LATEST NORTHERN NEWS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2441, 19 October 1868, Page 2

LATEST NORTHERN NEWS.

By the arrival of the Wellington en Saturday, from Wellington, we are placed in possession ot our usual files of papers from the North. Our Wellington exchanges are up to Oct. 16—yesterday. We give the most important items below : LATEST FROM PATEA. The correspondent of the Wangami Times writing from Patea on the Bth Oct., says :- On Wednesday morning Titoko Waru had his camp at Otia, from two-and-a-half to three miles this side the river. From Patea we could see the camp with the naked eye. One of the tents was particularly conspicuous' with a sentry posted in front, and other sentries at various posts around the camp, which appeared to be erected in the form of a square.

Ihe appearance of the camp took us all by surprise, and all hands turned out to have a look at it. The authorities at length decided on having a long bowl at Titiko Waru with the Armstrong guns. After mature consideration one gun was advanced to what was considered to be a commanding position, and after considerable difficulty the weapon was loaded, and the fuse adjusted for something about 2000 yards. Then the sergeautina most masterly way cried out—"At 2000 yards, make ready-fire!! Whiz whiz, went the shell, but unfortunately, before it reached Titiko Waru's camp, it exploded in the air but mind you, sir, smoke got within neariy a mile of him. The second shot was adjusted for about 3,800 yards, went off booming, exploded in the clouds, but evidently made Bome impression upon the enemy, who at once commenced to raise a signal smoke around their camp. During the afternoon iitiko Waru's conspicuous tent was prudently shifted to another position, If the Armstrong gun didn't hit it. it evidentlyfrightened them. I may mention that just before the last shot was fired, Major Eraser prudently cried out—" Now get away from that gun, you men, or some of you may have your brains knocked out. The gun was then withdrawn, and a site fixed for it, and its fellow being placed in position- After this achievement all hands retired from labour to refreshment.

At seven o clock that night eleven men of the disbanded or discharged local and volunteer militia started for Wanganui overland. You can say whether they safelv arrived or not. On receipt of our correspondent's letter we made inquiry and ascertained from some of the party the following particulars regarding their journey. On reaching the Whenuakura river there was no ferry boat, and we had to find the way for the cart. After some difficulty we got across and pushed on for the Waitotara some tramping the whole distance without trousers, and ouly clad in a jumper and shirt. On approaching the Waitotara we concealed ourselves m a flax bush for three hours; that was until daylight. On crossing, the dray was nearly swamped, but eventually all got safe over. After crossing, we found Mr Sherwood's ducks, geese, poultry, rabbits, P'gs, &c, abandoned, as he was ordered off some time before. Our men did not touch any of the property, but there it was at the mercy of anyone. We then pushed on to O'Uanlon's Hotel, where we were prepared to take the worth of our money out of the very excellent provisions provided. From there we started about 2 p.m. on Thursday, and reached Wanganui between five and six o'clock.

Before starting from Patea we asked for firearms, which Major Fraser point blank refused. We then had to start with two doublebarrelled guns, two single-barrelled, two revolvers, and a long stick. Had we been attacked we could have made but a poor fight of it but each man determined to sell his life as dear as he could.

LATEST FROM VVAIROA, (From an occasional Correspondent of the Wanganui Timts.) Here we are, located between the Whenuakura and Waitotara rivers, entrenched h, our strong redoubt with over forty fiXZ men, and a fe ff good fighting womefwh? refuse to leave! They say that I The* is Jewing them that we 3 flj * £* the 13th Ju yT as r a nd s«M b v, ey Pr °^ ed on approach of danL w f le - ave on t,,e fiiihotaS«S^ S^'i beoause the bosons of for which • served n d» »>«>QU g h they never semdmanycorpsnorflredashotinthe

colony. They are wry amiable young men but not fit to command Bngliahmea •r?J Government having sanctioßed the form, ttotfothe volunteer corps, the men mS elected Ur Hawes BB captain, H'Kenna,. liemenant, Mr Winscorabe as en l« Those officers have since given great satiX' lion to all the men, inspiring them with con" fidence.and leaving nothing undone w£ should be done for the protection of th.„ doubt. "

