AUCKLAND.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 14, Issue 1136, 18 March 1870, Page 3

AUCKLAND.

... [fbom a COBKBSPPNDjIInT,] * - March 4. The last of the Imperial troops left Auckland on the 24th February, for Australia ; they. went in the City of Melbourne, a very fine : screw steamer, and every provision had been made for their comfort. A few officers yet remain,' until some regimental stores are disposed of,' when the officers also will depart.'.' ' ( ,',f ' . . vv' V- ' A considerable: crowd assembled on the Queen's wharf to see the troops off, but beyond a slight musical display from the Auckland Yoiuhteei* Band, there was no demonstration. It was a calm day, hot a breath" stirring, as the City of Melbourne slowly steamed away from the wharf; she layta for; a few minutes, for late passengers, and the soldiers, who sat along the whole length of the starboard and port bulwarks, waved last farewells to their friends. By and bye, the steamer rounded away towards the north shore ; at this time few people remained on Queen's wharf to respond to the sentiments wafted by the whit 9 handkerchiefs,' which continued to wave until undistinguishable from distance. Perhaps the last pf ihe crowd, I waited until the vessel passed through, the eastern passage, and Vipraa Josfc to view behind the triple peaks [of Rangitoto. „" jA.R^ .'. so,, snapped . one ..more tie that bound us tp England,, and the recollection of her glories.: It is "useless to recall the past,; unless^ it influences for good the fUture,*' but, in this case, we may well pause tpVreflecfc, that the protection of England, implied by the residence of her troops amongst us, would in all human probability have not been withdrawn, but for a series of despatches, insulting and defiant . in. tone. It, is a common error to. suppose the. withdrawal of the troops parb and parcel of a foregone conclusion * on the contrary, it can be demonstrated, that Earl Granville, much as he has been stigmatized, almost begged the late ministry to apply for the retention of the troops, but this would Tnbt. suit. Messrs. Stafford and Richmond's, views. - To bolster' up their falling authority; and centralizing vieffs, the North Island was to be wrapped in flames by an aggressive policy, which would have added to pur already too" numerous enemies every adherent, of the King party. That the Middle Bland would have put forth all its strength and rushed to the rescue, who can doubt? for, maligned as Middle Island settlers have been, they have stood by us manfully, hitherto, and would not have failed us in oui distress. „ Their reward would have been— the seizure of their land fund — and when a war of extermination had left this island a desert, and the other bankrupt, the exhausted population of both would have found themselves bound hand and foot to Stafford's blood-stained triumphal car, and the ruin "of the colony complete. But at a time when the' country had been devastated over a large extent of its surface, thegood- sense of the people forbade that the insane policy of those who then swayed the destinies of New Zealand should further take effect ,• and by placing men in office , who will not- hesitate to punish rebellion ; who have no commiseration for murderers;, but will not sanction measures tending to further hasten the extinction of the well-disposed members of a dying race, have given to the world a guarantee that the policy of New Zealand is humane, and for which our . descendants need not blush. Furthermore, the policy now pursued, in strictest accordance with principles enunciated by the present ministry when they -assumed office, may be found sufficient to save us from even greater perils than may be, involved by the departure of the troops. V As I 'am aware that many Napier people propose to purchase land in Poverty Bay, it may interest them to know I have learned from Mr. St. John Brannigan that a good stockade has been erected at Matewhero, hard by the ford overland travellers from Napier to "Poverty Bay must cross. A fine stockade was partly built by natives and whites, at Matewhero, in October 1868, which, if its completion had been permitted by the. late Government, might have prevented the misfortune that befell. It is asserted that some of the residents desired tiie stockade to be built at Patutahi ; now there is already an excellent redoubt at Patutahi,-- and most people who know the distric. will agree that the Government have acted wisely in accepting the advice of the best informed settlers, and fixing the site' of the new stockade at Matewhero, for by so doing, the new township will be rendered perfectly/safe. ■'""". I believe some few Aucklanders are dissatisfied because Gisborne is to be sold in Napier, and attribute its sale