AUCKLAND.

Southland Times, Issue 979, 3 July 1868, Page 3

AUCKLAND.

(FEOM OT7B OWN COBBESPOITDENT.) June 19fch, 1868. The chief topics of conversation and interest during the month have been the goldfields and the renewal of hostilities by the rebel natives, but there has also been some political life shown. The news from the discontented districts are dismal indeed. Thfere are rumors of a threatening character being daily received from all the disaffected districts. I enclose a copy of a letter from one of the officers of the Volunteers forming the Whakatane expedition. It is dated from Ppinui, and : says : — " The expedition started from Whakatane yesterday comprising the following coi'ps (under Majors St. John and Eraser) — Hawke's Bay Division Armed Mounted Constabulary, the Opotiki Militia, the Bay of Plenty Volunteer Cavalry, and the Auckland Volunteer Engineers. The march was effected by 8 a.m. crossing the Wakatone plains and reaching the rebel pa Ruatohi the same day. Owing to the swollen state of the Whakatane river, the troops were delayed in crossing. When the Commissariat escort left the front yesterday, the troops were employed in constructing a raft to ferry them over. The rebels, who within the last week have been within six miles of our camp, have been defeated in a skirmish with the friendlies (when in search of missing horses) with the following loss : — Two Hauhaus killed, and one wounded friendlies, one wounded only, four others taken prisoners, but wno by great . tact escaped the same day that they were captured. It would appear, from information received from a reconnoitring party, despatched under command of Captain Eichardson, that the rebels wereimpressed with the belief that we were not constantly on the look out for them, as sufficient food had been conveyed by them to Puketi (the site of the proposed blockhouse) to last for some few days. Whether it was their intention to attack our road party who are at work daily on the new road to Puketi, or not, I cannot pretend to say. Prom the front we learn the expedition will move forward until either bad weather sets in, or their supplies are finished. The troops anticipate fetching a rebel kainga to-day, said to be planted with potatoes, &c, &c. . No doubt they have already been obliged to consume the rebel horses, of which there are said to be plenty. The camp Poionui (the headquarters of the Constabulary), from which 1 1 am writing, is in charge of Captain Richardson, with sufficient men of the Constabulary and a few Engineers to hold !it in case of attack by the rebels. Tonight, Sunday, I feel for my brothers in arms, as it is raining steadily, with every prospect of a continuance, and we have the advantage of canvas ove** us, which they have not. I trust the expedition will fall across the enemy, but, personally, I fear the rebels will not stand an attack. The news from Tauranga is as unsatisfactory as can be well imagined. A, trading schooner that arrived here from there a few days since brings information that the whole of the Tauranga frontier, from Oropi to Whakamarama, was to be " kati" during the months of May and June. This fine will include Puengaroa, Kaimai, and. the other native settlements visited by the expedition force in the commencement of the year.. Apa is in the course of erection by Hau-haus, at Tawhiti, in the vicinity of Pais Pa, now . garrisoned by a detachment of Waikato militiamen. A party of surveyors have also been compelled to abandon operations, I through the threats of the natives, and return to Te Papa. Two letters have been received by Mr H. T. Clarke, the Civil Commissioner of Tauranga, relative to the stoppage of the Waihi and Ohinemuri roads from the chiefs Pira Tiribi and Tupeka. They are as follows :-*- --"Ohinemuri, May 18, 1868.— T0 Mr Clarke.— -Salutations. This is a word to you regarding the pakehas who come to Waihi. Do not let them come hither ; detain them there. I am also remaining in my room. This Is the rule, the law proclaimed to Te Eaihi : — * JMend Te Jiaihi, cease your persisting to tread the road by Kahakaha.' Eaihi consented. | Now this is the example for the pakehas j [to follow] — do not let them come. Jiather let them go outside. Their room is the sea. Enough. 'From Piba Tibibi." " Waihi, May 20, 1868.— Friend Henry Clarke.— Salutations. This is my word to you. The Waihi Eoad is stopped, reaching as far as Ohinemuri. This is my word to you : if you hear of any Europeans who are desirous of going to Waihi, be you strong to hold them back. Don't let them go. Be you urgent in making my words known unto all the Europeans, so that they may know. This is all, from your friend. Prom Tupeka." Very great anxiety is being felt as to what will follow. Some are hoping that the rising will be very partial, and that with the aid of the friendly natives the rebellion will soon be ended; but the majority are not so sanguine, and want faith in the friendly professions of all but one or to tribes. The following important intelligence from Patea was received on the 13th June, in a letter from Mr Booth, E.M., dated Waihi, June 11:—"0 :— " A military settler named Sergeant Cohill, and two others were attacked while putting a log on a sawpit in the Kitemarai bush, and murdered by ten men from the Te Ngutu ote manu. An inquest was to be held on the following day (the 11th). The Pokahohi chiefs have tendered allegiance on the 10th, and have pledged themselves to protect the European settlers. Tangahoi and Tito, belonging to the Ngahuia,

have also tendered their allegiance to the Queen. The Keteoneta ratives have sent in the settlers, and the friendly natives think they (the Keteonete's) will join the Titokowarus. The murder was committed by ten natives supposed to come from Pongarao. Cohill and the other two men were just fixing a log on the pit when the volley was fired. Two of them were shot through the heart, and they were all dreadfully tomahawked. Some natives heard the firing, and the war party returned through their land exultingly. Some one took the intelligence to "Waihi when a party went out to fetch the bodies. The natives near Turuturumoka have pledged themselves to defend the Europeans. The authorities have sent to Wellington for instructions. Major Hunter has gone up from Patea with thirty men, and Captain Boss with twenty-five. This ( force will be quite sufficient to protect the district." A second letter had been ( received by Mr Parris, at Taranaki, from • another source, just as the steamer was ' leaving, containing the following :— r" The report of three men having been murdered just inland of the, Waihu camp is quite true. Their names are— Sergeant David Cahill, late No. 9 Company, Taranaki, military settler ; Thomas Squires, sawyer, late of Middle Island; William Clarke, Wanganui Eangers " The chief items of political news are the discussion on the questions of rer trenehtnent and local self-government. A feeling in favor of the County system is being displayed. A large and influential meeting has been held at Mangonui to consider the question of a change in the system of . government. : The representative of the district, T. Bull, Esq., waspresent, and Captain Buller took the chair. Some very able speeches were delivered, and the following resolution was earned, unamiously. Proposed by Mr Henderson, seconded by Mr W. F. Hunt: — "That, in order to obtain the emancipation of out-districts from the control of provincial institutions as at present constituted, it is desirable that a petition to the General Assembly be forthwith prepared and duly forwarded, praying for relief by the substitution of local government, in such form as to give the people the management of their own affairs, together with a fair share of the revenue raised within the several limits of the various districts." There has been an election for the Provincial Council, and if anything was wanted to prove that no interest is felt in keeping up the provincial system it was here supplied. Auckland has been long remarkable for the excitement occasioned by a city election, and I can scarcely recollect an unopposed member having been returned j on this occasion however, there was no opposition, and the least possible interest shown, Mr George Stains being allowed to walk the course. The Provincial Council is in session, but as yet the business has been simply of a local character, with the exception of a debate on a motion moved by Captain Cooper, for a select committee to devise machinery for constructing county boards. Upon this an animated debate took place, which resulted in the committee being granted, j Mining is steadily progressing although no rushes of importance have taken place. The reports from the Thames are highly encouraging, the reef claims are promising well, and fresh companies being formed. Trade continues dull, but there are evident signs of an improvement. «' ■