New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Wednesday, June 17, 1846.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume II, Issue 92, 17 June 1846, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Wednesday, June 17 , 1846.

Another barbai'ous murder has been committed on the Hutt. Another victim has fallen to the insatiable thirst of b'ood which distinguishes the adherents of Rangihaeata. The deceased, Richard Rush, was an honest industrious settler who lived on the right bank of the river, and was known as the Carrier between Wellington and the Hutt district. On Monday morning he went as usual to catch his horse for the purpose of following his occupation, when he was savagely tomahawked by a party of the rebels, who had returned again to their old position opposite the camp. The murder was committed within a few hundred yards of Mr. Barton's house, there was no attempt at concealment, on the contrary the perpetrators of the horrid deed exultingly told the friendly natives from the other side the river, " that they had killed another of their pakehas, an old man, and that they had better take away the body," — and afterwards commenced firing on the camp. A party of the militia repaired to the spot, and found the body of the unfortunate man, whose death had been caused by three deep wounds on the skull inflicted by a tomahawk ; his dog was standing by the body faithfully guarding thd mangled remains of his master, and it was found impossible to remove them without first destroying the dog. The deceased has left a grown up son by a first marriage, and a widow with four young children. Including the Gillespies, eleven persons have been slain by the rebels. Eight were killed or died from wounds received in the attack on the camp, three have been murdered in cold blood under the most revolting circumstances. And yet the authorities I

do nothing ! Now the settlers wish to know of those with whom the responsibility rests, how they can in any way justify their present inaction, when they see such lamentable consequences resulting from it. Is a handful of natives to be permitted to burn and destroy the property of the settlers, to riot in murders of the most cruel nature ? Are crimes of the deepest die to become matters of daily occurrence, while they sit still and do nothing ? They have already succeeded in impressing the rebels with a thorough contempt of British authority, as is evidenced by the excesses and crimes of which they are guilty. This is not a war — for the rebels have no aim or object beyond the gratification of their thirst for blood. A band of savages, the very refuse of the natives are let loose on the District to rob and murder without let or hindrance, and with an overwhelming force at their command the authorities look on indifferent and inactive, provoking these miscreants by their supineness to further outrages, while the settlement is shaken to its foundation, and the settlers and natives look on with mingled horror and astonishment. How long, we repeat, is this state of things to last?

The following report was brought from the Hutt this morning at the moment of our going to Press. Last night about midnight, the friendly natives reported to the officer in command at the camp, that the rebels had crossed the river and were blockading the road between the camp and the stockade. The militia and soldiers were ordered out this morning at daybreak to attack them, and it is reported that they were both driven back to the camp by the rebels, with one officer and four rank and file wounded. At the time the despatch left, a general attack on the camp by the rebels was hourly expected.