COLONEL HAULTAIN'S SPEECH.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 14, Issue 697, 5 July 1869, Page 3

COLONEL HAULTAIN'S SPEECH.

The following are extracts from the speech of the hon. Colonel Haultain, on the Want of Confidence debate. We shall publish further extracts(ineluding the part particularly referring to this. ' Province) in our next. Colonel Haxtltaust: Sir, I was not surprised at the speech of the honorable member for Clive. I know the animus that that honorable member lias against the frovernment, and I know the personal ani mosity he bears against Colonel WhifcmoreJj but it was with feelings of shame and hu puliation that I listened to that speech. It ks been with feelings of indignation, Sir, that I have read in the newspapers state ments, many of which, I believe, emanated i from the honorable member himself, abusing Colonel Whitmore, because I felt that it was I who had subjected that "gentleman to the abuse that has been heaped upon him, by inviting him to take command of our forces, when there was no one else competent to assume that important position. I say that in a most noble and self denying manner that gentleman responded 10 the call, and undertook a duty which I believe no other man in the Colony is so competent to perform, or would have attempted, if invited. But it was with feelings of greater sha"me, Sir, that I listened to the speech of the honorable member for Olive, Is'ot one word of approval was perceptible in that speech. If Colonel Whitmore had beeu a criminal, the honorable member could not hare heaped more abuse on him, or maligned him to a greater extent. I regret, Sir, that I am no speaker, and I never regretted the want of power to express my feelings more than I do on the present occasion. I shall leave to others who may be better acquainted with the details entered into by the honorable member for Clive to follow him in a great many statements that he has made, and ff ill only refer to two or three points in his speech. One of the first I will allude to is the charge which the honorable membor brings against Colonel Whitmore, of leaving his command in the field to come here and be a touter to the Government. Now, Sir, does not that honorable gentleman know the reason that Colonel Whitmure left his command ? jJoes not every member in the House know that he was broken down by sickness in the field, that he was obliged to be carried out on a litter oy his men, and that it was many days before he was able to rise from his bed ? Even though prostrated by such severe illness, he made an attempt, on his way down to Wellington, to resume some of his duties. and go up to Colonel Herrick, at Waikari hake, to advise and to encourage him. but Was unable from bodily weakness to carry out that intention. He came down here, I have up doubt, to endeavor to meet some Qi the charges which he knew very well were to be brought against him. The honorable member for Clive has not only Maligned Colonel Whitmore, but he has also bespattered with some of his abuse Other otlicers of the General Government, Because they have zealously aided them apd assisted them in carrying on their duties. Amongst other things, Sir, the hon. gentlenan has accused Colonel Lambert with the failure of Tareha's expedition at Makaretu, because, he asserts, that that officer would not carry out the instructions of Mr M'Lean. I think tho honorable gentleman has not stated the case any more fairly than he did a great many othei oases. Colonel Lambert did not refuse to Phey the instructions of Mr M'Lean, On

