THE HAURAKI NATIVES.

Taa following account of a Native meeting con- *■■» ■•* Hauraki, by Mr. Mackay appeared in the IMus Croat of the 22nd inst. :— wltoaday, thelßth inst. a meeting was convened at "W—g** bj Assistant Native Secretary Macky, for -5_P O P°* c °t explaining to the Natives of Hauraki ?*»*igbbourhood the meaning of his Excellency gOovtrnor'a proclamation relative to the oath of * Z?s_?* *° *• -»ken by them, as well as to point *? Wwch of them would likewise be required to _**P tteif anna. The meeting was very well at2** by both Europeans and Natives, among whom " ____■• mentioned Captain Hamilton and several __sof5 of H,M -" ■■?■ E,k ' Mr - Lawlor - Mr * Rin - Mp g2__r* *■*• Minnis, and several others. Even several ; **_» who have been down here the past few weeks, P"a the meeting with their attendance. __'*' ■ftw explaining the object of the 7y™f- commenced, by saying : Salutations to you j"S to the chiefs and all men; to those who have .•• a fault, and to those who have not; also to a-*-" 1 * , -* ata^01M to all- I l" aTe come to y**—" Jour thoughts on this occasion, and to show c intentions of the Government to those "w_y* I WMa - > - tted themselves. If they wish to return __** *"*gianoe, let them lay down their arms, and ~j"»«ppart of their land to the Governor. It is not "-J m *n to state his own particular - jt ' * tt f« each individual amongst you to make v** 11 •tatament in respect to the terms stated. I and finished my work at Hauraki ; j- . . .yw-ins for you is to acquiesce in the work Tlie road I point out is open to all; - "*• complaints to make, let them declare (*•*__ a* 0- * laTe come *° ascertain your "Jf"' 4c -» out especially with respect to those fet__?r oM °, n "tt«d themselves. After remarking „ ™ himself belonging to the victorious m ft-Tk him *° make those observations ; and *2saftl, W " indebted to this fact to meeting "4«a__lik ni,mdertue P resent circumstances, and to "f-rch carefully their own thoughts, "iffj* v *- "peaking on the side of the Governlahe. : v ' a mir «>r had two sides, one to - , *W»tn* v other * **-"* 9ide ; lt WRS for the as * a trt-! a L the reflectin s 9ide of the mirror * 1 «£-, mt»T_i ?° rtion of tuo meeting who were * ~ *#«eek «fv t# _L d,ouW «auiine carefully how the •>*-■»-»_-. l - -"-fleeted upon them; he'also urged kta ft-T *" d: Salutations! Tlie road I have ~t*»Ti2 w 4 " 1 " 1 8tultokce p- Your talk »™y "_'--' ■** •Tery man apeak to-day, that our

thoughts may be known. I will not liide mv thought on tliis occasion: should the enemy have gained the day, I shonld have been on that side. TeAraKuri: Salutation* to all. I wish you to unueritund that my thoughts on tho subject ore the same as Pita's. Ko Wata, of Cabbage Bay, said: AYe have been wailing for events ; you have gained tiie day, and it is for you to decide what is to be done. Te Teira said : The Governor has dng a road, and my intention is to walk upon it. Ke Matcnga, who made the longest speech, principally in parables, said : That the intentions of the Governor had hitherto been dark and uncertain. He tfien finished up with a song. Ka liv Kura said .- Salutations f o all! What you say shall be listened to; and that Xgatitamatira have not two thoughts about tlie course they «h_ll pursue. J Kaitu said: Salutations to you all. I see no other road than the one now laid down, and that is good. Pita te Hangi said : Don't say that it is on account of circumstances that I make mv assscrtion : mv loyalty is of old. Paori, of Kapanga, then rose up, and asked the Ngatimateras who were there assembled, whether they were for the Queen? The tribe gave a unanimous Yes. (This lie repeated twice, and twice the same answer was given.) Hoani te Kiri Pakeke said : Welcome to you. I am still with the Governor, where I have always been from tho time of the first Governor; so also were my ancestors who are departed. i Pc Moawa Nui: What lloani has said is correct; from of old the Ngatitamatira have been loyal to tlie Governor; it was the wish of our fathers who are dead that we should continue to be attached to the Governor. One or two others made remarks in much the same •train. Mr. Macky rose and said : It is all very good what you are saying, but I wish you to explain yourselves without restraint. If you have anything iipon your minds against us, speak it out, show it to us. I have a canoe well built and fast, and that will work to windward ; I want you to come on board ; we shall have both Europeans and Maoris to navigate this new canoe, there will be no fear of upsetting. 