there to Mr. M'liean's partiality for Hawke's Bay. It is natural, no doubt, for that gentleman to feel a strong attachment for your province, whose inhabitants, with few exceptions, have alwiiys given him disinterested and cordial; support; but I have it on good authority^tha. the arrangement to sell the new ! tow>^ship in' Napier was effected by MrVßichmoiid before that gentleman received 'notice to quit. I tbink he was quite justified in bis selection, Napier being better situated for the purpose than either Auckland or Wellington. You will hear much of destitution at the Thames, but Mr. Gillies, our Superintendent,, has, visited those gold fields, and his masterly jpeech has done much to open people's eyes. That gentleman, as a test, offered to find work for 500 men at ss. per day, which only one man could be found to accept. So much for the starvation said by the Thames Advertiser and other opposition papers to exist. Be it remembered, fair board and lodging is obtainable at the Thames' for 15s. per week. Such being the cas*e, ! how horribly hard up people there must be.to. refuse ss. a day. Nay, more, all round the neighborhood of Auckland, labor is not now to be had by the farmers, though 63. a day is oflered, and potatoes are rotting in the ground because hands are not obtainable. The truth is there are about l.3oo miners at the Thames waiting to rush Qhinemuri as soon as it is opened. Amdtfgsfc'them, as ih most colonial mining communities^ may be found "loafers" not a few, and "stump orators," who, having what is vulgarly termed " the gift of the gab," become spouting heroes for the hour. Theses are ithey- who get up agitations and petitions relative to the starvation to which they^jare l reduced, \ sxA induce their dupes id refuse v'the not contemptible wage of ss. pefedajr." .Many rOf these orators never saw a ; nati^^|antil .tbey ;came, to Auckland '; but Cpheei^^ informed on than' those to whom such

questions have been a life study, they have perhaps prevented Ohinemuri from being prospected for many a long day, by their stupid interference between a Government making almost supernatural efforts to obtain the coveted district and a grasping set of Maoris bent on making the most of a rare opportunity. I hear a member of the late Government is not averse to the miners' agitation, and, residing at or near the. Thames, contributes largely to the local papers, some of which are so astonishingly well acquainted with government secrets that I am forced to conclude their writers, being denied access to the particular apartment in which cabinet councils are held, have at least " reserved to themselves the privilege of peeping through the keyhole." Captain Read is here with the intention, I understand, of purchasing a steamer of light draught, which he proposes running between Napier, Poverty Bay, Tauranga, and Auckland, provided he can obtain a small subsidy sufficient to indemnify him for probable loss. . Such a steamer, I imagine, would be of immense value to Hawke's Bay, as, besides conveying mails, she would connect all the most important East Coast ports. ' Colonel M'Donnell arrived here from Tauranga on the night of the 28th. Rumour points to an enquiry as to the causes of Te Kooti's escape to the Uriwera country and a difference supposed to exist between Colonels M'Donnell and Fraser, but I doubt if either rumour is entitled to credit. M'Donnell is worn almost to a skeleton, and is said to have denied himself needful rest in his determined chase of Te Kooti from one stronghold after another. By the bye, some of the papers seem to imagine the Government have made " affidavit on oath " to catch Te Kooti. This is simply absurd. Government would gain so much in prestige by his capture that Ministers may well be supposed desirous to secure him ; but there are certainly as many skulking places for him as for Kereopa, Patara, and others, whom the late Ministry failed to trap. Even the vast military and civil organisation of our Indian empire was found insufficient to " bring in" Nana Sahib, and the interior wilds of New Zealand are far more favorable to a miscreant eluding justice than even the jungles of Hindostan. But though we may never catch Te Kooti, we have at least put a stop to his massacres, and even forced him to admit he is sick of fighting, and is willing to live at peace if we will permit it. That the present Government will ever grant such permission I do not for a moment believe. The identical policy indicated by Ministers on their accession to office is still being persistently pursued in every particular, and in Te Kooti's case we may emphatically say " there is no peace for the wicked." Some very superior looking men have been lately added to the Armed' Constabulary, and I understand