LATEST FROM THE NORTH.

Southland Times, Issue 1070, 9 December 1868, Page 3

LATEST FROM THE NORTH.

The following telegraphic despatches appear in the Dunedin ' Daily Times ': — Wellington, December 2nd. In consequence of the deficient attendance of officers at officers' drill, a circular is to be issued requiring their attendance or the resignation of their commissions. Although the Lady Bird was lying in the river at Wanganui, the townspeople were not aware up to Monday morning, when the mail left, of the iutended (

-_DK«B-B_--M---M«S_---BMWMSMMWSMiMBMiM«»» M "* aBMM^* gl^^^^^^^T removal of the Constabulary. The -._:u_2;;ii.ira had arrived from Auckland, and was detained' by the authorities to __._)'_. in the removal. The West Coast Constabulary, all told, nuuib'er about 800, of whom 250 are stationed nt Patea and Wairoa, aud the remainder, including the cavalry, at Kai Iw . . . A postscript to a priv.ite letter received here 'announces that Tl.o Kowaru had just made his appearance close to the Kai Iwi stream. Both forces were in sight of each other, and skirmishing was going on. The accounts from Raugitikei and other places along the cost are reassuring; so much so, that M. Chevalier starts thither to-morrow for the purpose of sketching, taking with him introductions to several of the principal chiefs. 605 " wives, mothers, and daughters of , Wanganui settlers," have sent the Governor a petition, requesting him to for- i ward it to the Queen. It concludes by I entreating Her Majesty "to avert the • the extinction of ourselves and those daerest to us, under circumstances equal to, if not exceeding, the barbarities perpetrated in the Poverty Bay district. Your memorialists humbly supplicate your Majesty direct, that the efforts ol this loyal and well-affected district, and of the whole Island, may be speedily supplemented by the aid of Imperial troops." No news has been received from Patea for a long while, the Sturt having made four unsuccessful attempts to get there. The cavalry party which lately went as far as Wairoa, were to start again shortly. Private telegrams from IS. apier are by | no means hopeful that the proposed removal of the Constabulary to the East Coast will do any good, a strong prejudice being felt against Colonel Whitmore as a commander. The total number of the Constabulary now in the Colony is 1,200.

Napier, Dec. 2nd A skirmish has taken place between the escort and a foraging party of Hauhaus. One of the enemy was killed, and 50 horses, 1,000 rounds of ammuiiition, and seven cases of biscuits recaptured. The Wairoa Contingent arrived here on Monday, and proceeded to the Front on Tuesday. Cavalry to the number of 62, for escort duty, have arrived here. People here are amazed at the withdrawal of the force from Wanganui, and still more at Colonel Whitmore's coming. The Ahuriri, with Mr Richmond and the Volunteers from the South on board, has sailed for Poverty Bay. All is quite in the Waikato as yet. Wellington, Dec. 3. Colonel Whitmore, with the Ist and 6th Companies of the Armed Constabulary, sailed in the Lady Bird Irom Wanganui, for the East Coast, on Wednesday, ! at 4 p.m. The Sturt was also ready to sail for the same destination. On Tuesday the Militia were mustered, and sixty of the first class were ballotted out, and sent to the Front the same evening. People in Wanganui are greatly annoyed at the removal of the Constabulary to Hawke's Bay. Mr Russell, proceeding from Kai Iwi, fell iv with the Militia, camped out for the night. The sentry, a man named Williams, challenged three times, but, receiving no answer, fired, and shot Mr Russell in the leg, wounding him severely. The ' Wanganui Chronicle,' of the Ist inst,, says : — " At daybreak on Monday, the 3rd, 7th, and part of the 2nd divisions, with their Head-quarters, and the Mounted Constabulary, moved in the direction of Nukumaru. What they have done, or not done, has not yet transpired ; but we have been given to understand that this is Colonel Whitmore's final demonstration before leaving the Wanganui district, and for which he barely conceals his concern." The ' Herald ' of the same date says : — " 100 of Mete Kingi's men, under the command of Hyman and Aperamiko, started yesterday morning on an expedition against the . enemy, their expressed intention being to cut off stragglers, and do as much mischief as they can on the way. This is a move in the right direction, and we wish them every success." Another fire has occurred at New Plymouth, causing damage to the amount of £10,000. It is supposed to have been the act of an incendiary. Major Heaphy's constituents at Parnell have passed a vote of entire confidence in him foi his conduct during the last Session of the Assembly. The condition of the Waikato is the subject of daily varying rumors in the Auckland newspapers. The latest report in the ' Southern Cross ' is the following telegram from Ngaruawahia : — " Nothing worth mentioning has occurred, all hands being hard at work on the redoubt. At other parts also the redoubts are being put into a state of repair, but with the lapse of every day the hope becomes stronger, that we may not have to fight at all in the Waikato. Hori Tauroa, of Wairuku, has received a letter from his sister, who is amongst the Kingites, which contains very positive assurances of peace. The writer reports that Matutaera has said that no clouds shall ever arise in the Waikato unless the English fetch him from inside his house and drag him out. Do not heed the talk that proceeds from the Waikato. There is nothing in it. Do not listen to it." A meeting of the J.P.s around Auckland has been convened to discuss the present state of native affairs. Yesterday was the day appointed at Taranaki as a day of mourning and supplication on account of the late massacre at Poverty Bay. The fire which occurred at New Plymouth on the 24th ultimo, burned down twelve buildiiigs in Devon-street. It originated in Bartlett's hording house.

