BAY OF ISLANDS.

New Zealander, Volume 2, Issue 73, 24 October 1846, Page 2

BAY OF ISLANDS.

By H. M. Ship Castor, which arrived from the Bay, on the 17th inst., we learn that everything is wearing a quiet and peaceable aspect. Heke and Kawiti had held a conference with Waka Nene, our staunch and tried ally, and the result was, the mutual interchanges of forgiveness and reconciliation. Waka and his retinue were entertained with the cus-. tomary feasting. Heke ordered three head of' cattle to be slaughtered, and the festivities, if we may so term them, continued during two days. Heke, we believe, has signified his readidiness to restore the horses which wece purloined by the rebels at the commencement of the disturbances, when His Excellency shall inform him of the parties to whom they are to be delivered. He has also forwarded, by the Castor, a laige hog, weighing nearly three hundred pounds, as a present to His Excellency. It will be long, however, before the unfortunate settlers in the Northern district will recover from the sad effects of the late rebellion. The losses they have, in many instance, sustained, have been exceedingly heavy ; an 4 the damage done to their properties has been often wanton in the extreme* The [[reckless conduct of some of Heke'a adherents is well described in the subjoined letter from a respectable Northern correspondent, to one of his friends here : and though we rejoice at theprospect of tranquillity which the late meeting and reconciliation between Heke, Kawiti, and Waka affords, yet, knowing the writer to be a man of unquestionable veracity, and sound judgment, we are not disposed to be over sanguine in our expectations. A rumour has been in circulation that

Heke would shortly visit Auckland, to make a formal peace with the Government, but we cannot vouch for the truth of the report. The correspondent to whom we have alluded, writes as follows : Wangaroa, Sept 22, 1845. Dear . « Your Fig trees have been chopped down with a hatchet— l saw, about the time the grapes would have been ripe, boys from the Karaka helping themselves. Hekes mob passed through and helped themselves, and cut off and left o» the ground great quantities of grapes. I am not aware that I saw a single apple on the trees after they became the size of a large marble ; a good many of the trees were hacked to pieces. John Heke has the whole of Wangaroa under his thumb; he has threatened me with a visit, the news which he may hear from the southward will perhaps ease him for a little while, I have no faith in any of his promises, he is the same Heke as formeily. There are among the New Zealanders, a set of bad fellows, as there is among our own countrymen, and forsuch the law is intended ; and until the law can be brought to bear on such characters there will be no security for property in New Zealand. A man froraTaha who assisted with Pona in cutting down the Flag staff, was helping himself yesterday to our Pigs. 1 think that our loss of stock by such fellows of late amounts to nigh upon £100. I am, &c.