When the war broke out in the Patea di trict the people of Wairoa petitioned Z Government showing the advantage tW would be gained to the Government and ft country by adopting the course so often rp cimmendelin your paper, that is, toenn struct punts across the three riven, and m'" the roads passable. "

As soon as Titokp Waru crossed the Pate river to our side of it, the dkotuku native lold Captain Hawes of it, and heatol! placed a sentry on a hill opposite the -edou' to prevent the possibility of a surprise (i„' Friday the 2nd instant we could see bv. telescope numbers of men and horses *t ft, Weraroa hill. We knew them "be ! friendly Wanganuis, but we also knew » i, regret the impossibility of their coming l 0 ' " relief in case of need in consequence of t state of the roads and rivers. Four or fi hundred pounds would have made th<-m r,T able, but the Government won't do it <r\' making of these rivers and roads m £ w uld tend greatly to put a stop to the w and induce settlement in the district When the friendly Maoris told' Cant.;,, Hawes that Titokowaru had crossed? Wairoa was in dinger, and advised bim,t„ withdraw into Patea, the answer he got *» to tell I itokowaru to come on, and !>« would then see whether they could be driven our You may rest assured that there is nothing r, ; fear in the minds of our men. Even Z women are in high spirits. i m Tuesday last a Maori chief f rom Tit f kowaru, came to Captain Hawes to aik permission for his men to pass the redouhr unmolested, and that Titokowaru would do no harm to him or his men. CapUin Hawes told the messenger to go back to the cannib-' death would be his doom. ' THE HATIVE ALLIES. The Wellington Independent of Oct I', SajS :-Kernp, the leading chief now at what we may call tire Front-the Wereroa redoubt -has devised a plan of operation against fi oko Warn which be has only partially dJ vulged, and it would be imprudent at present, even if we knew the whole, to say 4athU plans are One thing is plain enough and thatis that three day, ago he despatched messengers to Governor Hunia who, with a strong force, was tken at Manawatu by order ofDrFeatherston. Hunia and most of his men arrived at Wanganui yesterday and will we are told, push on for Nukumaru to-dav ' To enable Hunia and Kemp to carry out their plans it is necessary that the redoubt which the Wanganui natives have erected at Wereroa should be held by Europeans durinr their absence. For this purpose it is expected that some of the first and second class militia will be sent out, but nothing definite will be decided upon until Col. Haultain returns from Patea. Ee was expected here by the p 5 Sturt yesterday, but the weather was so bad that she could not cross the Patea bar

Titoko Warn and his men are now, to a certainty, far at this side of the Fatea rivpr with the two airongholdi—Putahi and Okctuku to take refuge in case of need. From either of those places he could send out marauding patties and keep the whole of the Waitotarainastate of alarm until he could be driven out,

THE LATEST IfEWS FBOJf TOKASGAHOTI7.— TAWHIAO AND THB PATEA JIAOBIS.

The Southern Cross of Oct. 1., gays: jr? George Gage, a half-caste who has frequently Of late been within the aukati, arrived in town yesterday from Tokaugamutu, where he had been with letters from the Government to the Maori King On the important point of whether the King is disposed to aid Titoko Wa-u, Gage's account is very satisfactory. The messengers from Patea arrived there on the 9th or 10th of September, two days after the fight at Ngutnotemaiiu, having come through the interior by Tapuwaeihararu. The King, Rewi, and Tamati heard the new?, but did not show any exultation, but rather the reverse. The news brought by the messengerswasquitecorrec; as far as thejnumbeis of the killed and wounded on our side were concerned—that four others, one major, and fourteen privates had been killed, and that about twenty-four had been wounded. Tamati very shrewdly remarked that Titoko Waru was successful now, as the Waikatcs had been at first, but that he was afraid that the end would be the same, viz., defeat. The King slid he would not allow any of his people to go down to Patea, and that, if anr straggler did go down, he wouid be sent for and brought back by force. Kereopa, who is not thought much of at Tokargamuiu, wished to go down, and take some men with him, but the King peremptorily forbade him. Kereopa is now beyond Maungatautari. Tawhifio, previous to the engagement at l'e Ngutuotemanu, sent down Mori to tell Titoko Waru to stop his proceedings; but Titoko answered that he did not care for Kiog or Queen, and would act as he liked. This opposition of the King will, of course, have a powerful influence in preventing the spread of war, which has been so muoh dreaded; and we hardly think that, in the face of it, eTcu tie escaped prisoners will as a body enter upon hostilities.

