AUCKLAND.

Press, Volume V, Issue 558, 13 August 1864, Page 3

AUCKLAND.

The news from Auckland, which extends to t?e 3rd instant, is more than ordinarily important. The Governor, and also the Colonial Secretary and Attor-ney-General, have gone to Tauranga for the purpose of personally making terms with the large r umber of Natives -who are believed to be prepared to make their submission. The Southern Cross cf the 3rd says: — General Sir Duncan Cameron, X.C.8., attended by his personal staff, consisting of Colonel M'Neill, A.D.C., and Lieutenant St. Hill, A.D.C., will leave for Tauranga to-day in H.M.S. Miranda. The Miranda will call in at the Kawau for his Excellency the Governor, who will also proceed to Tauranga. The general staff, with the exception of Colonel Pitt, military secretary, who remains in town, will proceed to Tauranga at a later day, in H.M.s.s. Falcon. The colonial gunboat Sandfly, Captain Marks, will al?o proceed to Tauranga to-day, having the Hon. F. Whitaker, Attorney-General, and the non. Wm. Fox, Colonial Secretary, on board. It is also understood that a legal gentleman is to accompany them, to draw up any formal documents that may be necessary in their dealings with the Natives. We have heard it stated that it is not at all improbable that Wm. Thompson and many of his followers will submit. His Excellency and the General and staff are expected to be absent for some time. The New Zealander of the same date in giving similar information adds:—We understand that during the visit to Tauranga, his Excellency intends to grant an andience also, as solicited, to William Thompson. The New Zealander of the 3rd contains also the following important information relative to the intention on the part of the Homo Government to remove the troops from New Zealand : — We noticed yesterday a rumour, which had obtained some currency, to the effect that several regiments of her Majesty's forces were about to be removed from the colony. We are now in a position to give more accurate information on the subject. It is, we understand, an order from home that a withdrawal shall be commenced in January, and shall be gradually carried on, until the strength of the force stationed in the colony shall be brought down to that of one regiment. The regiment appointed to remain is the 18th Royal Irish. The 14th Regiment is to be removed to Melbourne, and the rest of the force is to be in England not later than December 31st, 18G5. This arrangement, however, is subject to modification. Should the colony desire to retain a larger force than one regiment, the Homo Government will not, it appears, object to meet our wishes, on condition than an annual allowance of £40 per man be paid for all over the one regiment that is to be stationed in New Zealand. Native Laitd at Wawkxj. — The purchase of half the native block of land lying between the Manukau and Waikato river, bounded on the east by the Waiuku creek, has just been completed by Messrs. Turton and Sogau for t \\o Government. The other half has been confiscated, ancl only for the merciful consideration of his Excellency and his Ministers the entire block would have shared the I same fate. The Natives who now resido on the land get a high price, to be paid in fire annual instalments. i They have been also permitted to select 3,000 acres lof the best land, in five separate blocks ; an-I havo access to the creek and sea secured to them, together with lakes reserved for eel-fishing. The lanl will bo settled by immigrants sent out by Mr. Reader Wood. The block contains 47,000 acres.— Southern. Cross, August 1. Bat of Coax.— We are glal tlio Provincial Government has taken steps to test tho Bay J of Islands coal. Two practical miners from Leeds, j their wives aud families, havo been sent up in the j General Cameron to Eussel!, employed by the ■ Government to thoroughly prospect the coil deposit. The* are to be unlar the directio-i of the resident magistrate. The minors iv question arc -practical men, and will bo able to form a correct judgment of I the value of these coals. They are accessible, and SitiU&tffl M Auckland is at present it would be of the IT" ~r- w TT~ p-jT" The eooner we are able to loak elsewhere in the province for a ateatlv suppVr of this commodity the better it *ill he.- Bid. BiTIIS OF KiXOiAVTHU. The following de-patcU I has been for warded through, his Eleelletiejr to tllfl I Getier.il Government of New Zealand :—" i)o-.vning-street, 23rA Iffiy, ISHI. Sir,—l have t!io honor to acknowledge the receipt of you.r despatch, > T o. 34, of the 27th of February, enclosing a copy of a report from Lieutenant-General Sir Duncan Cameron of the operations of t';e farce under his command upon the 21st and 22nd of February, which resulted in the complete rout of the rebel Natives, and the occupation of an important position. I am fully sensible of the excellence of the arrangements which he made, and also of the admirable conduct of the officers and ! men uader his command. It affords mc also much i

