Taranaki.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 5, Issue 219, 24 January 1861, Page 3

Taranaki.

[From tlie Herald's. \ journaj af.l3v.ents.’]

Friday , Dec. 7.—Natives-'h.qying been seen in the .vicinity, of , Bell 8 party of 53 men 6f theL2inf uiftfer 'Dafifaiu /Fiiliams and Lieuf Tlflst';* s#’men; &F the 40tli under Lieut. Hobbs; and IOG 'mrih o'f the 65t.h under Capt. range ..and Lieut. Peii nefiatl rer,' tl i e whrile ' coihriikn d rid by Maj or Hutchins, together with Dr. Grace, in -ipedical charge, and some of the mounted meny started at II- a.in. to attack them. On reaching the Bell blprikhouse,, 30-'-'men-Under'iGapfc; Buck, 65th regt., joined the party. On arriving at the : extremityj-Bf*the . block, the forces fumed! tq the right,’ and-inarched up theri.road :past Wills’s, skirting ythfe- bush; to f Kaipakopako,. where several natives were surprised-killing pigs. The skirmishers opened fire at 300 yards, when the ifebelS .IlecUriiped into the bush,, whence -they V.iired several Motleys without effect. Several-pigs recently killed weyi? lying on the, ground. ': A -mat rifiriveredjywith blood was found, and it is supposed,/a native was killed or wounded. T.h.e/troQpadben continued the.atiar.cli--to-the ford- of-4lie- Mangoraka river, and returned toJpiWn by the Devon line, which was reached at 6 p.m. Saturday.,. Dec. 8 —Gommgdore, Seym-onr has hoisted the broad penned, and pow coiip mands the naval squadron in the! ; Australian colonies. The Wiger will be. stationed at New Plymouth, to be relieved at .intervals,of a month by the . Cordelia and Peiorus. The Naval brigade at Wriitaifa will reiuaiu there for the present. .Sin?: .- !-Yf Sunday, Dec. 9 —Tlie-Schooner-/faven, from Whaingaroa, came iri to day. Pier master, Mr. //opkiiis; r states.. that 800 Waikatos \yere on tlieir ; wu.y to ; that, large .reinforcements were - preparingcto - start from different parts of tlie country and from the east coast. A party of about; twodnrhdred natives were observed -from tlievßell '.hloclrhouse yesterday’morning, 'passing; laderi!-with pikaus towards ffaitara. "Tirese natives' are the /Paikatos- wlio liave been tohTariinaki to procure provisions. riAt'ri: ‘garrisriirparade of the‘6sth this morning; Colonel' Wyatt presented medals for long service arid good conduct'to sergeant Jotin Willis and jirivates George Mulligan arid William'Adariis, of.tlie 65tli regL " ' " " ~ y ' "

Monday,-' Dec. 10:— ’THV'liead;<jna‘rtet , $ of the 40th and abbiit 200 : nleri (fearing about 80 in town), marched, to Waitara";this riiJrjiingi to reinforce*the' ? Waitaia garrfsOri. " ‘ : Tuesday, Dec. It.'— 1 lie Tasm&ni'aii" Maid from Waitara came up this moViting:' The rebels, in their pa at hoisted their flags, and have erected a" yard-arm on the staff, on which they dhrryAbn'a -mock system of telegraphing, in;‘imitation bf. our signal stations at Puketakanere arid ithe camp. A reconnoitring party *of 200 m'en,Commanded by Colonel Wyatt, 65t.1i“ regt.,’ ; ; ajt. ll a.m., to reconnoitre " njT.the vicinity of Bell Block. 7iurty jngn 'ifom.' ilie Bell blockhouse, under accbmpanted the party. '.’Tiie. Troops Jturped up >:• the right from- Goddard’s puljic iii tlie Hua village, and “. skirtiiisheVl thrmigli Hirst’s grilly, ami' from 'tberice to the Kiiipakopako, Tima, Puke, and AHnia pas, w.nhoiit .meeting with any rebels. "‘A" corisideratde .hrecidth of potatoes hre grooving , betwe.eii ; life Kaipapako. and Tima pas., jTlie returned. ,to town at 6 pm. " J " ;; Wednesday, Dec. 12.—At .4 a.m.Lieut. - Colonel Young, 65th, regCj with 217 men, proceeded to the Tima arid Kaipakopako pas to reconnoitre., No natives were,, seen,, and the force returned at 3 p.nu with six cartloads' of potatoes. ' The Caroline gun-boat, again made her appeararioe’ Ills morning from Manukau. The news~from Waikato by the Caroline is to the effect .that-William Tliojnpson, rTarapipipi, an influential chief of Waikato, and son of. one of, - fFaikutcts;. principal warriors, is likely to join ■ the reb&els-at Waitara. . ;

