DRURY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 11, 7 December 1863, Page 3

DRURY.

[I'EOM OUR OWN COBHESrOj;r.r.XT.] stli December. The continuance of rain makes the roadway xory unpleasant for travelling, and military supplier anil movements arc greatly impeded thereby; llem* forcements lo the 50th regiment wore expected yes; terday, but have not as yet joined; they are likely lo do to-day. The inclemency oi' Hie weather does not stop the march of the army ivhm required to rh) *o ; it is but one of the ninny vicissitudes that must, be endur-ed, and which the soldier gets bo inured to as to puss it by with a grumble and a. growl. The men, on the whole, seem to be ft* eontented as possible, and I certainly see but li!Ue b) pass comment upon. The soldiers' of the s'hli regiment seem greatly plea.-ed with the change of country, and ail sjuak in high terms of' New Zealand compared with tin* tropical climate of Ccyloin ]r. the short time they have been here, they have vastly improved i:i appearance. and, brief a* our acquaintance is. it would lead us to infer that thev will become quite as grout favourites n-< lho.<e of longer standing in the Volony. Tiie command of the regiment is about to devolve on Colonel "Wcare) Colonel "Waddy, n.« commanding the district, lining about to take up his quaiv*.rs at the Queen's Redoubt. An accident occurred t" the part vOngnged in removing the obstruction to the navigation of Slipperv Creek. On Thursday evening, 'vhile n blasting wai taking place, n piece uf stone fell on the contractor (named Tnyhu*), and broke his nr.n: He wu<? removed to Tapakura. A cricket n-atih took place :it the Mauku between the Flying Column and the Volunteers stationed thefe, when the former came o 4 «V with fiying c-dnuvs. It has been alleged thai they have not much to do, when they can manage tbese sort of things ; my own notion is, that, it better to see the men so occupied, at recreative amusement in their leisure hours, than to hear of them, ay in other parts, destroying property and shooting cattle. The men "at the Maukn have abstiiiiT'd from su'-h nets, although, if cause were called to he shewn, they have more grounds lbr doing so than at oth-r pVcfs? ; their fare has b< en salt meat ami bread, whereas others are not satisfied with their daily allowance of fresh meat, potatoes, Ac., but must plunder the unfortunate settlers, who, otherwise, -would look on them as thc : r protector? from Maori agenv-siou. Verily this is setting the tbv to guard the goose. [l"llfiV A CURKKSPuXIMIXT.] A vr.nv large convoy to the front this morning. Ther»? were a greater number of horses ami carls sent up (ban usual on account of some hi ing wanted a: the Queen's Ti'edoubl to supply the place of others that have gone ftvm the Quvn's Redoubt to Meremcro and Kangiriei. It will be a difficult matter to supply the troops at the front, and the demands on the Transport Corps will be very great, for not only will they require to bring en stores, ammunition, and provisions, but they will require to forage, &e., for the horses and bulin'-ks that are at the diiferem It must be borne in mind that there ar. % now r ">a Is from Koheiva to iiangiriri, and although two companies of pack horses have been i'iupo I tn brinjr on the stores over the ranges, yet even they will not be sufficient to bring up everything that nun be required, so the sooner we see the two stenmcs that *re building at Sydney for the Waikato the better it will ho for the country, as it in a great drawback to the advance of the troops having to wait, day a tier day till everything is brought forward. Our gailant 50th are now getting pushed forward, about 200 of them marched this morning for ibo Queen's Redoubt. They did not unpiteh their tents nor have they taken away any of their camp equipage as usually is the case, as their places weiSi taken up by another detu •hment of the same regiment who had marched from Otahuhu, very fortunately fur the party mareh'ng in as it rained very hard ; the pour fellows being drenched to the skin, felt a lit tle more comfortable when coming into a dry tent. We wish the 50th every success, and know that they will prove 1 themselves as gallant and brave a. 1 ? they have been on many oilier occasions. The troops here have had a little more freedom since the 50th came ; there are no sent ries on tho bridge? now, and a poor fellow can get out of camp to stretch his legs a little, or to have a pleasant walk. It wn* necessary that the gallant officer who commands the 18th should be a little strict, as the lvgimont are all young soldiers, and required a check oii them ; but there .-teems to be more confidence between the oflic'T commanding the 50th and his in; n titan the other; the 50th being all tried soldiers, and men who have seen service. The "Redoubt vacated by tho Auckland Militia in now being occupied by a detachment of Colonel Milliter's Waikato Militia. It is a very good encamp- ! ing ground in dry weather, but immediately the rain i falls the inside oi' the Redoubt is like a swamp ;• bo i our friends in Auckland can fanny how much more comfortable the first-class will feel at home than in camp. Private CVossman, of the Transport Corps, died on Tuesday and was buried ; the grave was not above , three feet deep, and the otlieer who commanded the | party, ordered the body lo lowered into its hist renting place. The grave was then filled in, and after tin* usunl military honours Hie party marched back lo camp. The circumstance being reported to the officcr in command, another otlieer had to proceed to the gravo yard to exhume the body, and deepen tli-i grave. Kerr, who has a (arm about three miles from here, has returned to live oil it. I think the Government should look to this. It will be- remembered that 1 iit> cattle were amongst the first that were tomahawked by the natives, and his house plundered, and the mo.it valuable hook< destroyed. The house elands about, a mile from York Redouhti and not very far from' where Mr. and Airs. Fahey were shot. How very rash and foolish of people to .persist in going where there is danger; such instaneeß will be adduced by and bye as reason for withholding compensation from settlers generally. The Colonial Defence Korce an 1 the detachment of of the Auckland Cavalry now stationed at Papakura paraded yesterday morning and were putthriugh somo cavalry movements, which they executed iu a style very creditable to themselves and Colonel Xixrtu who commands the i'apakura district. Things have not been going oil at I'apakura as usual. A sentry iB now posted at the bridge near the hoiul, as it appears lliat the men are in the habil of getting drunk, and one evening there were hurdly sutllcieut sober men to furnish the duties required for the camp. .Mr. Simpson who has the. contract, for the canteen* on the military camps had erected a very comfortable one about 100 yards from the redoubt, so after it '.vi.a finished a notice was received by the Commanding Oliicer to close it up, as it was erected on Bi;'nrp Sehvvii's property without his permission. The down convoy arrived all safe, and reports that the wounded arc all getting on as well a 8 could be expected. Kneign Ducrow, of the -10th regiment, had his leg amputated yesterday.