THE MAORI NAVAL RESOURCES.

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 90, 15 September 1863, Page 5 (Supplement)

THE MAORI NAVAL RESOURCES.

(Feom the New' Zealdnier.) The Miranda lias" arrived ' 'in the' Waitemata- from the - Manukau, and has took up the berth vacated the previous day by .the Eclipse^ which had taken her departure for SyßheyV The arrival of this vessel in harbor is most opportune, as from information received from the Thames district, it is said, that tlie idea of a combined attack- upon Auckland is not only still cherished, but that the main attack is intended to be made by water, for which purpose a large number of canoes are held in readiness. When it was announced that the steamers Auckland and Sandfly wereabouttornakean excursion towardsthe Tham es and Wa ir oa d istricts.it was general ly believed that the main object of the expedition was to capture the canoes of those natives, who, it was said in abetter received by the Governor from Tairia, had openly declared against us. No such attack was made—no search for the enemy's fleet was even undertaken. Indeed,- vessels such as these steamers are could not of themselves have penetrated tbe narrow creeks up which the canoes would most probably be hauled, run on shore, and made secure undercover inthe flax bushes and other shelter. To talk of there being no canoes, because tlie Sandfly or other vessels have not seen them, is simply nonsense, inasmuch as no such search, in these waters, has yet been made. Some of our readers will remember the landing, during Governor Grey's former administration, of a hi rge body of natives in Mechanics' Bay, from which they were summarily expelled by Sir George, and will also rena ember their departure to Orak-ai Bay, and yot in passing the Orakei Beach "by water in a boat, it was, we recollect, impossible to perceive any canoes, so snugly were they hauled vp — bat, nevertheless, it was Well known that they were there. What are the Coast Guards' men or Naval Volunteers for I we ask, unless they are to be constantly employed by night in cruising in serviceable row-boats along the shores of the Waitemata, and at intervals in penetrating the numberless creeks which form the tributary streams of the Thames and Piako rivers. There they would find the canoes, on the existence *of wliich ignorant men, who profess to guide public opinion, timidly but gravely attempt to throw doubts. That these canoes should be captured is the general opinion entertained by .those of the Auckland public whose r*esidence in New Zealand has been sufficiently long, and whose knowledge of native resources in these matters is sufficient Jo enable them to form a correct judgment on the subject, and is equally the opinion of some of the JN'aval Volunteers themselves, who would gladly rally for such an expedition as more suited to their habits and skill, than in natroling the bye-roads of the town. As ti< the arrant ignorance of those wlio say, '• Where are these canoes by which that threatened attack could be made A— let us ask. where do the war canoes, capable of carrying sixty or seventy men, which have appeared at our Auckland regatta, come f.'om ? And where did th- scores of Jlarge canoes, which on more peaceful days might have been seen at one and the same time beached.in our numerous bays, come from I Why, from where they now are — from the creeks and tributaries of tbo Piako and Upper Thames. They have not, we know, been taken by our poople, nor is it likely they have been destroyed by their owners. It will not be for the want of canoes, capacious enough far the conveyance of as many men as have been set apart for carrying out the design of attacking the city — a design well known to have been long contemplated although not yet attempted to be carried into execution — that the Maovies will be prevented from reaching Auckland. Wo haye be«--n well informed on this point by those best competent to yive reliable information. Our aim has been to avert, if po*sible, the carrying out of such a purpose — and now, wheu the sisns of evil designs are becoming so unmistalceable, we feel that we should be wanting in our duty as public journalists were we to hold back warnings of dangers which, we believe, are so necessary to be guarded against