The New Zealand Herald AUCKLAND, TUESDAY, APRIL 19, 1863.

New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 135, 19 April 1864, Page 3

The New Zealand Herald

AUCKLAND, TUESDAY, APRIL 19, 1863.

SI'ECTEMUIt AOEXDO. Give exert man thino ear, but row thy volc-o: T.-ikc enoli innn'.t censmiv. lint nwervu tliy This abevo nil.—To thinu ownsoir lie truu ; Anil li must rnllnw. a* thn night the iliiy, Thou canst not then bo [also to any limn."

As a careful trader from time lo time surveys his accounts and takes a balance of his profit or loss, a nation or people, should occasionally compare their existing situation with that of some former period, and sec how far they may have advanced, or what may have been their misfortune and loss in the meantime • As we appear now to have reached a certain defined stage in our undertakings find is there is almost a possibility of our passing from a state of war to one of peace, it will be as well to take ii hurried glance at the situation, as compared with that of this time last year, and make a calculation of what will be our position should pence he concluded. Our calculation must embrace, as well as tilts actual outlay and repayment, the prospective advantages to the state and the chance of any further outlay of a similar nature. Whether we may have advanced in a woiddly sense or not, is not so important: a question lo many as whether we have advanced in moral status, and capability of maintaining our prestige by moral means, without the necessity of resorting to any display of our physical forces at command. One grand display of strength is often enough to preserve the nation that is capable oi' it from any molestation for a, whole generation, even when its whole attention may appear to be absorbed in gain and mercantile advance, to the utter neglect of all things pertaining to war. Witness England, since her grand display of strength in the war terminating in 1813, when she either with her own hands, or with the subsidised nations of Europe, used as stones in her sling, levelled such blows as crushed all opponents to the earth, and lefr. her respected and h-e<i from all molestation to

Pill-sue her course of progress till the present time. The wealth that she has nutaased wK-e that war has many times over repaid rio enormous outlay required for it. and at the present time her -power is far greater, should she be called uptfn ia deal her blows over again, than ever it was before. ~,-} the revolutionary years of J.oiS-9 while other nations were in throes and convulsion of internal discord, and saw no other escape frerm dissolution huf. external war, England maintained her calmness and wafety simply through Use. remeuibranco of what she had done', and the knowledge of what she was capable of doing again if necessary. Such is prestige. JtT is as well therefore, hot altogether to lose sight of it in our calculations), as a in our available balance of prolsr, whatever the result may be in the reckoning of piimids, shilHngs, and pence. Turning to the ])ago of 18(53, we find that in May last the Waitara Was given back to the rebel Wiremu Kingi—and Auckland being threatened by the insolent Waikato tribes, the self constituted arbiters of the w-.u- between the Pakeha and the Taranaki tribes, the soldiers had to be withdrawn and Taivinaki virtually L,'ivon up to the Maoris, whili- we defended our very" lives and homes in concentrating all our utrenglh round Auckland. It was a dangerous and anxious time lor us nil, when every body went to bed at night, thinking it" probable that before morning they might be amused by the yells of savages ni.td with slaughter, the thunder rtml smoke of liro-anns, and the llamev-i of burning houses.

Moving on to strike at the heart of the foe, tho General determined to smash the strongest first, :md advanced to Pokeno—-and roads being constructed—reinforcements received and i he redoubt finished, the pause for which purposes havinggivon the Maoris confidence to assemble in large numbers for tho avowed attack upon Auckland in spite of the G-eneral, the troops made a sudden move and at Koheroa, scattered the enemy before them like chaff before the the wind, and settled the question of burning Auckland beyond any dispute. Again there came a pause while deliberately, steps were being taken for a permanent ndvanco into the Maori country, not for a mere campaign, but for a settled occupation, and the Maoris having retreated to a bill at a short distance otf, and erected thereupon a strong fortification with wonderfully planned defences, of rifle pits and ditches, awaited in boastful confidence the advance of the troops. 1 lore, however, science having sufficient power to impress them with the certain result of any attempted stand, without actually putt ing it to the test, they withdrew and retreated again to the range of hills at Kangiriri. Giving them no time to recover, General Cameron followed them tip, and attacked them openly, and without preparation, in their carefully planned, works at Rangiriri, and in spile of the slaughter, which was inevitable from the extraordinary strength ami skilful plan of the earthwork's, forced them to surrender, thus inflicting on the natives generally a defeat, which was more felt hv them universally than any they have ever experienced from us, and which to the Waikato tribes in particular was absolute destruction. To a. certain e.xicnt it brought them somewhat to submission although the terms offered. " let bye gones be bye gones" could not of course be entertained for ;i moment. Very many of their chiefs were taken or killed and their most famous warriors, who had never doubted their .'lbility to repulse the inferior race of while faces wherever they might meet them, were lying riddled with bullets or were marched otf as prisoners, which to them signifies what, the word slnrvx does to us.

