DRURY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 9, 3 December 1863, Page 4

DRURY.

c j [Kiiosr a coKiaMi'oNDj;;vr.] ' j December 1. 1 A VEfty strong convoy to the front this morning, j having a greater number of posts to supnh"The 0 j Whanganui, Meremere, and 71 being now I added to the others bej-onJ (ho Queen's Redoubt, j it is neewsarv that a greater quantity of provisions i should be sent up. The Transport Corps arc making j every arrangement for the purpose of carrying' tho stores, ammunition, &c . along with the General as he iidvaijcsfl. Tb' u •iwM l——...i. -e ti.. J, UKf'- -iiicii augmented lately. Jielbre s.J 'tws cc-mienccd (here were onlv two (tympanies 'ysfnbufrii amongst the foUowins post,: Auckland, ? ry ' F,fth Brid S c ' " nd P-keno: But thn\v. -T. hccon } c ncccesan- wo .sliould invade couitr^' 4 1 ! ln:l ™h into the interior of the

. an \ RS t are roads, nothing but h™ i uough the country, two companies of puck 1 3 fJ,° C " rai ' sed to " ,o<:t tho altered rermirefvom Hip Iv S< !' rh ? " le "' COnsistj,l g Of vol 11»teOl'P , m the W aikuto regimcntc, with an oliicer of .'nc legumvs in command of euch company. Air. Bailey, I tfte director, deserves the highest credit, fcr the high | s n e of emcieucy in "which this dep:vanient is kept, j l oejeve that arnngements are nr*v being made Jbr j navmg a, daily mail to and irom Rangfriri, as the - oiintea Artillery Troopers are to be broken up into

small detachments, to be stationed at. Drurv, Queen's .Hedoiibf, Xoheroa, Whanganui. and Mercmerc. and -_rom thence to fiaugiriri. The Auckland Volunteer will perform the mail servieo from Auckland t.o Otahuhu, Papatoitoi, Papakura, and Wairoa. .■ll t '."S know that the public journals "ill be ante to hare their own correspondents' letters appeal m tlic next day s issue-, as in these ox isi in" times it is necessary to supply the public appetite for news. Lvery one is anxious to know the latest from the front, and, m the absence of the truth, false and ! injurious rumours often obtain circulation. j l'he down convoy arrived all safe, and reports that ! the wounded are getting 011 favourably under the I very excellent- treatment, of the medical ollic-rs. \ j .urge quantity of oranges, and oilier fruits, were reC ?„, 1 « v y s ' e,, '' , }.V" l>«ve been provided for the v.ouni.ed. Ilia Excellency the Governor ha* been I very iiurt m sending up anything that would be Ikely to comfort and soothe The-brave heroes on j t:iur beus of suilenng. I cannot pass over tlii* with- I oil! mentioning Dr. Mount, the of j Hospitals, for his unremitting care, and attention to I ". . I

A large qunntitv of ammunition is expected up I Irom Auckland for the front; and evervthin" heini in readiness for u forward movement,'we may be daily m the cipeetntton of hrarine of tmothor'blow struck. I think that, as the rebels are retraem c their sU-ps down the ri,-er, and we have not lieard of loc:r being seen m our vicinity for a long time, it would bo advisable for us to extend aline of redoubts Irom Papayata. to Queen's Redoubt, and from Paparota t-n Pokujiifciin!,right ticrcss country; the -nmeas wo have along the Great. South Road, between Prurv and the Queen's Redoubt. At each of these two , positions) thy troops that now hold the po--t on the roars might be Ir.-ated, and pr.rtien from the l.'paer i and Lower Wairou, Kerkeri, Papnfcurx and DmVr, taking three, er even four days' provisions vvith them, 1 and having a surveyor, or one who understands the .buu},. attached to each party : and siuwi ' ( party under the eoiiiimiml of pie'ked oflicer«. let | ! I nem explore the bush, and see what it. contains. I r Let ihe:n enter irom diii'en-n! plum-?. If no iv.bels. ' t

or traces of rebels, were lound, I do not see what is to hinder the settlers about Wairoa and its vicinity having escorts allowed, so that they may able to get in then- crops. Poor people, they are entitled to our deepest sympathy ; and I do not see why the General does not "take their case in hand, as well as that of the Taranaki people. It is mi old adage, that charity begins at home ; and though Government, and very piaflv too, seems to think they are entitled to compensation, the question is equally important, what arc the settlers of Mauku, Waiuku, Pukekohe, Wairoa, and the other settlements, entitled to? I hope that before the present Parliament is dissolved, that some of our honorable members for Auckland will give this matter their serious consideration, try for it in earnest, ami not let it end in words, like many other of their promises.

