NOTES FROM THE EAST COAST.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 15, Issue 800, 30 June 1870, Page 4

NOTES FROM THE EAST COAST.

BT A RETIRED QITJCEfc. the Wellington Daily Advertiser. THE EXPEDITION TO TAUPO, 'Concluded. He seems all through to think that Jie knew more in Napier than people an the spot. During this time the men were very badly off, being as many as eight clays at a time without any rations except meat, and that often short. The tobacco sent up .thev could not smoke, though they were charged six shillings a pound Notwithstanding their having over 100 horses in the transport; corps, they could not keep us half supplied, The great mistake was in Ormond -dictating from Napier what supplies were to be sent'up, instead of trusting to the officers in charge. Again, he would insist on sending up Auckland biscuit, chough I told him of it at the -commencement. Flour is easier packed, and does not hurt, even when it is wet. On the 17th I was sent down the line to look alter the orderlies, and then to remain at Te Haroto. Up to that time the men at Poutu never had a full ration, and were about thirty-two days without any. On my arrival at Te Haroto 1 found that they had more than 150 hoises in the transport, besides largo .contract-- for packing. All this would have been avoided if Mr Ormond had not interfered, as he and Capfc. Bowers had the buying of them, and a lot of brutes thev were. I had not been long at Te Haroto before I found out that the telegraph clerk used to report tilings, and many of them being untrue I found fault with him The next morning he put the following telegrams into my hand:—"27lh December, 1869.--Mr Ormond—As my making reports apnears to give djssatisfaction to the officers, I beg you will cancel your instructions to me to make repot ts, for although I am willing to give every assistance, still 1 am placed in m difficult position thereby—G. Parkes."—"December 28th, 1869. Mr Ormond —I fear I was not explicit enough in my telegram last 3nght. I wish to say that if the reporting can be transferred to the Oiiicer Commanding I shouhl be glad. 1 Last evening Capt. Hanclley called it interfering with the oiiicer commanding the post. It is to save so much bickering that I send you this—G.Parkes."—" 28th December, j Your telegram of last night and ' this morning recei\ ed. I see no ne- ' cecity for cancelling the instructions i which you reported anything : of interest yon hear. The telegraphist in the Waikato does the same. The Officer Commanding the post has nothing to do with any communications T may make or receive.— Ormond."

January 10- - Captain Richardson telegraphed to Mr Qrmond for some medicine "for me, I at that time being very ill. The reply was, "Dr HitohmsjK charged five guineas the last time he went up ; was Captain Handley willing to pay that.'?" so I might have remained without anything if it had not been for one of the telegraph men who was going into Napier, bringing me some out. I could fill a volume with things that occurred during the Taupo expedition, all tending to show that Mr Ormond wa-s the cause of the failure in catching Te Kooti, as he wanted to be everything, and he understands nothing. With regard to the remainder of the expedition, C 1. M'DonneU's conduct ought to be enquired into, and also the death of Jervis Baker.

The following appeared in the Hawke'n Bay Herald of January 7 :

-—" Intelligence has at length been received from the Front, the rivers being again fordable for horsemen ; the transport, as was anticipated, hud been stopped. The force, however has plenty of meat and new potatoes, although a little biscuit is wanting, there is no great hardship." This is published with Mr Ormond's knowledge, and has never been contradicted.

The following are the real facts of the case:—Te Haroto and Tarawera, the two nearest posts to Napier, were two days without meat; Eiiftanga six days without meat, and

two days: without biscuit; Tol?ano» s'even da}S without rations, and three or four days without meat. This is the only place on the line that had new potatoes; besides this one stoppage, the men at Tokano were generally two days in seven without rations.