TARANAKI.

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 262, 24 April 1860, Page 2

TARANAKI.

The Airedale arrived from Taraha'ki da Sunday morning last bringing us papers to the 21st inst About 29 persons have arrived, the greater proportion being children, as well as about seven private passengers.

We give in another column the particulars of the arrival of troops; from Sydney, besides guns, mortars, and 140 tons of ammunition, a large proportion of these have proceeded under the com-, mand of Colonel Gold towards the soulh, and on Friday last had pitched their camp about 12 miles from* town; we trust that next advices will give us a good account of this force. An extract from a supplement of the " Taranaki Herald ' issued on Saturday last after their usual publication we are bound to place before our readers, as it caused a meeting to be held in Nelson yesterday afternoon upon the bare possibility of.its truth, itjs otherwise so opposed to common sense and probability, that to repeat its publication almost requires apology. One benefit arises: however from it, the resolution of the meeting, which we give in continuation of the subject, will show our plundered and harassed fellow-settlers that the people of Nelson are as prompt to advise and consider for them,.as they are williing to stretch out a helping hand as far as their ability will admit of in the time of their trouble.

{From the TaranaM Herald, April 21.) . The powerful reinforcements which have already arrived from Australia within the time expected have enabled the military authorities at onco to act on'the offensive; and early yesterday morning a strong detachment of the 65th, under Colonel Gold, and of bluejackets and marines of the Pelorus and Cordelia, under Captain Seymour and Vernon, R.N., with artillery, started for the south. The route was at first a secret, and to the last moment Waitara was believed, though otherwise stated, b be the point of attack.- The combined force is the most formidable that has yet .been concentrated upon any one point in the colony, and needs but an enemy to contend with. Let ,us but hope the rebels of Taranaki and Ngatiruanui may be tempted to give it a meeting. The invavasion of native territory may probably precipitate matters with the northern tribes. Be it so. The force which the misconduct of our own natives has aroused can neither remain stationery nor unemployed ; it is, moreover apparent" that the former intend against all warning to take the wrong path, the sooner therefore the blow is struck the better, though we confess we should have preferred to see this done elsewhere in the first instance. The native intelligence from Wellington is to our mind nearly as unsatisfactory _ At a meeting held at the instigation of the Magistrates, and presided over by the Superintendent of Wellington, the natives were full of professions of amity, but if we had hitherto trusted less to these than to the known character ofthe speakers, the rebellion might have been earlier met. Besides this, some of the natives who spoke have repudiated their sale of land in Taranaki and done their utmost to complicate our relations with them. Our course is clear to prepare for the worst and no longer to indulge vain hopes for a race that is selfdoomed. There is assuredly everything to cheer us in the contest forced upon us^ loyalty to our gracious Queen, whose prerogative is assailed, and a heartfelt sympathy and. proffer of active aid wherever our distresses become known.

The following \va9 posted about town yesterday :—> Proclamation. —The inhabitants will.in future be required to have a candle or lamp at their front windows at night, ready to light in case of alarm ; and are desired to secure their doors and lower windows. The police to see to this. C. E. Gold, Colonel Commanding Forces, New Zealand. New Plymouth, 20th April, 1860.

{From the Taranalci Herald E tra.)

ARRIVAL OF THE AIREDALE,

Herald Office, April 21, 11 a.m. Since our publication this morning rumours fn.ni Auckland have reached us, which -we cannot ignore, and which it is hard to Jielievo. The substance of them is, that there have been dispatches to the Commander of the Forces here, and also to the Captain of 'the1 Niger, which vessel was under orders foi* this place, directing suspension of war-

like operations. The grounds of ttfese despatches are alleged to "be1 that his Excellency the Governor has been convinced by the arguments of Bishop Selwyn and the late Chief Justice Martin, that he has been morally wrong in undertaking the present warlike .'operations, and that W. Kingi is founded in his pretensions. We wish our.readers to be tranquil respecting this painful rumour, the bare possibility of which, must be indeed received as a public calamity. We have the following reasons for thinking it false. His Excellency lias nieditated.the particular claim of W. Kingi for twelve months; has consulted the Home Government thereon; has had the views of the Rev. Prelate rifUried in the rumour before opening the war. He must be aware that by commencing the war he has altered the relations of settler and maori considerably. He L has made amicable dealings difficult with all, impossible with many of the latter, and placed the former in straits from which he could not extricate them by any means at .his command in the colony. Let us wait then. We ha/esshown before that we'can wait. The rumours are absolutely INCREDIBLE.

