AUCKLAND.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 186, 27 September 1845, Page 117

AUCKLAND.

We have received Auckland papers to the 23d of August, brought to Wellington by the Lady Leigh, from which we give the following extracts : —

On Saturday last, H.M.S. Hazard, Captain Egerton, appointed from the Agincourt, flagship, arrived from the Bay of Islands, but brought no fresh intelligence. The North Star has relieved the Hazard in blockading the Bay, The schooners Coolangatta and Coquette arrived on the same day from Sydney. — New Zealander, August 9.

Court Martial.— On Thursday, a court martial was held in the mess-room of the officers in the barracks, on Lieutenant Barclay, 96th Regiment, for his conduct on the 1 lth of March, when Kororarika was attacked and taken by the natives. Colonel Despard was the president; Lieutenant and Adjutant Deering, 99th Regiment, Assistant Deputy-Judge Advocate ; and Colonel Hulme conducted the prosecution by order of the Commander-in-Chief in New South Wales. It was intimated at the opening of the court, that the proceedings must not be made public until they have been submitted to Sir Maurice O'Connell; therefore, we are not at liberty to publish the proceedings for the present. — Ibid. Died. — At Waimate, on the 11th July, 1845, from wounds received at the assault on the pa of Heki the rebel chief, Edward Beatty, Esq., Lieutenant H.M. 99th Regiment; second son of D. Beatty, Esq., of Heathfield, county of Wexford, Ireland. This gallant young officer was most highly esteemed ; and is most deeply regretted by all of his brother officers. — Ibid. We understand the detachment of the 96th Regiment now stationed here, under LieutenantColonel Hulme, will shortly leave to join headquarters in Van Diemen's Land, as well as the 99th, under Colonel Despard, for New South, Wales, as soon as the remainder of the 58 th Regiment arrives from Sydney. — Ibid, August 16.

H.M.S. Daphne, Captain Onslow, arrived on Monday last from Callao, South America, via Tahiti, having also touched at the Navigator Islands, leaving Mr. Pritchard there as English Consul. — Ibid.

The whaler Matilda, which left the port of Auckland at the end of March last, had touched at Valparaiso on her way to England. — Ibid.

Forged Debentures. — Within the last few days there has been discovered another instance of forgery of the Government debentures, and of much greater value than the former circulation. It will be remembered that the Government announced that a book, containing two hundred and fifty ten shillings debentures, had been abstracted from one of the Government offices : the present forgery, that we have seen, is one for Jive pounds. This secondary fact of forgery and circulation most clearly proves the extreme looseness, negligence, and inca1 parity of all the officials concerned in the manufacture of these monetary documents. How many more, or to what amount, there may be in circulation of these spurious debentures, it seems there is no clue whatever ; for the Government authorities appear to be quite as much in the dark as the public. If there has been a book of two hundred and fifty of these Jive I pound debentures clandestinely removed from some one of the offices, in their course of being signed by the several parties necessary for their completion, it is clear that there is a further sum of twelve hundred and fifty pounds thus fraudulently • in circulation; and, indeed, the number and the amount of these forged debentures, we seriously believe, cannot at all be calculated. This delinquency is attributed by some, wholly to one and the same person, who forged and issued those of a smaller sum ; but we are of the same opinion as in the former instance, that there are more than one person implicated in this forgery and fraud. Whatever may be the real truth, it is perfectly evident that those who have had tbe superintendence of the manufacture and issue of these debentures, are most highly culpable and reprehensible. The Government must do something promptly on this most important subject, or else the whole of this paper issue will be not only considerably depreciated, but its currency will be difficult. If it is intended that debentures, under the value of £50 are still to continue to form part of the circulating medium of the colony, the Government should immediately recal all the outstanding small notes and institute a proper of-

fice for their manufacture and issue, under responsible persons of talent and honesty, in whom confidence could be placed. The new issue should be printed with blue ink; and, during the process of printing them, there should be some one deputed by the Colonial Treasurer present, and, as soon as the number required was struck off, the " form " of types should be carried away and deposited in the custody of the Colonial Treasurer; and to prevent also with certainty any attempt or possibility of forged issues by abstraction of the printed forms from any one of the offices, there should be adopted the precaution, that after the signatures of the Governor, the Colonial Secretary, and of the Colonial Treasurer are affixed, these Government debentures should be stamped with the seal of the colony. This seal of the colony — most important as it is, is a stamp made with much labour and expense in England, and, consequently, impossible of correct imitation here — should be in the individual charge and keeping either of the Governor, the Colonial Secretary, or the Colonial Treasurer, and never used but in their actual presence, in stamping debentures or any other document. If the. paper used for debentures was of proper consistency, this application of the seal of the colony, in the presence only of the officer made responsible for its use, would render them incapable of forgery, and thus impart confidence as to their validity. The present system is as disgraceful to the Government as it is injurious to the public. — Ibid.

