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Hawke's Bay Times, 10 August 1863, Page 1 (Supplement)

[From the New Zealander, Bth August]. Since the Ist instant, the date of our regular monthly summary, the most important military event has been the movement of General Cameron against the Native encampment at Paparata, a place distant about fifteen miles from the Queen’s redoubt at Pokono. The experience which the Maories have gained at Katikara and at Kohiroa, of the value of rifle pits, will probably put that style of defence out of fashion, and it may be some time before they will again venture within reach of the bayonet in an open fight. The work of completing our inner line of defence from Wairoa to Drury and Waiuku bas proceeded actively. The weather has of late been very bad ; the rain heavy and frequent, yet our newly enrolled volunteers and militia have laboured cheerfully at the work of building the redoubts, under circumstances of personal discomfort and hardship which would have severely taxed the endurance of regular troops. Young men in these corps, wholly unused to manual labour, have taken their turn at the spade and pick in trenches where the wet tenacious clay has speedily tom to pieces the boots in which they started for a week’s service at the front, and some have been obliged to do patrol and escort duty barefooted, or nearly so, and without great coats. Allowances must of course he made for many shortcomings in the sudden equipment and movement of so large a force of civilians as that which is now under arms, and the public spirit of our citizen soldiers has been shown in the patience with which they have endured neglect which the suddenness of the emergency, and the want of time for due preparation could alone excuse. William Thompson lias announced in terms the most precise and savage, his determination to take up arms against us, and to “ slay and spare not” armed and unarmed alike. In consequence of a warning communication addressed by him to the Vein Archdeacon Brown at Taurouga, the missionaries and settlers of that district felt that their safety depended upon flight, and nearly all of them have come up to Auckland with the Archdeacon. Humours of the intention of the Natives to make an attack upon the town have been current, and have had the good effect of producing a greater degree of watchfulness ; but no plan of action in which all might take their part in case of a surprise appears yet to have been matured by those to whom the local duties of “ defence” are entrusted; meantime, as our open columns show, anxious correspondents are profuse of suggestions to “ the authorities.” One thing has, however, become perfectly clear, and that is that it will need a larger force than is at present available to provide for the defence of the settlements, and, at the same time, to crush the spirit of violence in Waikato with the rapidity which is so much to be desired. With the view of obtaining volunteers for the Auckland Militia, the Honorable the Native Minister has been despatched on an embassy to Australia. It is satisfactory to observe, taking the Sydney Morning Herald as the exponent of public opinion, that we may reckon upon the sympathy and support of the people there, and that we may be able to obtain from thence a part at least of the material help which is required. Grants of land in tht Waikato country, from 50 to 400 acres according to Military rank, are promised to those who take service in the Militia, and a scheme of Military settlements has been published; his Excellency the Governor has given notice to the tribes who have taken

up arms that their lands will be held to be forfeit, and it is left to be inferred that the land for these settlements is to be taken from the Natives and confiscated to the Crown. The consequences ot the original error having failed to summon the Assembly as soon as the Duke of Newcastle's despatch was received pursue the Government, and the *’ conditious ” which they now offer to volunteers want, in consequence, the openness, clearness and precision which should characterize a contract so important. It should be hoped as each volunteer will be required to declare that he understands the “conditions” of his enlistment, that the Native Minister' will be able to throw additional light upon the scheme, for, studying it here, it is impossible not to see how much those who have drawn it up and who are responsible for .it, trust to chances which may or may not befriend them. The public faith, however, will have been pledged to the volunteers, and in all things lawful it will be the duty of every one to see that faith is kept. An expedition, under the command of the Provincial Treasurer, was despatched to the Wairoa and the Thames, in the steamer Auckland, on the night of Wednesday. The “ balance” of success is not yet brought to account.