RAGIAN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 162, 20 May 1864, Page 3

RAGIAN.

[l'ilOM Ol'll UIV.V COKUIisPONDE.VT.] May 18. Certain natives from Ivawliia came over to-day bringing lout in the shape of four horses, from rebel Maoris ; they will be sold by Government auction, but will probably realize \ery little, being for the most part mere rubbish, one in fact being a perfect specimen of equine antiquity. It is really an extraordinary circumstance that theselooted horses should be in general such wretched specimens ; possibly the animals have an instinctive knowledge that their lcitimate owners are engaged in rebellion, and the lai-t preys 011 their spirits, and causes them to grow prematurely old. There are not wanting certain illnatured siiarlcrs who basely insinuate, that our excellent allies —the Queen's natives —quietly appropr.ate all the good horses of their quondam friends, and bring us the worst of their own instead. But, as .Mr?. I'artiugton would say —this is 110 doubt a vile calomel. One of these Kawhia geatlemen criticises the late attempt at peace-making in such a perfectly original milliner, that it is really werth recording. He "vras asking—what was meant by nil this nonsense about making peace ? He was properly enlightened and was told that the plan emanated from the Governor. He rejoined—that it was all foolishness, that not a single man of note amongst the rebels had yet taken the.oatli of allegiance, that they, through our kindness, had rid themselves of a lot of incapables ; the weak, the sick, the aged, &c., for which in the present attenuated state of their commissariat, they fell extremely grateful ; that if the Governor would persist iu this foolish work, wo —the Europeans—should hold a great nniang;', and declare that his Excellency was to give up the reins of authority at once ; for, said he in conclusion, —it will never do any good, if you come to tlie Maori asking him to make peace, lie will only think you are foolish and afraid of him, or that you are talking with a double tongue, and mean to take an advantage him ! ' Now, this is looking at the thing from a Maori point of view, and is about the best commentary upon the late ill-advised attempt 1 have yet heard ; the richest bit of all is, the perfectly original manner ill which lie proposes to adjust the tiling—by a summary dismissal of his Excellency. 1 betie.e the whole of the JSgatimauiapoto tribe have left Ivawliia for liangitiki, Rewi's head quarters. It is also stated, tuat W. Thompson and his party are there also and not at Tauranga as stated, j l'umipi of Kawhia, has just returned from an unsuccessful mission to tlie above stronghold. Ile'was not allowed to enter, indeed he was at first treated as a spy, ami was threatened with summary vengeance if ha came beyond a certain point. It would appear I j&oi"! TrwS hiiß th*"i (Mid $ iolig $415*81';

Itthmated that if lie was allowed to raako yi".ieo with arms in his hands, lie would do so ; ho said that the Jnoutlin of the guns oould be stopped—figuratively stopped 7 suppose. To this. Pumipi objected, that the same sort of thine had been done before, hut. that somehow or other, the stoppers got loose, and were very apt to fall out attosether, and then the euns •were used again. Bewi was told, that if he meant peaco, ho must po th'c entire animal,—hut as lie strongly objected, the conference was abruptly broken off and they separated. Pnmipi says they are a most deplorable looking set up there,—wild and hazard in appearance, in fact, to use his own illustration— like half starved bush pigs. ITe also brings word that there are a party of rebels from Kawhia"coming OTcr shortly to give up their arms, &c. May 13. The Schooner ' Abeona' came in to-dar from the Jlanufcau, with a cargoe of sundries, she brings us no news of the missing Steamer, which is near a week over due. May 13. The s. s. 1 Wonga Wonga' came in this morning from the south, she brings a considerable quantity o"? cargo, and some new settlers old " Tnranakites," who are intending to east their lot with us, she brings us new» of an intended attack upon " Wangnnui" hy the infatuated rebels. We can only hope that it is of the B&me kidney as those ferocious onslaughts that were continually about to be made upon Auckland durm" the past year. °