THE TACPO DISTRICT. The Southtrn Cross of Oct. 3, «y» : - At the present time, when panic exists at Wanganui, and serious apprehension at Taranaki and Hawke's Bay, news from the interior is of great importance as showing the temper of those natives who might seriously affect the prosperity of this province. W particular serious apprehension has lately been felt respecting the Taupo district, where a number of gentlemen have recently taken up runs. Mr Beaumont returned to town yesterday from Taupo, where he has been residing for several months past, and has informed us of the true state of matters in that district.

Hone te One, the well-known chief of the Kaglan district, came to Auckland yesterday, and informs us that Aotea and Kawhia were quiet when he left, with no rumours that the Jlauhaus meant war.

We are informed by a gentleman from Tarauaki, that the warlike dream said to have been dreamt by King Tawhiao, and winch 1188 added apparently to the panic at Wanganui, was not the Maori King's, but William King's of Taranaki. We suppose there are people even in New Zealand, who confound the twoi men. While on this matter of dreams-winch, although it may appear somewhat ridiculous, is a most serious one to he Maoris and to us too, as it may involve he question of a general war-we may state I** W . e J?V e " on S° od authority that a prophet at lokangamutj dreamt, or said that he had dreamt, that Titoko Warn would be hreetimes victorious, but that on the fourth time in which he came in contact with the Europeans, he would be thoroughly beaten.

C i,"i MATIOX FBOM THB *AORI KING. ihe Sftanet Adnrtiur publishes the following transition of a proclamation found in the flraganul district, and purporting to be from King Tawhiao :-This proclamation is a ™ To M"? araal u. and is sent round to all the' pooti" m the land of Canaan. This is my instruction to the "pooti." My friends: Ue telegraph of the Atua has descended to me, and this is my word to all the " pooti living at * * Don - t 0 your thoughts with Titokowaru's doings Leave him alone to do his work: it is a work which has been give,, him by the Lord to do. i tough he should eat men, leave him aloneit is his own thought. My word to you isBontinterfere, leare him to do his work. Katnerdo you attend to the former wordin the first proclamation. This word:—The year is a soft year-a sood year; the lily is out. Leave down the weapon. The word of our Lord a telegram is that men should be chosen out of each" pooti" as posts for the floor; that When the month arrives, and the foot n firmly planted down, that is the time, inis is the word of the wise-listen to it. Uotote ut the month in which the whole "land will arise, and there will be no end.7™ me » 'l'awhuo, Kino. There is no doubt that the above is the proclamation that nas been frequently alluded to of late.

THE AUCKLAUD QOLDHKLM, The Wellington Evening Post of Oct. 16 remarks:—Recent accounts from the Thames gold fields are not of so florid a kind as those to which the Auckland journals treated us a fe» months ago. That an immense area of awiferpus country exists, cannot be questioned. The yields from many of the reefs have been rich. A large propulation of miners and others has been brought together. The problem whioh now has to be. solved is, how to keep, them there. In the triidßt of the columns of. raining intelligence in the Auckland Herald and the Southern Cross, a practised eye can detect the incipient signs of misgiving. A collapse k feared both by the public and the press of the province. This is not the first time that words of warning have been uttered in theseeolumns. It must be remembered that the Thanes goldfleld is not what is called a "poor man's diggings-," it is not alluvial, but quartz, To develop such a field capital must go hand in hand with labour, or the result will be disastrous. Mere manual labour will not develop a quartz reef. Miners might literally lie down and starve upori'.the richest lodes. It nppears, moreover, that the mining regulations on the Thames are of the most unsatisfactory kind. That security of tenure which long experience has provided in Victoria by means of Mining Boards, composed of practical men chosen by the miners themselves, with a riant of appeal from the Warden's Court to a hief Court of Mines, is unobtainableon the Thames. Unless capitalists can be assured of a permanent title to their quartz claims, they will certainly not invest. The Auckland Herald openly declares that " the want of security to property is ruining as fine a gold field as was ever opened ; and names two persons, acting' as agents for others, one of whom is prepared to invest £20,000, another £BOOO in the Thames claims, but positively declare that, tempting as the returns might be, they dare not risk the money on so insecure a tenure. These are two instances out of many in which those anxious to invest capital at the Thames are cautiously advised not to do so, as long as the:present regulations continue in force. No man can with safety purchase into a claim.' He does not know how soon some frivolous technical objection to his title may be raised, and the property which has cost him hurdreds or thousands of pounds be staked on the die of a decision given in the Warden's Court."