We believe, then, that he cannot have entered on this war so lightly as the rumour hints, and the present state of the account makes it more absolutely necessary to prosecute, than it was to begin it. The colony can bear the whole burden, and he knows the colony supports his action with soul, body, and goods. He has not let us spill bur blood and risk the labor of twenty, years on a woolgathering expedition, to come home shorn by his own hands. (From the Taranaki News.) LATEST INTELLIGENCE. Arrival of THa Emily Allison.—The Emily Allison, arrived this 'morning from - Manukau, with Auckland, papers, to the Mih.inst., from which" we have collected the paragraphs; given at foot. We regret to say.:that probability of the. preservation of peaceful relations between tjie Government and northern, natives, the hope of-which is there encouraged,, waxes fainter with -.every fresh communication received, There seems to be little doubt, but that'inons- or less of the Waikatos and Ngatimaniapotos,' will join William King; but that this ,is. not likely to take place sooner than two or three weeks hence, to which time the meeting stands adjourned to be held at Ngaruawahia, the invitations to which suggest that they should come armed. The Kate Kearney, also arrived this morning and the Gipsy, from the Waitara. The Gipsy will proceed to Nelson, this evening. Arrival of Reinforcements from Australia. ■ —On Monday, H.M.S.S. Cordelia arrived in the roadstead, accompanied by the City of Sydney steamer, having on board the following troops, which were landed in. the course of the afternoon : —Royal Artillery—l captain, 2 corporals, 8 bombardiers, and 39 privates. Royal Engineers —1 corporal and 5 privates.' Commissariat Department —deputy assistant Commissary General Dunn. Ist battalion 12th Foot—l captain, 2 Subalterns, 1 staff officer, 7 Serjeants, 2 drummers, 9 corporals, and 117 rank and file;'with 2 24----pounder howitzers, 2 9-pounder guns, and 6 mortars, and a large amount of ammunition. Wednesday brought H.M.S.S. Pelorous; and the City of Hobart Town and the Wonga Wonga with the remainder of the troops are looked for hourly. We understand that the total of the reinforcement will be upwards of 800 men besides the naval brigade. A large number of bullocks have been ordered to be in readiness to-day, and report.says that a detachment of marines and blue jackets will be landed, and that Friday will see a movement of the troops from town, but, in what direction, or with what object, is yet a profound secret.

The Tasmanian Maid, which, subsequent to her return from Mokau, was thrown by the sudden swelling of the river on a sand bank within the bar at Waitara on Saturday last, was fortunately got off yesterday with trifling damage, which can be repaired on the spot without much difficulty. The Airedale arrived from Wellington on Tuesday, bringing the journals of that province to the 16th instant, and from Nelson to the 16th instant. We have also HawJce's Bay Heralds of the 31st ultimo, and the 7th instant, from which we have extracted all of interest respecting the native affairs of the colony. The Airedale left in the evening for Manukau, via Whangaroa, in consequence of the news brought from the former place by the Jupiter, and subsequently overland, mentioned in another column. Her return, which may be expected immediately, will be looked forward to with great anxiety. .

We stated in our last that much anxiety was felt about the Tasmanian Maid, which had left for Mokau on the previous Tuesday. All were therefore much gratified on Friday to see her again approaching the anchorage. It appears that she Luid reached Mokau in live hours after leaving New Plymouth, but. was prevented sending a boat on shore until the following morning, which then encountered great danger in crossing the bar, from the heavy swell on. The mate and five hands in charge had a very narrow escape, and from that time until Friday morning were, from the same cause, prevented rejoining their vessel. Report speaks very favorably.of the natives in the neighborhood, who rendered every possible assistance.

