New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-08-20
nnrrISa Colonial POLICY.

The troubles in the EhBlsH Ooiohy Vi w"
Zealand. arising out of the instruction OF tRe
Maories or aboriginal inhabitants, present
problem. TO the solution OF which neither the
statesmen of the Mother Country nor the colo
NAL authorities seem able at present 10 ma
kew. These MaOries are remarkaDle people.
III; notional character is one of strange and
startling contrasts. Capable OF such brave anu
chiyalrous deeds that they are descrlDeu ny
some of their admirers as the n0DlesC ol saw
apes. they are addicted, nevertheless, 10 some
of the most revolving practices, promlnchV
among which cannbalism finds place IlleV
have a singular aptitude and some taste Tor
civilization, yet they cling tenaciously to many
of tbe orossest OF their old supersttions. On
one particular point they differ greatly from
all other savages. They have the keencst pos
chile appreciation of the value of the land, and
are extremely unwilling to part with It To tOr-
eigners. Many Maori landlord can sho" re-
spectable rent-rol with the names OF not lew
Anglo-SaxOn settlers in the list OF ms tenants
Some of the chiefs derive considerable rev
enue from the fees paid by the miners on the
cold. fields of the colony; and coleman OIL
cial, in a dispatch for the Home Government
sneoks of one or two Maories, inlthe nelghbor-
hood of the City of Auckland, who preserve
tbo pamo ON their lands, and, "like Highland
" lairds, let their shootings for the season TO
English sportsmen." In view OF this peculiar
trait of native character, it is not surprising
that the AnglO-SaxOn passion for the acquisi-
ton of land should lead to frequent collisions
between the aborigines and tthe settlers Such
collisions form, indeed, the principal staple OF
| New-Zealands colonial history, a substantial
balance of gain, however in the shape OF large
slices of land, always remaining on the side OF
the colonists after each bloody struggle. This
latest war is, like the preceding Ones fight Tor
territory, New Zealand for the Maori" being the
watchwOrd of the belligerent abonglnes' VINO
| have expressed their determination To drive
the colOnists into the sea if they can. The IN
surrection is not general, some OF the tribes
being friendly to the English, and others neu-
| tral; but for all that it Is formidable Inc
| insurgents hold an almost unassallaDle posi-
ton in the central part Of the interior, whence
they can direct their attacks at discretion upon
the weak points of the surrounding country,
and so skillfully have they availed themselves
of this advantage, that during the last twelve
months the English forces have been repeat
edly surprised and defeated; added to which
there have been two or three barbarous mas
sacres of settlers some of the incidents OF
these scenes of butchery equaling in horror,
we are told, the most bloody episodes OF the
Indian mutiny.
Strange TO say. this instruction appears to
have produced something like a paralyzing
effect upon the colonists, who have, in fact,
practically confessed their inability to cope
L., tl,, Vl.y Of ~
settlement, and for many years afterward,
| New-Zealand was strongly garrisoned with
British troops the number amounting at one
time to no less than 10000 But in pursuance
of the modern imperial policy of leaving the
colonies 10 govern themselves and defend
themselves, the troops have been recently
| withdrawn with the exception of one battal-
ion. distributed among the principal towns
The consequence is that the colony has to de-
pend upon its militia in fighting the MaOries
and this force seems TO be totally unequal to
the emergency. 1t is not that the colonists
are numerically inferior to the aborigines
On the contrary, the census of two years age
shows 21S,GsS colonists to an aboriginal
population of $3.50, the male Maories
being estimated at 1887 and the males
of the English race at 3l,929-a proportion OF
more than three to one in favor OF the latter
The cOlonists, too have the advantage of the
Maories in military knowledge, in equipment
and in munitions of war. Yet they are getting
the worst of it, and a feeling of utter despon-
dency seems to have seized upon them. The
result is that the colony is rapidly retrograding
in its financial and commercial interests I'm
migration has ceased the imports are declining
| D.,
exports of gold and wool have ceased to show
an increase; and in Canterbury, hitherto one
of the most prosperous of the provinces. the
annual returns from the sale of land are
scarcely equal to the monthly ones few years
back. Says one of the local papers: "Prop-
"erty steadily declines in value; old estab-
"lished businesses are verging on ruin; and
"men are leaving our shores in utter despair
Meantime, what is the attitude of the Home
Government The colonsts are calling loudly
for men and money to help them to put down
the Maories but the answer is: "IOu are vr-
"tually independent; the British Government
"has no control over New-Zealand; you must
Eight your battles yourselves, and not call upon
Gus to fight them for you" When the col
onists plead they are not able to do this they
| are only tOlu III Ieply, lhey Husl' Inc Case
then-and it is one without parallel in the
colonial annals of England-stands thus
Insurgent natives gaining ground; colonists
paralyzed; Imperial Government stubbornly
refusing laid, trusting that "amicable nego-
tiations" may yet save the colony. What is
to be the upshot? To say, rs some English
journals do, that the idea of failure to suppress
the insurgent Maories is too absurd to be
entertained, may be convenient way
| of Diminishing a disagreeabe question; but If