TARANAKI

Lyttelton Times, Volume XX, Issue 1129, 5 September 1863, Page 3

TARANAKI

[from one of the t. b. v.]

August, 25th, 1863. The history of this place, during the last month, may well be styled " stale, flat and unprofitable." Thanks to the wholesome feeling of dread inspired by our 'Gorilla" parties, it is even questionable if, since the affair at Tataraiiuaka, a hostile foot has crossed our boundaries. As a consequence of this such a degree of confidence exists in the security of the bush as stands out in most remarkable contrast to the first Taranaki campaign. This state of profound repose seems, to some of us, unnatural, and makes the wary * suspect that the foe is hatching mischief. The only thing noteworthy in public matters here, is the general withdrawal of the troops, and consequent abandonment of our out posts. Waitara, Tararaimaka and Oakura, have been abandoned in succession. Only Poutoko remains (excepting of course Omata and Bell Block) and that, probably, will be evacuated also. Our force is now reduced to 6 companies of the 57th, 1 of the 70th, a few engineers and artillery .• in all about 500 men.

The whole of the public interest is now, as a matter of course, concentrated on Auckland ; where, in perfect accordance with the natural laws of human action, another act of the great political drama, which has been so long in course of rehearsal, is being played out.

We shall find, I have no doubt, that as it proceeds, incidents of magnitude and importance will thicken upon us. It would be a mistake to suppose that the colony has reached the crisis of its troubles yet.

You at the south must be prepared to find, that the opinions which have, from time to time, been shadowed forth in these letters, are now on the eve of actual accomplishment; and you will also (if needs be) compare them advantageously with the oracular platitudes of your esteemed contemporary at Auckland the " New-Zealander." You must also be ready, with a large heart and open hand, to rusli to the assistance of your northern sister in her mortal agony. Judging from the past, we have unbounded faith that you will do so ; and, at the pauses in the strife you can, with no small relief to your oppressed feelings, do as we often do : heartily anathematize the fanatics, lay and clerical, who have for a number of years charitably instilled, into the minds of the maoris, exaggerated notions of their strength and importance, and cruel and unjust references (greedily received and applied by their quick-witted disciples) to Ahab and Naboth's vineyard. Yerily, the tender mercies of such lovers of their species are cruel! and the spectacle of murder, devastation, and ruin, into which the north island will be plunged, of the nature and degree of which Auckland, as well as Taranaki, is beginning to have no uncertain signs ; and which may necessitate the practical extermination of a noble race of men—wil be enough to make angels weep—and will, most assuredly leave the memories of these pseudo-philanthropists accursed. Bishop Selwyn and his coadjutors have been most industriously scattering on a soil, but too ready to receive them, the fabled dragon's teeth ; and the first fruits of the hideous crop, have been already gathered in here and at Auckland, with the fields everywhere whitening for an abundant future. We are now on the eve of the full fruition of the fruits of that remarkable policy, coeval with the colony itself, which culminated in the dismissal of Col. Gore Browne, and the advent of Sir G. Grey. The two years of inaction, and the useless negociation which succeeded the change of Governors and reversal of policy, have cost upwards of £1,000,000 sterling in military expenditure, native bribery—l mean institutions—and Taranaki relief; a large sum spent almost to no purpose, and the undoubted cause of much anger and heartburning against us among the British public. This delay has been pregnant with evil to us, and has, at the same time, enabled our enemies to extend and consolidate their alliances and mature their plans. Nor is the colony guiltless of having promoted this policy. It forced the min- j istry, who honestly supported the war,- and would have, at virhatever cost, secur ed at once, and for ever, peace to the colony by the complete subjuga- j tion of the natives, to make way for a party, the like of which, I say advisedly, but few intelligent and moderate men would wish to see in power again. AJI faction who, not only by their unscrupulous violence and misrepresentation of public opinion, lowered our | government to something like the American standard ; but, by their "face to face" policy, went far to identify the colony with, what nearly all were anxiously seeking to avoid viz. : the management of native affairs. This fatal mistake of the colony is the one weak part in the whole line of our defence; otherwise, our case would be totus teres atque rotundus: complete and invulnerable. However admirable Mr. Crosbie Ward's pamphet is, (and I freely admit that in moderation of tone and cogency of argument at all points, it leaves nothing to be desired) still this is a blot which "neither length of time nor depth of sorrow" can efface. Of course it will continue to be used at home as a pretext against us ; not, perhaps, to our detriment, for it is a foregone conclusion that New Zealand is guilty of all that has happened, or may happen, leading to the spending of British money. Every human motive out here being clearly referrible to, and converging towards, Commissariat Expenditure. It cannot be doubted, that the most disreputable newspaper in the colony representing a powerful Auckland faction, has done much towards keeping alive this idea by invariably representing the Taranaki people as being the originators of the war, to get more land ; and now as compassing the indefinite continuation of it for commissariat profits. As regards the feeling of England towards us, it is the old fable under another Jphase of the wolf and lamb drinking at the same stream. This strong prejudice against the colony may help perhaps to explain, though not to excuse, the total state of un preparedness of the Governor for the present struggle; he is probably in the most unenviable position of having his most sanguine hopes and opinions (which, had he been equal to the power he assumed, he would never have given) anticipated and set down as facts, so that it appears from the circumstance of Canterbury being deprived of the arms which, as a matter of common prudence, ought to be kept in reserve, the colony has not the means of arming the levies which are being raised. Judging from the intensity of the disgust pervading all classes at home on the subject of New Zealand evidenced by the last news, we ma.y expect a perfect delirium when what is now taking Pjace becomes known; and it is perhaps not so impossible a contingency as some may suppose for a total and speedy Withdrawal of her Majesty's troops to be enforced, and for the whole burden of subjugating the natives and trampling out the last embers of opposition to be thrown on the colonists. It is however, an undoubted fact that not a few of the 'settlers of this place (and recent events are daily increasing their number) would hail th s measure as a boon, and accept it as a sharp but most direct and effectual remedy for the present disorders of : the body politic. We °eed be alarmed by a consideration of the expense. Taranaki, Ngatiruanui, and Ngarauru have in themselves abundance of the finest land in the world (righteously forfeited) Jo gj the expenses of conquering the whole of the North Island, if the war be conducted with that forethought and energy which colonists have been accustomed to infuse into their conte , stß J' t, riffines Lastly, it may be observed that there appears at length to be a dim perception in men s rmnds that by the deliberate and ever-recurring insults heaped on us by the English peopie on the anbiect of military expenditure, the colony holds a Flint it is auite time it should be allowed absolute K,"TSttai in 1" internal aSair., it ahnuld be required to depend wholly on its own for <£« to rtst it i» no*, a mere stipendiary of the mother country.