The system of " jumping " claims is as rife on the Thames as ever it was at Ballarat, Bendjgo, or.Castlemaine. This fact is deeply to be''deplored. When we consider how many old Yjutorian and Otago miners there must be on the gold field, we are at a loss to understand why they should allow bo grave au evil to exist without any apparent attempt at its abatement. '■ There is," as the Herald observes, "agreat difference between half-a-dozen men shepherding almost us many claims, and working none, and a company of men, who, having purchased valuable property, choosing their own time, indeed often such time as they miißt choose, for erecting machinery, and otherwise working the claims. In the latter case,soinethingmore than ordinary tenure should be given. Any company, whether four, six, or eight original share holders in a claim, or a company of capitalists -buying these men out, ought, on commencing work, to receive from the Government a lease, which could not be disputed on vexat'oua and frivolous pretexts."

The following extract from a letter to a gentleman in Wellington, is published in the Independent of Oct. 18:-" There is little of really reliable news here yet anent the extent of this goldfield aud its capabilities to support a large population, such as there is now. To my certain knowledge six experienced men have gone to the Upper Thames ou a prospecting expedition. This is not with the sanction of the Commissioner. It is, however, generally believed here that the efforts •of the Commissioner will be successful Bhorily in opening up the table lands and gorges on the higher parts of the river. Many people believe that this country has bean cracked up too much. I believe that also. I write this on my knee. I have been round a great many claims, to-day, and in a short time they must be des rteL The West Coa*t claim, next to ours, has this day been abandoned, after some hundreds of pounds outlay. We have already spent £2OO, and not the colour found yet although the claim stands in a good position. Withrespect to your inquiries. A man may buy a share in a good claim for £2oo— claim in fifty known to be productive—so look out for the forty-nine precarious, uncertain, perhaps "duffers.". The hardships we have undergone these winter months have been rather distressiug, but having picked the ground, we have determined to stick to it through thick and thin. Diggers come flocking in, and new buildings are still being erected. I consider Shortland town at this moment bigger than Wellington; and at a rough guess there are from fifteen to twenty thousand men on the ground, exclusive of women and children. The; summer months must prove what these diggings really are. One great want is the ab aence of machinery. Many claims, back on the hills; have any quantity of payable quartz stacked but cannot get it crushed. Hunt's claim has cracked up the country. It is believed here that it has averaged £IOOO per week'for the last fourteen months. I will continue to send the news. Poor V»n Tempsky lost ail his money here. When the Upper Thames is opened, and if you are not doing much busines>, try and be on the spot. There will be three chances. First the unknown, and therefore unpr'ospected country Upper Kiver; second, abandoned claims then (over protection time) to be jumped; third,flue weather coming on for all kinds of mining operations. I invested money in Wanganui in the Manawatu Small Earm Association ou the faith of the Provincial Government's representations. Find out whether I can get the land, the money, or neither."