but few of the old force are being discharged. Having known many good men in the former force, I should regret to see them dismissed, but I have seen sufficient here to assure me that in time a fine effective body of men will be organised. "Rome was not built in a day," and great obstacles have to be overcome, but I think the result of Mr. Brannigan's management will be, some day, generally approved. Few people are aware of the vast reforms already effected. For instance, all that enormous costly staff which gave us one commissioned officer to five privates has been nearly swept away. No longer can those New Zealand exotic excrescences, colonels, majors, and captains, be permitted to monopolize the services of a host of privates, orderlies, &c, who were supposed to be at the front, nor are their masters now compelled to revolve round one great central luminary— Whitmore, who in turn revolved round a Haultain, and only contracted his orbit as Assembly sessions drew nigb, when he sometimes " darted from his sphere" to tout for his happily defunct divinities. Now, disturbed districts are severally placed in charge of inspectors, individually responsible to the Government alone fov each district's safety. A certain amount of security is thus assured, and hesitation is needless whilst there is no necessity for referring to a chief who never knew his own mind for two consecutive minutes. Three days ago, Sir George Bowen and the Premier started for Waikato, to inspect frontier settlements. The Hon. Native . and Defence Minister was supposed to have accompanied them. Hawke's Bay will be sorry to learn that Mr. M'Lean is suffering from the effects of a sprained ancle, and remains in Auckland. The lengthened residence of ministers here appears to excite some discontent down south. Irrespective of the fact that Auckland is in telegraphic communication with Waikato, and that communications which may be of incalculable importance to the future of the colony, are understood to pass between Tawhiao, his advisers, and the Government, there are other cogent reasons for the presence of ministers in this city : for instance, the opening of Ohinemuri ; the easy access to. Tauranga by steamer ; and the influence brought to bear on northern chiefs. Already the Thames Advertiser's "Ohinemuri correspondent" admits that, with regard to Ohinemuri, Government (or rather Mr. M'Lean), is " master of the situation," and nothing but the ill-timed action of noisy agitators and unscrupulous speculators, joining with a knot of fanatical partizans of the late Government, who have established themselves at the Thames, and, by means of their* organ, whine and howl incessantly at every act of the present Government — calculated to benefit the colony — can prevent the speedy acquisition of Ohinemuri for mining pursuits. Over-speculation has brought its usual punishment at the Thames and Coromandel; nevertheless, the gold is there, and will finally make of those places two of the'greatest goldflelds in the world. Gold, gold ! is everywhere to be found in those districts ; no " duffers " they. By and bye, the innumerable "got up" companies must work their too oft untouched claims, or give place to others who will ; and when many half a dozen or more claims are amalgamated in one, so that they can dispense with a host of highly-paid-for-nothing managers, a great future will be realised for Auckland, by which the whole colony must be immensely benefitted. It is authoritively stated that European troops are no longer to be employed in the field, and Native Contingents, for the future, will not be paid by the day to pursue Te Kooti, for whose capture, we learn, in the Southern Cross of to-day, £5000 has been offered to the Arawas, who are said to

have refused. It is thought the sum will be increased. The measure is generally approved here as checkmating any feeling friendlies may entertain in Te Kooti's favour, and which, perhaps, has had some effect in assisting him in his numerous escapes, when he was seemingly securely trapped. March 11. His Excellency the Governor, and the Hon. Mr. Fox, returned from Waikato on the evening of the Sth, after visiting the frontier settlements. Everything is quiet there, and I have been informed by a friend residing in Waikato, that the King natives have settled down quietly to peaceful pursuits, and generally express themselves in favour of a re-establishment of peaceful relations on a sound basis. I have reason to believe that a good, substantial peace will be effected, whenever the divisions known to exist amongst the Kingites are healed. But there are many sympathisers with Te Kooti living with the Waikato and Ngatimaniapoto tribes, and these sympathisers are most likely the real obstructives toa permanent