0 However, as you like, think carefully on the subject, don't hurry on board, don't express Yourselves witling to do that wliich you have not thoroughly weighed in your own minds ; let your thoughts "and sayings be the same ; study carefully what is the best for yourselves. Fresh water is good, even- one likes fresh water, but if the tide runs into the stream and becomes mixed with the fresh water it is no longer good ; the salt is easily detected in the water ; and tins is what I say, don't let anyone here think he can hide his guilt, but let everyone' who has been guilty acknowledge himself wrong, that he may live ; but should any wish to screen his faults, let him return (to Waikato) to those who are in fault, and not stay with those who wish to live in peace. My word about your oll'ence, you have raised your hand against mc without a cause. What have I done that I should have induced you to assault mc ? It is tlie younger men who have committed themselves ; wherever I go I find it has been them who would not listen to the advice of the chiefs. Now listen to this, the Europeans are very easy people ; should your hand have been strongest you would have killed and destroyed us in all directions; we do not wish to act in this manner, we are a merciful people. Pumilii then said : You are right about the young men, it was us who acted contrary to the advice of the old men. Haura Tika then remarked : Don't sit silent here on this occasion. Rawiri te Ua observed : We are waiting for what you have to 6ay. Wikiriwhi: Those are the people (pointing to a party of seven Natives who had returned from the Front) who have done wrong; we have agreed amongst ourselves what to do, but it is for you to point out the road. Tamati Waka remarked : That all the people, both those who have done wrong and tlie others, are agreed amongst themselves ; they do not wish to stray from the subject. This finished the korero. ' Tho eight Natives who had returned from the 1 Front then stepped forward with their arms, seven i lint muskets and one tewhatewha. One of them wished Mr. Macky to listen to the small snatch of a song lie had : " tora mai to ringa hou re ru kiatana " (stretch out your hand, and say how do you do—as a token of reconciliation). Mr. "Macky replied :" It is rou who must come to mc, as it is you who have ' ione wrong." After explaining to these Natives more fully the terms already mentioned, each man iras requested to make and sign a declaration. The ' >nly Native of importance amongst these eight was mc Marsh of Waiau. Amongst the several chiefs who where present were Kitahi to Tanewha. Te Moaua Nui, Tamati Waka, llaora Tipa, Tikapa Hauauru, Rawiri to Ua, and a !ew others. It was a most successful meeting, and every thing massed off in the most orderly manner. THB CotONIAI FORCK 'PROMOTIONS.—A wellnerited tribute has been rendered to the zeal and -allantry of the Colonial Force by the promotion of * leveral of the officers who have distinguished them■elves at Orakau, and other engagements. In a Gazette published by the Government, on the day ifter the receipt of the Orakau despatches, appeared - ihe names of six officers of the Auckland Militia, ' whose services had been brought under the notice of 4 lis Excellency the Governor by General Cameron. Lieutenant-Colonel Nixon, commandant of the force, worthily heads the list, and his commission as Colonel s dated on 21st February. That was the day when ;he attack was made on the village of Te Awamutu, md several of the Natives betook themselves to a --hare which they desperately defended until they >erished in the burning ruins. Four men of tlie Colonial Defence Force were shot down on that occatiou, and Colonel Nixon, who was close to the scene, ~ vas at the same time dangerously wounded, a ball taving passed through his chest. Lieutenant-Colonel tlaultain, of the 2nd Waikato Militia, is raised to the ■auk of Colonel for his services during the three days' 1 ighting, preceding the capture of the Orakau pa. It J was he who, while commanding at the Kihikihi « Redoubt, gave Colonel Carey information of the p ■rcsence of the rebels in the vicinity of Drakau, when the advance was ordered, and he ac- a rompanied the force at the head of 150 of lus own ■egiment. Captain Heaphy, our townsman, receives - ;he rank of Major, unattached, for his gallantry on lie 11th February, which date his commission bears. [t will be recollected that on this day a number of loldiers of tlie 40th, under a covering party of 20, j >roceeded to the Maungapiko river to bathe, when 1 hey were fired upon by a largo party of the a inemy who were lying concealed among the fern and fi i-tree. In the encounter which ensued Captain ieaphy accompanied the parry sent to attack the -» ■ebcls, and was in the hottest part of the struggle, irmed with a revolver and rifle. When three t loldiers fell, Captain Heaphy, while aiding one of hem, made as miraculous an escape as has been resorded during the war.