NATIVE INTELLIGENCE.

North Otago Times, Volume XI, Issue 372, 15 December 1868, Page 2

NATIVE INTELLIGENCE.

We take the following from telegrams in our Dunedin contemporaries : —

Napiee, 6th December. The Ahuriri has arrived from Poverty Bay, with Tanner's troops on board. Mr M'Lean addressed to the men a few complimentary remarks, thanking the volunteers for their readiness to serve the Colony. Capt. Tanner replied that the confidence the people had in Mr M'Lean was the cause of the men's coming forward ; and that if the men were wanted again, the eTpression of Mr M,Lean's wish that they should serve would be sufficient to secure their services at any moment. There was plenty of cheering for Mr M'Lean and for the tioop. Authentic details of the last fight prove that it has been much exaggerated. It was not the main body of the Hau-haus — which haB since been ascertained to have escaped into the bush — but one of several detached bodies, which was attacked, and their loss was small. Only 70 of the Ngatiporu, under Ropata, were engaged. The native allies were on tbe way back to Pututahi and Turanga, knocked up, dissatisfied, and unable to get supplies so far inland. Col. Whitmore and Major Frazer were four miles beyond Pututahi, awaiting the return of the Friendlies before pushing on. It is generally understood that Colonel Whitmore will go by the Sturt to Wairoa, as being the proper base of operations, and that Major Frazer will go straight on. The expedition has virtually collapsed. Much of this result is due to Col. Whitmore's assumption of the command, which was most unfortunate. There is a letter in town which was written by Heretonga, asking that the steamer might be ordered to return, to bring back his men, for that they will not serve under Col. Whitmore. The arrangements of the General Government have nipped our success in the bud, as all here expected would be the case. When the Ahuriri left Poverty Bay, Col. Whitmore was holding a Council of war. Meanwhile the enemy were esoaping into the mountain fastnesses.

Wexmnchon, December 12. The firBt-class" Militia assembled to-day. Each Company will parade twice a-week in future. There are not sufficient arms at present to supply them all, even were it desirable to issue them before the Companies get into a little better order. Tito Kowaru's earthwork, fronting Woodall's redoubt, iias been destroyed, the cavalry having found it abandoned. Private letters from Napier lead one reluctantly to the conclusion that the collapse of the late campaign did result from the previous unpopularity of Colonel Whitmore with the Natives. However great his military Bkill may be, his unpopularity is unfortunately still greater, and must continue to paralyse his operations. Having been sent thither against the earnest protests, conveyed by telegraph, of Mr M'lJean, the whole responsibility of the operations on the East Coast rests on the Government.

The " Daily Times" says : — " It is not unlikely that licenses for shooting same within this Province ■will be taken out during next season. The rapid spread of pheasants near Palmerston, leads us to suppose that these birds will be very numerous within that district in the spring of 1869. Should that prove to be the case, a positive benefit will be done by the granting of licenses to destroy the male birds, who, like most of the gallinaceous tribe, are extremely pugnacious, many of them being frequently killed by fighting with each other. It appears that the Acclimatisation Society will be entitled to ' all money derived from license fees, as well as fines levied trader the Act, after defraying the expenses of carrying into effect its provisions. The Auckland Society, we understand, is in a thriving condition, caused chiefly by the revenue which it derives from such sources."