WANGANUI — THE WAR.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 13, Issue 649, 21 January 1869, Page 3

WANGANUI THE WAR.

{From the Wanganui Chronicle, 14th January.) On Tuesday evening there was an unwonted stir in the camp at Westmere. Something was going to be done or attempted at last; and about six o’clock 200 men, in charge of Major Gumming, and accompanied by two field pieces, marched for Nukumaru. This advance party received orders carefully to reconnoitre—and of course much will depend upon the report their officers may give in. Colonel Lyon and another detachment of the force started this morning. The two cavalry troops had previously gone on before, and if nothing can be done at Nukumaru, we understand that, leaving the constabulary to return to Westmere, Colonel Lyon arid the cavaliy will proceed to Patea ami see if they can find any work in that district. Major Edwards also proceeds with the cavalry to Patea on his Manutahi enquiry. The men composing the detachment, which started on Tuesday evening, were generally speaking stout stalwart fellows. Some few of them made a little more noise than was necessary about receiving their pay, but these were rare exceptions, and on the whole they went off apparently in good heart. When fairly on the march their comrades gave them a ringing ciieer by way of parting. The doctors have been making a raid among the newly enrolled men of the force—men chiefly from Melbourne : and the West Coast. About fifty of 1 them have been discharged on account of permanent and organic disease of ' one kind or another. It was too bad ' of the officers entrusted with the en- ; rolling of constabulary to have exercised 1 so little pains in selection. No doubt [ a few unhealthy subjects might pass, even after strict scrutiny, but this per- 1 rentage is much too large and the re- 1 suit of conveying men here and then lurning them adrift is both expensive to the Government and unpleasant to the settlers of the district.