The insurances on the property destroyed amount to .32000. The Lady Bird anchored at the Heads this morning, and signalled " Any further orders ?" The Government answered " Proceed without delay." Sunday morning disclosed the rebels within 1200 yards of our position at Woodall's redoubt. The rsbels had, durin^- the night, thrown up a breastwork opposit© our camp on tbe farms of Moore and Carrie.- Besides this breastwork, a palisading bad been erected, so as to command the track leading from the high road. The enemy opened a brisk fire, but, owing to the long range, without doing any damage. The Armstrong gun was utterly useless. The firing continued briskly all the moraine, and ceased at about 2 o'clock No attempt was made to dislodge the enemy — indeed it was conjectured that I their showing front so boldly was but to i cover some other movement. To prevent ! this the cavalry were despatched in the • direction of the Brunswick line, being ■ supported by the 6th Division. Events showed how opportune this movement was. During the night Baker's house, the furthest out on that line, was burned down, but the cavalry surprised a number of the Hauhaus in the act, and they speedily decamped. The Blanche has sailed for Poverty Bay. The G-overnors' visit to Nelson was postponed on account of the Superintendent, Mr Curtis, telegraphing that under present circumstances it was advisable to put it off.

Wellington, Dec. 4. The public meeting on the recent events at the seat of war came off last night in the Oddfellows' Hall, and was densely crowded. The chair was occupied by the Superintendent, Dr Feather, j ston. The first of the resolutions put to the meeting was expressive of sympathy with the sufferers on the East and West Coasts. The second resolution proposed a vote of thanks to Mr M'Lean aud our native allies for their success on the East Coast. The third resolution urged the Governor to apply for the assistance of the Imperial troops stationed in Australia, on the ground that the Colonial forces were unable to cope with the rebellion, should it assume the formidable dimensions which it now threatens to do. An amendment affirming the contrary, and advising adherence to the policy of selfreliance, was proposed, and the numbers for the resolution and the amendment being nearly equal, it was put to the vote, when the latter was declared to be carried. Mr Robert Hart, Dr Grace, and Mr Justice Johnston spoke in favor of the resolution, and Messrs Anderson, Travers, Pharazyn, and Borlase for the amendment, the meeting finally closing at nearly 12 o'clock. Later dates from Auckland are to hand. . At a preliminary meeting held there of persons favorable to the getting up of a petition to the Queen and Parliament praying' that the Constitution Act, so far as it relates to the North Island, may be suspended, resolutions were carried to the following effect : — That it is desirable that such a petition be forwarded home ; that the so-called Self-Reliance policy of the Weld Ministry was only advocated from political motives ; and that a Committee be appointed to prepare the petition for consideration at a public meeting to be held for that object. At the meeting of the Justices of the Peace held at Auckland to consider the propriety of making suggestions to the Government relative to the adoption of measures for the preservation of the peace of the Province, the chair was occupied by Mr James Williamson, and twenty Justices were present. It was agreed that the Hon. Dr Pollen should take steps to procure the stationing of Imperial troops at Ngaruawahia, in the Waikato. 350 stand of arms arrived here yesterday. The Assembly is further prorogued to the 26th of February. The usual rifle competition will not take place at Wellington this year, but the Southern competitors will meet at Dunedin. £500 have been voted for prizes on the occasion, and the same amount for the North Island. Captain Herriek, lately on Colonel Whitmore's East Coast staff, is now promoted to be a Major, with the rank on the West Coast of Lieutenant Colonel, and has assumed tho command there in Colonel Whitmore's absence Great dissatisfaction is expressed in Napier at Colonel Whitmore's advent 'thither. The 'Hawke's Bay Herald' says : — " To send Colonel Whitmore here at the present time, with no matter how many men at his back, would be most disastrous. He possesses neither the confidence nor the goodwill of the community, European or native, and assuredly none would be found to work cordially under his command. We sincerely hope the report of his coming here is a mistake. He has already been largely instrumental in drawing down ruin on this province, and it only wants his presence here as a commander to precipitate the danger which at present is only seen in the distance." A verdict of wilful murder has been returned against the Maori who lately tomahawked a German pedlar.

Napier, December 4th. Owing to the reported intention of our forces to assist the enemy's position — which has been rifle-pitted— last Thursday, the return of the Ahuriri with the news is anxiously looked for. The universal disgust felt at Colonel Whitmore's coming to Poverty Bay has been expressed in a memorial to the Governor, complaining that in this, as in

other matters, Mr M'Lean's plans have been systematically thwarted. This memorial is being signed by nearly the whole of the population. The force at the Front is now unnecessarily large, while Wanganui is left almost unprotected. The Lady Bird arrived at Castle Point at 4 p.m. yesterday. The Blanche has gone to Poverty Bay.