AUCKLAND.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume I, Issue 42, 26 July 1845, Page 4

AUCKLAND.

The Government brig Victoria. Captain Richards, returned from the Bay of Islands on Thursday. Before the arrival of the troops there had been an engagement between Honi Heki and Nene. The former came down on Nene quite by surprise, with above four hundred men — the latter mustering scarcely two hundred. Heki was beaten off, and severely wounded in the thigh, and was nearly taken prisoner, being obliged to be carried from the field. Night coming on deterred Nene from the pursuit, and from going to far from his own pa. The fighting chief, with some other considerable chiefs, were killed of Heki's party ; and some few lives lost on Ncne's side. Kawaiti and his tribe are somewhere in ambush, it is supposed, to be prepared to act as before, when the soldiers attack Heki. On Saturday morning last, the 14th inst., before daylight, the British Sovereign, in beating up the Bay, struck on Brompton's reef, lost her false keel and rudder, and damaged her bottom. The troops were quickly and safely removed to

the Victoria ; and the British Sovereign got safely into deep water by noon the same day. On Monday morning, the 16th instant, the whole of the forces were disembarked, and by three o'clock in the afternoon were at the Kiri Kiri, . were they halted for the night. It being anticipated by Nene that Heki would attack him on Tuesday, the troops were on the march early that morning for Nene's pa. Heki is very severely wounded, and his thigh has been much mangled by the natives extracting the ball. It is very doubtful, therefore, considering that his fighting general is slain, that he will wait to be again attacked by the regular troops — but will be conveyed far away into the bush. — New Zealander, Jun3 21. [From the Auckland Time*."] The Government Brig and the Velocity have come back from the Bay of Islands, having landed the troops, who are to establish, by a sufficient but long delayed expression of power, the reality of British ability to preserve peace ; — there is no news, unless it be to say that Pomare, with such influence as he possesses, has joined Tomati Waka, in favour of the English ; and that Hone Heki is fortifying his de-fences,-in order to defy the government power. There is a perpetuity of folly in all this, that must be obvious -to *very observer, unless he wear Exeter Hall spectacles. The inconceivable mistakes that have prevailed, and still are active in their influence, must, by this time, have gone sufficiently far to convince all others the most sceptical <5f theiv impolicy. Everybody looks, of course, with especial anxiety to the* result of the present expedition to the Bay, all are naturally* anxious for the safe return of their friends andiellowcountrymen who are engaged in it.; but there is much more than this to be thought of, dear as this is,-^namely,-<a final result : and this will be never procured till the British name and power is asserted and supported. "What a perfect farce it is to have Governor Fitzroy and Bishep Selwyn here preaching the doctrine of protection from his Excellency, who gets regularly whopped,; and of religious instruction from his reverend Lordship, who ought to discover that, with all his zeal, under the present system, his energetic kindness and perseverance amount to nothing. The natives respected and valued us, : loved us and cultivated our acquaintance, till they were taught by Captain Fiteroy that he had come out as their especial protector, and that he had no business in the land but to remedy their imaginary grievances.