THE NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, May 30, 1846.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume II, Issue 87, 30 May 1846, Page 2

THE NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday , May 30, 1846.

We are.well aware that there exists a disposition on the part of many to conceal the real state of affairs in the colony, from a fear that, if the whole truth were told, so great alarm would be excited in the minds of intending colonists, as would effectually prevent any emigration or influx of capital from the Mother Country. The time, however, is past, when any benefit can be derived from such a course ; for if we expect to have appropriate remedies applied, the whole nature and extent of the disease must be fully explained. We know, also, that there has ever been an unwillingness on the part of the settlers generally to express publicly opinions unfavourable to the first measures of a Governor — partly from a desire to give him a fair trial, but chiefly from a dread lest any opposition should render him less favorably disposed towards them, and less anxious to promote the interests of the settlement. But we feel that we have already suffered too deeply from allowing such motives to sway us, to be justified in being any longer influenced by them. For instance, after Captain Hobson had paid his first and only visit to this settlement, he wrote to Lord Stanley, that "he had promptly redressed all our grievances, and that he had in consequence received the ■warmest and most cordial support from the largest and most influential body of the colonists." Again, Captain Fitzroy also, after his first visit, wrote a similar despatch, explaining, that although his •" plain speaking" had in the first instance created some irritation, yet that the settlers on the whole were satisfied with his intentions, and that all disputes, whether between the Government and the Company, or the settlers and the natives, would be speedily arranged. The effect of these despatches (owing to the silence maintained by the colonists) was, that instead of having their grievances redressed, the settlers had merely the sorry satisfaction of reading despatches from Lord Stanley to the Governor, congratulating him upon his success in allaying their discontent. Now, however anxious we may all be to afford Captain Grey a warm and steady support, however firmly we may be persuaded that his only object is to extricate the colony from its present difficulties, or however great our reliance may be on his ability to accomplish it, still vre are bound (after the warnings afforded by the past) not to trust entirely and solely to the representations made by him to the Home Government ; for the^ amount of assistance given by thejxvto the i colony will depend on their-funy appreciating its critical stated ' Moreover, when we consider tha£ lsfe'Excellency left the settlemenJ^flJmost the instant the war had com<fienced, that he withdrew a considerable portion of the force, and that he persisted in leaving the Executive authority in the present hands, we can scarcely avoid coming to the conclusion, that he neither properly estimated the difficulties of his position, nor

fully comprehended the nature of the contest in which he had involved us. But more than this, as long as he is surrounded by the same incompetent advisers, whose hostility to the settlers in Cook's Strait has been so repeatedly avowed and manifested, we conceive that we can render him no more efficient aid, than by openly declaring the opinions of our fellow settlers upon all his measures, and by fully explaining the results of all his proceedings. It was in this friendly spirit that, when he moved the troops up the Hutt, we warned him that to hesitate was to court defeat ; that unless he was prepared to prosecute the war vigorously, and crush the rebellion at once, the consequences would be most disastrous. It was in the same friendly spirit that settler after settler waited upon him, and urged similar views. These opinions were however disregarded, and his Excellency was induced (whether by the advice of the officials around him, by the anxiety of the Commanding Officer to get out of the colony, or by the general distaste manifested for the service, we pretend not to say) all at once to waver and hesitate, and ultimately ; to adopt that temporizing line of conduct i which has since been most pertinaciously adhered to by those left in command, in spite of the most irrefragable proofs of its impolicy and imprudence. What, then, have been the consequences of this vacillation on the part of his Excellency ? The first and immediate effect was, the plundering, by the dispossessed natives, of all the settlers on the Waiwetu ; then followed the murder of Gillespie and his son ; then came the burning of houses, the destruction of crops, the spearing of cattle ; and, last of all, the attack on the camp : if to these disasters be added, that cultivation has been almost entirely stopped, and that the settlers have been compelled to leave the country and take refuge in the town, it must be admitted that, as far as this settlement is concerned, his Excellency has failed in his mission, and that his proceedings have been attended with moi-t ruinous results. Undoubtedly some of these calamities would, in our opinion, have been averted, had the plan laid down by his Excellency for the protection of this settlement (as explained in our last number) not been departed from by the officer in command- Still it is impossible to deny, that the grand and fatal error was committed by his Excellency, when he hesitated to follow up his first movement on the Hutt, and attack Rangihaeata, who then had not more than 100 followers, in apa almost without defence. To urge (as some do) that the force at his Excellency's disposal, consisting of at least 1000 men, was insufficient, appears to us tantamount to confessing that the British Government will be unable to retain possession of the country, in case Rangihaeata receives any considerable accession to his present forces. But we have been given to understand that, when the Governor was at Porirua, Rauparaha himself recommended that an immediate attack should be made on the rebels, assuring his Excellency that it would be attended with such complete success, as at once to terminate the war. As to the strange and unaccountable course pursued by the Officer in command since the Governor's departure, we are satisfied that iit will not meet with his approval. His Excellency may, for aught we know, have advised that the troops should, as far as possible, remain on the defensive, under the impression that Rangihaeata would adopt a similar course ; but most assuredly his Excellency never intended that the inpvirgents should be quietly allowed to recruit their forces, and to fortify their pa, without any attempt to prevent them ; he certainly never anticipated that they would be permitted to surprize and massacre the troops, to spread ruin and desolation throughout the whole settlement, without any effort on the part of those in command to restrain them. But however unpromising the present aspect of affairs — however great the sufferings and privations to which many of our most industrious settlers are now exposed, by having been driven from their homes,

we see no reason to despair ; for we are fully persuaded that his Excellency (to whose arrival all are looking forward with the greatest anxiety) will, with such convincing proofs of his danger and impolicy of temporizing, not only no longer hesitate to undertake active operations, but will also vigourously prosecute the war, until rebellion is completely crushed, and the settlement restored to a state of permanent peace and security.

