Colonial.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XVII, Issue 1379, 1 March 1861, Page 3

Colonial.

Nothing of great importance has occurred since the departure of the last mail. The war still continues, and is likely to do so, for it is being carried on with prudent vigour and determined caution. The solution of the Taranaki difficulty does not appear imminent. Waikato sends down its hordes to their favourite fighting ground, whence every ten days or so news reaches us of our brave soldiers being sh6t down by an unseen enemy. One engagement, however, has occurred, particulars of which will be found in our Taranaki columns, which goes far to prove that that the present is not the contemptible war which some of our English cotemporaries would fain lead their readers to believe. We refer to the attack by a party of the Waikatos on No. 3 redoubt at Kairau, a most daring though unsuccessful attempt. With an enemy such as this we cannot afford to talk contemptuously of " poor naked savages," or to deal lightly and flippantly with the struggle now going on in this Colony. True, there will be no cart-loads of ransom in the shape of silver ingots paraded through the streets of London when the war is over : true, that it will not pay the British tax-payer so well as an expedition for the purpose of making John Chinaman a consumer of opium; but still the war is not one to be despised by military men, for the subjugation of the Northern Island, which has become a necessity if the British flag is to remain hoisted in Auckland and Wellington, is a more difficult task than a march upon Pekin. A portion of the British nation, however, if a portion of the British press may be taken as an exponent of their views, seems to approve highly of shooting Celestials, who can pay for the powder and ball expended in the practice; but has humane objections to a similar expenditure of ammunition if the cost is to be a charge on the Imperial revenue. There are conscientious scruples about waylaying and killing men —unless they are worth plundering afterwards. Still we have not to complain of short-com-ings on the part of the British Government: though Lewis may growl, and the Duke of Newcastle have misgivings, though the Governor may be denounced a3 an expensive one, still troops arrive and are turned out like so many rats into the regulation pit in Taranaki, where the natives have decided that the match shall come off. The home authorities seem determined to give us every aid in their power ; but they will soon be looking for results. It is not a little which they believe ought to and can be done with nearly the whole of five regiments of the line, a strong force of artillery and engineers and four men of war j and we must not be surprised if, when the two other regiments arrive which are on their way from Indio, a little more will be looked for than the mere occupation of the Waitaia valley. England will have a right to demand %om those in

authority here, that these means shall be availed of to secure such material guarantees as may preclude the possibility of so powerful an expeditionary force ever again becoming necessary. The responsibility of those commanding, increases with every reinforcement which arrives here. The crown has endorsed the acts of its representative ; what it might have pretended to regard as a mere local squabble, it has recognized as an Imperial war, and the war. has assumed Imperial dimensions in consequence. Peaceful as the foreign policy of the British Government generally is, still it does not approve of great piepaiations and little to show for them ; glory or trea&ure is looked for, and quick returns are a desideratum. If no permanent good is effected by the piesent expedition, the unfortunate ministry at home will be twitted with allowing us such a costly luxury as protection against rebels, more particularly when economy is so necessary after that luxurious banquet the, Crimean war. It is to be hoped that wo shall soon be able to record the successful results of a recognition out here of the intentions of the Home government in supplying us so promptly with the means of action. Excuses urged of old in defence of an uncertain and vacillating policy gradually lose any little value they ever possessed, as transport after transport arrives in our harbours. The natives all over the Northern Island are in an undecided state : they cannot comprehend the situation. The arrival of troops keeps them on" the qid vive, and they are anxious as to our intentions. Deputations of native chiefs from Waikato and elsewhere have waited upon His Excellency and talked about peace, but evidently with the further object of sounding him as to the intentions of the Government. At a meeting held at Government house on the sth ultimo all the chiefs present expressed themselves as anxious for peace, and seemed rather surprised that the Governor did not in consequence immediately order a suspension of hostilities. As one chief remarked, they ought to make peace first and discuss terms afterwards, — a perfectly Maori style of transacting business, but which of course seems rather ridiculous to ourselves. His Excellency, however, gave the coup de grace to the chiefs by a question as to their credentials and their powers to treat on the part of those in arms. They proved to be simply volunteer diplomatists and ambassadors without authority to do anything but talk. His Excellency, in reply to this frank avowal, pointed out that it was impossible for liim to discuss terms with them, for although he himself would be immediately obeyed if he ordered a suspension of hostilities, there was no security that the insui gents would recognise any terms agreed upon by the deputation. They left the meeting in rather a puzzled state of mind, the native not having as yet quite got rid of the idea that he may do as he likes, and that we ought to be only too thankful if he occasionally expresses his desire to be good, — when he is tired of doing wrong. Kestitution and guarantees for future peacable behaviour are considerations which seldom enter into his calculations. Some anxiety has been felt as to the state of the native mind in the districts noith of Auckland ; but the Governor's visit to the Bay of Islands and Mongonui appears from all accounts to have had a satisfactoiy result. The principal subjects discussed at the meeting held at the Ti weie those two unpopular Acts forbidding the sale of spirits and of arms. They object to the former mainly, we think, from their natuial dislike for what one may call race-legislation. Their disapproval of the "Arms Act" is easily accounted for. A report of proceedings during this visit will be found in our local columns. Still the aspect of native affairs generally is gloomy in the extreme ; and with the year already waning it is much to be feared that winter will find us still in the field, and obliged to hold it or to give in to the insurgents. In the Waitara, and to the south of Taranaki, we shall be be able to do little during the winter months ; whilst the natives will, in all piobability, retire to their inland fastnesses to recruit, to enjoy the pleasures of retrospection, and to .boast that for more than a year they have held their own against all comers.

