Colonial.

Lyttelton Times, Volume IX, Issue 559, 13 March 1858, Page 4

Colonial.

TAKANAKI. THE NATIVE WABS

From the " Taranaki Herald" Feb. 13

The welcome intelligence reached Town on Sunday morning of the natives having left the neighbourhood of the Bell district en masse for the Waitara. This sudden movement was occasioned by Ihaia abandoning the Ikamoana as insecure, and retreating homewards unperceived. The rage of his enemies, on finding he bad eluded their vigilance, knew no bounds. They destroyed his pa, bullock carts, ploughs, and other farming implements by fire, and tomahawked his unfortunate pigs and left them to the flames. They then started after Ihaia, who, after temporarily occupying an intermediate pa on this side of the river, which they likewise destroyed by fire after lie had quitted ifc, is now strongly entrenched on the opposite bank of the river. The Kntatore party taking courage from Ihaia's movements have crossed the river and laid siege to Ihaia's pas and stockades. In an unsuccessful effort to take one of these on Wednesday. 3

natives were shot dead. Ihaia lost one killed. Firing is carried on with little intermission, but mostly under cover, and therefore harmless. The destruction of farming implements and oiesat Ikamoana was a wanton and cowardly business, reducing the sufferers to hopeless begcarv, and could in no way influence the matter in dispute between the natives. In addition to this Ihaia's horses and working oxen have been seized, and purchaser, amongst our own countrymen, are found notwithstanding the discreditable circumstances under which they are offered for sale. In reprisal, Ihaia has set on fire some of Wiremu Kmgi s standing corn, as well as a rick of last years growth, and since the example of applying the fire stick to enemy's property has been set it w.ll be acted on to an extent we probably little dream of. The Waitara district fairly promises to be the battle field in which the natives are henceforth to adjust their differences. Our friends of the Bell district are therefore, for a time at least, relieved from the danger which threatened them. Almost every native has quitted the locality for the scene of conflict, but it must not be disguised that a reverse to the attacking natives, who are superior in numbers, would subject the Bell and Hua settlers to similar annoyances and dangers to those they have already undergone ; as, with the exception of the Waitara and Waiongana tribes, they would unavoidably pass into those settled districts to reach their fortified pas, and not a dwelling would be out of range of their guns. A native, as experience has shown, will fire upon you, if your house happens to be in the direction of his gun, and we have likewise ample experience that he will use your house against his enemy for the shelter it affords him. And this will continue to be so until he is restrained from passing our frontiers with arms in his hands. They have left us for the present because one side has retreated, and they will resume their.offensive and insolent aggressions whenever circumstances or their own inclinations prompt them to do so. We therefore have good reason to rejoice at the serious and temperate view the Provincial Council took of native affaire on Wednesday. They were not misled by the circumstance of the natives having removed to a 6afe distance from the settled districts—in itself favourable to us; because the going was voluntary, and not required of them, and the return will be equally so if it occur. Whilst therefore the Council were willing to defer calling out the militia on account of the coming harvest, they were unanimously agreed upon the expediency of doing so immediately afterwards. It has been truly said that we did not emigrate to fight, and if we t thought the mere training of the inhabitants to the combined use of. arms would lead to such a result, the present measure would not have our advocacy. But we are firmly persuaded that it will prove to be our best safeguard against so calamitous an event. We admit that the measure is now forced upon the settlement by circumstances which leave the Council no other alternative. But did not those circumstances exist, tie propriety of training the Militia is not to be questioned. The Colonial Minister in discussing the subject of continuing military protection to the colony lays much stress upon the Militia as a means of preserving the peace even when natives are assumed by him to be tractable and subservient to our power. How much more necessary must be this precautionary measure where the natives happen to be the reverse of the Colonial Minister's impression of them. The Provincial Council met on Wednesday. The correspondence whwh has ensued in consequence of the address to the Superintendent on the present Btate of native affairs in this province, was laid on the table and appears in our columns. His Honor's despatch simply communicates to Major Murray the resolution of the Council, " That the officer in command of the 'troops be invited to intimate to the natives that they will not be allowed to fight on our territory and that its neutrality must be observed by them." Major Murray curtly observes to his Honor the Superintendent that his instructions confine him to the defence of the town, and prudently suggests that in the event of danger the settlers should send their families into town, and ends by advising his Honor to seriously consider the consequences of any act which would involve the Government in measures calculated to lead to an armed collision with the natives. A second despatch from His Honor to Captain Brown of the New Plymouth Battalion of Militia communicates the resolution of the Council requesting him to call out 400 men liable to serve under the Militia Ordinance. Capt. Brown's reply signifies his readiness to at once call out the Militia; notifies that Major Murray would co-operate with him in rendering the force effective, and suggests the requisite arrangements for clothing, arming, and drilling the men. The Council then resolved that'calling out of the Militia should be deferred until after harvest and the receipt of his Excellency's reply to their memorial.

We observe the following in th*e '" Home News " for India. "Lady Neill.—The widow of General Neill has been allowed by the Honourable Court of Directors a pension of £500 in lieu of the usual Compassionate, Grant, which, in her case, would have amounted to an annuity of £120, and % gratuity of one year's pay of her late husband's regimental rank. It is presumed that the children will have the usual grant of £20 per annum, and one-third of a year's pay each, but nothing positive has been determined. Her Majesty has been graciousy pleased to notify to Mrs. Neill that had her gallant husb: nd lived he would have had the dignity of a K.C.B. conferred upon him, and that she is permitted to assume the rank of Lady."

" Gen. Sik A. Wilson.—ln recognition of the brilliant services of this officer, we believe, it is the intention of the Hon. Court to confer upon him a pension of £1,000 per annum. Sir H. Havelock's claims will doubtless receive due consideration ; but as he belongs to her Majesty's service, the duty of rewarding him will devolve upon Parliament, and as soon as practicable the question will be introduced." From the activity displayed in preparing for the steam reserve the screw line-ot-battle ships Duke of Wellington, Marlborough, and Royal Sovereign, threedeckers—and Victor Emmanuel, Caesar, Algiers, and Hannibal, two-deckers, at Portsmouth—it was supposed that a Channel fleet, or squadron of evolution, was to be commissioned in the early part of the year. The Caesar and Hannibal are very forward in their equipments.