Local Epitome.

New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 124, 6 April 1864, Page 4

Local Epitome.

Although the past month has not been signalised by any grand militan* movements or anything of stirring excitement in cur struggle with the rebels. Except the recent capture of the Orakau pa, at a great loss of life and limb to ourselves, as will be seen in another column, it has been a month pregnant with consequence for the future, and full of minor incidents of an eventful character. Th the first place, we have witnessed the determination of the citizens of Auckland and the representatives of the law to have no more vngue paltering with the Maori criminals, exemplified in the first and well deserved sentence of death passed upon the murderer of Mrs. Thompson and her daughter. The precedent, too, has been, established that the law will recognise the ambushed slayers of stragglers from our settlements as murderers, and thnt whenever they are caught the consequences of their deed, if proved against them, will have to be endured. These decisions \vill not, we believe, be without their go'od effect, in deterring natives from indulging their murderous propensities. It will be a different thing when they have to reflect on the future, and feel that when they shoot at, and cripple a defenceless man, and batter in his brains with the buttend of a gun, they at the same time, in nil cart lily probability, seal their own doom, ahd that from that day they are branded outfasts, against whom every man's hand is turned. Again, the universal dominion of the law has bepn demonstrated even amongst the friendly Northern tribes—by the trial of a Native murderer of another Maori, and by his sentence to d'ent'h. These stern examples will preach a lesson that will, ct u.s hope, briDg forth fruit in the shape of peace. At nil events kindness from the hand that is known to be able to chastise with firmness will be more likely to be appreciated at its proper worth than when it was falsely, but too generally, supposed to emanate from fear and weakness. The three Natives condemned to death arc. Eaurangi, for the murder of Mrs Thompson and daughter ; Nikotena, for the murder of Te Waiti at the Bay of Islands ; and Xanguta Ware Iwitia, for the murder of Mr. Droumgoold at the Mauku, in October last. A noticeable feature which occurred in the examination of the native witnesses on these trials was, that some of them were unbelieving heathens, while in the case of others, their notions of religious matters were of the most loose and superficial character. During the trial of Euarangi, a girl named Ameria, fourteen years of age, was placed in the witness-box, she appeared to be of ordinary intelligence, but on being questioned before the administration of the oath, declared, " that she did not khow her age, that she had been baptized, that there was no teacher at her settlement! that she had never been to school, could neither read nor write, and that she did not believe in God !"

This girl, too, was brought Up in a part of the j country in which there have been no native (lis- j turbanecs, and where, above all places, oppovtu- ' nities for receiving religious instruction are said ' to exist. In the trial of Tangata Ware Iwitin, ', two native witnesses, men of mature age and '■ apparently of more than average intelligence proved, the one, altogether a heathen, the other . haying some undefined notions of a Supreme ! Being, but not believing ill a future state of re- ; wards and punishments. We would earnestly I recommend those facts to the notice of the ; Aborigines' Protection Socictj-, and similar in- ! stitutions at home, and to those here who con- ■ demn the Press as blasphemous when it i questions the assertion that missionary teachings have repaid their cost. The calendar of crime, though an umisally heavy one, does not tell against the morality of i our Auckland population, the most, and the "worst cases, being those in which the charges were against Maoris or military.' Owing to the severe indisposition of the chief justice, Sir G. A. Arney, Judge Johnston, who arrived for that purpose from Wellington, tried the several cases. We regret to learn that the rheumatic attack which prostrated Sir G. A. Arney is still as virulent as ever. The grand movement of the troops, the last advance which will in all probability be made this season, took place on the 22nd, M'hen the General with 1,800 men marched from Jtangiawhia and took up a position in front of the rebel pas at Mangatautari. The Maori position is said to be even a stronger one than any before which we have sat down, and a resort will bo inade to engineering skill to obtain an entrance to the enemy's works, in preference to rushing them. It will therefore be some little time before the decisive event of the season, and as some say of the war, will take place. Colonel Nixon, who was so severely wounded at Jiangihoa, being shot through the lungs, that his life was for some time despaired, is fast recovering. In the north the natives appear .to be impressed with the desirability of conforming to our laws, and abstaining from any participation with, the insurgents. Any misapprehensions which may have existed among them as to our future intentions towards them, have been removed by the recent tour through a portion of the North by the Colonial Secretary, Mr. Fox, and Mr. Rogan, and by other means. Everywhere they were well received, and Mr. Pox's explanations of our friendly intentions towards them, of the working of the direct purctiase system, and other questions, appear to have placed