Thursday. Dec. 13.—We are credibly informed that #ewi has intimated that the Waikatos at Mahoetahi lost- ip hilled, wounded, arid missing, seventy-one irieri,,.rill of whom ] were picked men from the Waikato- tribes. Twenty reached Huirangi wounded, several of whom afterwards died. Rewi considers it was a fair fight;-4" it was fought; in the daylight, and the men were on their feet.” lie hopes the General will not; attack him by night! We are told,that in the skirmish near the Waiongana river, or the day preceding the fight at Mahoetahi, between a party of the 65th and the /Faikatos,.’; and when private Lally received his" dkflr'wound, ten of the rebels were,,- killed and syouii^iU. ; jJie grayes have been discovered on,a }u6qua.to ,tjie right: of the ' Devon line. ' v We .may. therefore put down the Waikato’; loss, at ninety/khleU and; wounded on the jjtii.and 6tli govern Be r. . It is: also certain that the murders prior toV and since the Mahoetahifight,;- iiave beeii committed by-Wirimu ifingi's people, anil his allies* the-Buketiipit; with. .Tamihana at their lieid. . " V " ‘ ‘ Friday, Dec. 14.—1 t is reported ; that a

sma‘ll r party of'Waikato's,'"With Aiiißipa '(a'notjbrious Kawhia native, who was with the War? katos on their first visit, and 'who was con cerned in tire:destruction of property at /Yenui in August Irst) and TeWaharba, are at f/renui, on their way to'Waitara, and: the main body are*at Mokau. A handsome tablet and, light Gothic fence, designed and executed By L. Smith, R.E , has betin erected by his comrades to the memory of private F. Roony, 65th' degt., who fell at iV/ahoetahi, as a. mark .of qsteem and respect. We should like to see similar tokens of remembrance of other brave fellows who-fell at Mahoetahi. Saturday, Dec. 15.—The Tastnanian Maid arrived this morning from W a jtara. The schooner Parininihi (owned by Mokau natives and commanded by Wetere, son of the late Mokau chief Takerei), was in the river, having arrived last night. 100 Waikatos are reported by Wetere to be at A/imi, with the important addition that two A/okau chiefs. T’ikaokao and Tati, havd joined the ranks of the rebels. • -

1 uesday, Dec. 18.—.Wc have seen a letter from Mataitawa, written by Matiu to bis brother Taniera at the Henui, in which he reports the death of Te Paratene, of Kaipakopako, and one of Wirimu Kingi’s men, from sickness. Matiu strongly urges his brother, and the natives with the pakeha, to be cau-tious-in going far from the pa, as the Waikatos intend to take the giins from any they may meet. We may infer from this that the enemy are not well supplied with arms. Wednesday, Dec.. 19.—We have been told by some natives who have recently visited the rebels at-Huirarigi, that the IFaik'atos'at Matarikoriko and 7/iiirangi were expecting reinforcements. About 150 or 200 i including women, had arrived at Mimi, ami were to join their friends on Thursday : or Friday, these were several who were here before and returned with so much booty, Anatipa. Pumipi, Makuare, &c. 7’he Waikatos say that they have had nothing to do with the fconini, i.e. murders, and they also say (what may be urged upon the attention o,f onr fellow-settlers in the way of warning) that the Ngatiawas (JTirimu Kingi’s people) will adhere to the customs of their forefathers. 1 .The Waikatos urge that we should give up their prisoners ami 'wounded men, even as they spared the lives of INIr. Parris and Mr. Everett, and allow, them'to return' to their homes. As for making peace and ending the war, they say, “ Let the Governor drop it, and then it will be all right.” Thursday, Dec. 20.—-Before daylight this morning large fires were seen from the Bell Block at Huirangi, and at daybreak a large number of horses were moving about. It is believed that a party of Waikatos have arrived.