The pa&t has been politically a blank month. Mr. Stafford has been starring it in the South, and Mr. Richmond bushing it in the North. Mr. W>ld has been visiting his rebellious constituents, but has not yet proclaimed martial law in the Wairau. The Postmaster-Geneial has remained at his post, and Mr. Whitaker at his office ; aud the people generally tired out with their great exertions during the general election are in a state of collapse, with the thermometer somewhere about 80° in the shade and the political barometer indicating " change." What the change is to be, however, nobody knows, and few seem to care. The General Assembly is not in the eyes of the public so iinpdrtant as the army in the field, and the coming regiments are more speculated upon than the " coming man." Still, when the Assembly does next meet, there will be a pretty complication of parties. Auckland men with WelHngtonian ideas, Wellington men with Maori spmpathiea and peculiar views in reference to the Seat of Government ; Otago and Canterbury men bursting with military ardour, standing afar off and teaching us how acres should be won with sword and rifle ; a Hawke's Bay man unknown to parliamentary circles ; Taranaki men pleading informd pauperis ; and lastly, happy Nelsonians, sitting nnder their favourite minister, fascinated by the manner in which he can improve eveiy subject to their benefit,Jand grateful for their peculiar privileges. The mails bring little news from the South. The Provincial Council of Wellington was dissolved by his Excellency on the 2nd Feb., and writs for a new election were immediately issued. The Superintendent of Otago has come to grief : arrested for debt on account of some confusion between public and private accounts ; but being of a practical turn of mind, and studious_of his own comfort, he immediately proclaimed his own house a common jail and ordered himself to be removed there — which, strange to say, was done accordingly. We have had a bailiff in our own Superintendent's office, but he respected the sacred character of his Honor's person and only laid violent hands on inkstands and such like goods and chattels. The Otago' public scarcely seem to appreciate this '■curtailment of their chief magistrate's 'liberty and urge upon him in consequence the necessity of resigning.

Provincial. Our local parliament, or over-grown towncouncil, as one may prefer calling it, has been in session during the month ; but little has been done. The Appropriation Act was discussed and passed in the usual manner, and an at- : tempt made at further legislation which has proved singularly abortive. The great Bill of ' the Scfefaion, to all interested in the improve- J ment of Auckland, was the "Watei -works Bill" |

—one founded on an Act passed by the General Assembly empowering the Superintendent, either alone or in conjunction with subscribers of private capital, to bring water from the Onehunga springs into town. The estimated cost of the works was £65,000; and the Bill brought forward by the Provincial Government authorized the Supeiintendent to raise the money by means of debentures. The Council, however, seemed unwilling to allow so laige a sum, secured on Provincial property, to pass into the hands of the Superintendent. Little transpired during the debate in reference to the feasibility of the engineering plans submitted with the Bill for the consideration of the Council; but a great deal was said about want of confidence in the men who were to be entiusted with the funds. The upshot of the whole matter is that the "Auckland Waterworks Bill—1861" was on the 21st February ordered to be read that clay six months. The "Manukau Harbour Endowments Bill" shared the same fate on the same day. The Council merely expressed its unwillingness to entrust such valuable propeity to those asking for its custody, and theie the matter ended. The Council itself ended a few days afterwards. Several notices of motion were in preparation, two Bills weie leady for discussion, when, on the 27th, the following message and enclosure was received :—: —

MESSAGE No. 42. The Superintendent desires to inform the Provincial Council that he has assented on behalf of the Governor to the undermentioned Acts passed by the Council in its present Session, — "The Harbour Endowments Act Amendment Act, 1863," "TheAppiopriation Act, 1861," "The Licensing Act Amendment Act, 1861," and that he has reserved the " Auckland ltepresentation Act, 1861," for the assent of his Excellency the Governor. The Superintendent takes this occasion to thank the Piovmcial Council for the liberal supply granted for the public service of the year. It is matter of much regret that the Council has seen fit practically to refuse to consider questions of so much importance as those relatiug to the improvement and safety of the Harbour of Manukau, and to the supply of the City of Auckland with water The Supeiintendent believes that the Council will not be sustained by the people of this Province upon the giound of opposition to those works which has been taken up. As the public business has been disposed of, and as the proceedings upon which a section of the Council is now engaged, whilst they largely affect the public pioperty, are, generally, of such a chaiacter as must fail to secure the co operation or approval of the Government, the Superintendent, in view of an appioachmg appeal to the constituency of the Piovmce, thinks it expedient that the Council should be prorogued and has issued a Proclamation to that effect, copy of which is enclosed. J. Williamson, iSuperintendent. [JEnclosia c.]