REINFORCEMENTS FROM MELBOURNE.

New Zealander, Volume XIX, Issue 1972, 14 September 1863, Page 2

REINFORCEMENTS FROM MELBOURNE.

[The first division of “ Pitt’s Militia,” arrived from Melbourne on Saturday night, by the Star of India, alter an adverse and boisterous passage of eleven (days. This draft of the Victorian contingent consists of one Captain (Goldsmith), three Lieutenants, (Lomax, Nunnington, formerly of the Jsßtb, and Smith), eleven sergeants, and 392 rank and file who, as far as their phisique is considered, are unexceptionable a splendid body of men ; and iwhat is better among fresh levies so suddenly ithrown together, we rejoice to learn that their \morals hitherto has been quite equal to their \phisique. Many are decorated with Crimean and other medals. About forty of the number have! served in Victorian Rifle corps ; but, with the I bounteous liberality in which Victoria answered *our appeal for “ help,” we cannot feel the least surprise or regret that she should be unwilling to have her natural protectors enrolled in our New Zealand Legions. j Nor is it at all necessary that we should seek to recruit from the ranks of a generous and magnanimous supporter. The desire to take service in our cause is sufficiently enthusiastic without crippling our friends, and we have reason to think that all the assistance we require, and more than we are, at present, authorised to enlist, may very easily be had.

The second and third divisions of the Victorian contingent, numbering together some seven hundred men, were expected to embark, respectively, on the 4tli and 7th current.

The detatchments of the 40th regiment, and the] whole of the Royal Artillery,—with the exception of six men, —with a battery of six Armstrong guns, were to have sailed by the Queen of the I South the day after the Star of India. Their] arrival may, therefore, be immediately looked for It was reported in Melbourne that one of the] two regiments stationed at the Mauritius, (sth| Fusileers, 2nd battalion ; or 2nd battalion 24th)| were under orders for Auckland; and that two*

[regiments of Sikhs from India were on their way hither.

From what has been ascertained to be fact , and from what we gather from well accredited it must be abundantly clear that the hands of our srallant and enterprising General are about to be sufficiently strengthened to enable him to conduct the approaching summer campaign with a success 'that shall crush rebellion, throw open the magnificent tracts of unreclaimed and hitherto useless [territory, and at the same time save the unfortunate tribes from the destruction they have so [insanely provoked, by coercing them into the [position of peaceful and prosperous British subjects.

| Captain Goldsmith’s corps will, we believe, disembark in the course of this day.