The communication between Auckland and the southern settlement is a matter that deserves the most serious attention of the Government ; and some small vessel should be immediately employed in going to and fro, as near as practicable, at stated dates. Since the Government brig has been so much employed at the Bay of Islands, the communication with Port Nicholson and Nelson has been completely interrupted. In these critical, perilous times, it is of the upmost importance that information on passing events should be constantly spread throughout all the European settlements in the colony. At present, the settlers at Wellington, New Plymouth, and Nelson, receive their intelligence of events which take place at the Bay of Islands much sooner through the Sydney papers than from Auckland. The natives on the Hutt know very quickly all the transactions of Heki, and regulate their conduct accordingly. The anxiety of the settlers to the southward must naturally be intense regarding the military operations and their results ; and it is the bounden duty of the Local Government to establish certain periodical communication between all the settlements, for their united security in these eventful times. Collision might take place at Wellington with the natives, and the Government remain for weeks in perfect ignorance. Besides the expediency of such communication, on account of the present state of the colony, there arrives frequently a vessel direct from England with mails, and the settlers here remain for months without their letters. The mail by the Tyne arrived on the sth of July, at Wellington, from England, nearly two months since, and has not yet arrived here. If some immediate measures are not adopted to secure regular communication with the southern settlements, we would advise the settlers throughout the colony to petition the Government upon the subject. But the only hope for the redress of this, as well as other obvious grievances, is a proper system of legislative representation. — Ibid, August 23.

H.M.S. Hazard, Captain Egerton, proceeded to the Bay of Islands on Tuesday last ; and the barque Slams Castle, with 130 men of the 99th Regiment, will proceed likewise on Monday next. — On Thursday night, a small cutter arrived from the Bay, and it is stated that the excellent native chief, known by the name of Williams — hitherto an indifferent passive observer of the war existing — has joined Nene, and, in conjunction with him, has driven Kawiti to the Kowa-kowa. But we should not imagine that for the present any very active measures will be taken by the natives on either side, for now is their planting season, and all will be busy providing food for the future summer. — Ibid. We would most earnestly call the attention of the Local Government to the fact, that Heki obtains supplies of gunpowder direct from Auckland. The supineness and negligence evinced with respect to the importation of arms and ammunition, by this Government, is really astonishing. Every vessel from Europe, America, or from Sydney, brings fresh supplies, which can only find a market with the natives : and yet day after day passes without any prohibition or penalty for thus vending the means of our own destruction ! Truly, there are no bounds to the ruinous infatuation prevalent in our councils, guided by the prejudiced, mistaken, false philanthropy of the Protectorate. — Ibid. Although there is at present a temporary cessation of hostilities, let it not be imagined that there is any change of feeling for the better on the part of the disaffected natives at the Bay of Islands or elsewhere. Again we would warn the Government not to be lulled into false se-

curity by deceptive information or fallacious reasoning on the motives and acts of the natives.. We repeat, that throughout the whole island, with but little exception, a great portion of die native population is ripe for revolt. We are on a slumbering volcano of rebellion and bloodshed, which may burst forth when least suspected. The least temporizing or symptom of concession now, will but hasten the crisis which will render the colony one universal battle-field for years to come. — Ibid.

Financial Expedients. — When we consider the large amount of debentures afloat, and the very trifling sustenance that the Customs now affords to the revenue of the colony (£27 in Auckland for the last month !), it is not iurprising that the Colonial Treasurer is catching at straws, and that the Governor is observant of a strict economy* As specimens of the former policy, we t hay* 4 Jesuitical circular sent round, reqxtestu&*&j&epiiti£q9iin all the buyers of land from the'y&tfcztypfvthe method and amount of payment in espjipase made respectively. The return will furnish, no doubt, an useful statistic ; but we recommend the buyers aforesaid to — Ware Fox I—Auckland1 — Auckland Times, August 2.