the 1-1 th Nqvember Mr M'Lean wrote to Colonel Lambert, telling him to discourage the removal of the Ngatiporou from Wai roa; on the 19th, as the honorable member for Olive has informed us, Mr M'Lean wrote and informed him it might be necessary to remove the Ngatiporouj on the 21sfc November he sent Mr Hamlin dawn with a letter, in which he directed Colonel Lambert to order the Ngatiporo.u to move on overland to Poverty Bay. These were the instructions which Mr M'Lean gave to Colonel Lambert, and nothing more. Mr Hamlin, however, informed Colonel Lambert that he knew what Mr M'Lean meant, and that it was Mr M'Lean's desire that the Wairoa natives as well as the Ngatiporou natives should go. Colonel Lambert objected, very properly, to take the word of Mr Hamlin ; he made no objection to the Ngatiporou going, but refused, in the absence of written instructions, to allow the Wairoa natives to leave the place. Now, Sir, who will say that Colonel Lambert did not obey the written instructions of Mr M'Lean? I say. judging from the previous letters he hud had from Mr M'Lean, he had no reason to suppose it was his intention that the Wairoa natives should also go. That objection oi Colonel Lambert, I think, delayed by two days only the departure of the Ngatiporou for Poverty Bay. and they arrived there on the 2nd December. Jt they had started two days earlier they might have been there on the 30th November, but that, did not cause the failure: of Tareha's expedition, as Tareha had already been at Makaretu one whole week, so that the delay was of very little consequence. The honorable member for Olive has referred to what was stated by my lion, colleague the Colonial Secretary with reference to Colonel McDonnell and the retreat from Manawapou. That is another matter which he has not stated fairly. _ So far as I understand my honorable friend, he said that the retreat"from Manawapou had been ordered by the Government, but not by Colonel M'Donnell. Colonel M'Donnell was at that time commanding officer in the district. I am aware that he was ribscnt from Patea, and it is possible that he himself did not give the order, bur. that it was given by ' the officer next in corn mand. I have been informed, I do not know whether truly or not, that Major Praser states that Colonel M'Donnell did himself give the order. That, however, I cannot vouch for ; but the Government never blamed either Colonel M'Donnell or any one else for retiring from Manawapou. That retreat was a very proper one, and there was no alternative. It was necessary that it should be made. The Government never cast any odium.on Colonel M'Donnell, they never found fault with him, on the contrary they supported him loyally against charges which were made from all quarters. The have never reproached him, or accused him of any misconduct or any failure. Colonel M'Donnell is a brave, prompt, energetic officer—an officer who has done very good service to the Colony on both sides of tht island. The Government never wished to deprive the Colony of his services; he tendered his own resignation, intimating that it was his wish to retire. I know that he is aggrieved with the Government because they did not offer to restore him to his command after his resignation had been tendered ; but at that time the Government had made otlv-r arrangements for the command of the field force, which they thought would be; more advantageous than reinstating him. * * * The honorable gentleman went on to comment on the expedition into the Uriwera country. He admitted that the movement was necessary, but was nob satisfied with the time of the year at which it was undertaken. There is no doubt that the spring or the summer would have been a much better time for an invasion, but the Government thought that, under the circumstances, with Te Kooti in that part o' the country, they would run the risk of sending an expedition of that character, even though it was the winter season. The honorable gentleman said that it terminated by Colonel Whitmore's getting safe out of the bush. Well, that is a matter of congratulation, and the movements which enabled him to get safe out of the bush were very admirably planned and carried out. No invading force that ever before went into the Urewera country returned without suffering heavy loss ; but before our retreat was effected, a great deal was done. There were at least twenty Ureweras killed on different occasions:. that is no exaggerated statement. We have had exaggerated statements of natives killed on different occasions, and never more so than of those killed by the friendly natives at Makaretu ; that number has been estimated at ninety-seven, but we know there were not more than twentynine. In the Urewera country there were at least twenty men killed, and the women and children of a whole hapu, or tribe, were taken prisoners and brought away. The whole country from the Kangitaiki River up to Waikari Moana was devastated, the food destroyed, and the kaingas burnt and rendered useless. That was something to have done, and it was a matter of congratulation to have got out of the country afterwards without any heavy loss. The honorable gentleman commented on the difficulties we had in netting friendly natives at Napier to assist us when we wanted them, after Mr M'Lean was dismissed from his agencv. L admit that we bad a great deal of difficulty up to the time of that honorable gentleman's leaving Napier, but we have not had the difficulty since. We have heard a great deal about the influence oi the honorable member for Napier, and I admit that, from his personal acquaintance . with the natives, and hia knowledge of

their manners and customs, he has per- i haps more influence than any other man 1 in the Colony, but I rate that influence at ( very little. I look at personal influence ' of any kind over the natives a 3 of very 1 small importance. Sir George Grey, whan > he returned to the Colony, imagined he I had great influence over thorn, and what i did it prove to be? The only real influence i for good—many men-may have influence! for evil —is by virtue of the purse; that I man and he only, who holds the purse- ' strings and can lavish the money amongst '. the natives, will bo able to sway them. 1 Ho might as well say that men have influ- i ence over bodies of Englishmen, and can t lead and direct them in any way they i choose 5 but men will not bo led against c their own inclinations. The honorable \ gentleman taunted the Europeans at Nga c tapa with not having followed up the re t treat of the enemy, and with allowing the i natives to do all the work. There is no t doubt, that these natives are better bush- t men than the Europeans, and therefore c better able to follow up a routed enemy; t but the reason why the Ngatiporou were \ not accompanied by Europeans was that i they requested the latter to remain behind, e as they feared that they themselves might i be mistaken for Hauhaua and shot. I't ■■hall now leave the honorable member, i but presently shall have some remarks to make with regard to what was stated by t him and by another honorable member f with respect to the Mohaka affair. * * * The honorable member then wont on to i speak of Colonel Whitmore. The honor t able member for Eangitikei is not like the honorable member for Give, for lie did think there was something in Colonel 1 Whitmore; he admitted that he had plenty of zeal, but no judgment. I will discuss the merits of Colonel Whitmore r with him, but not with the honorable member for Clive, for it would be gall and \ bitterness to him. Colonel Whitmore 1 was an officer of high mark in the Imperial ( service, and had seen long service at the .. Cap;', whore, having been engaged for five years in warfare similar to that of New Zealand, he was chosen as Military Secre- r tary to General Cameron. lie was also c remarkable for his attainments at the Staff \ College, and of all who had ever been ( there before him there was no one who \ had taken a higher number of marks than r he had. We had no right to expect Col. t Whitmore to offer his services, for he was [ not an, officer on pay, but was attending c to his own affairs at Napier, and I say the i thanks of the country are clue to him for j, coming forward. With that high sense t of duty, which is often generated in the I naval and military services of Great Bri 1 tain, he came forward in a difficult crisis, f and he deserves the highest praise. I will t mention a remark made to me by the c Superintendent of Wellington, when I t told him that Colonel Whitmore had un- 1 dertaken the command. He said, "He c will never hold ; no man in his position ] wiil undergo the hardship and work he t will have to encounter." 1 am glad to i say that the honorable member was mis- t