The following account.of the arrival of the Rev. Mr. Reimenschneider and family on Friday last, from Warea, is given in last week's Herald :— " Tliej'- were brought up in three carls as far as the Poutoko by some armed Warea natives, who returned from that pah, the carts being brought into town by Tamata Wiremu's men. We are told, which is important- intelligence, that the Taranakis intend shortly to sericl up small parties, to <tbe spread over the country to maraud and murder. The destruction of property on the Tataraimaka block is immense; Mr. Greenwoods house is described as being sacked, and the sides pulled down. Cattle, sheep, and pigs are shot indiscriminately. All kinds of household property have been carried away chiefly by the Ngatiruanui, who, not content with the plunder from the settlers, sacked every Taranaki pah on their way home. The Taranakis say they cannot quarrel with the Ngatiruanui at present, as they will be .important allies either in the great struggle they expect to have with the Government, or in another expedition to the town, After annihilating us they will have a bone to pick with Ngatiruanui! Both tribes are busy erecting pahs. On Monday last a party of persons interested in the estates at Tataraimaka proceeded to that district, and found that the whole of the houses had been rifled of their contents, the windows and doors destroyed, and the buildings otherwise much injured. Of the thousands of sheep left on the pastures when the native disturbances called in the inhabitants, some three hundred were all that could be seen ; and the valuable horses and cattle of Mr. Greenwood and others on the block were also missing. Such is the disastrous account which reaches us of this thriving district, after the retreat of the defeated Ngatiruauui and Taranaki natives from the Waireka fight. There is, however, grounds for hoping that the marauding vagabonds had not time, in their precipitate retreat to drive much of the stock before them, but that, frightened, they are dispersed in the adjacent bush.

The Jupiter arrived to-day from Whangaroa, bringing twenty-two passengers, residents of that plac, and, we regret to say, very unfavorable news of the disposition of the natives in that neighborhood. From" the nature of the "information received, Captain Johnson, a magistrate of Whangaroa, considered danger so imminent that he commanded, in the Queen's name, the departure of t'.ie settlers, and twenty-two women and children, including the Captain's family, were at onco embarked. The opportune arrival of the Airedale from Wellington, on the following morning (Tuesday), presenting an immediate means of rendering further assistance if required, she was despatched in the evening for Mannkau, via Whangaroa, for that purpose. Mr. 11. Halse left for Auckland by the Airedale. Before her depai;-

'fuTe7'a dl^atch was received overland by Mr. Parris, the Native Secretary in this province, the exact purport of which did not, of course, transpire; but we hear that it was important, and that the monster meeting of the Waikatos had taken place, and was adjourned for a fortnight. This, however, is the most favorable portion of the news; and it is whispered that lit tie hope remained of a peaceable solntion in that quarter, and that a general rising might be looked forward to at the end of that term. The despatch in question fortunately arrived in time to be com nunicated to Mr. Halse before the departure of the Airedale.

We hear that the Rev. Mr. Riemcnsehneider, who was on a visit, to William Kingi's pa, at .Waitara, yesterday, with a flag of truce, was stopped at the Bell Block by one of the militia (Mr. Hulke), and it was not until the arrival of an officer, after the lapse of half an hour, that he was allowed to proceed. Mr. R. was accompanied by Archdeacon Govett and the Rev. Mr. Whiteley. We do not know whether any.further notice will be taken of this affair. There, is certainly widespread dissatisfaction relative to these missionary visits to the natives in arms against the Government, arising possibly out of a mistaken view of their object, and a prevailing feeling that the time is altogether passed for the displaying of temporising indications.

(From the laranoM Herald, April 21.)

Jouhnal op Events sinck Saturday, 14tH

April, to the timk of Publication,

Saturday, 14th April. —The Tasmanian Maid steamed to-day for Waitara against a strong wind from N.W., and the brig Shamrock sailed for Sydney. Heavy rain and strong wind from N. and N.W. From reliable information we have.no doubt that there are one or more Europeans living with the natives on the coast who have given them ,a great deal of information. It is known that a discharged soldier from the 53th regiment is now with them at Pukefaua, named Howard. ' After the notice from Colonel- Gold respecting persons living'in native districts without the sanction of the Government this man may now be considered a rebel, and is no doubt of great value to the insurgents. From the way in which the natives came out in skirmishing order, in detached parties, and the clever manner in which they took up positions at Waireka, we may infer that they had instructions from some persons- versed in civilised mode of warfare. We are told likewise that one day last week a small schooner hovered about the Taranaki coast, to the delight of the natives, who .believed she was. going to communicate and supply them with powder, &c., and several natives followed her down Ike coast. Whether she did so or not has not transpired. A steamer cruising on this coast would effectually prevent smuggling going on, for it is a sad fact that some white men are base enough to furnish our enemies with the necessaries to carry on their war against us. Several of the wounded in the Waireka affair are lying in a precarious state. One man has a bullet through his face which has lodged in the opposite cheek. Two men with thighs shattered are not likely to live, and also another with a ball through his body. Several of the slightly wounded are about again. Aperahama, of Warea, who had a ball through his shoulder, has recovered, although at first there was great swelling and inflammation.