A private of the Commissariat Transport Corps, named Grossman, died this afternoon. He will be buried to-morrow, with military honours.

It is expected that the Auckland Militia will march from this for Otahuhu to-morrow, en route for Auckland. The gallant fellows look all the better for their campaign ; it has given them a lesson, and partially initiated them into the arduous 1 duties of a soldier. They can well sympathise with our brave fellows at the front, who have still harder duties before them. I have no doubt that many a mother will turn out and give her son a hearty welcome; and that the people in general will appreciate the services of the Auckland Militia and Volunteers. [KItOM OUII OWN COKRESrOXDEItT.]

30th November. Wi: have now got over the excitement of the past week, and again we have returned to the ordinary quietness of life here. The topic of the day is now of peace, and whether the inclinations of a few of the rebels in the immediate neighbourhood of the late engagement can be taken as a beginning of that event, 1 think, is a very questionable idea. We hear if said that some who hold a high standing are doing all in then - power to induce the natives to yield submission. Sow the natives arc a nice who won't put up with soft words, or, to use a very common expression of their own, •• too much gammon." The only inlluence that will bear upon them is that which General Cameron initiated, and with such good results—one which cwry person will admit, to be the only true remedy as yet devised. We know that our able General will carry out his own good plans, provided he is not interfered with. Let them see wo are now in real earnest, and two or three engagements more and we shall see the course of events changed—the Maoris claiming for peace and yielding themselves in submission to the protection of our beloved Queen. "We know that this is talked of as the last war, and that it must be put down soon; to effect this, it must not be brought about abruptly, and the first step of submission must bo the unconditional disarmament of the Maoris—and until this is one of their overture acts, we cannot expect anything of them in any way tending to the object to be attained. It is rumoured that the Governor is expected at the front, when it is to be hoped that his interview with the General will bear good results, that the General has marched forward with reinforcements, and had sent for more guns. We hope to have important news soon : at present there is a great lack in that respect.

T( was reported that the ' Pioneer' steamer was aground up the Waikato River, and such turned out to be the ease ; it is also said that a large tree is in the way. and some engineering difficulty has to be overcome. The width of the river at this place will permit the natives placing those impedhiient,s"in the way of navigating, nt least for some good distance ; but they will not be slow to take every advantage which o'l'ers. A large meeting of chiefs were to meet the General in solemn conclave immediately ; we await the results with anxietv.

Ist December. The weather has taken a sudden change, rain coming down profusely. We are now in tho midst oT Ihe hay-making season. The effects of the late lovely weather were very perceptible on our soldiers, &<:., in camp, who, instead of trampling through mud. are now to be seen at various outside amusements, which are encouraged by the ollicers.

There is one drawback to the life in camp here : thai is, a want of a supply of vegetables ; now if is not. like any of the other positions near town, where there is no lack of these. The settlers are all driven from their farms in the outlying districts, and anything that was "left behind of that nature soon disappeared, long before it attained to maturity ; but •here is •>. rcr.e.ly for this deficiency; we have mow !t 'i article of commerce in the shape of preserve', an excellent substitute- for the fresh article f rmn the garden, and being portable, ami witluni a ny wasted might be made" available. An occasional supply would be a great boon. \\ e were like-iy to have had a serious casually on Saturday last, e.v Slit-phi-rtl's Bush, by a private of the Ist regiment u: Waikato Militia eating the berries of the Xupaki Ariib j the man was very soon taken ill, and was cotiv.yed here at once, where prompt measures were lake..,, with immediate good results. It would be well v> lutve the men in all camps cautioned, as there are so many strangers here just now. This shrub is very i.oisonous, as is well known to all settlers who havu resided any time in the country.

We had -some of our wounded soldiers pass through yesterday ; there were 10 in all, occupying 3 ambulance earls. One poor fellow, who had had his arm amputated just below the elbow, was taking a walk before the conveyance ; he seemed emaciated looking, and of course- apparently weak.