matters in a clear and intelligible light. The party of Ngapuhi chiefs who, in company with Mr. Wbitte, the resident magistrate at Mongonui, visited the Waikato, for the purpose of ascertaining the correct state of affairs there, acknowledge the folly of their fellow countrymen in protracting a struggle in which they have not the remotest chance of succCss, and declare their willingness henceforward to submit more obediently to the decisions and accept the working of our laws in their oxen districts. At Tauranga, on the East Coast, matters, as far as our own troops are concerned, have been quiet enough. Early in the month 200 men, under the command of Major Colville, inarched to Maketu, with the intention of storming the pa, but met with no opposition, indeed the pa was eniptv. The fighting in that district has been confined to tribes, the Arawas and the Ngatiporos. Our home reaeiers will recollect that the Aruwiis, who are our friends, attempted to hinder the Xgatiporos, who were anxious to join the rebel forces, from crossing their district. In this they succeeded, for in a pitched U&Ulc which took place, .between the two tribes, the Ngatiporos were driven back with a loss of twelve killed and thirty wounded—the Arawas themselves losing five men, and having nine others wounded. The Xgatiporos then threatened that in company with the East Coast natives, who are now in open insurrection, they would return and overwhelm the Arawns by force of superior numbers. Under these circumstances the Arawas applied to the Government for assistance, and we are glad to learn that no feelings of false delicacy, or dread of unscrupulous opposition, have deterred the Government from rendering assistance to the Arawas, who have fully proved their loyalty to the Queen in shedding their blood in our cause. Had the Government done less, it would have been a fold blot on our national character, and would indeed have been used by some of those who have been the readiest to censure the Government for- arming these natives, as reason to show that the colonists were unwilling to reciprocate the good feeling of those amongst the natives who are well disposed towards them. Sonic difliculty naturally presented itself to the Government how best to render the assistance which was necessary to enable the Arawas to hold their own, and to still assist us, as it was impossible to send any considerable force and provide the necessary supplies so far from our own lines as the scene of their contest with the Ngatiporos, at Koto Iti, some thirty miles inland. In this dilemma the Government have, we think, hit upon the most desirable course which could have beeii undertaken, and one which we should bo glad to see extensively carried out, where practicable, namely, to officer those natives, who are ready to fight for us, with Europeans —men acquainted with the native language and customs —under whose .guidance and instruction the really friendly natives could search- fail of success. For this purpose, to organise and drill the Arawas. so that they may be able to cope with the Ngntiporos should they return in force to attack them, and to lend theni in buttle, the Government have despatched two officers in every *.v;iv suited for this arduous enterprise — Captain Drummonel Hay and Sub-Tnspeetoi McDonnell, of the Colonial Defence Force. Captain Hay has, wc lcnrn, received the rank oi Major, and Mr. M'DQimcll tbnt of Captain The hitter is favourably known from his darinf adventure in company with Captain (then Ensign) Yon Teinpsky, of the Forest Bangers, ii their . volunteer expedition to examine the enemy's works at Mercmere. These gcntlemci: have" been allowed to select seventeen mer of the Forest Bangers and Colonial Defence Force, to assist them, and we have no doubl 'that, with this valuable aid, the Arawas will be able to give a <;ooe] account of their encinicK. Since then we hear that the Maketus anr others sent a challenge to the oliicerin coinmane at Tauranga to fight on the first of April. A piece of bounce which they will no doubt follow up by keeping out of range. On the 4tli we learned by the arrival of the ' Corio' from Tauranga that the natives did fire on the sentries, but as we say did not remain tc receive n complimentary return of civilities. i One of the most important events, perhaps, ol the mouth is the Repudiation by the Government of the Panama contract entered into bv Mr. Ward with 1.8.C.M. Company. This with the refusal which wc may daily expect to receive from the Australian Governors to interfere in the a Hairs of a colony with which they have nothing to do, will, wc trust, put an end to the idle pretensions of Wellington to be anything . more than what nature has fitted her, a provincial town. We hear that the Government . intend publishing the whole of the correspondence relating to this matter, and their reasons for acting as they have elone to preserve the interests ui'the major part of New Zealand. A farewell dinner was given on the 2Sth to Capt. Daldy and Messrs. B. Bidings and May. It was largely attended by some of the principal citizens anel was a tribute of respect well deserved by those gentleman. Captain's Daldy and Mr. M"ay have striven hard for years past against the Party of Misrule which up to the latter end of 1562 kept the Province from progressing as favourably as it might have done hael its rulers been actuated by pure and disinterested motives in their courses of action.

