clear and full statement to them of the view which
we take of the present condition of affairs and of
the probable results to both races of a general war;
in this statement we must freely admit our own
weak points, such as the great loss of property that
would ensue from war, and its great costliness, but
it must also be clearly shown that war once entered
on, there will be no alternative but to continue
fighting until the Maori is thoroughly conquered,
and we can pay expenses by confiscating large
tracts of land. It must then be explained that we
perfectly admit that without a war which we in-
tended to use every effort to avoid, the natives are
virtually independent and free to choose their own
form of Government; but that it is necessary for
both races that they should establish an efficient
Government of the kind; and that we will allow
them their full share of the revenue for its support.

Many other matters would suggest themselves on
consideration that it would be right to say at such
a time in order to undo as far as possible the evil
effects of past insincerity.

Another obstacle to the adoption of any general
scheme at the present time is the critical position
of affairs at Taranaki. I would propose to obviate
this by retiring for the present from the occupation
of Tataraimaka; my reasons for which recommendation I shall presently give.

The following is a rough outline of the conditions
and limitations under which the independence of
the natives should be admitted.

1. The majority of every tribe (of sufficient size
   and importance) to choose its own chief Magistrate
   (or king) and form of Government, and to admin-
   ister the revenue allotted to it.

2. Any number of tribes to be free to combine
   under one sovereign and Government.

3. All laws of the native councils (or acts on
   specified subjects) to be reserved for the Governor’s
   assent.

4. All Europeans offending within the limits of
   the Maori Provinces to be subject to the laws of
   the Province and vice versa.

5. In no case the punishment of death to be in-
   flicted without the warrant of the Governor.

6. No land to be purchased from any native in
   the native Provinces without the consent of the
   Government of the Provinces, unless in such Pro-
   vince a law shall have been enacted and carried
   into effect for the individualisation of the title to
   land.

7. Except within European boundaries, no
   native shall be paid any salary by Government,
   nor shall any expenditure for native purposes take
   place except as provided.

8. Both races shall be free to travel anywhere.

9. The title of the Waitara land to be publicly
   investigated and finally determined.

As to the character of the Maori race, and its
fitness for self government, I believe the natives
have like ourselves, talent, energy, industry, am-
bition and courage, that we cannot develop their
good qualities for them, but that they may probably
develop them for themselves, if we will recognise
them as men, instead of attempting to nurse and
rule them as children.

The attempt to rule them by paid Assessors and
forced attempts at expensive cultivation, will as
surely fail with the Maories as it does with any
race of strong intellectual powers, as surely as it
fails with our own race, and the action of a paternal
government on the Anglo-Saxon as contrasted with
self government is well shown by the lingering pro-
gress of this Colony under irresponsible Govern-
ment, and its astonishing vitality and progress
since the Constitution Act came into operation.
The natives have given, in one of the road districts
of this Province, where they hold individual titles,
a proof of their capacity, by meeting the settlers of
the district, a smaller number than themselves,
voting with them a road rate of sixpence an acre,
and electing two European and one native as Com-
missioners to expend the money.

The strongest proof, in my opinion, of the natural
good sense of the New Zealander, is afforded by
the fact, that with all his energy and all his ability,
instead of reducing the Maories to the state of the
natives of Paraguay under the Jesuits, the Bishop
of New Zealand has only succeeded in deservedly
diminishing his own influence.

If some such terms as I have suggested were
accepted, I believe it would be found practicable
to consolidate this settlement on the North side
should the Waitara purchase be pronounced good,
by the purchase of the intervening land, if other-
wise, a compact boundary on that side exists; on
the South the Tataraimaka block and Tuakai range
might probably be exchanged for the Tapuae
block; further, I believe no difficulty would be
found in making it a condition of agreement that
all plunder taken on both sides in the late war
should be returned or paid for.

If some such radical change as I propose is not
attempted, but things are allowed to drift on with-
out any vigorous effort to bring about a good
understanding with the natives, founded on a
sound basis of fact, I see little hope of avoiding a
general war by any possible amount of concession
and delay. The natives all over the island are
fully prepared to rise at once if a disturbance in-
volving loss of life takes place anywhere, and the
state of feeling of the two races is such that such
an occurrence may take place anywhere, at any
time, and take the settlers in other parts of the
Island by surprise; added to this, is the special
cause of irritation in this Province, that the Tatar-
aimaka Block has been re-occupied before Waitara
title was reinvestigated and it was with the
view of avoiding the difficulties and complica-
tions thus arising, that I recommended His Excel-
lency and the Native Minister that the Tatarai-
maka block should not be reoccupied until the spring.