After this came another long pause on our side while indispensable arrangements were In -ing made for the forwarding of supplies. Ac. This delay was unavoidable though it was generally deplored, as it was thought by many lhal a continued and vigorous advance, at: this time would have ended the war. in the then dispirited condition of tin , Maoris.

.\t this time there was passed by the General Assembly the "New Zealand Settlements Act." whereby it was enacted that the lands of those tribes who might be engaged in any way in the rebellion, should be confiscated and devoted to the purposes of military settlements, to defend the province of Auckland from any future outbreak, and also that whatever lands might remain after effecting that purpose, should be sold towards paving the comparatively enormous expenses of the war, fur which the colony will become liable. J J ere perhaps, it would be as well to devote a few lines lo the meaning of this Act. The Act specilies that the northern island of New Zealand having, from lime to time, been subject to hmirreel ions of the natives, and many being now in arms, for the extermination and expulsion of jMiropean settlers, it has become necessary that some adequate provision should be made for the permanent protection and security of the well-disposed inhabitants of both races, for the prevention of future insurrection, and for the establishment and maintenance of her Majesty's authority, and of law and order throughout the colony. It then proceeds to state that the lands of all tribes which have taken any part in the war shall become forfeited to the Government for the purpose of forming thereupon military settlements, for the defence of the colony* from future insurrections of the Maoris, The land remaining unappropriated after the formation of the settlements may be sold by the Government, and the money 'arising from the sale is to be devoted to ihe repayment of the expenses of •suppressing the present insurrection, aud for the formation and colonisation of ihe settlements. At the same time it is distinctly stated that any land belonging to a friendly tribe, or to a settler, which it may be absolutely necessary for strategical reasons, to appropriate for the settlement scheme, shall be paid for, unless such people shall have aided or abetted the rebels in any way. It will be at once evident that this is principally a preventive and strategical measure, having a secondary object of assisting the repayment of the enormous expenses of the colony, which, without some such provision, would be ruined. Bearing this in mind, till we come to the consideration of how far the purposes specified have been carried out, we will proceed with the review of the events of the Waikato campaign. After the pause at Rangiriri the troops, about two thousand strong, advanced by short marches to Ngaruawahia, the Maoris rotreating before them, anil not making ano-

i ther stand. Between Rangiriri and Ngaruawahia the land begins to exhibit the peculiar qualities for which the valley of the Waikato has been praised as the garden of New Zealand—broad expanses of alluvial plains, fitted for the formation of the most beautiful grazing or agricultural farms, with the river as a means of communication between them arid the points of demand for the produce— and scattered about on the ranges, along some parts of the river's bank, an endless supply of timber for building and fencing material. Taking undisputed possession of Ngaruawahia, the head quarters of the Maori rebellion, and the site of the Maori king's settlement, the famous flagstaff was made to bear the English ensign, and passed for ever into the possession of the European. Here a delay occurred, while supplies of all kinds were brought up in sullicient quantity to make this a fresh base of operations from which to make a further advance into a country without roads, and incapable of affording any supply whatever, to au invading force. Occidents happening to the steamers, the necessity of erecting a large redoubt, and other causes, delayed the advance longer than was expected, and in the meantime the Maoris litid established their liCiid quarters at Pikopiko and Paterangi. where they put up a regular series of fortifications, defending every approach to Rangiaowhia, their next great central post, and source of supplies: Advancing then, in strong force, along the Waipa river to Rahuipokeka, the British troops there halted again, in sight of the Maori position, while executing tiie necessary preliminaries to the next important step, which was to place this position in our hands, and exhibit the superiority of science over brute force. When ready to carry out his project, General Cameron advanced deliberately, and leaving a small force at Whatawhata, halted in front of the immensely strong position of Pikopiko, parading his force, and leading the cunning savages to suppose that he was going to run his head into the trap prepared for him. Disappointing them of their anticipated slaughter of our soldiers, the General— though at a certain severe loss, he might doubtless have carried the place, as he did at Rangiriri, by storm —marched round to the right of the pah, and took up his position at Te Rore, in front of Paterangi. Here making every preparation for au attack upon the place, and bringing up some artillery to keep the enemy fully engaged, and lead them to suppose that lie meant to drive them from the place by force, the General had again to await, in wearying anxiety, the arrival of supplies, meanwhile keeping the enemy fully employed night and day, and inflicting upon them one severe thrashing in the gallant little fight at "Waiari. At length all being ready the General put in execution his plan of turning these strongly fortified hills, and rendering them useless by a Hank march upon Rangiaohia, the source of the enemy's supplies.