Saturday , Dec. 22.—A reconnoitring party of 212 under Major Hutchins, 12th Regt.,— left town at 2 a m. for Bell Block, taking with them a number of carts. . 'Die force reconnoitered the country in the vicinity of the Te Puke, Tima, and Kaipaknpako pas, but no natives were visible. A few loads of potatoes were brought into town by the troops, who rethriied to town at 6 p'm. Sunday, Dec. 23.—-Rain all day.—An expedition against Matarikoriko, where the Waikatos are assembled, is delayed by the weather.—

Wednesday, Dec. 26.—Weather fine. Preparations making for the expedition to Waitara. The Tasmanian Maid employed conveying ammunition, provisions, &c., to Waitara. Thursday, Dec. 27.—1 t was signalled into town tiiis morning' that a .number of natives were in the vicinity of the' Bell Block ; they had been dancing near the Ninia pa and were driving off aud shooting cattle. On the receipt of this intelligence, 300 'men. in command of . Major Hutchins, 12th regt.',-went out. On reaching the Bell Block, the enemy had decamped after having retreated before a party of thirty men under Capt. Buck, 65th regt., who went out to encounter them. Several fine cattle were found shot on the block, and about 30 head driven off. The trhops returned to town at 3 p.m.—llopa, a native in European employ, who was sent out to the Mangorei district to shoot poultry, wasj surprised by Tamati Teito and ten natives, j who had tracked his horse’s footsteps, thinking! lie was a white man. Tamati asked Hopa about the movements of thepakeha. Uopaj told him that a large force was going out against the Waikatos at- Matarikoriko to-morrow morning, aiid that another force from Waitara would join them, that one party would advance up the Huirangi road and the other up the Waitara. On receiving this information Tamati set Z/opa at liberty. Ilopa counot say whether this was a marauding party or one bouud for Taranaki.

I Friday, Dec. 28.—At an early hour this | morning the troops detailed for the march were preparing to start. Bullocks were yoked to carts,, and guns limbered up and , bullocks yoked to them. The attacking force against Matai-ikoriko and the enemy in its vicinity, (we hear that a pa has been recently erected at Kairau,) is to be commanded by Major-Gen. Pratt, C. B. in person, who went to Waitara in the Tasmanian Maid, and comprises the following Staff, Lieut.-Col. Carey,. D.A.G., Capt. Paul, 65th Regt'., Brigade Major, Zdeut. Forstev, //.D.C., Lieut, King,, A.D.0.: Medi cal Staff—Dr. MouuL 1 C. 8.,. Asst. Surgeon Niven, Nurgeoh Grace: D.C.G. Jones, A.C'.G. Bartlett: iJoyal Artillery—Capt. Strover, R.A., and 20 rank and ;file, and 2 24-pounder howitzers ; Royal En-gineers—-Colonel Mould, 11. E., Lieut. Warburton, R.E., 2 ’sergeants and 27 rank and file; 12th Regt.—Capt. Miller, Lieuts. Lowry and Mali*, Ensign llurst and 8.6 men ;’.6sth fiegt.—Colonel Wyatt, Capts7 Bulkley and: Strange, Limits, f/rqnhart, Whitbread, TokerJ

Wmbiij'’'Teii'n^fl'ieiV r ' Wiijfpv r Tirid . /fiijutant Lewis,, iinsigtr Butler, and 322. men-; A/aval Brigade—Lieut. Woods, Mid-/ shipman Horne, and 24 men ; Lieut. Talbot and 30 men ;65th, to join the force, from- -Bell Block ; Mounted Volunteers—Captains Des. Vbeu'x and IT men B Militia and Volunteers--. 3 • captains, 3 subalterns, and ’BO mdii. ■. (0 wing'to 47-only of the above number havingmustered; they .were dismissed,, and their number made; up by .. Troops. from the 12tli regt.) Exjpnsive V preparations have been made for this expedition,.- the.4Qth having been concentrated at Waitara for some time to cooperate wdh^the,force from town, together with Com modbre'Seymour’s Naval Brigade. Tiringwas heard in the direction of Huirangi yesterday morning;; it is reported tp-dky' that a large. parly of Waikatos bad arrived, and that the 'firing vvas .welcome. A native from Taranapied Epiha, informs ,us that 600 Ngatiruahiiis are at Oeo, the boundary river of the -Taranaki district, -and are waiting.the' uriyai ;of some Wanganui and Waitotara natives,- when they intend' moving iip. TheTaranaki tribe will join. A native . (Tamatii Kaweora) who lives and is in charge of Mr.. Riemenscbneider’s, house and -■premises . at: Warea, tells us that the 7’aranakis still talk of, an attempt on. the town. also say sthat the Ngatiruanui are bringing up food for the Waikatos. At 4 p.m. the men in garrison were told -off and manned the trenches, when. Colonel Sillery, D.Q.G., who is- left in com--mand in town, inspected them. The follow.' ing notice was posted to-day :

NOTICE. “ The Colonel commanding the Garrison: cautions all persons against the risk and dam ger attending sleeping at night in houses out-, sidfe. the lines. In. the event of alarm two guns will, be fired on Afarsiand Mill, when all wbinen and children will repair at once there.. It is requested that, lights will then be put in. windows of all houses. By command, v - r John Richardson, Garrison Adjutant;. - iVew Plymouth, Dec. 28, 1860.

