TARANAKI.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 48, 26 February 1864, Page 5

TARANAKI.

[FROM, OUR OWN. CORRESPONDENT.] : j ; , V' / */' ,: ' ; : V ; : /Bth February, 1864. j Large .jfeiriforcements of the enemy have arrited from: the South, and an early attack of : soma-sort: ls anticipated.- It is ' to be hoped; they will not again deceive us. As a matter pf fact, ; we are sorely tired of playing tive Voldier)' arid/want something pf a more aninia- : ting description to , enliven us. Our picquets and guards have boon augmented, and I trust ere many days elapse we may. have an 'opporturiity of proving to the satisfaction -of our Taranaki friends, &o.j that we ara able to wield the rifle as well as the pick and shovel. The Wanganui correspondent of tho ABAerald remarks as follows : — "I expect you will have some more hard fighting in your way, as the Wanganuis have reached your neighborhood, and with the jSTgataranui and Tarariakis will muster.Bsp strong on the south side s of your posts ; while VNgatiawas, Ngatiamuarius, and a portion of the JNgataruanui wtll menace you on the north with*2so. It is said that a preconcerted attack oii the tbwn -.vill take place this week, and you had better be on the alert." Some shots had been fired at the sentries at Omata and Fort Robert on Tuesday last, but fortunately without effect. Mr. Weston has been returned as a member of the Provincial Council on Friday last, in room of Ycms, resigned. The other candidate, Thomas W. Shute, withdrew from the contest. The beef issued by the contractor to members of the Otago 'Contingent, latterly, has been of a very inferior description (imagine, supplying respectable yeomen with strangulated nieat)— -no better than horse carrion, and what is more singular, the authorities consider it sufficiently good for their digestion, consequently we must follow the example setby the master of Eokefield, " bide our time." Indeed, one of oiu* very " superior officers," when remonstrated with on account of the inferiority of this article of food, was known to have admitted, " I have often eaten dead mutton, and was only too glad to be able to procure it." The following rather novel effusion appeared in the ABAerald of the 30th ult., having reference to a commission issued to a Mr. Harlcy, ex-beer-factor of Nelson :—" We observe that Mr. Arthur Harley, of Nelson, has been appointed Ensign in the Taranaki Militia, and we call attention to the fact, because we thiuk^the principle upon which he has been appointed is objectionable. We have nothing to say against Mr. Harley, because wo know nothing of him, and we are quite willing to suppose' that his natural fitness is as great as any one here. Tiiat he has come from Nelson is in itself a great recommendation, remembering the debt which we all owe to the people of that place, for then* more than hospitable reception of our refugees in 1860, and we speak only therefore lest the case should become a precedent. There are many young men here who, besides possessing the necessary ability, have two other necessary qualifications specially necessary in officers. When the men they are to command are without theni, as is necessarily tho ease with the new levies. With few exceptions, the whole of the men of this place may be said to have been under arms for the last four years, nor have they ever shrunk from dangerous and difficult duties, and it certainly only seems fan.' that such small rewards as the few commissions which have to be bestowed, should fall to their lot. There are, too, among the volunteers from Otago, many capable and deserving men who certainly have a prior claim to strangers. " It is very true that we know nothing of Mr. Harley's fitness for office save that he is at present one of Mr. Instructor Pennington's pupils, and will possibly be elevated to the second squad ere many weeks transpire ; however, it is well known that his father is the Nelson political Brewer, a most particular friend of our War Minister's. There are men in the Taranaki militia and volnnteers who are fit to command and have commanded men when Master Harley was very possibly playing the truant in the viciuity of his father's duck-pond. This young gentleman has been attached to No. 7 Company of the Otago Contingent and placed over the heads of Messrs. Dalrymple, Kussell, &c., officers of long standing in the Colonies. It is a shame ; and were Mr. Harley possessed of the spirit of an English gentleman, he would independently and immediately resign his commission into the hands of the Hon. Mr. Russell, from whom it must have been surreptitiously obtained. His appointment is an insult to the whole of us. Mr. Carthew has also received a commission as Captain, o ving to some such influence as Harley's, to which he may have had no claim whatever. In fact, had the rules of the service been carried into effect Ms age alone would have incapacitated him from holding office in our ranks even as au ordinary member. Such is not to be wondered at, as the policy of our present rulers is strange and mysterious, but as Colonel Warre, C. 8., has written a very interesting pamphlet on New Zealand, its occupation and defence against Native aggression, it is to be hoped he will also take cognizance ofthe evils existing in our militia arrangements, and cause a remodelling ofthe corps, and a strict investigation into the accuracy of the reports contained in tliis as well in previous communications, which woidd in my opinion be of far greater utility and more beneficial to the community at large than his promising pamphleteering ebullition. A bazaar, or fancy fan*, was held on Wednesday and Thursday last at the Masonic Hall, the object of which was to raise the necessary funds to purchase an organ for St. Mary's Evangelical Church. The undertaking and the manner in which it was carried outreflects great credit on the ladie3 of Taranaki, and it is to be regretted that some of our authorities were so far deficient of thorough religious and moral feelings as to refuse countenancing or supporting so truly laudable an object ; but' we are all military men here, and smack strongly of the feelings of Commodore Trunnion on such subjects. A new fort or fortification has been erected at the Colonial hospital by the Otago contingent. It is named Fort Hammerton, in appreciation of the thorough officer-like conduct and general demeanour of the officer commanding this outpost — R. C. Hamilton, Esq. The ceremony of baptising the fort was performed in the usual manner by Mr. Thomas Jackson, our Militia • Secretary, and the | manner in wliich the works have been completed entitle our Otagonians to the good opinion of our townsmen, as they have displayed an unusual amount of engineering •■'capability in the arrangement and completion r of the works. V ' We are daily in expectation of the arrival among us of at least six hundred volxinteers from Melbourne, whose presence will be hailed with general satisfaction and pleasure, as it is high time to enliven the ideas ! of Oiir " old Identity," and if report be true, as you will perceive in the Argus of 22ml January, we may expect some men "of integrity, intelligence and worth amongst their number. A friendly game' Of cricket was played on Friday, oh the race-course ■■"ground;, near Fort ! Cameron, betwecri. Eleven of Ko. 7 coriipany, Tarariaki Militia, arid ; ah Eleven; of ; No. 6, including .one or two of tho .town cracks. The -game was won by No. 6i who/had aiji • r their work to do; although No: 7 are qnly* -colts. The return match -will be played next ■Saturday, -on the same ground, and; attracts a : fgreat'deal of attention arid excitement ariiorigst the militia companies. ■-". The result of -the . return match I will let you know in my next communication.