—He was slightly wounded >n the left breast, and grazed in two other places, while _ lis clothes were perforated with bullets; to come >ut alive with shot thus showering around him like lailstones, almost betokened a charmed life. Captain 1 Hereford, 3rd Regiment. Waikato Militia, who J jomes next in succession, peculiarly distinguished f limaelf on 2nd April, the date of his conimis- _ •ion as Major, at Orakau. According to the lespatch- of Colonel Carey, he along with Ensign Harmon, Auckland militia (who also now receives tiis Lieutenancy), " remained at the head of the sap nearly the whole time, keeping down the fire of the - jnemy by the well directed balls of their own rifles" rhe 'deeds of Captain Jackson and his Forest Rangers have been frequently before tho public, i As a volunteer, he distinguished himself in the affair | jf the 11th February, to which we have already -s referred in connection with Major Heaphy. He is »<»ain honourably mentioned by Colonel Carey for his a conduct in tho scige and capture of Orakau. Hia brave deeds will merit his Majority. The samo may be said of Captain Yon Tcmpsky, who commanded ih« |

t other company of Forest Rangers. If any one ever ; " won his spurs " by gallant actions, it has been Ton Tempsky, to whom'nllusion has been repeatedly made > in despatches. He dashed with his men into the * thioket on 11th February, where they had several severe hand-to-lirmd encounters with enemy, for i it was a most perilous species of warfare for the t :issnil:tnt.<. He afterv.irds performed good service, a* Colonel Sir Henry Havelock bore testimony in lii* I despatch, in covering the rctirin-j force on that day ; and lastly at Orakau, he has again evinced his dasli- , ing valour. Uis commission as Major is dated on r 4th April, while that of Captain Jackson is on the . 3rd, or preceding day, being identified with his service. We presume the distinction was merely to mark the i seniority of Captain Jackson. We thought our k readers might be interested by our recalling the more ! conspicuous services of the officers of the Colonial Forces now selected for promotion.— Xew Zealander, • April 12. New Rules vor Voi.c\teer Rifle Pbactick. — Tlie following circular has been issued :— " ."school of Musketry, Hythc, Jan. 13. ,: The following changes in the system of riile practice are to take effect from this date, and to he continued in force until further orders: —1. The number of targets and the dimensions of bull'seyes and centres for the several classes, &c, to be as follows :— . . j 0-3 Dimensions of i d ? c ! >5 5 Centre. Bull's-eye. i H From 150 to .ton yards inclusive, or for.'ird J i class ' 2 4 feet xl foot 1 foot a* 6 Inch. From 400 to 600 yards , inclusive, or for _ml , class i 3 4 „ 2 feet I „ 1 foot. From coo to9oo yards inclusive, or for Ist i I class ! 4 4 „ 3 „i 1 ~ 2 feet. File and volley tiring '1j .. .. |1 „ 2,. Skirmishing ".. .. j l ! .. .. j1 „ 2 „ 2. Shots hitting the targets to be valued for all classes as follows : —Bull's-eye, 4 points ; centres, 3 ; outers, 2. All shots hitting the horizontal black line in tile, volley and skirmishing practices to count 4. 3. The points to be obtained as a qualification to pass into :i higher class, and to establish a higher claim for extra pay as marksmen, are to be as follows: — Number of points to be obtained in 3rd class to pass into 2ni class, 30; in 2nd class to pass into Ist, 30; Ist class to be marksmen, 20. 4. In executing the volley practice a man whose rifle niisse3 tire in the volley is not to be allowed to fire at the target singly, but his round is to be counted as having been expended. 5. The order of merit regulating the issue of extra pay to men who become marksmen to be determined by tlie greatest number of points obtained in shooting in the Ist and 2nd classes— i.e., '10 rounds. 6. Tlie best shot of the oattalion will be that man who, having obtained in the Ist class upwards of 20 points with the Enfield rifle, or 32 points with the small bore, scores Ihe highest number of points in the Ist and 2ud classes—i.e., in 40 rounds, and is in tlie first class judging distance at the final classifica- | tion."