TAURANGA.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 13, Issue 1095, 26 October 1869, Page 3

TAURANGA.

{From the correspondent of the ' Southern Cross.') October 4. The horses which I referred to in my last have arrived from Opotiki, having been specially 'purchased by Captain. Walker for transport. Some of them are very passable horses, while others, on the contrary, are of a very indifferent class. There are nineteen of them, and, after being shod and branded, they were forwarded this afternoon on to Maketu, en route for Taupo. A celebrated character, who, for a long time has been a terror to Te Papa and the district, and more recently at the front, on account of propensities peculiar to himself, in appropriating what does not legally belong to him, and for which he was only a few days ago released from durance vile, has been again taken into Government service by the commanding officer of the district as one of his orderlies, and was seen mounted on a splendid steed, displaying in grand style his abilities as horseman of the first class, whilst driving these transport horses across the ford to Te Matapihi. Much astonishment and indignation was expressed by the bystanders and the public at the authorities, who, knowing well the predilections of this personage, should by so doing insult the community and a body of men who have been knocked off duty simply because their services were not required, and whose characters will ■ bear testimony of strict investigation. If this is to be the golden rule and practice of our authorities, then for heaven's sake let us have another change, for men with good characters stand no chance now-a-days with Government. The natives, who are good ' judges, and of great foresight, are wondering at seeing us giving encouragement to a ruthless character like this, and are openly crying out " shame, shame" on the heads of the authorities. Colonel Harrington, with Lieutenant Moore, R.N., of the Rosario, left later in the afternoon for the Lakes, and, I believe, Taupo ; SubInspector Gascoigne accompanied them as interpreter. There is, much surmise expressed as to who is the real and responsible commanding officer now in the field at Taupo, and whether he is an able man, inasmuch as there are three different provinces interested — Colonel McDonnell representing Wellington, Wanganui, and Patea ; Colonel Herrick representing Hawke's Bay ; and Major Roberts representing Auckland ; Bay of Plenty district, Captain St. George— who for the last three months has been in charge of a body of natives, principally the Arawas at Tapuaeharuru, Taupo — was alone responsible to Mr. Commissioner H. T. Clarke of this place. The force as at present constituted cannot exist much longer without some misunderstanding and confusion, and it is to be hoped that any provincial jealousies will not be suffered to militate against the all-important object which the colony has in view — the effectual subjection of the natives. The town is all excitement as to what is to take place to-night, the fair sex in particular ;' others, on the contrary — with the nerve of the true Briton— -are preparing manfully to meet the events of Lieut. Saxby's prognostications. The day has been hot and sultry, at times scarcely a breath in the atmosphere, and what little there was of it came from all quarters of the compass till evening, when it has to all appearance settled to the eastward as the sun set. It being high tides, which had attained to an unusual height, the sky — hitherto clear and cloudless — began to gather round and have every appearance of a storm ; and at 10 p.m., as We are retiring to rest, a gentle rain is taking place, which is very much needed, if not accompanied with other disastrous events. v October 5. Many of the sleepless men were to be seen at daylight anxiously taking a peep out of their habitations to ascertain .literrally whether they were in the same spot, amongst the same neighbours, and inhaling tho same delightful atmosphere; being fully satisfied on these heads, they began to breathe freely, especially so when they beheld an almost cloudless sky, with a gentle cheering and refreshing land j breeze. I was up early as is my wont, ! and observed several of those who the day previous had been taking every precaution against the approaching time. Oh how different had they become. The anxious sad and melancholy countenance had changed, and now once more all was life and cheerfulness, and one and all acknowledged that, so far, Saxby's prediction has not been prophetic. During the evening I met a, gentleman just arrived from Maketu, who informs me that the Arawas had become so alarmed, that, led by. their veteran settler Mr. Tapsell, they left their pa and settlements, and repaired to one of their old pas called Pukemaire, afterwards in 1864 remodelled into a redoubt, and | called after Colonel Colville. There all the valuables belonging to the Arawas had for some days previous been removed. It is not to be wondered at this loyal tribe becoming unusually alarmed, even to a greater degree than other people during these eventful days of Saxby, inasmuch as during the great tidal wave which occurred in August last year, they were eye-witnesses of one of the most wonderful freaks of nature that we in this quarter ever had to report. The wave, though on this occasion not an extraordinarily high one, was attended with an eruption indirectly that of an earthquake. At the mouth of the Maketu river, inside, is a prominent rock, which is connected with historical stories. It is said the first canoes of the Maoris on their arrival in this country, used it as a mooring for one of their canoes called Arawa, and known as Tokooorori. This rock was uplifted and turned completely over. There was also lying there a vessel called the Elizabeth, a Sydney built schooner, belonging to the natives, of about thirty tons register, which had been allowed by the owners to gradually sink for want of oakum to her decks and top sides, where she afterwards filled with sand and became imbedded in that position for upwards of ten years ; a portion of her bulwarks being visible at low water. This vessel, with upwards of sixty tons of sand and ballast, embedded on all sides by sand banks, was completely lifted out of her bed and turned ovor, masts and all, where she now lies with her keel uppermost. With this fact before their eyes, no one could wonder at the Arawas taking precautionary measures to save lives and property after such fearful events as those of 1868. October 7. This is the muster day, and few were missing on the occasion ; the timely warning given by the Bench on the occasion of several absentees having been summoned, had the desired effect. Captain Tunks was the officer of the day. October 11. Yesterday we received the sad and melancholy news of the result of an engagement at Taupo, wherein we have lost one, a gentleman and an officer, Captain St. George, and four friendly natives. This sad news was brought into town about ten a.m., by trooper Maunsell ; and allow me to say, that the death of this much lamented gentleman has produced the most profound grief throughout this district. Captaja St, George had, beforo

the present hostilities commenced, become one. of us, having taken a run near Taupo, and commenced improving and stocking it when he was called upon by the Government to assist them m that remote and isolated district. The task imposed upon him was far from an enviable one, inasmuch as it was soon known to the Hauhaus that he had espoused the cause of his Government, and was actually the only representative of them in Taupo. By openly doing this, his run, whioh is bounded on the one side by the Rangitaiki run, contiguous to the Uriwera country, and the worst disposed natives in the island, but which, previous to Cap-, tain St. George's assuming the Government agency, had been respected by the Hauhaus on the other side of the run, was, on Te Kooti's first visit to Taupo, ordered to be destroyed, and the sheep either killed or scattered in all directions, as prey for Maori dogs. His station havmg been thus entirely destroyed, I believe, in the month of April last, he was placed in charge of the Maori contingent, J composed of different sections of the Araj was, which position he held until he met ! his untimely fate. | October 12. ! I have just time to add a scrap of inforj mation, which, if true, will show what the Kingites are after, and that the mdigna- [ tion which they profess against Te Kooti is all a farce. lam in receipt of a letter I from Taupo, wherein it is stated that | Lieutenant Preece has intercepted a letter j from Te Hira, of Ohinemuri, addressed to Te Kooti, expressing great sympathy with him in his present conflict to exterminate the Europeans, and concludes by encouraging him to persevere in his righteous ! cause, &c. The Hon. D. M'Lean will doubtless receive officially all the particulars of this letter, and may in his projected visit to Ohinemuri have an opportunity of confronting Te Hira with the treacherous missive.