pleasure to notice the testimony which General Camoron has borne to the discipline and efficiency <">f j the C.i'onial "Drfenee Force, which h(» states i? chietlv j due to the example and exertions of I Nixon, who h-'s the Mmmrd of the Force; an! T ( trust th'it liy your n^it despnVhes you will havo been j able to in form mc {'rat this enllrint officer had rocov- ! ered from his w,,und*. I hay.> n'«o to reqn*\«( tlvit ' you will convey to the Bishop of Xe-v Zealaui an expression of n»v siMvrest t!i'ink* the invaluib'e services which, at a great personal ri-k and inconvenience, he hal rendered to General Came-on and the troops under his command. I have, Ac. Edward Card we!!. Governor Sir George Grey, X.C.8., <K<\ The Tacpo Natives. —From accounts received it appears tTi.it Parenura, one of the Native assessors, met Rewi, on his wnv to Taupo, between To Papa and Waikoea, when Rewi told him that the object of his present visit, to Taupo was on account of nevr* having reached him that a collision was likely to take place between the friendly Natives and insurgents at Taupo ; and that he had come for tlie purpose of preventing any fighting taking place between them, as Taupo was the only place of refuge for the women and children of both parties. It has been since learned that Rewi had another and more important object in view, which, he did not break to Parenara. but kept for Matutaera, which is as follows : —Rewi began by telling a tale of two victo'i >s that had been gained at Taranaki, by the follower* of Gabriel, ov( r the troops; and he then stated 'h>t tho principal object of his visit was on acccun of messengers sent by the chief tohunga of Gabriel to Ilangatiki, for the purpose of soliciting Matutaera to proceed to Taranaki, on account of a dream dreamed by the said tohunga, relative to Matutaera, and a large store full of loot that had been obtained from a vessel that had been wrecked through the interference of the angel Gabriel. The tale ran tl>U3 : —That the tohunga dreamed that he saw Matataera's spirit, and when he approached him that lie did obeisance to the king, but the king passed by him, went to his store, and forced an entry into it. Tho tnhunga followed after the king, and as he approached the store the king was coming out again, bearing in his hand an article out of the store. As soon as the king saw him he bowed to the tohunga, who, in return, bowed to the king ; — end then awoke from his dream. The tohunga adds to this, that in a former dream the angel Gabriel appeared to him, and told him that on account of some evil they had done he had withdrawn his protection from them, which was the cause of their defeat at Wanganui; but he would fight for them in another way, if they would strictly adhere to hie instructions. His help would be by wrecking vessels on the coast, thus enriching them and supplying them with arms and ammunition ; and they would ultimately drive all the pakehas from their lands. Considering his dream concerning Matutaera and his " whare toa" as being a good omen, he immediately sent for Matutaera. Rewi in vain told his tale to the Taupo Natives, in hopes of I gaining converts, but was only ridiculed by many, and after about three weeks' solicitations he succeeded in inducing Matutaera to accompany him to Taranaki. When To Heuheu, the present representative of the late Te Heuheu, saw that Matuatera had consented to go to Taranaki, he addressed Matutaera to tho followin effect:—" Listen to mc. Two different religions have been introduced to us, the Protestant and the Roman Catholic, and under these two religions Potatau was made King,—and now that man invents a new religion. Aβ you arc determined to listen to Rewi and go to Taranaki—go ! but, recollect, jif you find all that is said true, it will be very good ; if the contrary, we turn our backs upon you!" Matutaera then said, if he found all true he would return, or they would hear from him. If otherwise, it is not likely that he will return to Taupo.— Southern Cross, August 1. MAUN GAT ATTTABT. The correspondent of tho New Zealander in a letter written in July 24, says : — The Natives hereabout seem tacitly to hare made a> truce with us concerning the occupation of the Waikato. The chief Teraihi, of the Ngatihaua, Thompson's tribe, is not averse to driving in bullocks from Matamata and the Piako for sale to the Commissariat.; and officers on shooting excursions after ducks or wild pigs, on meeting with Natives parley -with thorn on not unfriendly terms. The King, if Matutaera still bears that title, is about ten miles above Tβ Kopua, the Rev. Mr. Reid's station on the Waipa. Rewi Maniopoto is there also, -with a considerable number of Taranaki Natives, probably an embassage. The Waikato tribes appear to consider the country conquered as gone, and have given over all idea of contesting its possession, unless they eet great assistance from Cook's Straits, meaning Wanganui and Otaki, which is not likely to be forthcoming. The leaders of the fanatic sect, the pai tnarire, are at Hangatiki, -with Rewi and Matutaera, and are actually getting followers. They still profess to hold a charmed life against English lead and steel. Tho Ringites do not like the idea of the occupation of their land by military agriculturists, and they swear vengeance against tho surveyors who are now cutting up their land. About a week since Maori spies were detected in the surveyor's camp, about four miles from this, on tho eastern bank of the Waikato, where the village is being laid out for the 3rd Regiment of Waikato Militia. Major Heaphy, whose party was unarmed, made application to Colonel Lyon for a covering party, and a small force under Lieut. Hensen has been sent to Cambridge, as the site of the village is called, and are now entrenching themselves there. This place is immediately below the first rapids of the Waikato. The soil on the eastern side of the Waikato from this to Kirkiri is said to be fertile in the extreme, and from about half a mile from the river bank, quite level. There are thousands of acres of flax swamp that an expenditure of a few pounds in digging an cutlet for surface-water would render fit for wheat cultivations, but which is of course now, with a large extent of land around it, entirely unproductive.