NEW MILITARY SETTLEMENT TARANAKI.

Evening Post, Issue 75, 6 May 1865, Page 2

NEW MILITARY SETTLEMENT TARANAKI.

(FROM THE TAHANAK.I HERALD, APRIL 22.) I On Thursday last Major Atkinson, with j his Honour the Superintendent, the Provincial t»urvej'or Mr. Parris, and other gentlemen, rode down to inspect the land on the other side of the Waitara, and to choose a site for a military settlement there. After crossing the Waitara by the Hurirapa pah, the party proceeded to Wiiihi, and then turned inland, and went up to Tikorangi, a hill on the right bank of the Waitara just opposite Te Arei. It j is here, we believe, one blockhouse will be placed, the position being a commanding one. The hiily bush country which is several miles distant from the sea at Tikorniigi and Te Arei, gradually approaches in going northward until it meets the beach at the White Cliffs. The tria'lgular district thus euclosed between the Waitara, the hills, and the sea coast, is a valuable piece of land and suitable in all respect for a military settlement. It is exceedir.gly fertile, well watered of course, and with patches of bush in the land part ol it. No doubt when it is occupied another post will be taken up at the northern end of it, at Pukearuhe, or elsewhere in the neighbourhood of the White Cliff, and intermediate ones in appropriate places along the hills. The possesMon of the White Cliff is very important as stoppingall communication from the northward by the coast, and, therefore, will be an effective check against any incursions of Ngatimaiiia' oto ; so that the occupiers ol the block, some of whom will, no doubt, t>e friendly natives who have possessions in it, will not only be able to enjoy their own in comparative quiet, but will give great additional security to the settlement. We are exceedingly glad that a move is to be made in this direction. The news from Wanganui shows that decisive action is necessary, and at the same time is likely to produce the most beneficial results. The Wanganui Chronicle calls attention to the good effect which the occupation of Pipiriki has already had, a large portion of the natives at Weraroa, the fighting pa at Waitotara, having already made pioposals of peace. But there is another piece of news which is also likely to affect the " native mind," that is, that a large number of troops are to be sent home at onee — three regiments, it is said — and we see no reason to doubt the truth of the report. It is to be expected when the natives hear of this, their hopes will in some degree revive, and if nothimr is done to undeceive them, they will bj buoyed up with the vain hope that we are a111a 1 out to give up the object we have been fighting for, and that by a little more obstinacy titey will gain their point. It is not only politic, but more merciful, and in every way better not to let them get hold of snch a notion. And therefore we say that now is the proper moment for et iking effective blows — -tot one now and another in three months — but in rapid succession, for then the force of them is cumulative, and not scattered find lost as under the present system. The occupation of Pipiriki was and excellent beginning; if that is followed by the occupation of the posts indicated to the north of Waitara, and by the clearing out of Kaipikari and Kekewa, a main step will have been taken towards securing tlie piece of this place, and an important one towards securing the peace of New Zealand.