By the constant application of cold water, and the patience of natives under pain and suffering, combined with pure blood, they rapidly get over wounds which in nine cases out often would lay us up for weeks or prove mortal. The mail seized by tlie Wairea natives on the 19th ult. was, after all, destroyed last week, after a consultation by the two tribes. The letters were burnt, but the newspapers (and there were 24 Heralds of the 17th ult. from this office posted to our Wellington and Wanganui subscribers) were used for making cartridges.

Sunday. —The schooner Jupiter, from Whaingaroa arrived to day with 22 passengers, residents of Raglan. We hear that Captain Johnson, J.P. at Raglan, considered it advisable to request the departure of the settlers, as he feared an outbreak amongst the Waikatos. Twenty-two women and children^ including the Captain's family, at once came away in the J ftpiter to this, as the easiest reached port with the wind then prevailing. The heaviest rain we have had for several months fell last night, and caused a great freshet in ail the rivers. The beach for several miles'to day is covered with large quantities of drift wood—large trees, &c. t —washed down the rivers, principally from the Waiwakaiho. This has proved quite a blessing, and numerous carts and inhabitants have been busy to day gathering the timber tor firewood, as we are unable to get any fuel from the back country without considerable precautions. Fifty or sixty cart loads were drawn up to Town.

Monday. —News arrived in town that the Tasmanian Maid in entering Waitava and meeting; a heavy freshet in the river ran aground on the south bank. The tide left her nearly dry, and the carts had discharged her, and sanguine hopes are entertained that she will he got off without serious injury. A steamer and a full rigged ship were sighted in the morning : the City of Sydney, steamer with 140 men of the 12th regiment under Captain Miller, 44 artillerymen under Captain Strover, and 6 Royal Engineers. The ship proved to-be H.M. steam corvette, Cordelia, Commander Vernon. It was a very busy scene during the day, while landing the men, guns, &c The City of Sydney has brought two 24-poiindcr howitzers, and two 9-poundeis, with waggons complete, also 5000 rounds of canister, spherical and round shot. Besides the foregoing theie is a portable forge, a forage cart, a. store ditto, and two sling -waggons arid,small stores complete. She has also landed some mortars. She left Sydney on Tuesday last. The" Cordelia left on the 6th instant. The Pelorus, steam corvette, was to leave Melbourne on the'Bth, with 250 men of the 40th regiment, and a detachment from Hobart Town. The steamer Wonga Wonga has also left from Melbourne with troops. The schooner Tyne from Wanganui also arrived to-day.—From Wanganui our correspondent writes: ." We have had a large meeting of the natives of Waitotara, Wanganui, and Rangitikei, at Putiki, this day (the 10th), and the Maoris, are unanimous in their protestations of friendship and will, protect the settlers-against Ngatiruanui if necessary." Another correspondent writes: "The Ngatiruanui have threatened that as soon as they get ihuir crops in they will take revenge for the death of Te Rei, &c, and have said that there are no Riiies in Wanganui, only 200 soldiers and no sailors, and that they will come upon us in the dead of the night and burn the town.

Tuesday. —All the boats fully engaged in discharging the City of Sydney. The Airedale arrived from the South at 3 p.m., and proceeded to Manukau at 7 this evening with orders to call at Whairigaroa, weather permitting, and bring all the remaining settlers should it still be found prudent to abandon Raglan! The City of Sydney returned to Sydney at 5 p.m., and intense dissatisfaction ami surprise was felt that she should have left without the mail for Sydney. Pelorus hourly looked for.

