THE STATE OF AFFAIRS AT TARANAKI.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume IX, Issue 480, 30 May 1867, Page 3

THE STATE OF AFFAIRS AT TARANAKI.

(■Wanganui Times, Hay 7,}

W> areat lingtH rtlurtautbr eotnpelled to j admit what wb have hitherto refused to I Tha ttnlnvfnn.iia »i is on tho svo of if not already so, in another conflict with the natives. Let our readers judge of the policy which brings about this conflict. The Imperial troops were withdrawn (from the southern outposts o? the T«rajssk: and no provision whatever immu€ lv * tswuug mmOcv OUfpOSCS OCCUpiwu |by any osher fore®, On the contrary, the ISt 0 ! trnpp cn .srilln-l ak oaraniv. efflnrf OMm< j and a large quantity of ammunition. Twenty-five militia men ware ordered !io oecupv Wares. and Stone p;« a . the key to the settled district 1 abandoned. Outposts held by 300 soldiers were suddenly left at the mercy of a vindictive and formidable enemy, and at the same time their friends at Opunake gunplied fay (ho Government with arms and ammunition. Mark the result. 1

On Thursday last, the Rev. Rather Roland, who had attempted to pass Opu aake on his way to Taranaki, was stopped by two armed natives and told that no European should travel that road. He requested to be glkwed to see the chief, when the vey man who but a few nay* previously had received supplies of arms and ammunition from Mr Parris, came oat and gave him friendly advice to the following effect:—"you see,” said he, "‘that empty v.hare yonder, go and sleep there for to-night, but at daylight tomorrow morning go back to Pstra; no pp-k-n i crai puss mis way ; vne country is ■ "■ , 1H ’ n you i--avo this don’t ut .i.ipt t S ') to overland; go to Patta, and (hence by sea. The inland road is in the funds of tile Maori,.” Un Father Roland arriving at Patea he found Mr Parris t -ere, and told him that the road to Tarnimki was in the hands oil the natives, and also that, rlis old chief,l Whemu King, deputed to defend Opunake, was in possession, and, we may add, with the arms and ammunition just before supplied by Mr Parris.

There are now twelve men at Patea, in charge of a large quantity of stores and other property. Lieutenant-Colonel Lep per has little over a hundred effective but rather discontented men under his command, scattered in twenties and thirties rover their own poß s and a few of those just vacated by the 18th Roy-d hush. This is surely a sufficient induce-: ment for the enemy to dotcr-nino to rake these weakly defended outposts in detail. Toe .Native Con'ingent have been struck off pay, and consider theraseiveo liable to serve no lonrev A early all the old fighting companies composed of Europeans have been disbanded, or left the service in disgust, at the treat meat they received, and, as i? to leave the datco more open to the enemy, SL'jor M’Donneli was scut to the East Cape, on the very eve of the withdrawal of the troops. ,

In connection with these affairs, It has come to our knowledge that within the last two months a circular note has been addressed by Sir George Grey to certain native chiefs, a copy of which should be called for by some independent member of the House of liepreser.tatives during the approaching session of Parliament.

It is now tune that the press of the colony should speak out with refcrer.oo to the management of the Colonial Defence Force. The Coventor and his responsible advisers knew tiiat the Imperial troops were to be withdrawn from the colony, they also knew that on the withdrawal of the troops the Colonial Force should be in efficient working order, and ready to occupy some of the most important positions evacuated. Has the course pursued by bis Excellency and the Government been such, upon that emergency, as to secure, in the best possible manner under the circumstances, the protection of jif* and property in the colony—cr, has it not been exactly the reverse ? A few weeks’ cipe rieuco will decide tha v question, and open the eyes of the colonists.

(Wanganui Times, May 10.)

In our last issue -,ve intimated that the friendly (?) chief, Wiliiara King, who had received seventy stand of arm* and a large quantity of ammunition from Mr Farris, had failed to do what that gentleman expected. We can now slate upon reliable authority, that the British ensign which was hoisted at Opunakc, and under which seventy stand of arms and a large quantity of ammunition were handed over by Mr Parris, has been hauled down, and the Uauhau red flag of defiance hoisted in its stead. Hot lung wi.l the Parliament and people of this colony submit to the uu-i warrantable exercise of authority wielded by such men as Mr Parris, and Brueauiwd' by such a Governor as Sir George Grey ? i

(Tavanaii Eercltl, Mcy IS.) “There is notabg which will do so much ,danus»r: i > .Ms p;-. v;.;;.-' m the eirr.uiaCion r.""4r-’ : ; ■•■•U’ 1 a pOslvlou wiieh, gi Vi« 3 stated in our last issue, is undoubtedly one to exalte reasonable apprehensions in some of our settlers, but winch is by no mejusi so perilous as the exagxrated fears of certain persons, haring but a small acquaintance with the native • ace, would suggest That our southern settlers hare no ado* qaato defence, is perfectly true, a«d we quite agree with those who consider that their coalition reflects the greatest disgrace upon tho Goremmout, wh'ch was bound to protect teem. Any one would: suppose; I that while an outbreak was still s vc y possible crest, ths Gcfsrsscbt trsaid hare

raised a colonial force ta overawe! |the natives, and enforce p* ace ; ia-teud of I | this, they prefer to waif and see whether {organized.' .Prevention is not only betha than cure, but the expense of conferring security on our out-settlers would be ah insignificant thing compared with the cost of the injury done by leaving us in our present defenceless condition, even if no

place, the Government will have good reason so regret their foolish economy, not to speak of the ruin which will again fall |upoa the out-rtißirints of this Province the same time we do cohnSe jtly espeer that the Taranaki natives will abstain from

cuipabte on the part of our rule ’s to build upon this expectation as an absolute certainty, and in consequence to withhold all protection from the district, it is far more blameworthy when persons are found who from seif-interest, fear, ignorance, or any other cause, will cry “wolf" when there is no wolf, and thus augment the danger of oar position by disgusting with their false judgment those who are well disposed to us, or at all events would probably remain inactive if they were but let alono-