We beg leave respectfully to call the attention of the officers commanding the naval and military forces in Auckland, to the very exuberant spirits of their men. Our streets unquestionably do not exhibit that appearance which should belong to the dwelling-places of any civilized people. We should be very unwilling to say one unkind word of the brave fellows who have been fighting our battles, and who have earned their season of furlough and of frolic at so much risk; but it is absolutely necessary for their own sakes, as well as for our quiet, that some discretion should be observed — that discipline and order be not entirely lost sight of. Verb, sup. sat. — Ibid.

A report has gained currency, that his Excellency's Prime Minister has gone to negotiate a peace with Johnny Heki and Kawiti — a treaty of alliance offensive and defensive between the Viceroy of England's Queen, and the petty barbarian chieftain, who I but we wall not suffer ourselves to express our feelings upon this matter till we have perfect evidence of the fact. Our capacity of credulity has been exceedingly distended by the monstrous realities we have been compelled to witness and believe; but, after all, we cannot swallow this : we mention the matter only as a current report, in order to warn his Excellency the Governor of the mischievous consequences which result from that sullen reserve upon public matters that is kept up under his administration. Let us know what is the purport of the chief dragoman's embassy. — Ibid, August 9. Our Present Armament. — H.M.S. North. Star has lately made an unexpected return from Sydney; and, during the week, H.M. Sloop Daphne, Captain Onslow, 18 guns, has come into our port. The gay and gallant Hazard is still with us ; there is besides the Government brig Victoria; and, we believe, the Government charter of the Slams Castle is continued. The Daedalus, expressely instructed to be with us, is daily expected ; and there is a pertinacious, but, in our opinion, rather untenable rumour of a steam ship of war being sent to this station. In addition to all this, detachments of the 58th, 96th, and 99th Regiments, under the command of Colonel Despard, and 200 men expected, furnish a paramount and sufficient force to convince the natives of the moral and physical impossibility of their prevailing, except by temporary accident, over British power. We hope, therefore, that Clarke, with his temporising system, made up of cant and utu ! — utu and cant, in which he always gets the worst of the bargain — will now be thrown overboard. The Daphne is one of the handsomest vessels we have seen ; is in excellent health, trim, and condition ; and having been up to this time three years upon her cruise, has only lost two men. It was at the Navigators' Isles that Captain Onflow heard of the ticklish position of Auckland, and he lost not a moment in cracking on to the rescue. — There is something very suspicious and unexplained about the return of the North Star! Sir Everard Home took his departure from, Auckland because he was assured that the Demosthenic eloquence of Clarke, and the hypocritical interference of all and sundry the archdeacons, missionaries, and catechists, whom, without disrespect to more holy things, we trust we may be forgiven for designating the church militant in this campaign, would fully prevail? But when Sir Everard got to the Bay — while ha was supposed to be gone altogether, and while some very ungenerous observations were made upon his departure — he determined to risk the responsibility of return and to wait the issue of the contest; when at last he departs, according to peremptory orders, for Sydney and China. We have him back again from the former place, well advised — we cannot presume otyermde*— by Sir George Gipps, Sir Maurice O'Co^nell, and other qualified advisers, who cannot" discover the sagacity of attempting to put out fire by pouring oil upon it; who feel that the pre-

