MILITARY MOVEMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 159, 17 May 1864, Page 3

MILITARY MOVEMENTS.

It was, we believe, the wish of the Colonial Government that the posts in the immediate vicinity of the South lioadshould be strengthened and that the General should send three hundred men as a reinforcement to Napier, and that a similar detachment should be sent down immediately to AVanyamii. It is to relieve as many men of the line now at head-quarters, that the three hundred rank and Hie of tho 3rd Waikatos are ordered I'rom OtitJiuhii to Tauranga. The Government have also proposed that the forest around Taranaki should be cleared of hostile natives, and that the operations should be CAtended on the south of .New Plymouth, and thai a continuous series of harassing attacks should be made upon the rebels in the vicinity of our outposts. It would seem indeed that the Government are awake to the fact, that the most successful manner in which the war can be carried on, is to increase the number of points of attack, and to cause it to assume the only character under which the Maories will'join battle with us—somewhat more of a guerilla warfare.

Aceordingly we learn that the General will keep nine hundred men stationed at Tauranga, live hundred of whom will be required to garrison the several posts, and lour hundred to act as a reserve. He sends three hundred men to JN'apior, aud a detachment, tiie exact strength of which we are not able to state, to Wangnnui, but is unable to spare men at once tw send to Taranaki for the purpose of extending operations there. The detachments, however, which are t-j be withdrawn from Waikato will start from the several ports there as soon as the river lias risen sullicienlly to allow the steamers to go right down to the Heads, and will thus leave direct for New Plymouth. A large number of guns and a considerable amount of ammunition have been ordered from the Australian Colonies and may be expected to arrive here about the beginning of the ncAi month. Much time, we trust, will not elapse before the working of the military settlement scheme will cause a continuous steady iiillux of stout: hands and hearts from the mother country to use Yesterday the Colonial s. s. ' Sandfly' Captain Marks, arrived in Auckland from Tauranga, having made a succession of extraordinary quick passages between these ports. She brings with her His Excellency Sir George Grey, aud Commodore Sir William "Wiseman, Bart., C.JJ. Lt.-General Sir Duncan Cameron is expected to arrive in the Queen's ship " Esk,' m the course of the day.