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Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 28, 11 January 1864, Page 2

( To the Editor of the Inver car gill Times.) Sib, — As Dugald and Pafc have not arrived here as yet, I a-jain take the liberty of addressing you, and placing you in possession of the circumstances which have lately transpired in this Province. On the 23rd instant, at two o'clock, about 600 of us paraded under arms at the various forts, and at 4 a.m. were inspected in front of the Militia Office, by the Beau BrummeU of Taranajti, Lieutenant -General Wurst, whose stentorian voice when putting us through the manual and platoon exercise, aroused from their drowsy lethargy the whole of the female population, together with weak little children, and defenceless old men. After parade we were placed. under the command of our respective captains, and marched to the south in quick time, and in hoavy marching order (minus grub). On passing the Oinata Stockade our force was augmented by the veterans serving under Deputy Adjutant-General M'Carlape, an officer of some standing and notoriety in this Province, whose presence was hailed with general acclimation and joy About Ba.m- we arrived at Potoku, and were placed in garrison to relieve the_ 57th, who were required for active service in the: vicinity of Kit i tiki, which the valiant Colonel Warre had arranged to have stormed and shelled that day. The preparations for taking this formidable stronghold of Maori antiquiiy were as follows; — Early on the morning of the 23rd instant, eighty rank and file of the 57th proceeded toiKitatiki, and were ordered to lay in ambush until, the pahs were attacked in front, and the signal for assault given, when they were suddenly to rusli. and carry | the fort at the point of tbebayouet; unfortunately, the ambuscade party lost their way, or were prevented by the dense thickness' of* the scrub from arriving in time for t.ie preconcerted signal. And when they did arrive, they were prevented from executing their orders, owing to ;; the - artillery shelling the pahs, which continued • from 9 a.m. to 3-p.tn., whenthe whole of the military volunteers were marched back to quarters, not as, conquering'Aeroc*, but, on the contrary/ireatfallen and h,ungry, ; not having partaken of a morsel of food since 6 p.mV of the previous, day. Upon arrival at hdad quarters at.B p-m., the volunteers were supplied with their usual quantity of JoriesV best Weiperi. From the foregoing it will be perceived that the Taranaki Militia Gommissariat

Pepartmenly is*; not; pi^eTof-J' the most efficient; ifer'ancV^'of the^p'ob)w^fry!ce^ Several of^ttier iniflKentiai -of including Messrs;; :SHute|p£ Haley Ttomson, • Jnckson, Allen, ■Dorii^ 4Delly,^;Gatrej;raijd , -Mr- M' Arthur, of-No.2 '' B^H.;*to2ether"witn Aijjutanfc-General M'Oarlane,; .Captain Staptt, and bis Honor the Superintendent, addressed tlie^njeetinar, and expressed themselves satisfied with the 'zeal displayed by Mr Atkinson -in the -discharge <?f his onerous duty in the Genera! Assembly. • A Teetotal A^stinanee-Meeting was held in the Town Hall on the. 22ndonst., Thomas William Shute, Esq./ occupied the .chair,'. ,and, James M* Arthur, Ejq;, the vice-chair : lertu es were_. delivered, to a -large audienee by Messrs M'Hale, M' Arthur, Burn, "Hum, Hunt, Cottier, and Alexander Wilsonj'Esq. - The whole of the tnilitia serving at the two redoubts were enrolled ad membera, and a. vote of thanks to the chair and vice-chair closed the proceedings. I understand that' Captain Mace 'asked* permission front the Ct>lonel commanding, to attack the Kitafciki pahs with his small but gallant little band, sixteen in number, but was refused. Mb Sukcivah, : N0.6,8.H. Taranaki, December 26th, .1863, , , . ........