind, sent his meri, or club, the token of chieftain-
ship, to General CAMERON, on the European prin-
ciple of giving up the sword. Another sign of
submission, which the English found rather per-
plexing, was a young girl of 12, sent by one of the
wounded chiefs as a hostage. To send her back
would have been highly impolitic ; at the same time
General CAMERON found the charge rather trouble•
some in the midst of a warlike camp. She has since
been sent to Auckland, and appeared after her first
alarm was over quite at ease. Her arrival is a proof
of the confidence with which the more intelligent of
the natives regard us, and it is to be hoped that she
may be the occasion of improving cur relations with
them. The old chief who sent her is her grand-
father, and affords one of those instances of
lofty courage and fortitude which excite the
admiration of our men in fair fight, however much
they may be incensed and disgusted by the bar-
barous murders frequently committed by the Maorics.
TE WIIAREPU, as this old man is called, was con-
sidered invulnerable, but we must conclude that the
Maori Achilles resembled his great predecessor in
some exceptional portion of his fame, for he was
seriously wounded at the battle of Rangariri.
Knowing probably that this would be a double dis-
couragement to his followers, in the loss of their
leader, and in the destruction of his supposed in-
vulnerability, the old chief wrapped his blanket
round him and continued to encourage his men
regardless of his wound. Four times afterwards
was he struck, and his present condition may well
be described as dangerous. It is to be hoped, how-
ever, that the brave old Tz WHastEru will recover,
since he affords one of the most favourable speci-
mens of the Maori character, and is evidently willing
to conciliate the English. The position of the
Governor and his assistants is at present one of no
small anxiety and trouble. General CAMERON has
probably had the easier teak of the two, arduous as
the military subjugation of the refractory tribes
may have been. His work, however difficult or
dangerous, was at least clear before him, but the
palicy to be followed in order to obtain peace and
insure tranquillity is still a matter of doubt and
discussion among the rival parties a., Auckland.
Some persons are so much incensed at the conduct of
the Maories that they are unwilling to leave them
enough land to support themselves. Others, again

are unwilling even to interfere with the Nana, or
right which the chiefs claim to the land as sove-

reigns. In this case, as in most others, a medium
course will probably be the wisest and safest, as it
will assuredly be the most just and reasonable. It
is certainly not to be tolerated that the natives
should be suffered to claim a distinct sovereignty
over the islands, or that their traditions and cus-
toms should interfere with Lona fide sales of land,
but neither is it desirable to leave them without
the means of providing for their wants, and
thus drive them to plunder and murder.

It is besides unwise to confirm the hostility of the
natives, just as they are beginning to confess their
error. Stich a course will ensure a long and har-

rasing straggle, whose worst tragedies will not be
those of the battlefield or the siege, but of the quiet

homes of the outlying settlers or the peaceable tra-

yellers in lonely ways, It is satisfactory to find
that all parties concur in the necessity of a general

disextearn ent of the natives who have taken part in
the war, so that those arms of which they have
made so bad a use will be taken from them. This
wilt of itself teach them a sevma lesson, and we
must hope
that the experience of all sides will not
have been bought in vain, but that 1 he unhappy mis-
takes and misfortunes of the
past r aay be avoided in
the future.

Mr. ROEBUCK contrived, at all events, to wake
up the House last night, and notwii tstanding the
sneers and taunts Which were levelle d against him
by acme, there seems to be a great di .al of truth in
what he urged. Doubtless the horr, and learned
member grew rather too excited in Ea me passage 3,
and expressed himself with too -ram, h warmth,
but that does not detract from the force 01
his arguments nor invalidate the tru th of _his home
thrtiets. The fact is that it is not at all ti

-Les COII-