THE REBELS CONQUERED IN TWENTYFOUR HOURS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 181, 11 June 1864, Page 5

THE REBELS CONQUERED IN TWENTYFOUR HOURS.

[l!y the " Ilawkc's ]!ay Times," June :J.] Tin- lair news Ironi 'Watiganui shows that the spirit ut' rebellion amongst the Maoris is rather on the increase limn tin.' decrease, not withstanding our endeavours to tin; contrary, ami that that spirit is fostered and .strengthened bran absurd fanaticism composed of a wietchcd combination of allegorical characters gathered i'rom the; Jiiblc, and some of tlu-ir own ancient aiul obsolete, ceremonies.and supeiv-tilions. Jt is, however, cheering under these disheartening circumstances to know that, wo havi! veal and very useful friends amoimst the Maoris, although much has 1 ii said' again.-t 'that supposition. In our unprotected and friendless condition, with so miserable and be""-arlv an army as -10,000 men, under the able • •viH-ralship of SirJHincau L'amerou, JC.L'.l'. >!«'., it is strengthening and reassuring in the extreme to know that °vi' can conmiand the services of 21)0 or :SOO Ma'/tis t'i assist us in tin; arduous and, as matters have turned out, extremely hazardous undertaking of thi-i<hiii" sevi'U or eight" thousand WuiU'atos into • shnpr. It "is indeed gratifying, for it would seem, from what lias lately occurred both m the North and in tin; South, that our .Maori allies are Tiiorr likrlv, regardless of their paucity of numbers, to bring the war to a more speedy conclusion than would be altogether agreeable to certain parties. It-is no great hazard to venture, upon the assertion that if we were to levy a regiment «' ,wo nt Maoris we niMit safely disband our army, sending back the (ieneral and Stall' with our respeLiful Ihank-s to Her .Maji'.-lv'.stioveriiiiieiit; but we must be careful not, to spoi'l the Maoris as wo do our while troops by drilliii" and other fancy work ol that sort. Tho.-,o ancient , enemies of Waiiiati. and Taraimki, the Ng''" pnlii-i would verv soon setllu tb.; ditln-ully lor us, in less time than it "lakes us to talk the luatkr over. The worst of that arrangement is, that however -~od in theory, it would be ialai in practice, as every ri"-ht-miiidi-d"nian th..- ki ejvr of a st.-ie or sin owner of sloel; will devouily te.-un . it tiir.t plan was earlied out, what would bicome ol l:ic Cnanii.-sariat cM'cimiiuiv wi'ii iis mutlon c.:nU'.iiis at '.'il. thu llj : \i!d bow a'boiil the Military (-ile.-t and such like Irillesr Ngatiawa, Nif.-.puli:, f.nd the like don't require multo'n, ueitiier would they become: the medium I, ,r the circulation of the pounds to 1,0 found in the Military Chest. Clearly, then, it is contrary to all i>i-.-.-.'d."i.{, and against all the rules of modern warlare, that such people should light our battles. Another class of people who would strongly object to

the speedy settlement of the war are those heroes who hnvo obtained military distinction in the shape of jUilitin and olhi>r such like commandii. Othello's occupation would be gone, and us it is pretty clear that Othello is fit for nothing else under the sun than to play at soldiers, such a catastrophe as the ending of the war would In: a serious mutter to him. I!y r<.'ci nt dates from Kngland wo are informed ihat tho "expense of the New Zealand war has already amounted to £200,0(10." We fancy that 11kt<-must Ins s<urn- mistake hero, or that that sum !<■;'!<■.-. rils ine?-<lv {hi; expenditure attendant upou ><j.ii<'i<'!v':i-iiiar department of the war. ■ That tiieru '::■.■ uivn a great deal more than .£'2oU,<jOO spent upon. this war in'tho course ol imir years must be evidentto everyone, however litllu conversant with such matters. However, ho that as it may, we shall some day or other have to pay for it, and tho question of wh.it has become of tho money will he rather a difficult one to answer. That large sums are annually <■:< ponded in mutton contracts at 3d a pound is pretty certain, and in condoning acts of treason in one part ot the Wand to shelter the illegal vested interests of a few, while we pursue the war in another part of the same; island wi;h as much relentless vigour as our naturally »low and imperfect method of doing that sort of thing will permit. "We strongly incline to think that an army of -,000 Maoris, commanded by brave and active Europeans, who understand their language, and can do without liinepennv mutton now and again, would soon finish the war : and wo would not only be saved till! tremendous expense of that war as at present conducted liy our cumbersome system, but also tho ridiculous and vexatious drilling and disturbance to which the country settlers are subjoc. Those bravo U.'.inan Catholic priests who stood by our good Iriemls in that "U'aiiganui light deserve well of this country. Let no man ever agaiu speak lightly of those good apostles, but rather draw a comparison between "their quiet disinterested sacrifice of life in our cause, and the selfish, mercenary proceedings and unlimited cant of some of tho missionaries of our own Protestant persuasion.