Wo make the above remarks in conse qusr.ee of a report which lias appeared in the Wanganui Times, and which we publish elsewhere in full, stating that the Rev. Father Roland was turned back from Opanake because the road was in tee hands of *ho natives, and that the Haahau flag is now dying over the redoubt. Wkh regard to the Sr-t ic-i of story *he truth is : we stated Ir.-t wi-..as a port? of the reb-1* had come doffu to Roai’u ovoc Adam Clarke; they asked to be admitted into the redoubt, but consent was absolutely refused by the natives in possession, if or can it occasion any great surprise that W. King, knowing I that there was a considerable party of the | rebels in the neighbourhood, should jstronsly urge upon Father Roland the necessity of going back, or even refuse to let him go on. For, “apposing the reverend gentleman had pursued his journey, and, falling in with some of the lisiuhons, had met with the same fata as the uafkritunate Brody, upon whom would the [blame have been cast? Undoubtedly I upon the garrison at Opunake, who had permitted trim to pass unwarned. Vv. King did, therefore, but do his duty in persuading Father Roland to giro un bis [intention cf going on, ami far from this [being any proof of duafi'eetiou, it is strong evidence of his loyally ; and although, as the event proved, there was no occasion for fear, inasmuch as a few days afterwards a party, headed by Air Parris, passed trial way ; met a large band of the rebels, who treated them with civility; found all quiet at Opunake; anti came through to Taranaki, on the 7 th, without being in any way molested ; yet if the friendH->. at Opunake had any apprehensions of violence whatever, they were quite right to stop European travellers from making the journey. We may mention, in passing, that it is uol William. King, but Hone ihharaa, who is in command at Opunake; aad whatever doubts we may have of William King, h stauncher friend than Hone has of late proved himself, we halo seldom bad amongst the natives. The eeco..d report, published in the Wanganui Timor, of the 10th instant, stating “ upon reliable authority ” that the idauhau flag hae been hoisted at Opunake, will also bo found unworthy of credence. Tins report must have x-caohed the Times not later than the ;ith ; whoever brought it, therefore, can scarcely have left Opauaks later than Tuesday, the 7th, oa the morning of which day the party wo have above spoken of started from New Plymouth, leaving everything quiet, and Hone Pihama in possession. If, therefore, wo believe thri state.v ul, w.are also obliged to beiieve tnat the flag was hoisted immediately altar the departure of this party, that the inf-rmaut of the Wanganui Times was waiting ready, and as soon as the flag was up he started in hot haste for Wanganui, arriving thc.vi

on the 9th. To us it ot-rtaimy appears more credible that the gentleman, whoever he was, should be rather shortsighted, and that lie should have forgotten his spec, fades, and beeu unable to distinguish tLu British from tbo Hauhau flag. It appears, then, that this report; of the retaking of Opunakc is wholly without grounds. With regard to that portion ol it which is given ou Father Boland's authority, it is quite possible tuat it should bo substantially true, but even then it is fur the most part quae with the explanation vre have given: tuo impression, however, conveyed by the whole, viz., that the natives were h the redoubt fop the Hauhsus and not for the IQueen appears to be wholly incorrect. ! In conurnnaion of our opinion, and disproof of toe assertion of *he Yvangauui iiiiius. wo may state that a geuikwni'iw arrived in town last night, having made Itho overland journey from Patea u> ,'hw i Plymouth in and b;v: ;;■ , * ■

port th.it r. .- ' - - - ■—-w.j up «&.•,» irwui i'Htea, m lao fVguiirusuuil country, is, however, not so its] we hear that the surreys there hare been slopped by the Fatah; natives. ’Flic stbp* page of these surveys ;—/however, happeusi once or twice before without anything coming of it, aad we uo net tautk much apiMteimnaleu need bo ieit on tttw account, if only 001 union discretion i--ihowu Id feae endeavour ...to adjust- the difficulty. .

Tho confidence which ths Government] has placed in these natives is perhaps! greater than their previous 'bcSUTtCUrj could warrant, and tho whole of ins pro-] ceedings at Ope sake sr» without doubt a

most haztrdoaj the sacip remark being applicable to all tho arrangements made in this provbieo tour,, quant upon U:s wiiinirawa! of the troops;* but the result of these experiments, u- jusfc and wrong though they are. we are nos y»t ins position to foresee, and wo coml iondy exjvvf that it will be different to fhn* marked by the prophetic eye ot the Wanganui 'rimes At all even cs, up to the ofvasut lime, such {r.die&jloßa as . wis hare go to prove that the natives in possession as Opuasks will remain faithful to ns; they hare refused admittance to the Hauhaus, they hava given a friendly warning to a ituropean when they ihou'dir, ihera Waa loiue danger, and ‘Wthick tiiat they have a right to expect that these indications shad t-~ itik'ei: 55 eridcUvO iu tl-slr that raiey snail not he so tnisconstrusd as to be used against them.