The Native Rebellion.

New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 50, 11 January 1864, Page 3

The Native Rebellion.

''AML' TUJKAKAMI-.A. ' from urn own (.'oki:k.si'o>'dj:nt.j ■Tiiiiiuivv 7. Tin-: lor.,lity ..f tliis camp is situated on the \Vuijiii river, aboni seventeen miles from Harlan ami eighteen I'ruiii X-'.iiiiawaliia in ;i direct line, hut iVcim till' winding of the river il is nearly thirty by water, ami I'min tin.- circuitous route, necessary tu follow by laud in avoidinc; swamps it cannot lie less than tweniv-iivi: ln'les tn march. The mid to Ka-lan lies across tin' river, over a ,-tocp ran-o of hills, ami is not si> ill si raid.: uur sn .~hcit a means of eommtmieation with supplies as, I think-, was ;j;enerullv imagined. A lii-rli hill is si'i'ii in tin- distance sli-'htly tn the loft ol' I'lm course i>l' Hie river hero, and between that ami us, at about lilt.cn mil,.- distance, in the direction of ]!an.L'iuwhia, th" earth works of the onemv arc plaiulv to h.- si tu from tlu- rauiro across the'rivcr. They aro said to hi-very .-trom_r ; far stronger, in fact, than those at ilan.Lp'riri : ami from a sketch 1 have seen tak. n hv a nativi; tlmv consist of three redoubts, nmnceted by a dit.-h ibniiiinr a Iriane.-],-, Mirronmhd bv rillc |.its, a swamp protecting tho rear. It will not hi' lon-- l«:l'i.iv ivi: liii-in a nearer acouaiutanco with them, 'l'ho hi ni'ial inipn-ssion is that tlii'ii- will not be sm-h a sacrifice of life in anv future entraecnient with the Maori.s as at Kaii'.'iriri'; far .-trimy-cr doses of shot and shell will probably 1,0 administered, and the principles uf'sap and mini.': illustrated practically. In the meantime a redoubt, is to be erected here, cm a hill the other > Silent'the river. Tin- country frunemlly between le-re and >>eruawahia is fertile mid level, and in the -pots cultivated by the M aoris bears son:.' line crops. The I'niit trees aiiouiid in profusion. IVaehes, cherries, and apples are to be -seen everywhere. Tin: cherries now ripe, and very delicious." The apples and peaches are within a week or two of rijKJiin.'.', but unionunately will a.ll be gathered ut oiic-c where they can be got in. There is u yj.-i.-uL deal of cu.nplaint. and bitter ieclinifr i>.Tuonp;bt thy soldier* uen'crully nf- firs want of

liberality with which their wives are treated. • Their reward Hi-'.- say l'or lighting for the couutrv ami working h:iv«l at romlwnvs that would have cost thousands, is Unit tlieir wives are nllowed to starve. 'J'iie men who were working- on the Croat South road wire actually three or four pounds each in debt when their work was finished, for tlieir elothes were destroyed, and tliev were obliged to replace them Jet their own "expense. 11 is impossible that the soldier, with only sovenpeiico a day ele.ir of expenses, can contribute anyihin- to the. support <,f his ikiuilv— for if lie is a smoker the sevenpenco goes for one small piece of tobacco, and soap, blacking and pipe clay have to lie found also from this magnificent sum. " It is the actual lrnt.li that many of the men's wives and children are starving; imd this is the reward and encouragement given to the poor fellows to spur them on against an enemy that they have no patriotic interest in fighting, and the benefits of whose subjection they will have no share in. Considerins all they have done, and are dome:, they ask, Is it liberal, or even ju.-l, tliat the proper provision for tlieir families should be made a sublet for nacdingover halfpence . Even if it cost some thousands of the sum saved to the Cohnv bv their exettions, wiiliont the millions gain, d bv their victories over the .Maoris, would it be much of a proof ~f the Colony's appiveiiition of their services to show kindness and a spirit of liboralitv to Hair wives anil children:- This is mildlv interpreting the expressions of the men whose decrease of enthusiasm and :;nod will I'm- the task before them is proportionate to their si use of thti niggardlv spirit shown to their families in their absence. I knew the sul'joot ha* been alluded to l.efore in the Hi:u.\j.i>, and that some notice has been taken of it, but I have been told bv tiie men of tlieir desire to have their grievances expressed by one amongst thini, and I feel bound to give, this utterance to their feeling. •Taiiuarv S). Willis philosophers shall have discovered the'art of creating something out of nothing, or of transmuting the baser metals into goid ; I hen "perhaps unfortunate correspondents may be able to expatiate upon a variety of in. ideut, that ha\e not happened, or run oil - a reilned slivam of L'oldeu eloi|ueuce from their leaden wits, without the infusion of anvihing- in the shape of fact. >"ol for us " ])ii Minories." Die thunders of the editorial throne, and tile castigatiou of popular abuses—never failing load for comment. N'ol for us the lield? of fancy in which to stray, seeing glorie- and hearing fairy laics of sorrow aiid rejoicing or revelling in music 'divine, all hevond the. ken of our fellow men. who wait till the vi-ionarv returns to the practical consideration of pound's shillings and pence, and then pay to enter the golden gales. In ibe wonderful and veracious historv of the travel, of Lemuel Gulliver, he recounts' his experiences in the kingdom of i.apula. and his meeting wilb a philosopher who was devoting the labours of a life to the eMI-ac-.ion of sunbeams'from cueumhers. which sunhciens uci-e >o be botiled and used in an inclement climate. Such is ihc labour of a devoted lean, who goeth about seeking for sunbeams of intelligence wherewith to cheer Ihc puhhc withal 'in the present state „f things, trotting round a small circle with huge spectacles to uKignily any small scrap into fitting- news for an c,,V)i;i; public palate. if 1 fe,d nothing-inoi-e excitilicr to relate I h.-.u what follows it is for the simple iva-on that it is impossible. Five hundred men under Colonel Murru\- have reached Whnta Wb.ata, on their-,vav to join us. The parly sent out to-day to get potatoes from a cultivation further up the river returned without their potatoes, and \--\\\\ a report that Mam-is had In. n seen in their neighbourhood, which, under the circumstances, is not surpr.ving. Colonel Uavelock lode into camp to-d-iv from the nearest point of the mail cleared by Hie Ihiglan torce, which is now only about four miles from us. The Itishop also arrived at the camp to-night, everv one being g-lad (o see him amongst us again. We have been without the presence of a clergyman lately, but still divine service has been held twice a-dav,'and a choir cst-ibli-hcd by the men. In conclusion, j may say that more stirring- incidents will ciltainiy uci iij.y our attention next week, and in the intervenim; state between exeitenitnt past and cxeit. meat expected it is natural to feel ditlv dad ever the fact that we are all ii g-„i,! health, and have pleniv of !:-. s!i meat supplied bv the Maoris.