The Thames Advertiser of Oct. Bth, says:— Some excitement was created in town during the early part of yesterday by the circulation of a reported rich discovery of alluvial gold, paying £SO per man per week, in the neighbourhood of Whangapoua, Everybody had heard it, but nobody knew anything definite on the subject, and it was not until the arrival of the Auckland steamers in the eveniug that the truth of the matter became known. It appears that the excitement on the subject in Auckland was far greater, although we fear it will prove a repetition of the farce which has of late so frequently been enacted in Auckland, much ado about nothing. The information published in the Auckland papers on the subject is to the effect that a party of miners at Mercury Bay—the remains of the late groundless rush-had been working amongst the black sand on the beach, and obtained what would pav from £2 to £3 per week. If this were all our surprise at the excitement would be greater; but this is evidently only an attempt to patch up the late buugling rush to that locality at the expense of another district-that of Whangapoua (or Wangapoa). From the latter place the intelligence is that a gold-bearing reef has been found so rich and easily worked that the discoverers believe they will be able to make £SO a week with a picka'nd shovel; and Craig's timber mill had been shut up in consequence of the men de-. serting it for the alleged rich ground. In our opinion, however, the last paragraph of the account we publish furnishes the real facts of the matter. It is to the effect that for the last five years the colour has been obtained in this locality, bnt nothing more. We shall awai't'Svith interest the arrival of further particulars respecting the reported rich diecovery, but in the meantime attach very little weight to what is already published concerning it. arrival of the cutler Nautilusin the ha.bow, on October sth from Whangapoua, tha. J prospecting party have been working for Le weeks past on the epur a.ng to Whangapoua mill on tlie eas .side of the dividing range. A reef contonmg P yjb to gold has beeS discovered. This la t having become known to the men who rtajed fc hind al.Mercury Bay.theNauto^ chartered by a party of eighteen*J »J thflb-Mo Whangapoua,• 1 he Mutdu jaa ortad to ; stay for a day in the havbom until aseertaihthe truth of the rumour. Next aay wISS down to the master of the

cutter that he might proceed to Auckland behind" !reMeMhe ch " tere " ™ ld w«»ta

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS. REMNciiMENT.-Tlie Wellington Independent.oi ()ct. 15 saysj-It is reported that several of the officers in the employment of •lie Provincial Government have either re. ceivei notice or are likely to 'receive notice, that they must be prepared to consent to a sweeping reduction in their present salaries, or accept the alternative. ' Gold in TAiUNAKi.-The Taranaki Herald of Oct. 10 publishes a letter from Mr Watson, m which he says that the Kaitake ranees resemble the Thames ranges in every respect! and that the quartz taken from them is the same. The native news is unimportant. Native l)i<TutmANoes.-It is painful, says the Wanganui Chronicle, to think lion these disturbances affect the progress of settlement and the course of business in, this district. v umbers of people have left-more will leave; no one cornea in to remain, In these circumstances any further development of our resources is postponed indefinitely. News from Pipimki.—The chief Paranihi, of Rtiimna, with about sixty men have come down the river for the purpose of reinfor.ing the Kupapas at the Front. Tahana, better known as Dawson, the up-river Hau-h*u leader, doubts the authenticity of the so-called King's proclamation; but. if true, he Bays he will obey.it so far as to join'the rebels, but does not intend fighting on the Wanganui river or in the Wanganui district. This intelligence is reliable.

Lease of an Extensive Run on the East CoAsrj-We learn from the Southern Cross that Messrs Barron, Thompson and Co., of Otago, have entered jnjjj arrangements with the native owners for "'the lease of a pie'e of country iving between Tarawera Lake and I'e Awa-o-to-Atua, running past Mount idgecumbe. The run is about eighteen miles in length, containing probably seventy or eighty thousand acres, and the whole of one side is bounded by the Tarawa river. The terra.of the run is for tweoty-seven years. The negotiations were conducted be .Mr C. 0. Davis and Mr Yaldwyn on behalf of the firm.

: Ahmed Constabulary. The Southern Cross of the 10th instant says:—" It will be seeu from an advertisement in another column that all persons wishing to join the Armed Constabulary must attend at the Militia Office, on Monday next, at 10 o'clock, for the purpose of examination. Three hundred men are now required, the pay being 5s a day, and only meu with cood characters and under thirty-five years of age will be accepted, During the past week the Government have been recruiting at the Thames, but wc have not yet heard how many men have joined the force from that locality."

Government Means of Information.— The Wanganui Chroniele says:—" The Government, Ave are informed, has orgauised a line of communication between Wairoa and Taupo.for the purpose of procuring full and immediate information with reference to the hostile triiies. An orderly will leave Taupo once, and Wairoa twice, a week. Generally speaking the Government is kept pretty well posted up in natiTe affairs—sometimes, we are almost inclined to think, too well, as native officials make themselves exceedingly busy in gathering up information, and if the amouut is scanty, may ihey not occasionally add a little to it in order to swell the bulk to respectable proportions. The Front.—Titoko Warn, say 3 the Wanganui Herald,is siill encamped on the other side of the t'atea river, about six miles from the township. The Armstrong guns were hi ought to bear, two or three days ago, on a tent which he had pitched about four miles from Paten, merely for practice, The result was that the tent was removed, and Titoko has not been seen since. .Major Eraser has given orders to take into custody all natives coming into Pates.Kakararnea was only given up as a ruse. 1 00 men are now stationed there, 100 men are on this side of tlieriver, and the remainder are stationed on the two flanks at Patea,