Sunday, Dec. 30.—The Tasmanian Maid came from Waitara this morning for ammunition, and shortly afterwards a mounted volunteer arrived from the camp at Kairau. From these sources we have the following information. ■ A heavy fire' of small arms was maintained by both sides from 6 a.ra. yesterday morning-till 2 a.m. this morning; the enemy keeping close in a gully lined with rifle pits in high fern. The troops expended 70,000 rounds of ■ rifle ammunition. Our casualties are three killed, —two 40ih and iß6sth;—and. 21 wounded. The Rev. Mr. Wilson had goneover- to the rebel camp, and the ..General and the enemy had mutually agreed to suspend |hostilities during the Sabbath, and Ihe natives | had in consequence hoisted a flag of truce this j morning. Natives .seen going about, apparently isearching-for dead and wounded. Tiring had jceased. The 8-inch guns had not been used, and the General was fortifying the camp. The Tasmanian Maid left town, with ammunition. Yu the afternoon the steamer returned bringing up the wounded in yesterday's action; fifteen were landed, three having been left at Waitara too much hurt to be moved. The killed were buried to-day at Waitara by the Rev. Mr. White ley and the Rev; M. Zresallet. 'The flags of truce were still flying in the enemy’s camp, and there was a suspension of hostilities. A large quantity of ammunition has'been sent down to-day. 2’he'forces are engaged in fortifying their camp. \ Monday, , Dec. 31.—A telegram has been received that the enemy’s pa is in our possession, having been evacuated during the night. At 3 p.m. a mounted volunteer arrived in town, bringing us the following letter, which will be? read with interest;— “ Camp, Kairau, 31st Dec.

“ I think the action of Kairau, which lias led to the surrender of Matarikoriko, will be the culminating point in the war. It was a real affair, and no mistake. The Waikatos , treated us to as hot a fire as ever was experienced in New Zealand, commencing at about 8.30 a.m. on Saturday, and lasting till 4.30 on Sunday morning. Twenty mortal ! hours, without respite! They were ensconced jih rifle pits—one of which I paced this mornings 178 paces, and in a hollow, just behind, i was a large ivhure capable of accommodating 1150 men. 7’here were five breastworks, one 32„ another, 72, another. 102, and another 74 paces. Gur casualties heavy—-3 killed and 21 wounded. It would be impossible" to say where the greatest coolness and bravery was evinced, for every man illustrated Nelson’s signal “ England expects every man to do his duty,” and the spirit of emulation in the whole force was, who should outvie the other. The Maori loss is said to be severe, for under a flag of truce which was flying on Sundaytliey evacuated their position, and at 4.30 ibis, morning a storming party, composed of bine and red jackets, commanded by Col. Wyatt,. 65th regt. 1 ; rushed up the hill and took possession of the strong position of Matarikoriko. —the enemy having evacuated fheir fortressduring the night “without beat -of drum 1 ” It was a defeat, for they left the bodies of two chiefs behind them, and a; Maori hul came in ind handed their graves over to the custody of- tile General. lii filling in the rifle pits this morningdhe troops came across five bodies in one grave, and I daiesay before long we sliall discover more. A Union Jack replaced the ilfaori king’s flag at the pa, and as it fluttered in the morning breeze, three cheers were given by the captors and responded to by the garrison, of the Kairau redoubt. Is not this emblematical of the fate of the king of New Zealand—a paper king ? ; The' Maories have 'taken to the bush,-and- suggested the expeWncy of following them. The 65th are to-