Accordingly, leaving a force in front of Paterangi, the General, with a strong force, left the camp at night, marched rapidly upon Te Awamutu, where the station of Mr. Gorst, of Maori newspaper notoriety, is situated, and arriving there at daybreak, and driving the Maoris rapidly out of it, the .station was saved from destruction, and occupied by a detachment. Pushing on then to Rangiaohia at once, a skirmish took place there, but General Cameron decided for some reason nor lo take possession of the place till the next day, and retired to Awamatu.

Hearing from their scouts of what had taken place, the Maoris at Paterangi dispatched the main bulk of their force to Rangiaohia, hoping to defend that place, and nullity the scheme, of which they could see the drift as well as the General himself. The next morning they appeared in force between Awamutu and Rangiaohia, and were busily entrenching themselves. The British troops attacked them at once, drove thini instantly from their position, and following them through Rangiaohia took possession of that place. The Maoris thereupon deserted Pikopiko, Paterangi. and their other pah below Rangiaohia, and left the district for another further on. This result proved the justice of the calculation which had caused the General to decide upon the flank march in preference to an attack upon the pahs, and showed Ihe Maoris Ihe futility of their resistance better than a dozen fights would have clone, for they acknowledged themselves beaten with their own weapons —-stratagem and knowledge of the country. The rest of the campaign of the centre of the British force is soon told, spreading out to clear the surrounding country, it took possession of Kiln Kilii, and then in due time advanced to Pukeriinu, near which t he Maoris had established themselves iu a stronger pah than any yet constructed by these wonderful natural engineers, and again to Orakau on the Hank, where was another pah, which was taken by storm and sap. and with great loss to the Maoris. That Joss,, and the apparent mistake of a reconnoitring party for another Hank movement, induced" them to abandon Maungatautari a few days afterwards, and thus the campaign, so far as the central force is concerned, is, judging from appearances, over for the winter. On either coast of the narrow strip of land which is the form of the Northern Island at this spot, an assistant expeditionary force has established a post —at Tauranga, and Raglan, thus holding the whole breadth of the island, and, opening seperate approaches by water in support of the central force —if such should be required. Tiic extent of the land thus taken from (he Maoris by the Government, for purposes of the Settlement Act, is about fifty miles by about seventy. Any one taking the map of New Zealand and seeing how small a. proportion or the island this is, and how much larger is the extent ol tiie very finest land siiil left to the comparatively few Maoris, cannot accuse the colonists of rapaciousness, indeed, what we have taken is quite insufficient for the purposes of the Act, taking account of the great quantity that will not be available, from swamps, hills, &c, and that very much is sterile land between Maungatawhiri and Rangiriri. No one could be foolish enough to call a step that is taken, as the only one possible' for self defence, aud apparently so rigidly restricted to a defensive measure, that it is even doubtful whether sufficient has been done for that purpose, a " rapacious land job," as some journals here and at homo unjustly and iguorautly designate it. In fact let the objection tinders propose a scheme: of their own for the three purposes of pre-

renting disturbances in future, lessening the--overwhelming expenses of tins war, and promoting the future benefit of the colony, in , ' the very measures taken to combat the evil' now menacing—and, if they can propose any other means than those adopted, they arecleverer men than we lake them to be. It is very well to say this-is bad, and that isbad. and the other is bad', but when something must be done, the question is no,t bv much whether that something , ' is • the very best measure in the world, but whether any--tiling else can be done under eh'cum--stances that require iustant action aitd'can* not be met by wearying metaphysical disciis*sions.