Hatmutjs in Wanganui.—We are infornud says the Wanganui Herald, by those who have a personal knowledge of. the fact that there are five or six women in town at the present time, from Tauroa's pah, Bince Tauioa has gone over to Titoko Waru, these women are most likely acting in (he double capacity of spies and providers. We do not see that it is easy to prevent the enemy obtaining a knowledge of all our movements, for it is impossible to know what communication any of the natives have among themselves. Titoko Waru lias got the first element of success-complete and accurate information.

Major Whitmore.—This officer says the Wellington Evening Post, who was te'egraphed for some days ago from Napier, and accepted the command at the Front, has remained here since bis arrival, awaiting the return of the Defeuce Minister from Wanganui. Some definite arrangements will now be made by the Government, in-order to provide a successor to Lieut.-Colonel M'Donnell. There is little doubt but that Major Whitmore will receive the vacant appointment, aud notwithstanding t!.e various rumours concerning this officer's personal want of qualification for such post, we have no hesitation in saying that, at the present moment, the Ministry could have hardly made a better selection. Captain Fowler, late of the Dragoon Guards, who arrived here some time ago from Fnghnd, via Panama, is stated to be about to proceed to Patea with Colonel Whitmore, to take a subordinate command.

Captain Hayes.—The Southern Cross says: —This extraordinary individual, we learn by the arrival of the schooner Neva at Auckland, from the South Sea Islands, is beyond all doubt, alive; at any rate was so when the Neva left. Conflicting rumour's, as our readers are aware, have been circulated respecting this notorious personage; some reports asserting his death Rt the hands of Captain Coffin, others purporting that he was yet alive, but where he existed no one at the time knew. Our Wellington contemporaries, more wise than ourselves, reported his death as an indubitable fact; but Captain Hayes has been good enough lo furnish a letter disputing the statements in the • New ■Zealand papers, and of which the following is a copy:-" The Captain of the Neva will be good enough to report me as bound for the lavage Islands, and from there to Queensland with passengers. lam not dead as the New Zealand papers say.—(Signed) W. H. Hates, Tahiti." Captain Hayes hits purchased the brigantine Samoa, and appointed Mr Hall, his late chief officer of the Rona as captain. Captain Hayes' absence from the Islands is accounted for, according to his own statement, by his having made a trip to Vancouver's Island. It appears that on his return he touched. at the Savage Islands, and conveyed a number of natives to Tahiti, where he disposed, of them to the planters. .Reinforcementsfor PATBA.-The bournem Cross publishes the following letter:— " Hamilton, October 3. Colonel Moulo left here this morning for Auckland, having received orders to that effect by yesterday's mail from Wellington. Sub Inspector Pitt, at Alexandra, has been ordered to meet Colonel Moule in Auckland on' Monday. Various rumours are in circulation respecting their destination, the officials here being very reticent on the subject, but it has leaked out that 100 men are required, and the above officer is to try and worrit that number and proceed to Patea." The following remarks on this matter also appear in the same iournal:-" A large number of persons attended the Militia Oir.ce yesterday in answer to numerous bills putted up in different parts of the town, for the purpose of being enrollea in the Constabulary force. At 12 o'clock there were between forty and fifty appliestions at the Militia i ifflce, WMt of whom presented themselves for examination. Un making enquiries, we learn that it is proposed tb pay the men who join four shillings per day, with a uniform, the men. to find Lis. enrolled their names were informed that ihey would be sen to ortheprI e of reinforcing the Constabulary in that S strict We have no doubt, from the numff who attended at the office yesterday, tha the required force will be obtained in he Elnfafewdays. A notice was posted tieoffice in the afternoon, to the