garrison the redoubt for the present, sending a detachment to Matarikoriko. Capt. Strange, 65th regt., is appointed commandant of the captured pa, and Colonel W yatt of the advanced post of tiie Kairau redoubt.” The Rev. Mr. Wilson also arrived in town during the afternoon. The rev. gentleman has had several interviews with the enemy. The Waikatos are inland of the peach grove, and from their disheartened state he is of opinion thenloss is severe, or that some chief of note is among the slain. Mr. Wilson’s mission was to persuade the enemy to spare wounded and prisoners. He had a moeting with the taua and the principal chiefs on the subject under the karaka trees to the left of the peach grove this morning, when they agreed to his proposals, with the exception of Tapihana of the Ngatihikairo tribe, of Kawhia, and Hapurona chief of ITuirangi, one of W. King’s leading men, who refused to do otherwise than their ancestors did. -The rest, however, protested against their opposition, and told Mr. AFilson to write their protest in a book, and that these chiefs’ opposition will be overruled. Their po* sition at Matarikoriko is described by all to have been very strong, and .must have employed them months in fortifying. The pits and breastworks in the gully are a masterpiece of engineering skill, their dispo*sit.iau and construction admirable, and unless their loss was severe from shell and shot, or they had run short of ammunition, they would scarcely have CYacuated them so suddenly, and abandoned a pa of singular strength before it was attacked. Tuesday , Jan. 1. —>The Tasmanian Maid came up this morning. We hare seen a letter from the camp yesterday, from which we copy the following graphic account of the expedition to Kairau and particulars of the proceedings of the troops The clay we left town (28th) we arrived at Mahoetahi about 7 a.m. and halted for an hour for breakfast, after which we moved on by the road to the left of the blockhouse, and crossed the Waiongana at the prophet’s pa above the junction of the Man-t goraka with the Waiongana. Fortunately the river was notr too deep, but it would have been too deep the day before, and we arrived at Waitara at 10 o’clock a.m., and encamped near the pa. We got orders to move at 4 a.m. next morning, and got on the road at that hour, passed the site of the old L pa, and arrived at Ngataiparirua at 5.30, a.m.—moved on the advanced ground to Kairau, and comment d firing and throwing shells in the gu.lly towards the pa Matarikoriko. A working party commenced to make a redoubt, and after a short time (8.30 a m-); the natives crept up through the fern and gave ua a volley. A sharp fire until & 3.0, and then all quiet until. 12.30 p.m,» A heavy fire was then commenced, and continued all day and night. One man of the 65th killed, and 1 sergeant and 3 men wounded; ; 2 men of the 40th killed and 14 woundedi lof the JVaval brigade wounded severely. The 65th fell in at 7 p.m., and marched back to camp (Waitara) with the naval brigade. Left the 12th and 40th in camp at Kairau, who were engaged with the enemy till 5.3,0 next morning. All quiet! Sunday. The fire all Saturday was most terrific, and well'sustained on our side, which kept the rebels well in check. They fired out of rifle pits without showing themselves or taking aim, and the bullets went very higb.j Our people fired 70,000 rounds of ammunition, and about 120 shell and case shot. The Rev. Mr. Wilson went down to them yester day morning, and there was a truce all day. Mr. Wilson’s object was to get them to agree to spare the dead and wounded, and, after a good deal of parleying, an agreement has been made to that effect. One old savage fellow (a chief) dissenting, but they will not mind him. In going over some of the rifle pits a splendid tomahawk; all bloody, and a pouch, a large knife, and a pipe were found,'and various ether articles. Two. Maori letters were found, one from Takerei Terangi to Wirimu Hoeta, Rewi, and others, in which he urges them to spare the women and children. Intelligence was received that the enemy had left their pa and position, and two companies of the 65th and a few of the blue jackets xushed into it and hoisted the Union Jack, one the Colonel of the 65th had for the purpose. It was well and quickly done. We found the graves of five men, and one is buried far down in the gully. A young fellow came over with Mr. Wilson to-day to show liis father’s and uncle’s grave. It has been fenced in. The enemy is determined to fight. The following I names were found carved on mahuta and Mihi, and in a rifle pit-—-Kopua-reti. 140 men of the 65 th have gone to garrison Matarikoriko.” The Tasmanian Maid left for Waitara with stores, Spc,., and returned &t midnight. The Cordelia also came up, bringing Colonel Carey, D.A.G., Dr. Mouat, and some wounded men, and returned again in the afternoon. JFe&ther continues fine.

Accident. —Private John Weir, 65 th regt., explosion of fingers amputated. Wednesday., Jan. 2.—-From another letter, dated yesterday, from the camp,, we make the following extract We have filled; in the rifle pits and burnt the pa and w.hares near us. A fence has been erected round the graves of the others (five in number) ; 2 men, of the 12th were wounded on Saturday, also 1 of the engineers and 2 artillerymen,. The 65th and 40th who were killed were, buried at Waiiara camp on Sunday., Mr. Wilson says the Waikato force is about 500 men, besides Wi Kingi’s men; they do. not appear to work together,, or agree. Hapurona.was. down at the fight, and called out to us in the even ing ‘ not to go away.’ {A part of the force had returned to Waitara camp ), We gave them a shell dowrn at the peach, grove at: 9530 a.m. to-day (24-pounder) 1300> yards distance. At ten o’clock 100 men of the 65th, under Col. Wyatt* Lieuts. Urqubart, £ewis, and