i Mr. [Hidings goes home as a private citizen, Mr. j May and others as immigration agents in eon- ! ncction with the Colonial Treasurer, now in 1 England, they left on Monday morning Inst, in ; the 'Light Brigade'; about 173persons)dso left in i her, chiefly invalided soldiers, and their families. The greater number of these men had been ; wounded at Pangiriri. • A sad affair occurred on the night of the 20th, I which was remarkeable for a. very severe gale i along the eoast. The ' [Rapid* a newly built j schooner coming from Mercury Bay to Auclilaud . with a load of timber was capsized between the ' Great Barrier Island and Tiritirimatangi. There were nine persons on board of whom six j were drowned. Mr. Paget the late owner of Kaipan'ga township was drowned in his berth, j Captain Mciklcjohn, Mr. Page, and a FrcnehI man, named Frank, stuck to the rigging from Sunday night to Wednesday morning, when | they were saved through the vessel drifting in shore. Mr. MeFadgen, a gentleman well-known and generally respected, was also lashed to the rigging and remained there, from Sunday night to Monday morning when he expired from exhaustion. Five others were drowned, namely Messrs. Paget, Burns, "R. Clark, a lad the sou of Mr. Mciklcjohn, and another known as Portugee Joe. The vessel herself righted on reaching the bay, and her deck load was the only part of the timber that was lost. The ' [Rapid was a boat of Capt. Meiklejolm's own building. From Coromiindel we still continue to receive favourable reports and hotter still substantial evidence of success. Qn Sunday last the ' Wanderer ' arrived from Coromandel, bringing with her 216 ounces from No. o claim ; ten days previously No. 4 sent up 305 ounces. These two claims have for some time past sent up similar parcels every fortnight. The lion. Mr. Fox lias returned from n tour in the north, which he took in eoiflpauy with the newly appointed [Resident Magistrate, Mr. Rogan, during the latter part of March. Mr. Fox was everywhere favorably received, as will be seen by the detailed report of tho visit, which we give elsewhere We also learn that the Ngatiwhatua tribe signified their intention of presenting the Government with a piece of land, of from seven to nino acres in extent, at tho Awaroa landing place on the Kuipara river for public purposes. As soon as tho deed is mode out it is, we believe, the intern ion of the Government, to erect a Court House, School, and Church upon it, the object.for which it was grunted. The gift may be considered a handsome one for the natives value the land at £2(7 per acre. " There have been many rumours afloat concerning the prisoner Ruiirangi, for two or three days p*»t, one, that Patuone, Tamati Waka's brother, had so

far convinced the Government that Buarangi was not the actual murderer, and that the man who had committed the deed was one Hare, the son of Honi Pahima, a Xgapuhi, that it had been deemed advisable to send the police to apprehend Hare. The Maoris in town on Saturday hist wore impressed with this same rumour, which, we can assure our readers, is entirelv incorrect. It may be as the natives say, that Hare is the very image of Ruarangi, and that ho has the identical marks on his arm spoken of by the Thompsons, hut will any man believe that Thompson's daughter:!, accustomed for the iast two or three years to see R.iarangi in their fathers's house, sometimes for four or five hours at a time, could bo mistaken, with such an opportunity too as they had of soeinc; the murderer before he committed the depd, nt the time, and afterwards. "Wo hear that several persons, lay and clerical, have waited Cn his Excellency requesting; hiv.i to hold the seritence in abeyance until this po;nt is settled. "What there is to settle- we do not know. If the evidence of identity given by the daughters of the murdered woman is incorrect,.we might just as well throw aside the .remainder of ills evidence altogether, j\t »riy tf.te, iliere is no foundation frr the report that the authorities have authorised the apprehension of any other, as the " double" of Ruarangi. If any one of the three condemned Maoris deserve mercy, it is certainly not Ruarangi. These reports, we may mention bv the way, implicating as they do, a member of the 5S r gapuhi tribe, have been originated among Runrangi's own tribe, who have ho gn?Rt love for the Ngapuhis, and every reason to screen one of their own.

