LATEST FROM THE NORTH.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1193, 6 February 1864, Page 5

LATEST FROM THE NORTH.

The correspondent of the ' New Zealand Advertiser,' writing on the 29th ult., says

It is now said the rebels have five fighting pahs flanked by three redoubts, surrounded by swamps and lakes, and that one pah contains 300 natives, the extent of their rifle-pits is said to be one and a half miles long, and they have underground passages ; if so, it will be difficult to dislodge them. Gold is reported to have been discovered in Waikato. The correspondent of the 'New Zealand Herald ' says:— " The General has certainly assembled the largest body of troops ever collected' in New Zealand, and will march with between two and three thousand men, sufficient surely if the rebels should be rash enough to stand, to settle the war once for all. I think I can safely assure those who, having friends and relatives among the troops named, will be anxiously expecting the next news, that there will be no such loss of life as at liangiriri, even if the natives can muster up courage enough to fight, which is very much doubted. For if they should fight it will be on ground of the General's choosing this time, and not in any trap that they may have laid in which to shoot down our officers and men with impunity, and under such circumstances all will feel sure that the result would be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth, among the tribes far and wide. There are those who say that the Ngatinmniapotos having re- j ceived reinforcements from so many tribes who will all make it a point of honor to outvie each other in bravery, and that all feeling a disgrace that the Waikato should have shown so much more bravery at liangiriri than any other tribe has done, they will

fight even if they should feel certain of being beaten, but Maori deeds do not always equal Maori words." The Raglan correspondent of the same journal, under date Jan. 27, says:—

n " Late last night our Resident Magistrate, Major MaeGregor, received an order to join his regiment n immediately. Colonel Haultain, 2nd Waikato, is, we e understand, to perform the R. M.'s duties pro tem. . The calling away of Major MaeGregor at this juncl ture, I look upon as peculiarly unfortunate. He has t succeeded, by a lengthened stay among the natives e of the district, in acquiring their entire confidence, and they have looked upon him, lately, as their pror tector. Colonel Haultain must be seen to disadvane tage by them, as one of the' hora9 ' (soldiers) The e system of military magistrates is a bad one in toto, if the gentleman at the head of the civil power in a . district is to be ordered off at a few hour's notice, ii leaving everything connected with his department, y most probably, in interminable confusion." '1 After stating that the 27th was named as the day for the attack, says:— " From the distance to be marched, and from the v amount of work to be done, in transporting guns, e ammunition, &c., I do not myself think an attack _ can take place before Thursday. When it does it is to be hoped that as much science as possible will be r brought to bear upon the pahs. ' Scotch navigation' (main strength and stupidness, as defined by the j sailors) must result in a fearful loss of life on our g side, and theservice suffered quite sufficient atßangij riri, considering the trifling effects produced on the enemy. The natives here are almost all convinced that the troops will be beaten. One fellow, who = calls himself the General's guide, said that no one knew the day for the attack, 4 for,' he said,' if the ' common soldiers knew in time, they would run f away! They knew nothing of it until they are j formed for the march, and then it was too late!' when will those ignorant men understand the character of the Anglo Saxon?" On the 28th ult., the correspondent of the 1 New e Zealand Herald says : — e " The escort for the Provision Convoy was attacked 1 this morning at Razorback, Great South Road. Two men of the 18tli Regiment were wounded. 3 The number of the enemy, and whether they sus--5 tained any casualties not known. Reinforcements f have been sent for. ! » The above, which appeared in our second edition 8 of yesterday morning, created some small amount of 3 scepticism with those who have pooh-poohed the ? idea of any Maoris being still prowling among the ranges. The fact, nevertheless, is beyond cavil or r dispute. From subsequent information received last night, ' we learn that only five natives were seen, and disappeared as suddenly as seen. The two soldiers were but slightly wounded, one in the hand, the other in the fleshy part of the thigh. The convoy was a long one, consisting of fifty waggons, the escort rather weak. All the posts have since been strengthened. Should any further tidings transpire, we shall take care to place it before our readers." T ———