sent moment, with the ffeftOft force, we RpJgejß, after sb^gttgt an e*p«aP6JpHfe, cklofflfflrpw perty, and/Britisbi^monß^, JAgst npt be %as^a ov«r^-a qm&ent of* {)Q^bif^^itj^iida^m^i^^ fectiy recdlfcileable'witn^thiwrongest 4 rift)tives of clemency — a moment in which a lesson may be read to the Maories that will do more to sober down their savage, avaricious, cruel, self-suf-ficient propensities, than may be procured out of the mawworm nonsense of the Protectorate, though it should endure in practice, for. a century. Ever since the unhappy interruption of Major Bunbury's manly demonstration at Tau- i rangSj-when"4awyers were allowed upon techni- 1 cal principles of their own to paralyze the energies of our troops in arms, and to send our gallant fellows back, after^six. weeks' dalliance : with the savage, covered with* no glory, profit, 1 or experience, but such' as was to be obtained ' from the exhausting stings of the sand flies and the scoffs and jeers of the savage; ever since' then, our moral influence has been broken down ; the Maoris have been allowed, nay, more than that, encouraged to go on committing all such depredations and atrocities as their physical supremacy could accomplish. Now, then, is the time to make them sensible of the inevitable fitiat result of unprovoked rapine and rejected friendship. The Maori should be made aware that the British temper iff fervent in retribution as' in kindness. We are not sorry to see that the law officer, .whose mischievous advice was* the seed and root of all the multifarious subsequent mischief, has received a scarifying from his master at home, which it is difficult to conceive how he can continue to hold office under; ! arid in the same document we ai* also glad to observe that Lord Stanley is not feitWn with the Maori mania to that fearful md-thtogerous extent which his nominees iniifce' Colony would have us believe.— lbid, Augu^iSP '.*■' ' ,Kauri Gum. — Consideraine^quantities of this indigenous production continue to be brought into Auckland, and it is readily bought for export to London and Sydney. There seems to be a mystery in the trade of it ; for it is so variously estimated in value, that it is impossible to make a safe quotation. Much, of course, must depend upon the quality and condition of the parcels offered ;• but, as yet, we are not sure that it is not more an article of speculation than of staple trade. The poor, dear, ignorant Maories, whdTequire so much protection, are quite willing to believe it is worth its weight in gold, and demand prices very far beyond any reasonable value !— lbid.

It would appear that there was some foundation 'for the report recently current here of another conflict between the troops at Waimate and the rebels. It is stated that Heki endeavoured to surprise the troops at night, but was repulsed; and that the loss amounted to six killed on either side. Before the Lady Leigh sailed, another expedition had left Auckland for the Bay of Islands, consisting of H.M.S. Daphne, recently arrived frSff-the South American station, and the Slams Castle, with all the disposable force, for the purpose of making preparations to commence the campaign in October. A great number of working bullocks and horses had been shipped for the purpose of transporting the baggage. The approach to the pa occupied by Heki is described as being very difficult, the country being intersected with morasses and deep rivers. The pa is situated at the top of a mountain, the crater of an extinct Volcano. — New Zealand Spectator, September 20.

The following despatches of Colonel Despard were first published in the Sydney papers, from which they have been since copied into the Auckland and Wellington papers: — ' (Copy.) Camp before Heki's pa, 11th July, 1845. Sia— ln my letter of this morning (four o'clock, a.in.) ( I' had the honour to acquaint you that the pa was in our possession, and that the enemy had retreated to fastnesses among the hills, about ten miles distant, where it is, I believe, impossible to attempt to follow them. The enemy was unable to carry off his guns, and we have taken three iron ones on ship carriages, and one more was found disabled in the fortress. There is no doubt that it was the fear of another assault being made after the renewal of offensive operations yesterday, that caused this retreat. In consequence of the alteration of the state of the affairs here,. since my letter by the Velocity, I have taken upon myself to suspend the sailing of that vessel, until your further instructions are received. The quantity of provisions stored in the captured fortress (potatoes) exceeds any thing I could have formed an idea of. One report in camp is, that the principal part of the enemy have dispersed in different directions ; but I have so little opportunity of gaining correct information, that I scarcely give credit to any. „,1-1;s hall proceed as rapidly as possible to pull down and burn every part of the pa. I have, &c, ;.'. (Signed) H. Dbspard, Colonel commanding the troops, ftis Excellency Governor Fitzßoy. (Copy.) Waimate, July 16, 1845. 'Sir— l have the honoiWWacquaint your Excelfeiicy that tbe pa belonging *o Haratooe, about six mile* from thh placed was totally destroyed by the troops -under my command this morning. 1 marched from benee before daylight with two hundred rank and file, two guns, and a proportion of .ths, volunteer pioneers and artillery men ; and, on our, arriving near the pa, the enemy evacuated it, and retired through a very thick wood where pucmit wa* out of the question. The enemy had set firs to a bridge over a difficult river within half ft m»le of the place, which we found burning. I have, &c, (Signed) H. Dbspard. His Excellency Governor Vitzßoy.