settlement ; it is doubtful, however, if they will much longer be allowed to breed and disseminate disaffection amongst the Waikato tribes. The colonial Government is no longer viewed with the deep suspicion which attached to all its acts some seven or eight months back, when Mr. Richmond informed his constituents, in mysterious terms, that he and his colleagues were prepared to "run a muck" against "all and sundry" of the Maori race; though he forgot to say where the money, was to come from, before he and his friends would be in reasonably good "fettle" to come creditably to " the scratch." You would be surprised to see the vast amount of flax bales shipped off from the Queen's wharf every week, but I see none superior to the bales brought down to Napier, or better got up. So many people are employed around Auckland, now, at the flax mills, that farmers make great complaints about a scarcity of labour. The depression that existed here two years ago, by drawing attention to the flax industry, will ultimately prove to have been a great blessing to the whole colony. On the evening of the 10th, the Honorable the Premier lectured to a crowded audience, in the Wesleyan chapel ; the subject was " Total Abstinence." It is always a treat to hear Mr. Fox, but on this occasion he made a great impression, and was repeatedly interrupted by loud and continued applause. The lecture was a masterpiece, and, from what I saw, will permanently benefit many who were present. Mr. Fox explained the provisions of the "Permissive Bill," which is at present causing much interest in England ; certainly if the consent of two-thirds of the inhabitants of Auckland parishes were demanded before a public license could be granted, as the " Permissive Bill " requires, by far the greater number of Auckland hotels and public-houses would, have a brief existence. There was a "battle royal" nigh the upper end of Queen's Wharf a few nights ago, between a " swipey " Maori, who asserted he was one of Te Kooti's crew, and a drunken carter; the self- accused Kootiite getting well licked by the carter. By-and-bye, another Maori, said to be an aboriginal parson, interfered. He was dressed in a seedy-looking suit, probably the exuviae of some former missionary " pastor and master." This sable preacher of the Gospel appeared to be well known to the amused crowd, who hailed him by name, Ebenezer. He was a sinister-look-ing scamp this Ebenezer, and reminded me of a retired chimney sweep. Unlike those Maoris whose noses are pressed flat in infancy, this one's was decidedly hooked, and what with that, the tattoo, and a trifling obliquity of vision caused by an extensive squint, the countenance of Ebenezer was rather ugly. However, it came to grief even before the hustling commenced, for the carter and Te Kooti's friend, being sobered by their scuffle, turned their attention to Ebenezer, and between them blacked his eyes. Finally, this dusky ecclesiastic elected to bolt into the bottom of a canoe, leaving a portion of the seedy suit in the hands of his foes. Just now, there are many wandering minstrels, who often have of late, by night, " with harp in hand the descant sung" ; and the presence of these harpists, with violin accompaniment, causes scenes sometimes to be enacted here which one might expect to see in Naples, but hardly in New Zealand. Since I came here I have, on several occasions, witnessed an extempore dance in the streets by night. In the last street dance I saw, an apparently respectable motherly-looking woman " chimed in," and whilst the fun grew " fast and furious " much speculation was indulged in by the spectators outside the ring as to who she could be. Apparently no one knew, but an impression prevailed that she was some farmer's wife, taking advantage of a town visit to enjoy herself. May she long and often do so, without betraying her incognito. This, however, is improbable. My curio- i sity was aroused by this lady's performance, and I am trying to find out who she is, because I look upon her as a public character to some extent, and fancy there is a mystery worth unravelling. Colonel M'Donnell left last night for Tauranga, I believe, where, I regret to say, Colonel Fraser lies seriously ill. By request from the former, a court of enquiry | will be held and serious charges will be brought against poor Fraser ; for some of them, I fear there is too much foundation, but he has many friends here who do not forget his great services on the East Coast in 1865-6, and most people seem to think it would have been better if the enquiry had not been sanctioned. The Government, however, are not likely to shield him or any other officer, however highly placed, when the public interest is likely to be benefited by necessary investigations.