THE Hawke's Bay Times. NAPIER, MONDAY 27th FEBRUARY, 1865.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume V, Issue 232, 27 February 1865, Page 2

THE Hawke's Bay Times. NAPIER, MONDAY 27th FEBRUARY, 1865.

Considerable fault is found by the Auckland press with the plan of General Cameron in regard to the West Coast campaign, and though a very great proportion of this is to be attributed to the feelings f <xd on not unnaturally felt at the loss of the commissa* riat expenditure by that community, we may believe that at least some of their strictures are founded in reason.

We pass by all that trashy nonsense that speaks of “ making an enemy where there Was none,’’ &c , as only worthy of selfseeking politicians here and ignorami at home, to iv 'er to what seems to have some practical heaiing on the question, and this it seems may he concentrated into two or three simple objections ; —l. The operations should have been begun at Taranaki, for there there were tribes deserving chastisement. 2. These should have proceeded simultaneously from each end. so as to divide the forces of the enemy. 3. They should he carried on by “rangers/’ who could light the Maori iu.the hush on equal terms. With regard to the first, we think there can be no doubt that the General was moved by reasons of sufficient weight. It would he useless to speculate on what they were, but as bis line of action has had the effect of drawing the rebels from their strongholds Hear Taranaki to resist his onward progress, we may be excused for believing that this was iuivseen and provided for. Time alone

can tell us, and will speak to its wisdom or otherwise. As to the second -objection, it may he replied that to proceed from both ends would have been to divide and weaken his own forces, though we believe that such was the intention at first, though, as it now appears, practically abandoned for a greater concentration of force at the Wanganui end. That he feels the need of this concentration we cannot doubt, from the fact of his having been obliged to call out the Militia for active service. Nor must we forget that many men are required to occupy .certain positions essential to his progress, and these are to be deducted from the force at his disposalTbr actual warfare.

To answer the third is of greater difficulty, though we cannot doubt that the advantages* to be derived from such a corps are as evident to him as to the objectors themselves*, and perhaps the best reply that can he made is to enquire where such a corps are to be obtained, for we must remember that the idea is not by any means new, but was pressed on the attention of the authorities from the time of the commencement of the Waitara campaign.

But after all that has been said, we feel that the summer is fast going—the Colonial chest is becoming empty —the enemy, from the culpable delay and, profuse liberality f ?) of the Governor, have an overflowing commissariat and are active in their aggression. —-the country is by no. means an open one, and that therefore the operation against the rebels must partake of a more rapid and decisive character than has hitherto been the case if anything like success is to attend onr arms. We trust that the Waikato scenes are not to he re-enacted —winter quarters, delay, and after all, another campaign to commence next season, and then ail too late to prove linal.