WELLINGTON.

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 298, 28 August 1860, Page 3

WELLINGTON.

(From the Wellington Independent). At a meeting of magistrates which took place yesterday, it was determined to request the sanction of the General Govern--ment to three very important measures--to calf out the whole ofthe militia for training; to arm them ;'■ and to erect a stockade on ihe; site of the barracks at Thorndon. These measures would seem to indicate-that the Major commanding the militia, tp whom is entrusted the defence ofthe district, had received information necessitating .more active steps than he has hitherto deemed it advisable to take for our defence. Such; however, is not the case; and it becomes the duty ofthe press to assure the province that the quiet which we have so thankfully had hitherto to record, has been in no way menaced; and there is no more reason to call out the militia, arm them, or erect stockades, than there has been at any time since the Taranaki outbreak. Training the settlers, need not require a : host of sively paid. captains* lieutenants, and ensigns. A number of these were discharged the other day to the great joy of the settlers, and the province has-no desire to see them, and perhaps several, others, re-instated on their former footing. Training is a hardship under any circumstances men who are dependent on their labor for a living; lout it can be none to the class from which the officers have hitherto been selected.

Nineteen of the Southern Chiefs arrived White' SWah vfrom the Native Conference at Auckland. We: understand that • about 70 others had determined to proceed overland, calling at Taranaki on their way, amongst whom are the. Wanganui Chiefs,, Tamahana, Te Rauparaha, and several Chiefs belonging to this district. We understand that it is the intention of Wi Tako to proceed shortly to Taranaki an 4 that a number of natives will accompany him. The Ohariu natives have been disposing .of the whole of their property to their go-ashores with the intention of proceeding to the seat of war. Tamihana te Rauperaha, it. appears, has written to the Canterbury natives dissuade ing them from lending their support to the Maori King Movement. The natives there are a mere handful and their supporter countenance must be almost immaterial. It is however, satisfactory to know that at a recent meeting held at Raupaki, the prevailing sentiment was in support of Tamihana's counsel in opposition to the King Movement. That such an opinion was only partial shews how the consideration of the question has pervaded the whole native race, and how likely the movement is to continue to spread. How best-to meet the difficulty will require the wisest counsel of the wisest heads. With such imbecility as that displayed at Taranaki before us, who is there that will advocate an armed interference before he knows the extent to .which the Home Government are prepared to aid?

.Taranaki, August 10,1860. The "Victoria returned from Manukau yesterday, and sails again to-morrow for Nelson, crammed full of passengers, women and childrden; and the Fawn and Cordelia are momentarily expected from Manukau to land 250 more blue jackets, and then to proceed to Nelson with more women and children; from what I can learn, I don't fancy at present all will be sent; it is a good thing sending the women and children away no doubt of it; we are really crammed to an awful excess.on: account of every soul this last week being ordered inside the trenches; the women and children sleep at the barracks, camp, and Coade's Hotel, and then there's not room. Every one has some one in their house; this movement is occasioned by a belief that all the Maoris are concentrating their forces for a combined attack, which you are aware would be a most fearful affair in the darkness of night with women and children all around us. You saw what a state of confusion the town was in on Saturday, and then you can draw your own imagination.

I have not been idle this week. They have found J. Htfrford's body, not tomahawked but shot. Another soldier was wounded at Waireka yesterday, and several Maoris killed and wounded. Mirierarapa wounded dangerously in the thigh. Nothing fresh from Bell Block. Poor Mr. Brown was much better.

Taranaki, August, 101860. " They are fighting at Waireka this morning, several Maoris are killed; no loss, as yet on our side; by this afternoon they (the troops) will attack the pahs, and I sincerely hope, give them a sound thrashing. —Extract ff&rn a private letter. ■

; ',- (From the Wellington Spectator.)■'-. Taranaki Relief Fund.—lt will be . seen from our advertising columns that a benefit will be given on Thursday^ at the Olypic Theatre, for this- object. The bill of* fair is very good comprising, «* The -Daughter of the Regiment "—which gave so much satisfaction' last Monday, "Hamlet," " Poor Pillicoddy," and an interlude of Singing ing and Dancing., Such an entertainment; for such an object will, we are sure, attract' I a Bumber House. 7- <'/•■; ' , \ During the last month vre have exV perienced very cold-and boisterous weather, y such as has never been felt here for years past. ;For the. last four or five weeks we "\. have had a continued series of southerly' I winds, accompanied with hail and ; rain, \ with a calm fine day occasionally. In- the . \ Wairarapa and other inland places, a great ' ideal of snow has fallen, at some places to . .the depth of several inches. Colds and \he influenza have been very prevalentand n some cases have proved fatal; the kaoris have suffered very much from these auses, and a great, number have died.in Wellington and the Hutt. We hope after ''"''■ wj get over the present month, that we mW get some fine warm weather to revive

Robbery.—-At an early hour this morning a robbery was effected on the premises of Mr. Nicholson's cabinet and milinery establishment, Cuba-street, when goods to the value of £30 were stolen, including 11 pieces -of coburg, 2 of damask, a number of'linsey, petticoats not made up, and one crinoline petticoat. The initiates retired^ to ilest about twelve o'clock-last night, {leaving everything safe, and when they , rose, shortly after six, the goods had disappeared, apparently through a broken pane, as the ddors and windows were securely fastened, but the aperture is so small that how the crinoline petticoat could have been extracted through it surpasses the comprehension of those entitled to form an opinion on such matters. -The broken glass also lay outside the window,*and the nail on which the petticoat hung was bent straight down, and hot towards the broken pane. .We hear that suspicion attaches-to some well-known characters who were observed in the neighfeorhobd%esterday, but at present no clue has been obtained as to the real perpetrar tors ofthe robbery. Land on Deferred: Payments.—At Ihe Monthly meeting of this Society held at the Lyceum Theatre, on Monday evening last; the sum of £416 15s. 9s. was paid in. 8| shares were awarded, for which there were no less than 40 applicants.