Wednesday.—^This morning a steamer wa3 sighted in the offing w.hL-h proved to bo H.M.S.S Pelorus,.Captain Seymour. She has not brought any troops —they were to follow in the steamers City of Hobart Town and Wonga Wonga. News from Waitara that the Tasmanian Maid had been got off without any damage. The 12th did duty in the Town this day. Thursday. —The Emily Allison and Kate Kearney were at the anchorage this morning. The roadstead presented an unusually gay appearance to-day. iI.M.SS. Pelorus and Cordelia, liVigar.lini's'Katc Kearny and Emily Allison, and .s(t!iooii',:i'i) Jupifer find Cijisy, lying at anchor. Tlio weather was very calm and beautiful. Boats going to and from the beach, and the ships-of-wur boats with their Hags flying, made it altogether a sight we may never see again. In the■ ftiicruooi) the Pelorus landed 60 bluejackets and 40 marines and the Cordelia 00 blue jackets and 20 marines, all of whom camped on Mount Eliot. Extensive preparations are making to-day for a move against the rebels, whether north or south we are unable to say, as everything Ua» been, kept secret. A

large number of bullocks find carts have been put in requisition, and coupled with the landing of the blue jackets, and other s'gns of preparation, we we may infer that something-decisive' is-about to take place. By the Emily Allison from Manuloiu we hear that there it every probability of the Waikatos coming down to assist W. King., Mr. J. White, of the "Native' Department, who has lately been up the Waikato, is a passenger by her, and considering his acquaintance with Maori history is an acquisition in our pr-esent state of affairs. A letter received to-day by a half caste boy in town from his mother who is with the rebel'Taranakis begging him not'to, go mar the bush or to go any distance;out of town. This confirms the intelligence received that marauding and murdering parties are to be sent up to prowl about our outskirts. From our knowledge of Native character and the boy being a half caste and of course his mother being a Taranald woman,, we would advise all our friends to be more than ordinary cautious in moving from town. We do not wish to infer_ for a moment that a son of Old England would fear a truthful foe;-but we do say you have asavage_to deal with, who'in hi-* own warfare cannot disconnect his ideas so far us to see what it is to kill a man in open fight and to murder him without arms in cold blood.

Friday.— At an early liour this morning the bluejackets and marines at Moint-'Eliot, 350 in number, struck their tents" and proceeded along the Oinata road. They were followed by. 30 carts laden with camp equipage,, ammnnition, stores, provisions, &c, &c, and two 24-pounder howitzers, and four 8-pounder field pieces, with 40 artillerymen. The carts were driven'by, armed militia and volunteer rifles, in number about.so. The 65th started about 8 a.m., an imposing force consisting of 500 men led by Col. Gold. .The Royal Engineers'under Captain Marris numbered 20 men. Until this morning the destination of this expedition was unknown to many, and we hear that it is intended to invade the; territory of the Taranakis, and.attack, them in their stockades where they are at present. At 11 a.m. the forces had crossed the Waireka valley preceded by an advance guard of the 65th. We shall soon hear of active .operations against tho rebels, and news will be auxiously looked for. Invading the territory of the insurgents is the only means of putting a stop to marauding and murdering parties —in this case they will have enough to do at home, and will not spare men to come upon such errands. It is to be hoped that the destruction of the; j>:is and property (not forgetting the canoes) of the Taranakis will be complete and wide spread —a fitting retribution for immense losses wo have sustained at their hands, whereby many families in moderate affluence are rendered penniless aid homeless We take this opportunity here to correct an error we fell into inadvertently, when we stated that Lieut. Blake hud been taken on board the Niger. Although we were wrong in our report we have much pleasure in now stating that he is progressing favorably, and that the rest of the wounded sailors and volunteers and militia are convalescent, with the exception of F. Rawsou, whose dangerous wound still keeps him in a weak state.

We hear from Waitara to-day that a horse belonging to an officer at the camp, strayed away last evening, and being discovered by W. Kingi's people, it was. in the course of the day brought back to within 600 yards of the camp by one of W. Kingi's men, the 'rider holding in his hand a piece of calico tied to the top of his whip. One out of the camp advanced to meet him, when he tied the horse and retired step by .step as the European advanced. "We must express our conviction that this is a positive proof that W. King does not participate in the murderous conduct of his southern allies. We must give him credit for an act that proves that this rebel foe is actuated by a manly feeling in thus restoring the strayed horse of those who cannot do otherwise than chastise his past and present folly. . On the other hand W. King is a wily chief, and he may ha?e done the above to prevent us from appropriating his nfinieroas horses and cattle running about the country. 8 p.m.—A person from the forces South informs us that they had reached Tataraimaka and pitched their' twits.