The Hatibe Rebellion.

New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 19, 25 December 1863, Page 3

The Hatibe Rebellion.

MAIIAKTAI, WAIKATO UKADs. 1 K11.1.M Ul'llOWN l\l!ii:e.Sl'ONl..::NT. I December 2".. Tuts wild corner of this aillieted pioviu-e is m.w a busv seene of British '-ntermise. A party i I 'tradesmen and labourers, under Mr. Simpson, C. K„ and ;, company of Waikato Volunteers, commanded by Captain Autrobus, are now bu-ilv cngaircd herein preparing for thi- prosecution of the various prop i-t.-d Government works, the latter acting .-t-oriaHv as a revering -artv. A substantial weather-board" storehouse, ah-,, Laic house, and eookhoiis.., haw already gone up, and sever;,! other en cti'.us ar- being commenced. I'r.piii'iilions an- being made for the- reception end put ting t,."-ether of the two steamers soon i-xp. ct.-l here from Scdin-v. for the more easy navigation of Waikato shallows. The voiutiteois are emampeil on a point dir.-ollv <.\.-r tin- banks of the riv. ,-. win re the ,viirks ar-- now going tbi ward, an-i lively s.-.-ne, groups ..f workmen being scattered about, toiling uwav at sundry excavation-:, 1.-veilimi-ami mad-making, while above all tin- staid form ,'i tin M-ntry pacing his; beat with his glittcringbayoncl proclaims its military character. 'J'., many who hiive not actually s'H-n file creaiion of any of our colonial towns and cities of '.ho wilderness, the idea of laying out a township here, with the expectation of its some day becoming a great centre of human operations, may seem a rather extravagant notion, tor 'really the in'otinf ainoiis c harnrter of the site seems anything but suitable. When, howevqr, the forces which tin- genius of tho engineer can bring are brought to bear upon nature's ruggedness, these .„ obstacles will be found to be great facilities it,;- •!,.. consummation of the pakeha's wish.-.;. It is said that a wharf is to be runout here. Tills will not be a very difficult woik, for there is deep water very near the banks of the river ; the ■ Kciips.;' is now riding at anchor in abundance of water, within a few yards of low water marl;. The War Minister and Major Speedy are now laic, and busy reconnoiten'ng the position, so I suppose d.-i'.-ii-i\e operations will be couiiiienc. d forthwith. To-.lav a number of Maoris are located here In a so-called.' pah. They have the character of being friendly. A l'lig- herd of cattle have just p.s.;;id here from Ihi.i'liin'on the wav to the Auckland market. A iew h. .id have ben per.-based on .-lei-onnf of the Com-mis.s-.iriiit, which will be a very welcome addition or rather substitution to the dietary scale of the men While the Maoris were engaged in getting the cattle acro.-s ;bo river, they discovered the corpse of a European, and immediately communicated the tact to the (.Hirers .stationed hi re. A pally immediately went :u loss the river, including otiieeis and men ; they found the body laying on the beach, near the heads ; from all appearances it had been dead some time, and it is thought to 1,-e the remains of a man lost while boating near some of the military stations up the riv. r, about twelve .! ivs ago. An inquest (an a, count of which has already appeared in the IlKnu.u) was held on the spot, and the bo.lv iuterred.

! The. schooner 'Kmi.y Kli;:a' has ju-t com- to her | anchorage within tin- bar. j WAIJJOA. fl'l'.OM tll'lt OWN COIUtrSI'OXPKXT.] I ' "Decembe- 2... i yESTi:i;i>.\Y. a young mini discovered a party of tho i rebel Maoris near Toupo, -,t lb- upper end of tho 1 creek that runs through the native settlement of j To Ui-angahonhou. He found that the main bo.ly ! had left some little time before, but. the track ihe'v ! pursued to reach the Hutma he i-riled to discover. I It mav be reasonably surmised from the above, that | Johnstone's statement is Quito reliable. Captain 1 .lucks.m assured me that it. was his opinion that the i Maoris with whom he had had a hru-h came from ! the old pa or ritle pits near Toupo. Th,. same | natives, known us "friindly," have murdered our ■ scftlcrs and children, and robbed Messrs. Mr-Dou-ld, I .1. hn.-on, lth-hia.lsou, 1.'.e11, Steel, and «..f hers, f i l:ivi - I portions of tho properly of these settlers in 1 Captain -Johnson's possi -sion, which he had rescued fvim tho.-e rititives, so that there c-.n be no question 1 as to their culpability. How would those men itl ; town, who have" so much to say for tb.-i e so-called j friendly natives, like to be placed in f : „. position (J f j tho.-e out-lying set ibis ■ with their hous. s robbed, j their children or friends murdered, would il be very ! consoling to know that it was merely the work (if j " friendly" Maoris!- I am sure Captain Jackson I and bis men deserve the thanks of the country for 1 their '.ffoiis. to clear the bus}, of these marauding

rascals. Some few of the natives have resumed their old quarters, from which thev hud been dislodged bv Colonel Lyon. Their diet appears to be varied with lorn root, m.-lcati, with a little honev as a kinaki (relish). Ihoy have not been near the settlement tor some time; probably thev think- it the Safest course, considering their diminished numbers. It is to he hoped they will bo all driven out of the district, and beyond the linn of posts, .so as to allow tho settlers to return to their desolated homes as soon as possible and begin the work of regeneration. What with the destruction wrought by tl„. white and brown depredators, the settlers will l, ;lvo enough to do to restore order to their mined homesteads.. It is a mournful contrast to look at the district as it is and as it was a few- short months since. Cricket matches, races, anil Christmas festivities, .no title principal amusements in this quarter at present. Ravi;,, have come off almost every day; and tins last week a good deal of money has c'hantr'ed hands. \V,, aU have allotted Christinas dav for a regular holiday, on which a great many sports are expected to eomo off. The prisoner alluded to on Tuesday, who fired at iMi-L-uiloek, was, 1 believe, remanded for a further court of enquiry, whence I suppose he will be handed over to the civil authorities. At the enquiry yesterday he had untiring to say in his own behalf: I tie other prisoner, at the Upper Wairoa redoubt, I expect will be dealt with by tho military. \ cstetday three friendly natives came up fromTaupo with some more horses for sale. They bad seven, throe of winch they disposed of for about ,£.JO, f- i-oin what 1 could learn from them, it appears there is going to be ;i great festival held at T.-mpo ; also horse racing ~n < thristmus d:iv. Thev invited one or two ot he Wairoa people, with whom thev were personally acquainted, to the feast.

To the Editor of the New Zkai.an-u Herald. Sin,—Can you in|b-- m the widows and orphans of the. brave fellows who have lost their lives in our delence, when the C2OUO voted bv the Government is to be distributed '( .p 21th December, 1803.