QUEEN'S REDOUBT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 121, 2 April 1864, Page 4

QUEEN'S REDOUBT.

[ritOM OUK OWN COIIHESI'ONDKNT.] March 31st. Sinco you last heard from your " ow-u correspondent" at this post very lew changes have taken place, though somo great improvements have been etfcctcd, one of which is the organization of a codo of signals to tho Surrey Redoubt, constructed on the same principle as that which was found to be so useful at Taranaki in 1860. This is a great benefit, as before its establishment the only way of comfhunicuting between tile two positions was by means of mounted orderlies, who had to ride a distance of some serenteen miles to deliver the most trivial message. Large Commissariat stores have also been erected inside the redoubt, tho goods being transferred from the convoy by means of a truck and tramway ; this lightens tiie labour of unloading rery materially, as before its introduction the vast quantity of stores daily arriving bad to be carried by hand. Our hospital accommodation has also been enlarged, some twenty large marquees having been pitched outside the redoubt, and I am sorry to say that though there is such extensive hospital accommodation, it is not found to be adequate, this is not on account of the actual amount of sickness existing here, but from Ihc t'uet that this being the grand receiving depot for all the sick and wounded from the advanced positions, of whom we receive a number every week. Yesterday evening, at about live o'clock, six or seven shots were heard in the direction of lVkeno village, and for a time some little excitement prevailed, and many were the surmises as to their origin, but all doubt on the subject was soon put to llight, it being ascertained that tile reports issued not from the fowling pieces of " honest John," but from the guns of peaceablfi citizens indulging in a shot at " wild duck," of which there are plenty in the vicinity. Colonel Nixon left for Auckland yestorday morning by the convoy. 11 is gratifying to find that the fears at first entertained with regard to his recovery are not "likely to be realized ; the gallant Colonel is doing xve.il, and I trnst will ere long bo able to resume his military duties. We have hail a good fall of rain, which was much needed, it is to be hoped that the river will rise in consequence, as in some parts it is almost impossible to get along, even in a six-oared boat, without fears of stranding. The transport boat, in going to Tua-

| kau a few days ago, was " stack up " no less than six times. It is surprising that after the repeated complaints that have been made about our postal arrangements by your Drury correspondent anil others, that some i improvement lias not been made. The fault does not ! rest with the officials here, the grand sticking point 1 seeming to be at Drury. Just as an example of the great promptitude displayed in the delivery ot'letters, I w-ill mention that we got our Kuropean correspondence in five days alter the arrived of the English mail in Auckland. The inventor of " post ofliees" is said to have been a clever fellow ; however far this may be true, his " cleverness" could never have solved the mystery of a letter's taking tive days to come thirty-six miles. Is this the nineteenth century April 1. It is gratifying to find that at last the bad bit of road near Kliodes' ('lciiring is undergoing repair. A parly of 40 men, under Mr. Golkin, are now hard at work breaking -metal, anil filling in the deep ruts, which have been left ever since the commencement of last winter, when the tratlie was "so great. This part of the road was in the first instance formed across very mar-hy ground, and was finished in a very hurried manner. The men now employed receive 10s. per day. Yesterday volunteers for the Water Transport on the Waikato, were called for from among the militia stationed here ; thirty men placed their names on the roll ; they are, I believe, to be replaced by some of the Waikato militia stationed at Drury. A large party of workmen passed on to the Maungatawhiri yesterday afternoon. They number 110, the majority of whom are carpenters and members of other mechanical trades. The party will be divided into three, sections; the first consisting of navvies, will form the road from lvoherou to Mercmere, on their way replacing the pontoon bridge across the Whangamarino creek, by one of a more durable nature ; the second consisting of carpenters and sawyers, will be engaged in laying down the I tramway between Men-mere and whilst the remainder will be engaged in erecting luits 1 for winter quarters. The whole are under tlit; superintendence of .Mr. Collet, so well known in Victoria in conneetioii with works of a similar nature. The convoy duty is now performed by the Military Train, but they have not yet. been able to compete with the Transport Corps in point of expedition, as they never arrive here before 'J. p.m. whilst the Transport Corps have often performed the duty ■ from llrury in four hour.-, arriving here us early as • 12 o'clock.