Pennefather, went over to the large pa to reconnoitre, and returned at noon. We see a good many natives occasionally at the peadh grove, and they have quantities of rifle pits down'there.- The troops will be at them soon again, and we suppose may go either to Pu* kerangiora or Kingi’s pa.” ' The Cordelia came up this morning, and Mr. 0. Carrington, Provincial Surveyor, and staff, left in her, it i 3 said, to fix the positions of Matarikoriko and other places taken from the enemy. A block* house is being erected on Matarikoriko, a position commanding the large plain around, and will be permanently garrisoned. The Tasmanian Maid ha 3 taken down a quantity of timber for the purpose. A party of Waikatos were at the Hua and ICatere near the Waiwakaiho. They seized upon and took prisoners about IS friendly Maories, including some women who were in the fields attending to their crops. They were afterwards released. This.party,,, of rebels are believed to be out for cattle, and food. The Cordelia came up in the afternoon, and at the same time the Victoria left for‘Mauukau for reinforcements, it is rumoured. A large party of Waikatos, estimated at GOO, are at the White CLffs on the way to Waitara, and the Cordelia left for that part of the coast. A wooden plug, from an Enfield bullet, was extracted from the wound of one of the men shot at Matarikoriko } the enemy must have used some of the ammunition obtained at Puketakauere. The latest intelligence we have from the camp at Kairau is that the enemy are erecting a stockade at the peach grove near Huirgngi, and digging rifle pits, preparing for another stand. The i?ev. Mr. Wilson, who has had several conferences with the enemy, is of opinion that they are expecting large reinforcements. They intend to fight out the quarrel at Waitara, and, if so, it is there that the troops should be concentrated. Thursday, Jan. 3.*—The Tasmanian Maid arrived from Waitara at 3, a.,ni- The natives are at //uirangi i£nd its vicinity. The native account of the enemy’s loss on the 29th and 3.oth uit. is 7 killed and from 50 to 60 wounded. jS'ome natives carrying home a son of Te Pakaru, chief of Kawhia, badly wounded, told this to Nikorima’s people at Pukekohe. Amongst the killed is a principal Waikato chief, Karira te Karu, from //otea. A gentle-, man from the camp, however, informs us that lie saw himself five large graves, in which several must be interred. The Ngatiruanui tribe are on their way to town. They had reached Omuroa, W. Kingi Matakatea’s settlement, in the Taranaki district. Their intention is to unite with the Taranakis and take up their old position at Waireka. Trenches manned as usual, and afterwards inspected by Colonel Sillery, D.Q.G. Friday, Jan. 4.—The Tasmanian Maid arrived from Waitara this morning for provisions. No news from, the camp. Firing has been heard at intervals during the day. H. M.S. Cordelia iu sight, towards evening. The following notice posted up during the day ■

“ JVotice. “ The Colonel commanding the Garrison desires, it to be strictly understood that no person is to proceed beyond the outposts of New Jplymout.lv without his special permission. “ By order, “ John Bichardson, “ Ziieut. 12th regt., Garrison Adjutant.” UkOßr CIVILISATION. It. is unpleasant even, to suspect that the farcical fiction of Sir Frizzle Pumpkin represents a fact, however exceptional, in the British army,, and yet we are utterly unable, on any favourable hypothesis to account for Colonel Gold’s reservation of the powerful reinforcement which would have converted our late disastrous defeat in Ne w Zealand into a decided victory, and, very probably, by such “ short, sharp, and decisive” lessou have suppressed the native insurrection. Again it is, very strange that, after the repeated proofs,, not merely of prowess, but of military skill, that the Maories have given, they should once more—direly to our detriment—have been looked down upon as “ savages.” A memoir on the progress of civilisation in New Zealand, contained in the bulkier fasciculus of the recetlny-printed Parliamentary papers relating to that colony gives a very different idea of the brave but misguided people who, now not numbering 60,000 souls, defy in the Aouth Pacific the colossal power of Brita n.