effect that parties wishing, to.enrql .would be sworn in at 10 o'clock this morning.' Colokkl HxrjLTAiN.-It would appear from the following extract from the Wanganui , Herald ot tho7th that the Defence Minister was received with groans anil hisses on his arrival on.the 6th inst:-« When a man sud* demy finds iiimself unpopular, and is con--BCIOU9 that Mb motives hare been pure, he is prone to consider himself deeply injured without cause or provocation on his own part. This feeling probably possessed the Defence Minister when lie stepped upon the wharf yesterday. That he may know what led to the displny of feeling by the' rabble,' as he is said to have called the men who groaned, it would be :is well to bring to his recollection what ho did when he was last here. He confirmed the repulse of Te Kuarua (wc adhere to this name notwithstanding Colonel M'Donnell's despatch) by abandoning the country from Waibi to Manawapou; ho violated every principle of national policy by repudiating the- idea of compensation, and he disgusted the majority of the men at the Front by ill-advised language, causing them to take advantage of leaving the Force at the end of the term for which they had enlisted; and then to makeall comfortable, he went down to Wellington and so smoothed things over that one would have thought Titoko Waru had surrendered. To have ruined by such a course of action the finest district in New Zealand was sufficient to elicit what took place yesterday, dnd more. There is another action of his which is worse than any ; he disbanded 76 of No. 5 division of the Armed Constabulary, for what is called mutiny. They had become disorganised to a certain extent in consequence of the death of their leader, and his body being left on the field; but it only required a little tact and firmness to put all right, and bring the men to reason. Instead of this, up comes an order to disband 75 of the best men we have, at a time when we can illrafford to spare a man." . Col. Haultoin, says the Evening Post of Oct 16, arrived in the Hangatira yesterday evening, from Wanganui. The effects of the gallant Defence Minister's visit to that district seem to have proved more satisfactory this time than when first, this session, he proceeded to the Front. Some system of organisation has at last been introduced, and hopes of a beneficial movement in the right direction may now be entertained. New Zealand Steam Navigation Com-PANT.-The half-yearly report and 'balancesheet of this company have just been issued. The value of the ship property is estimated at £55,050, but as the directors, on the 31st August, had not decided what course should be taken respecting the s.s. Taranaki, they did not consider it advisable to alter the value of that steamer in the ship property account. The total assets are- estimated at £91,810 4s lOd. The total paid up capital, 8430 shares at £lO per share, amounts'to £84,300. The amount invested on account of insurance and ship property account is £3650 lis Id, and the cash in hand on the 31st August was £479 lis 6d. The report and balance sheet consequently do not give such an unfavourable view of the state of the affairs of the company as was anticipated, and as interested parties would like the shareholders to believe. Competent judges are persuaded that the Taranaki can. be raised at a cost of not more than one-third her vaiue.

General S-jraoD.-The fourth session of the General Synod of New Zealand was opened at Auckland on the 9th inst., when there were present the Bishops of New Zealand, Wellington, Christehurch, Waiapu, Nelson, and Melanesia, and a large number of clergy and laity. The Bishop of Lichfield, in his opening address, said:-" My approaching resignation of the Bishopric of New Zealand requires you to make provision for the appointment of a Primate. This title has already come into use, as being more suited to the circumstances of the Church in New Zealand (ban the title of Metropolitan. It has not been thought expedient that the Bishop residing at the civil metropolis or seat of Government should be Primate, ex officio." He concluded with the following remirks : " To maintain that intimate union between the mother Church and her colonial branchei will be one of the chief objects of my future life. It may be the will of God to bring upon us a season of trial and perplexity. The attempt hu3 bean already made to cut off our sister Church of Ireland from her connection with the State. Many think that this is but the beginning of further changes. We look without fear upon these approaching struggles, because we have learned by long experience lhat the Church of England lives aud prospers, not by endowments or by connection with the State, hut by the purity of her doctrine, and by the Scriptural simplicity of her Liturgy. In the preseuce of another who has worked in this portion of the vineyard two-nnd-forly years, and with the memory brought fresh upon my mind of another faithful servant who has lately entered into his rest, after fifty years of service, 1 cannot speak of the six-and-twenty years of my tenure of office in this country. But the thought of the missionary Church which had existed here a quarter of a century before I came into the land, reminds me to bequeath to you as a precious legacy our native pastors and the remnants of their flocks."