taken ; Colonel Whitmore did stick to it. He had all the courage and enterprise of Colonel M'Donnell, and he was immeasurably his superior in experience, in intellect, and in power of organization. I say no thanks are too great for Colonel Whitmore for what he undertook and has done, and the time will come when the Colony will recognize it. The honorable member for J-iangitikei finds fault with Colonel Whitmore.'s tactics when he went to Patea. He favored us with a description of that part of the country, which I must say I did not clearly understand, though I know the country well, and 1 am certain it must have been perfectly unintelligible to those honorable members who have not an exact knowledge of the locality. He found fault wi'h him for leaving Weraroa, I think, and going to Patea. Have I mistaken the honorable member? At the time Colonel Whitmore took the command, Titokovvaru was on the Patea liiver, and it was not known whether he would cross or remain where iie was, therefore Colonel Whitmore very properly went to Patea, as directed by the Government, and brought up tha natives from Weraroa ready to meet the. eueinv in any direction, to attack him whore he was, or to endeavor to intercept him if he crossed the river. Well, Sir, Titokowaru did cross the river, Colonel Whitmore also crossed, and proceeded immediately to bar his further progress. I would here make some reference to the remarks of the honorable member for Parnell, who staled that Colonel Whitmore was mistaken in his strategy i that Wairoa was where he ought to have made a stand, as it was an open place. Why, Sir, that was the very placo where he did make a stand, and from whence he attacked the enemy. The hon. member for Parnell I do not think is an exception to the rule that civilians generally are not proficient in military criticism ; he has, I know, one qualification as a soldier —he has very great courage. The honorable distinction that he wears has been well and fairly earned.

In his speech the other day he referred to . certain domestic annimals, and I will remind him of a class of those animals who are remarkable lor their courage, but who are very deficient in intelligence. Now, Sir, the honorable gentleman has shown great courage in the way he has made some very rash and blundering criticisms on military ■ movements, but very little intelligence, and the latter qualification is necessary in . a military critic. Well, I said that Col. i Whitmore had taken up a position at ■ Moturoa, and attempted to debar the pro- ! gre&s of Titokowaru towards Waitotara. I The honorable member for Newton stated ; that Colonel Whitmore at that time got ; an awful thrashing although ho had 800 f men. It s not a fact that Colonel Whit-

more had 800 men on that occasion; he had about 268 Europeans, besides a force of natives numbering about 450; that would not make more than 700; but there were not more than fifty of those natives who went into action ; the others remained behind. No wonder that Colonel Whitmore was beaten at Moturoa, when he made his arrangements for attacking the enemy with some 7X) men, and found he had barely 350 that would follow him. That was not an awful thrashing, Sir. That retreat from Moturoa was a new era in the Colonial military history —for the first time our troops were taught that, though defeated, they might retire without rout and panic. That retreat showed the consummate skill of the commander, and was admirably managed —division after division was duly placed to support those that were behind them, and each retired steadily and slowly. So far from that defeat destroying the order of the troops, it taught them that even in the face of defeat they could retreat without any severe loss. It is such points as these which civilian critics are scarcely able to understand, but which would have been selected by a competent military man as a subject foi'jfavorable comment. That, Sir, and another movement of Colonel Whit more's —when he threw supplies into Wairoa just previous to his departure for the East Coast, in the face of a superior force, showed his admirable skill, prudence, md boldness, and the accuracy and exactness of his calculations as to the probable opposition he would have to encounter.