On Wednesday morning, at three o'clock, in consequence of information which had been received the previous day, a strong party of Militia under the command of Mr. Moore was sent to the bridge at Karori, with instructions to push on in the event of their hearing any firing. In the course of the day his Houor Mr. Justice Chapman removed with his family from his residence at Karori to Wellington, and his example was very generally followed by the other settlers in the district, who had previously determined to be guided by his advice. It was reported that an attack on Karori had been discussed in Rangihaeata's camp, and though perhaps the danger was not imminent, Mr. Chapman felt that he would be incurring a serious responsibility if, after the information that had been received, he neglected to take due precautions. A party of 20 men from the Calliope under the command of an officer went to Karori on Wednesday evening to reinforce the Militia of that district, and a stockade will be immediately commenced there, as a place of safety for the settlers in the event of any surprise or sudden attack. The Militia of the Karori district will for the present be placed under the command of Mr. Moore. This outbreak has happened at a most critical juncture, and we fear will have the effect of throwing the greatest part of the land in the settlement out of cultivation this season, as it is impossible the settlers can prepare their land for wheat while they are continually exposed to the danger of a sudden attack, and in another month the season for sowing wheat will be past.

Great exertions are made by the troops at the Camp to strengthen their position. A breastwork composed ofl >gs has been thrown up, and the barn at Boulcott's has been taken down and put up within the breastwork close to the other buildings. The sentries have been doubled, and the troops are on the alert every morning before daybreak. The weather has for the last few days, owing to the continued rains, been very unfavorable for their operations, and the Camp is almost knee deep in mud. The road from the Bridge to the Camp from the same cause is in a miserable state, and nearly impassable for carts ; and something must be done immediately in the way of repairs, if it is intended to keep the communication open between the Camp and the Bridge. The friendly natives have constructed tempoiaiy sheds of the nikau immediately below the Camp, where they have for the present taken up their quarters. The rebels are still on the other side of the river, and it is reported that they are busily engaged in obtaining supplies of food, by digging up potatoes from their former cultivations.

Mr. A. C. Strode returned to Wellington with twelve of the armed police from the camp on the Hutt on Thursday, and proceeded with his party early the next morning to Karori to assist the militia of that district in constructing a stockade as a place of safety in the event of any sudden attack by the rebels.

Narrow Escape. — On Wednesday morning as Mr. J. Jones and another person were conversing on the deck of the Scotia, a bullet discharged from the shore struck the water and rebounding passed just over their heads. We mention the circumstance in the hope that officers in command of the Militia and Volunteers, will issue strict orders to their men that in discharging their pieces they will fire into the air ; and that the public'generally will be induced to taka due precaution in the use of firearms, otherwise we fear that some unlortunate accident may occur in consequence of neglect or inattention.

A review of the Wellington Militia will take place next Monday afternoon at 3 o'clock on Thorndon Flat, when the companies will be excercised in firing. We mention the fact to prevent any needless alarm from the sound of firing, to persons residing at the opposite end of the town.

A maori named Taraati belonging to the Chatham Island, was charged on Thursday, at the Police Office, with having been seen that morning a little after sunrise under suspicious circumstances in the Tinakore Road, but on investigation, as there was no evidence to criminate the maori, the case was dismissed.

A person. who had recently aimed in the Mary Jane, reported at the Stockade at Porirua a few days since, a fight had taken place among the Wnikato tribes about some disputed lands, in which a great number had been killed on both sides. We suppose this is the s»me dispute mentioned by the New Zealander, to which we referred some time back. The Mary Jane (a boat of about six tons) was last from Kawhia, and meeting with very rough weather on the passage, the crew contrived to make Mana, where the vessel ran ashore.

On Thursday morning Mr. Dun sent over ninety-five head of cattle, received from late arrivals, to his station at Wairarapa.

His Honor the Superintendent with Captain Stanley and Major Last proceeded to the camp yesteiday to see E puni and Muturoa, and returned in the evening to Wellingron. The result of their deliberations has not transpired. ,

Important News from England. — The Scotia, on . her voyage from Otakou to this port, spoke the Fortitude whaler, Capt. Baily, five or six days out from Hobart Town. Recent arrivals there from England had brought the important intelligence of the dissolution of the Peel administration, owing to a division in the Cabinet on the Irish question. Sir Robert Peel had tendered his resignation, and the Duke of Wellington had not been able to form a new ministry. The ports in Ireland had been opened for the free admission of grain. The confirmed insanity of her Majesty, as well as the idiotcy of the young Prince of Wales, was an important subject of discussion, and a Regency was talked of.

Wellington Savings Bank. — Dr. Featherston, Mr. James Dun, Dr. Fitzgerald, and Mr. It. Hart, the Managers in rotation, will attend to receive deposits at Mr. Ross's office, from six to eight o'clock this evening (Saturday), the 30th May, and at the Union Bank of Australia, from ten to twelve o'clock on Monday forenoon, the Ist June.