AUCKLAND.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XXXIII, Issue 75, 23 June 1864, Page 3

AUCKLAND.

The following are the more important items of intelligence brought by our files from this province :—: — The Southern Cross's Tauranga correspondent, writing under date June 15, says : — " Some discredit has been attempted to be cast upon the statement, that the rebels were in great force a few miles beyond the Gate pah ; but those who, from converse with the friendly natives, ought to know something of the doings of the rebels, allege that a force of 700 twice told (1,400) are mustered not many miles from there. A number of Ngatipikiaos are said to be amongst them. William Thompson is in command, and Rewi has gone to the Waikato for further reinforcements. It seems very probable, if an attack is to be made upon Te Papa, or any of the redoubts around, that it will be well if it is done quickly, at least to afford the Maoris any chance whatever of holding their own for a short time. They will, before this time, have heard of the arrival of our reinforcements ; and, suspecting that others may be on the way, any further delay may be considered dangerous to their cause ; and so the tug of war, if war is to be be taken up again here, will be felt in a few days at the furthest. The friendly natives at Maungatapu and other Maori settlements bordering the harbour are known to be in a state of great trepidation and fear at the expected irruption of the enemy. The threats held out against them by the rebels, if they did not desert the Queen's side and cast in their lot with the varying fortunes of the king, are said to have been of the severest kind; and so effective have they proved, that several have already gone over to the enemy. From fourteen to twenty ablebodied Maoris have gone from Maungatapu, and a number from Canaan, a village lying between here and Maketu. The women and children have in both cases been left behind, as a burden upon those who continue to reside at the village. Those yet remaining faithful are, it is rumoured, about to take up their quarters nearer to camp at Ohuki, fearing the rebels will make a- descent upon them should they remain at their present dwelling-places. This, however, is not to be done until the soldiers and pakehas are quietly disposed of; then the day of retribution would not be far distant. " The plan of attack now said to have been determined upon by the enemy is talked of as follows :—: — To pass the Gate pah and the camp at Judea without noticing them, and to descend upon Te Papa by three points at once ; from the beach by the direction of Maungatapu ; by Mr. Purvis's house ; and near Archdeacon Brown's. They express their determination of having another good fight in this district before finally settling down, and as they appear fully convinced that theirs will be the victory, much delay is not expected to occur before some hostile demonstration is made. They are believed to be congregated in a new pah, which has been thrown up at the junction of the Wairoa with the piece of swamp on the right-hand side of the Gate pah towards the ranges. Rifle-pits and holes are said to have been dug in the ground, and covered with fern to prevent the country being scoured by cavalry or flying columns of infantry. The dimensions of the redoubt, and strength of the force at the Gate pah, have also been attempted to be ascertained, a spy having been despatched upon this duty one day last week. His instructions were to approach the pah during the darkness of night, not to risk his life by attempting to injure any of the sentries, but to make his reconnoissanee as complete as possible without apprising the soldiers of his presence. According to the native's account the task was most satisfactorily performed. " The threat that the attack would be made on Te Papa last night appears not to have been entirely disregarded by the gallant Colonel in command here. To be forewarned is to be forearmed ; so last night the picqnets were doubled, and in some cases trebled at the more salient points. The night, however, passed without any signs of an attack, and so Te Papa remains in our hands another day." Folet's Ciecus. — In consequence of the heavy gale of wind that has prevailed the last day or two at Onehunga, the performances at Mr. Foley's circus on Thursday night did not take place, as it was found impossible to raise the tent, and, for the same reason, no performance took place last night. — Southern Cross, June 18. Wharf Accommodation. — We are glad to see that the provincial authorities are alive to the greatly increased demand for wharf accommodation, as shown by the fact of their having advertised for tenders for constructing such accommodation along the front of Custom house-street. — Id. How the Wives of the Waikato Militia are provided JOB. — There are no less than 274 women, and 636 children belonging to the men of the Waikato militia, stationed at Onehunga now. When they first arrived they were left to make shift as best they could under frail canvas tents, and were huddled and crowded together until barracks were erected for their accommodation. Eight barracks, consisting each of two compartments of twelve rooms each, making twenty.four rooms in each barrack, and 192 rooms altogether, were erected. The average size of these rooms is about nine feet by twelve, and there are 910 souls to be accommodated, giving an average of rather more than four persons to each room. The rooms are about nine feet high, and open at the top, having nothing but the roof above them, and in some of the rooms there are as many as six persons. The wind whistles through them all in windy weather, in such a way as to defy the attempt to light a match, and, added to this, there is not a single fireplace, nor any means of warming the building whatever, and the state of cold and wretchedness in which the poor people live is enough to excite the pity of anyone. If any cooking has to be done, even in the bad weather, it must be done outside ; and, added to this inconvenience, the intelligent engineer, who planned the place, has erected the water-closets and. wash-houses right over the springs from which the people get the water they drink. Surely what is worth doing at all is worth doing well ; and we hope those in authority will inquire into the matter, and, at any rate, if it is impossible to give more accommodation at present, that they will take steps to have the building proi perly heated, and the comfort and well being of the 1 occupants duly cared for. — Id.