A very interesting description of the Kaipara district, its capabilities as a field for emigration, watered as it is bv magnificent rivers, and containing the richest land north of Auckland, will be found under the head of " Kaipara " in another column. A question raised by a correspondent in the Tlkuai.ii respecting the way by which it is proposed to bring the Auckland and Drury railway into town, has excited considerable discussion and attention. The proposal to bring the line across a portion of the harbour, where it would occasionally be exposed to the full fury of a north-easter, for full half a mile, and for which purpose a sea wall 20 feet high must be constructed to the exclusion for ever of the whole of the eastern side of Auckland and Paniell from water communication with the harbour, is generally reprobiited. it is thought, too, that the proposed terminus which is also to besomewhereintheharbouroff Commercial Bay, will be neither convenient for the citizens nor conducive to the interests of the mercantile portion of them. The traffic between the harbour and country towns will thus pass by Auckland, without entering it, and the station will be a mile from the most populated parts of the city. A large number of carters, with horses and drays, arrived in Auckland by the ' Omeo.' The city has been much put' about, of late, by the difficulty of procuring dravs for hire ; although, according to the City Board returns, no less than 163 drays have been registered as plying in Auckland. It is indeed the'same in nearly all branches of i industry. "We have very many extensive saw mills !on the coast, but so great'is the demand for timber, that the market cannot be fully supplied. Auckland never was more prosperous limn at the present moment; our artisans and labourers are in full employment, and at high rates of wages,—labourers receiving as much us 10s. per day ; mechanics in pro-

portion. Several new steamers have been purchased by the C'oloniul Government for the \Wikuto,—the ' Sturt,' the' Prince Alfred' (for her machinery), the ' Guudagai,' and a new steamer, the ' Hangiriri,' from Sydney.

" The Colonial Government have »hovrli great judgment in the purchase of these procuring ve?-elr specially adapted—from their light draught and very powerful machinery—for the peculiar river trall'c for which they are required, stemming a rapid, shallow stream. Tliey have, too, been purchased for sums within their recent cost. This might have been expected with men nt the head of affairs who will themselves, us colonists, have to pay a large proportion of these and other expenses, and this fact accounts in great measure for the steady confidence reposed by the Xew Zealand public in the judgment and actions of these gentlemen. "We are sorry to say, however, that an unscrupulous opposition has been continuously offered to the Ministry by one of the Auckland journals,—not offered on public grounds, or carried on in n manly, dignified, spirit, but for the indulgence of personal spleen against two members of the Government, and carried on by the incessant repetition of charges never proved, but often, as in the ense of the "Waikato steamers, calling fcrth Tchuke and evidence of its unfairness from other jouninls. Our cofemporary, the JV«r Zealamlpr, for the purpose of having a fling at the Premier and "War Minister, has studiously misrepresented the intentions of the Government with regard to the purchase of the steamers 'Sturt' and 'Prince Alfred.'

"We stated in our issue of 17th March, that both those vessels had been purchased by the Government, and that it was intended to run the ' Sturt'—a vessel expressly built for, and peculiarly adapted to, river navigation, a vessel, too, which will carry 70 tons of cargo with a draught of only 3 ft. 6 in.—from the "Waikato Ih ads to Bangiriri, and in winter as far up the river, perhaps, as Xgaruiiwahin. The ' Prince Alfred,' we stated, had been purchased by the Government for the xake of Iter machinery, it being heller adapted for the peculiar river trafllc of the "Waikato.

With such a source of information before him, a source not unusually resorted to for the latest news by the Xeir Zealauder, it is quite impossible to set down his assertion of the next day, "that the Government had purchased the 'Prince Alfred,'a boat, it is said, drawing 6 or 8 feet of water, to be used between the "Wuikato Heads and Bangiriri," as other than a. wilful misstatement made for the purpose of damaging the Government here and at home —leaving on the minds, here, of those who might never read the refutation of this false statement, a feeling that the present Government were squandering the public money—and injuring the colony at home, by throwing another obstacle in the way of the Colonial Treasurer in obtaining the sanction of the Imperial Government to the £3,000,000

An honest opposition to a Government we can understand unci reelect. Men have their differences of opinions on the actions of a Government, us in other matters, and the outspoken expression of opinion has rather a healthy tendency than otherwise. Hut as in the ordinary dealings between man and man, so in polities, he who throws overboard truth, honour, and probity, will not only fail in the attainment of" his own object, but will sink himself beneath the contempt of every honest and upright man. "W T c cannot express too strongly the abhorrence which we, in common with the hulk of this community, have felt at the underhand, unfair, and unmanly opposition which has heen offered to the wishes of the colonists, through the members of tile Xcw Zealand Ministry, by the journal one of whose latest calumnies upon them we have now thought it but fair again to refute in our summary.