WANGANUI.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume V, Issue 232, 27 February 1865, Page 3

WANGANUI.

Gkxeral C.urEj;ov. —No higher compliment could have been paid bj General Cameron to the Maoris than by his recent measure of calling out the militia. At the time he did so (last Wednesday) he had 2,200 men under his command and was daily, expecting other 400, which have now arrived. All the Maoris that have yet come across his path, estihiated by the military themselves (and it has been generally found ..that these estimates have vastly exceeded the truth), amount to 600, some of whom are most likely women, for at a distance it is not easy to distinguish the sexes, and the gentler portion of the Maoris like an oc-, casioual skirmish., it may, therefore, be fairly

assumed that the proportion the military bear to the Maoris opposed to them is as four to one and yet so pressed is the General for men that he cannot proceed in the campaign without the aid of 200 militia who are sent to guard the outskirts of this settlement. It must, indeed, be remembered that a large number of the soldiers is detached from the main body in fronfof the enemy. Not much fewer than a thousand have, up till the other day, been employed in garrison duties and outpost duties, in maintaining the basis of operations and the line of communication thence to the front. But even after this deduction there were two soldiers to every Maori iu the'late engagement., There are other posts to occupy. If the Wereroa Pa ianot taken, a force must be left in front of it. The extended line of com munication, as the troops advance towards the Patea, will require an additional number of troops for the various posts that must be established on commanding positions along the line, and ultimately when General Cameron arrives at the Patea there may only be himself and staff left to meet Colonel Warre and congratulate with him ou the successful result of the march, unless even larger reinforcements are obtained than have yet come to hand. Such additions to the present force, it is said, have been sent for, and when they arrive we have no doubt the militia will bo allowed to resume their avocations. We are far from finding fault with Geue T al Cameron’s plan of campaign. A civilian cannot be expected to criticise military operations with any degree of intelligence. There are indeed civilians as well as military men who think that General Cameron greatly overrates the power of the enemy, and proceeds with far too much caution and far too little speed. They are anxious to see a little more dash, and so much has the wish prevailed that it led to the rumor the other day that an officer favorably known here for his energy and boldness had obtained a roving commission/’ that is, had received permission to take a certain number of men with him and go where and do what he pleased. Such a step would be grateful to the soldiers, and we have no doubt would be greatly approved of. But then what a howl would bo raised at the next meeting of the Aborigines 'Protection Society! am! to pJca.-e them this disagreeable war must be indefinitely prolonged, peaceable townspeople must be called on military duty, and thus be put to great inconvenience, and the colonists must pay for all and be reviled as a set of mereccnary cut-throats. We are also just as far from finding fault with General Cameron for calling out the militia, it is true that this step stops ordinary business in the most important season of the year, that it reduces a working man with a large family to the last extreme of poverty, that it imposes a far heavier pecuniary tax on those of a higher grade than a war income tax would amount to that it deprives children of education ; and that, besides indicting all these and. numerous other evils on the community, it is the most expensive army the Government can maintain. But all this is nothing when a pressing emergency occurs. And'the militia and volunteers who have been nailed have gone to the outposts with hearty good will, those of them at least’who believe that, the present case is a ease of emergency. Thus while General Cameron by tins step expresses an opinion of -Maori bravery and skill highly flattering to the enemy, he also pays a very "high compliment to the settlers, in thus practically admitting that nearly 3,u00 soldiers cannot hold six redoubts • (at present there arc three, but there may be oilier three in the course of as many weeks) and proceeq against (Jut) Maoris without (he assistance of iuu mi!uia men. —• Wavgamii Chronicle.