TARANAKI.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 40, 8 February 1864, Page 2

TARANAKI.

[iltOM OUR OWN CORKESPONDEST.3 * ' — — — ; . Tar tKAKr.'Jamiarj- 26th 1864." , On Tuesday last, an engagement took place between the militia' and the rebek at Malaitawa, the former were victorious, and inflicted a well' merited, chastkemejit on the enemy, lour of whom are reported to have been killed, and five w ounded. Some improvements are being made daily in the approaches to this harbor, but we are sadly in want of tome cnterpi'ising merchants, as well a& officials and other local authorities ; but it ib impossible (o obtain talent and ability for a paltry militia sub-lieutenant's pay. A vacancy has occurred in the "Provincial Coxmcil in room of Mr. Yems, resigned, and numerous candidates have ' already tendered their, services, - inuhiding Messrs "Weston, Shuto, Clcmenson, Jackson,' Thomson, Deeks, Donnelly, Smith and M'Kail. The weather J-s beautiful, and an early attack on the rebel outposts f ib anticipated. There is nothing of much importance here at present, but I think before long I will have home startling facts to communicate with reference to the administration of the military forces. A meeting of the members of the Mechanics' Institute was held at the Hall on Tluirsday labt, when H. R. Kichmond, Esq., was elected President, in room of Mr. Atkinson, resigned, having, as the Taranaki Herald of the 10th • instant asserts, too much duty to attend to by way of snubbing the thistles in the vicinity of the town, together with assisting Sergeants Slapp and G-arthew in drilling and training some unruly Sliotover boys recently arrived from Otago'. Mr. R. Chillman was elected Hon. Treasurer, Mr. "W. M. Burton, Hon. Pec, and Mr. W. Talton, Librarian. The following gentlemen m ere unanimously elected members of the Committee : — Messrs W. M. Crompton, H. H. Brown, H. Atkinson, E. Armitage, -M. Jones, T. M. Guinness, E. S. Atkinson, and John Forrester, ksqs. Messrs Guinness and Jones' are indeed a valuable acquisition to the committee, as both are gertlemen of very high literary attainments, having taken out their degrees as Bachelors of Arts, &c., at Cambridge University. The Lo} al ligmont Lodge of Odd Fellows held their annual dinner on Tuesday last, at the Masonic Hotel, previous to which 150 of, them attended 'divine service at the Wesleyan Chapel. , In marching to and from 'the Chapel, they were headed by the Volunteer band, which played in a very creditable manner. The procession, in passing through Devon street, had a very imposing appeai^ance. The men looked remarkably well •in their new uniform, viz. — blue shirts, wln'te trousers, and cabbage-tree hats (recently imported from New South Wales), and were much aclmired. An excellent dinner was provided by Mr. George, of -the Masonic- The health of General Cameron 'was drunk enthusiastically, as was also that of Colonels Gold, Pratt and Warre, but the toasts 'of the evening were — Our present Commanding Officers, Charles, Brown,' Esq., and his Deputy-Assistants, Messrs. Charles Stapp,' J. ' ,Wurst, and Peter M'Farlane, Esqs. ; which were received with loud and prolonged cheers. The Press was' responded to by the Editor of the Herald. A vacancy exists in our Council, in room of T. Yams, 'Esq., "resigned, <• and' .'a 1 r good inumbea of candidates have already oflered themselves, the most popular of whom is Thomas William Shutc, Esq., who is— it must be admitted — a very useful and respectable citizen. If elected, he promises the immediate repealing of all obnoxious , provincial and local enactment, such^ as the Canine Bill, which imposes a registration fee of dip. per annum on the owners of dogs ; also the Licensed Victuallers' Act, which is considered, obnoxidus. He' further promises his influence in opening up the roads of the interior^and the erection of; a jetty or, wharf ; the establishing of military, model and grammar schools, and the election of militia and other officers by, ballot. It is rumoured that this ' gentleman's election is safe, and the infusion of fresh blood into our-local' and political institutions is apmitted by all to be necessary at the present crisis, as the Old Identities are, in every' respect, two centuries behindhand, r. l „ _ , ••■•'. , Sergeant Gar,thewarrived herefrom Dunedin onjthe 15tti instant, in charge of 25 Otagonians from Dunedin, making up the total of his company to 100 rank and file. He has I held the rank 'of BrevetrMajof in the Papal Army. 'On Tuesday last we Jhad a brush- with the rebels : afc- Mataitawa, resulting in four of them being killed, and five wounded. It, is satisfactory! to J be j ( in a position of contradicting the various reports'so freely'circulated' with j reference to" the' pluck and bravery of 'the 'Maori people in'general as exhibited upon all occasions, when in contact with Her Majesty's regulars. f'On'this occasion, as also in various instances recently^ they cannot boast of the old s Highlander's addage/' The -wounds fl got, arc rrg disgrace man, -they're a afore my face man." The contrary has been proved to be the case with the rebel Maories lately. Our "officers proved' themselves to be the right men in the right place on this occasion. " The skirmishing and extending >at open order was beau tiful. The rallying and forming of squares exceeded anything* tliat I have seen or heard

of, as', there' was only a small dc£ijsgmept of our contingent in theifieldL The^fdl«fit Captain commanding directed' thst we irne\to cover the rear oi the left Hank, of 'the attacking party, but Borne of our boys considering this ' an insult to their corps^rTUsfced^out of the ranks^ and dashed through the 1 form irrespective of senile or brae,in pursuit of the enemy., About half-past6p.m.,the retreat was sounded the troops wheeled into sections of fours, and the. command given — *' march" atjesCwKf'^The mounted corps headed the procession, and^ was commanded by the gallant Mace. / Song* composed by lance Corponl Mcßail, of - Jf o. 6 v Company,- '- . Tttrehaki^MQitia, Otago Contingent," and>ung> by f?the, detachment on their landing and marching through the Town of Taranaki, on the 15th August, 1863. Tune — " John " " r There's two bnndred men all in our band Whi) are pledged to adopt," as their nntive land, The Oskuru btuck, and to take their stand. f -So the-Maories must giveswav. 5 , J 7*. -„ - Chortu.) V <-? ' Hurrah 1 hurrah P Taranaki*! * „ . Hun ah !. hurrah !; L , Hurrah ! hinjrah ! TariinakT!, t The Maorii-s must <»ive wav. , We'll stand to eacb olbcr, tho' we are frw,/^ And shew that our he irto are the real True Blue, And sorely make the Maori' a rue >- ; Our landing bere tbis «laj. Hurrah l.twr.--The land i< otir» bv erwy ri}»hf, , . And «o will keep it wiib tin ;irm ot n>i»ht, And if we inu-it, why, w«* CHn fi^lit. * • And the Maories must give wav. Hurrah! *c. '• Then ehppr np,' lads, and lenm y;»ur drill, ■ There's never a g<H«l without an ill, -« • And learn to adtninuter a "pill .'" jr « To a Maori in your way. Hurrah ! &c. ' When pence at last is once proclaimed, St>e what ndvantiiffi'* >ouliaie jfitined! ' ' ' A tomi .uid counlr} lot übtuineil, 5 '*■• And tlie Maories driven ■nv.iv. tlurrah ! &t. "