The Province of Auckland has hitherto been a native possession with a few scattered settlements of white colonists, a system which has not tended to the elevation of the one or to the satisfactory progress of the other. It :f- now under the pressure of self defence t'ro-v: agression, resolved to f'orni it in reality into what it has always been indefinitely styled, namely a British Possession governed, by British Law under which; peace and prosperity, law rind order, may beequally- enjoyed by the people of both races.It is no hardship to a low savage* owning. millions of acres, to say that our of their useless millions we mean to take a small portion; that they have preferred risking in a savage war ; and where they have remained loyal, it is the intention still to give them the value in money of such laud as we far purposes of future security may here and there be compelled to take, and in return we shall give them law, and civilization, and improve , the value to- an infinite extent, of the thotf-' sands of acres still left for every single individual amongst them. In fact it is an unheard of instance of justice, and desire to avoid the usual course of the strong towards the weak. We have listened long and exclusively to tiio promptings of justice and humanity. Sooner than do the semblance of a wrong to the weak and degraded savages, we have exposed our own interests and those of all dear to us to the lawless brute force which we have been so careful not to suppress. "We know of no other nation that has-ever listened for one moment to the voice of jus-, tice when opposed to self interest. How far even sometimes, in other instances, has England herself listened to justice ? Whoever candidly and impartially reviews the little we have done even now under the spur and exasperation of war. for our own interests, cannot but confess how infinitely more we have studied native interests than our own.

I>" our issue of yesterday ('rew atteni .fm 1o tin peculiar josiuuu \.!.ijli iho Province I as been placed Ly the non-ratifi-cn J it'll by Ihe jS'cw Zealand Government of the Panama Contract of Mr. Crosbie Ward — that, in the words of Capt. Vine Hall, that port \v];i(.-li Bhoiilcl pro\ide greatest iunoiuit of Harbour accomodation would naturally secure for itself a preference in the eyes of any Steam Company entering on the contract for the mail service—and at the same time we endeavoured to show the necessity there exists that the electors of the three several districts about- to return eachi a member to the Provincial Council should return men who will not only pledge themselves to attend to the local interests of the dietrietswiiieh they represent, but who will not allow those lesser interests to submerge the far greater ones which are now at stake, and on the immediate care for nud attention to which the welfare of the whole Province so materially depe-nds.

The immediate wants, however, of the liarbor are far beyond the means at the disposal of the present Provincial Government. As our readers are many of them aware, a sum of £00,000 was set apart from the late loan tor purposes connected with the harbor, but of that sum £'25,000 is required to redeem the debt upon ihe harbor trust, and there remains, therefore, only the balance of £5000 at the disposal of the Superintendent for the construction of all those works, which are so urgently required it* we wish to maintain that preeminence amongst the Provinces of New Zealand which we have hitherto so resolutely struggled for. Already the new T halfway between the two T"s on the eastern side of the Queenstreet Wharf has been commenced, and more important works will shortly be undertaken on the arrival from Sydney of the newly appointed Harbor Engineer, Mr. Weaver, by which a considerable amount of harbor conveniences will be obtained. From what we can learn it is the intention of the Provincial Government to commence the construction of a breakwater running in a N.N. Westerly direction from the end of point Britomart, and also to construct a new street from Custom House-street, on the extreme eastern side of Commercial bay, to be carried out until it intersects the breakwater. It is also intended to cany oui from this street two wharves into deep water within this newly formed basin, along the end of each of which, two large vessels of deep draught will be able to discharge. The construction of these works will, we think, do much to supply the great demand there now exists for Wharf accommodation. Berthnge for four large ships, and for a number of smaller crafts nearer in shore, will be provided, and what has long been wanted, protection will be afforded to the smaller craft which when lying in the bay have always held on in fear and trjmbling and have often come to grief in a North Easter. The break water 100 will render vessels* secure which may be moored on the eastern side of the Queen-street Wi.arx■ during any of these gales, and will form no inconsiderable protection to the "Wharf i:self. Although it may uot be ad\ ieaUR- lo commence the actual work itself before the arrival of the Harbor Engineer, more particularly as we believe he is expected by the next mail steamer, the (Tovernment has we piceive advertised lor the material required in the construction of the break water and new street, and as this material will consist of solid scoria dressed the sooner tiie preparation for the work is commenced the better ;a very large quantity is required, the cartage of wuich will not in all probabi:i;v cost less than £1000.

It is also in contemplation to comply with the request of certain persons chiefly residents or proprietors of land in Freeman's bay who nave propose! themselves, by entering into a Joint Stock Company, to construct a Wharf into the tide, a substantial and permanent structure, and who only require the proprietorship of the Wharf for a term, of eav thirty years. Wβ believe alao