From the Correspondent of the Daily Southern Cross.)

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 82, 18 August 1863, Page 5 (Supplement)

From the Correspondent of the Daily Southern Cross.)

There is next to nothing to report since the Storm Bird left. The^natives are quiet: no one knows what the Taranakis are doing. They keep out. of the way of our bushrangers, and as active operations are suspended hen 1 ! for a time, no oiie has been down to see what they are about. A small party of armed settlers looking for their cattle, ou the other side of I3ell Block, fell in with a few armed Maoris, sup« posed to be from Kataitawa. The latter did not attempt to injure them, but said if they met only soldiers or " wild pakebas " (bushrangers, guerillas, or gorillas), they would shoot them — they did not want to hurt Bell Block settlers. I give it as reported to me. With regard to Hapurona, who is a great hand at bluster as well as fighting, Taxnihana says of him that he is like the wind, one d.ay making a great uproar and the uext he is quite still, you look about for him in vain.

A second party of bushrangers has been raised from No. 1 Volunteers and the Militia, under Captain Webster, so that now, including officers, there are about 100 in the most useful service. There numbers have thus been doubled but their efficiency has been reduced in about the same proportion by taking away from them the revolvers and breech-loading carbines with which they were armed. This is a very heavy blow to the men, to have their long linfieids given back to them to go through the bush with, when what they want in a gun is handines and rapidity of fire. Are the Auckland men who are to receive them more likely to meet with the enemy, under circumstances where they will be as useful to them as they would have been to our men ?

Diphtheria, I am grieved to say, is increasing. Two young girls have just died from it.

July 21.

Natives have brought in word this morning, that the Taranakis and their friends are busy putting in their early potatoes. "When t his is done they are coming to lay ambushes, and kill those they can catch.