THE CANTERBURY PERSS ON THE CONDUCT OF THE WAR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 159, 17 May 1864, Page 4

THE CANTERBURY PERSS ON THE CONDUCT OF THE WAR.

AVr observe the Lfllti-llou Timrx of yesterday state that the distance from to Taur'anga is oO miles direct or SO by tin- windimis of the track. Tlif liivi-ct lino from the AVaiknto atMauneataut;m" to Tinriinffi is hi;;,l mile*. Dr. jlochstdter walked it hy :i roundabout ro;ul liy the AVaireve waterfall in :M mile=. His track is given in his work lately l>til Hslted in Germany. He walked it ill five- day?, maldns very sin.it jonrnevs. and stayins one day in (•ami) (Willi; vain It could therefore easily be walked in three di.vs In- troops, or in two days with a little • •xcsfi'n: II ■•- y< !c distance is less than half that om-e mni-hed bv fVaiilbnVK light division in Spain in -J t hours. Vnd--r1:11 Indian sun the whole distame has repeatedly been mai.-hed in w day. lint tinfashion of encountering Imnr n-.rel.es is us much out ofvoinieas flint. that of figlilimr without superior numbers— in Xow Zealand. The J.i/Mfon Times is nuite satisfied with our military achievements. The I.iili-lton Thnex is rijiht—it pretty well represents the I'eeliiif.' of thecolony, -which is content to take heroism on credit and worship mediocrity which it lias not 1o pay for. The facts, however, remain. ]n own year "r.nr amiy has accomplished the. wonderful feat of marchinf; about ;>0 miles, at the outside, into the country of mi enemy inferior in numbers, and immeasurably inferior in all the appliances of war ; and on the banks of a navigable river well supplied with stea7ii eis. Tin's, no iloulit is a wonderful achievement, because General Cain, ion has heen made a K.C.I). V.ut we suppose we are teo soured by our distaste for the whole afVair to appreciate military K lory iu-ecmliiij: to iN (me deserts, perhaps it is too"much in these days to expect soldiers to M>ht for country, whilst others who sit at home are to enter into the inheritance. Given the object to take the country and kill lh<! niters, ;im] tliu job miifht have been done by contract, in half the lime and at a quarter of the co.-t. Jiiit to make a really proiitable and respectable war it takes a pieat JJiitish General ami a whisp of Auckliiiul conlractors.