The progress of civilisation is not per salturn, by advances that the observer of a once barbarous but improving nation can daily notice. Crescif occulto velut arbor cevo. To appreciate the extent of its progress, it is necessary to take widely distant epochs, and then compare the condition of the race at each-’-r-JVZO, 1836, and 1856. are the dates of contrast adopted by the .writer of the memoir referred to. ,

In. thefirst year cannibalism, murder from superstitious motives, and. infanticide,were universal institutions in New Zealand, and. war was nprmal mode of life. One consequence of this was that, practice making perfect, military operations (so far as the nature of'the native weapons, the only ones in use, would permit ) were carried on with great skill; another, that out of a population, of 100,000, 10,000 were slaves ; a third,, that every one was obliged to live within a fortified: village. Property was held in common. The mechanical arts were confined to carving and capoe building. Being unacquainted with the pjough, having no cereals, potatoes, pigs, or cattle, the Maories often suffered much from, famine in the- winter. The only doctrine in common, with Christianity which they held was. that of a future state. They never burled; their dead. They had no alphabet.

Their talk; was of .wars, feasts, and “ tapus ” < “ Come we. will eat you all” was the persuasive invitation to dinner they were in the habit Of addressing to European navigators. When they could they plundered .European ships. They had no foreign commerce in any sense worthy of the word, but bartered curiosities for iron, nails, and cloth. There were no foreign settlers in the islands, and consequently no half-castes. In 1836 the following changes had taken place. Cannibalism was still practised, but not so frequently as formerly, Instances of murder from superstitious motives had also become rare. War was as rife as ever, but carried on by means of fire-arms, in the use of which the Maories displayed great dexterity. The population had increased to 120,000, the proportion of those in a state of servitude continuing the same. Wheat was scantily cultivated. Food, however, was much more abundant, owing to the introduction of pigs, fowls, potatoes, an| maize. Tea and sugar were occasionally "used. Tobacco-smoking was common ; spirit drinking rare; 1500 converts to

Christianity, in name at all events, had been made. The dead were sometimes interred. Blankets had begun to supplant the native dress. The Maori tongue was written, Maori conversation now turned, in addition to the old stock, topic, war, and . the new weapons with which it was now waged, on land sales, trade, and the missionaries. Chiefs otherwise opposed to the European se t’em (of whom there were upwards of 1000, and consequently a few half-castes) left dying instructions for the protection of the missionaries. European ships were still plundered, but chiefly for the sake of powder, for which, also, and for guns, tobacco, blaukefcs, sc., there existed a regular traffic with the Europeans, the fl/aories paying inilax, potatoes, and pigs. Advancing twenty years, we find a still more .stroking .change. In 1856 cannibalism had • become, extinct in iVew Zealand—-any allusion, to it by a European being considered an insult by the natives, the last instance having occurred so far back as ’43, Murders from superstitious motives were less frequent than in 1836. No general civil war had raged for sixteen years. Although possessing no cannon themselves, the Maories in their wars with the .English held their ground against the .English artillery. Slavery, like cannibalism, was, extinct; but the population had dwindled, away to half its amount in 1836. The. pahs were becoming dilapidated -rs-many of the former “ dwellers within walls” being now scattered in security in separate homesteads over the face of the country. Personal right was admitted in what we call personal property, rarely in real. A very rough carpentry was common amongst the natives. The plough was pretty generally used. Wheat and cattle having been introduced on a large scale, famine wasfunknown. Englisn pots, pans, crockery, &c., were in use, the natives laughing when they were reminded that they once used pumpkins for drinking-cups, shells for knives, rivers for lookingglasses, universal, and dram-drinking more common than in 1836. Tea and sugar were extensively consumed. A complete native dress was a curiosity, the prevailing mode being a blanket, supplemented with ordinary European attire. The number of Christian converts had increased to 45,000. The dead were 1 always interred. Two-thirds of the people had been vaccinated. The Maori tongue was not only written, - but several useful works had been printed in it. Trade, ships, flourmills, horses, vessels, wheat-sowing, Kauri gum, carts,-. prices of things, &c., were the mi.' ceVaneous themes that had "taken, when Maories assembled, the place of their fore fathers’ frivolous or ferocious topics of conversation. Great anxiety existed amongst them to have English settlements near their villages. There were upwards of 35,000 settlers in the islands, and more than a thousand half-castes. 107 barrels of powder, stolen from Europeans, were restored without an appeal to force. Occasional reference wa3 made by the natives amongst themselves to English laws. Both with ships and English settlements a considerable commerce was carried on, money being the sole medium of exchange. In three respects no improvement can be traced. ~ In 1856, as in 1770, chili-murder was common, the houses were badly ventilated, and women were compelled to perform an undue amount of labour. In all the other items of comparison, with, the ..exception of the decrease of the population, the prevalence of tobacco smoking, and the increase, of spirit-drinking, the contrast between, the two years is most gratifying. This decrease of , the population, notwithstanding its present antagonism to us, is a deplorable circumstance, for there can be little doubt, from the aptitude of improvement the Maories already manifested, that they might be "educated up to a pitch at which it would be no degradation for Europeans to amalgamate with them on equal term*. The great obstacle tq tlie Maori’s improvement is his pride. He;-thinks that .be could excel the Palceha in .everything, if he chose to try, and rests content'with this belief, and the assertion of his superiority to the white man in the few. instances in which, he actually is the superior. Why should hetrouble himself to make ploughs^or carts, or mills?” he says; “ he can buy them. of. the. English. He is a farmer, ,got 3 'a ipechupiq. Is he not a better judge of -%id ;any settler ?. Where, however, is the Pakeha. who can, scoop out a canoe, catch fish, or weave a, mat like a Maori?” Another great obstacle to Maori elevation is / Maori communism. The most civilised New Zealanders are those who hold laud of the Crown—who work for themselves individually, not as members of a tribe. As the writer of the memoir remarks,. “ Even the

