The Sun.
London, England, 1867-05-22 00:00:00

The New Zealand Puzzle.

The Times, in an article yesterday, estimated the
power of the colonists in New Zealand to defend
themselves against the native tribes, unaided by the

Imperial troops. The calculation is singularly un-
just to the colony, although we hold with the times

that the Provincial Government should provide
for its own defence. New Zealand consists of two

large islands, extending in a line, further than from
JOHN O'GROAT'S house to the Land's End. The
colonists mainly occupy the Southern Island, while
the natives are chiefly grouped in the North of the

Northern Island. By far the largest portion of the
European population have no more to do with Ma-
ories than the people of Pennsylvania have to do with
Red Indians. Yet the limes calculates the whole

strength of the white men as opposed to the
natives, which is little less fair than if the New
York Times declared that the men of Nebraska and

Colorado should provide their own defence against
the Cheyennes, Crows, and Sioux, calculating the
population of the Pacific States to be far in excess
of the native tribes. The whole question is a loc,d
one, which if dropped by the Imperial Government
may, with as much justice, be dropped by the
Southern Island, leaving Auckland to fight the
Maories single-handed. The figures, therefpre, in
the l imes are in reality worthless ; and the facts
given by that journal sufficiently prove this. If
the Imperial Government abandons the defence of
the colonies it virtually proclaims their indepen -
dence, for New Zealand will then have no
more right to be involved in the consequences
of an English war than England has now
in the consequences of a New Z,!aland quarrel.
The question is a very broad one, and, however sum-
marily settled by the Times, involves a subject of
grand Imperial interest. Dropping this for the time,
although we may hereafter return to it, we will
briefly glance at the way in which the original error
of the Times' article is carried out to the end, draw-
ing that journal into what it describes as a puzzle.
" The New Zealand Government," it says, " hesi-
tates to rely onlevies so insubordinate as the colonists,
for the shock of actual war. On this we must re-
mark that war in New Zealand means simply self-
defence ; that the colonists when called upon to
fight would be fighting for their homes and families,
and that to suppose they would mutiny or lay down
their arms under such circumstances is well nigh im-
possible." Now, the great mass of the colonial
troops are no more fighting for their wives and
families than the Imperial forces are, indeed not so
much, for- the few soldiers permitted, carry their
wives with them. They are men mainly raised in
the Southern colonies, who have come up for the
excitement of a spell of fighting, returning,
whenthey tire, with no danger whatever to
to their own belongings. Writers who know no-
thing of the colony are apt to make egregious blun-
ders, and to vitiate the real force of their arguments
by starting on false premises. We 'grant that the
colonists may have found their profit in a large
Imperial force, and may establish a drain on the
mother country through that nr.3ans. But there is
no use in misstating the circumstances and puzzling
themselves and their readers to comprehend a
position which is wrongly given, though easily
understood when properly explained. If the
plan of leaving those on the spot to fight the battle
were carried out at Killarney and Connemara it
would exactly suit the Fenians, who might eat up
the loyal residents. Could 'the Government of New
Zealand enforce the policy of suppressing the
.
Maories through the support of the Southern Island
who have no connection whatever with the natives,
they will not require the aid of the Imperial
Government. But this is just the point contended
for—the Southern Island dislikes being taxed and
their population drafted off for a Northern war
which does not concern them, as much as
the Home country dislikes it. 'When this fact is
borne iu mind, the circumstances are no longer a
puzzle. A. strong force is, however, omitted in the
calculation, and that is Exeter Hall. The colonists,
who, if left alone, will feel severely the strain of the
war, may adopt very summary measures to finish it,
and thereby shock the philanthropy of the home
country. We believe that the Imperial troops have
been retained in New Zealand almost as much for
the protection of the Maories as' of the colonists.
That these troops were all adapted for the guerilla
warfare of a most mountainous country, covered
with impenetrable forests, has been proved by
the result, and might have been known before
the trial was made. We are, however, impressed with
the conviction that the Maori War has reached
its end, and though the withdrawal of the troops
before it is closed, may establish the principle that
each portion of_the Empire must rely on itself for
defence, the little that remains to do in New Zea-
land, will not severely tax the settlers in those
islands.—Anglo-American Times.