The Taranaki Herald. NEW PLYMOUTH, MAY 6, 1865.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XIII, Issue 666, 6 May 1865, Page 7

The Taranaki Herald. NEW PLYMOUTH, MAY 6, 1865.

THE MONTH. The noticeable feature in the news of the month has been the renewal of military operations (or more properly, of military movements) in Taranaki, which is all the more remarkable as being simultaneous with General Cameron's retirement into winter quarters. Whether it is that the winter is milder here than 60 or 100 miles to the southward ; or whether it is, that where there's a will there's a way, and where there's not a will there isn't a way, -we do not know, but the fact remains, that just as General Cameron has given up the thoughts of further operations as impracticable, Colonel Warre, on the motion of the Government, has been advancing his outposts considerably in each direction — fifteen or twenty miles to the northward since last month, and twenty-five miles to the southward. Pukearuhe, the site of an old Maori pa on this side of Parininihi (or the "White Cliffs) and about twenty-five miles northward of the Town, was occupied by a mixed force of Regulars and Bushrangers, under Captain Ralston, 70th Regiment, on Monday 24th April. j£t was in consequence of the rumoured approach of the Ngatimaniapoto that this important post was taken up, and though Rewi and his people have not yet appeared, it cannot be denied that the move is a most judicious one looking to the absolute command it gives of the only direct route from Waikato. When W. King of Umuroa was told of it, he said "Ah, then you have put up your gate at last ?" — a remark which sufficiently indicates the nature of the place and the effect of occupying it. The day before this move was made a small party of men who though almost unarmed had very rashly gone out to a distance of several miles from the camp at Te Ngana, Stoney River, were attacked by a party of the Taranaki natives and two of the number killed ; one of the bodies only was found, and from it one eye had been cut out, no doubt eaten in accordance with their lately adopted (or rather lately renewed) cannibal practices. It was rumoured in connection with this affair that these natives had seen one unarmed party previously and might have killed them but would, not, and gave notice through the friendly natives at Tukitukipapa that they had let them off, but that in future they should kill any they met with. The story was.of course in the highest degree improbable to any one who considered that these natives belonged to the worst seztion (the Patukai and Upokomutu) of one of the very worst tribes in New Zealand, and upon enquiry we found that the mistake arose from a warning given by one of the Tukitukipapa natives on his own account from what he knew would happen if men continued going carelessly about as they were then doing. A week later Colonel Warre with a small force of Bushrangers and regulars went down in the Wanganui and took possession of Opunake, a place reckoned to be about 45 miles to the southward of this Town, and therefore perhaps about twenty-five from Waingongoro, the northernmost post which General Cameron has been able to occupy in his advance from Wanganui. The occupation of Opunake is important as tending to separate the Taranakis from the Ngatiruanuis ; though from the nature of the country it will be difficult to make this separation complete, ev^a if other posts are taken up inland. Still it makes their communication more difficult and ours more easy — and is another step towards the necessary occupation of the country between here and Whanganui. It also relieves W. King of Umuroa from the awkward position he has been in for the last two or three years and will no donbt secure the allegiance of such of his people as are waverers. On Monday last Colonel Warre having returned to Town by sea, started again with a mixed -force to go down overland, camped at Warea the same night and started for Opunake on Tuesday morning — the result of this expedition is not yet known. It may, however, be safely said that more has been done here in the last fortnight than in the previous six months — that is since the capture of Manotohi and the

occupation of Mataitawa and Te Arei — and it is due partly to the energy and decision of the Defence Minister and partly to the ready and able assistance rendered by Colonel Warre to the plans of the Government. It was the more essential that something should be done, inasmuch as General Cameron had not only ceased to advance, but had even retired a few miles from the farthest point he had reached — and therefore, as it has been followed by an advance here, the natives will look upon the retreat probably as a feint —in which light it is as well that they should regard it. The Pai Marire fanaticism is probably still on the increase among the hostile and semi-hostilo natives. The Government, it will be seen, have issued a proclamation on the subject, declaring the practice of it a custom repugnant to humanity, and therefore to be suppressed under the royal instructions. But the thing itself derives its whole strength from the lawlessness and aversion to restraint (at least to such restraint as our law supplies) which are inherent in Maori nature and have been fostered to an unusual degree by various events in the last five year 3, and thesefore in dealing with it alone we are dealing with what is little more than a symptom and not with the root of the disease. S till it is desirable to prevent the spread of the infection among the friendly and half friendly natives (the Ngapuhi tor instance), for though no doubt they would take it in a much milder form, it would supply a bond of union between them and our open enemies which it is obviously desirable should not exist.