energetic settlers in Virginia and the Pilgrim! Fathers found the common property system they adopted, a barrier, to their progress.” At present the amalgamation between the two races is only taking place largely between English men and Maori women. Only five European women up to 1856 had condescended to become the wives of Maories. As female immigration to New Zealand increases, and as the Maories mount in the. scale of civilisation—after their piesent hopeless attempt to preserve their separate nationality has been crushed by a display of force against which their shrewdness will tell them it is vain for them to contend—intermarriages of both sexes may be expected to become far more common. Recording to ah ethnological law, the English, being the more numerous, will give the dominant type to the mixed breed, which will in time become merely a robuster race of English, with outcropping memories of Maori blood, As Hispano-Ameri-cans, notwithstanding their pride in their descent from the conquerors of the /peas, boast i also of their descent on one side from the Innas, so, our author suggests, Anglo-iVev-Zealanders in days to come may proudly assert that they have the blood of Hongi or Rauparaka in their veins.— Scotsman.

IRELAND.

The I.ast of the Pope’s /rish Brigade:.—On Sunday morning, by direction of his the Cardinal Archbishop, a solemn requiem, mass was sung at &iiut Patrick’s Roman Catholic- Chapel, (Sblio Square, London, “ for the repose of the souls of the brave men, especially our countrymen, who have laid down their lives in the cause of our Hjoly Father the Pope ” The service was fixed for eleven o’clock, and long before that time the building was filled. The whole of the interior of the chapel, galleries, pillars, and pulpit, was covered with black cloth, relieved with crossed swords, dirks, helmets, shields, chapel, and in front of the altar, was erected a catafalque. This consisted of a canopy surmounted by tall wax tapers, and covered with dark blue velvet and a large number of swords, helmets, shields, sc. Under the canopy was a pall, with a large purple cross embroidered, and around it the choir and assisting priests were ranged with lighted candles. The requiem was sung by the Pery Rev. Dr. Hearn, the Vicar-General, assisted by Fathers Barge, Cuddon, and Stanton, A/osart’s music being performed in a grand style by the choir from the Bavarian Catholic Chapel, in Warwick Street. The sermon was preached by the Provost Manning and occupied an hour. How to be Happy. —The following is a verbatim copy of a letter received a few days ago by a solicitor in the county of Waterford from his clerk in another part of the said county: “ I am very happy to inform you that two murderous assaults were committed near this town yesterday evening, and that your attendance will be required here at the petty sessions to defend the parties in both cases.” The Harvest in the North of Ireland. —We have deen favoured with another week of glorious harvest weather, all the more acceptable to the farming interests because of the short time that now reasonably remains for out-door operations, and perhaps from a feeling of thankfulness, too, that the threatening aspect of the past few days has not so far realised itself as to impede in any manner “ the gathering of the sheaves.” The apprehensions in respect of the storm of Tuesday night are, we learn from all sources, groundless—for the corn already ripe had been cut and stooked, and so would be rather benefited than otherwise by the heavy gale that prevailed, while the corn still unripe could not have been materially shaken or injured. Throughout the entire county, we learn, the greatest activity prevails. Harvest labour is at a premium ; the oat crop is fast, ripening—fields which, a week ago, presented an almost green appearance, are now dotted ov.er with piled-up sheaves, and we may fairly add that the grain crops generally have come up to the expectations of the farmer, notwithstanding the severity of the weather and the lateness of the season. —Northern Whig.