FURTHER INTELLIGENCE FROM THE NORTH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume II, Issue 334, 7 December 1864, Page 6

FURTHER INTELLIGENCE FROM THE NORTH.

TE WHEAU.—POET ALBERT. To the Editor of the New Zealand Her aid. Sib,—The rumour which you chronicled this morning has been conformed by letters which have just come to hand. Truly we know not one day from another when the outbreak will begin, but that it is imminent none can doubt. JN ear to the southern extremity of the Oruawharo block is the native village of Puatailii, containing about 100 inhabitants. These people have been in constant communication with the runaway Maoris, and have supplied them with provisions and arms. Although this was known to us in the neighbourhood yet no public notice was taken of it. Now, however, owing to the impunity which has attended all tlie proceedings of the runaways, the Puataihi, and 1 fear many of the Kaipara natives have openly made common cause with them, and parade themselves fully armed, and with abundance of ammunition, before the astonished settlers. Last week I sent you aii extract from a letter which I received from Te Wheau ; but to-day, letters from tlie same quarter have a much more threatening aspect. It appears that on Wednesday last a part of Puataihi and Waikato natives, to the number of between 60 and 70 went to Te Wheau, fully armed, with their pouches full of ammunition. They went through their drill on the beach, but went away again in the evening. On tlie next day, however, Nov. 24, they como back in much larger force, in several canoes, numbering nearly 200 men, besides women and children. Some of these went to a creek where the settlers keep a fishing net; they broke it to pieces, and took away all the leads belonging to it. There were about a hundred pieces altogether, each big enough to make two bullets. The wife of the settler to whom it belonged said to one of the Waikatos, " Ka kino " the thief, when he replied, " Kaipai the thief." She said she would inform Mr. Kogan, the Resident Magistrate ; he answered, and in good English too, " Who cares for Rogan r" From Te Wheau they wont across to the Opou, and from tlieabo they appear to have taken their canoes across

the portage (whieh is about half a mile at this point) to tho Oruawharj. It is rumouredat Te Whau that they went across to Port Albert, and hoisted tlie King flag, danced war dances, &c., &c., much to the terror of tho inhabitants of that place. j Sir, where is this to end ? That the smouldering spark of rebellion will soon be kindled into a fierce blaze throughout tho North seems certain ; indeed it seems as though the criminal neglect of oiir precious Governor has produced this result beyond all hope of remedy; and where aro we to look for help. The present Ministry are mere imbeciles on native affairs; and the Bottlers are not allowed to take matters into their own hands. There are young men in our neighbourhood who know the Oruawharo ranges as well as any Maori among them, and have sufficient pluck and skill in the use of their weapons to defend to the last the homes they have made for themselves in the bush. And woe to the Maori race if the present war should becomc a " setilers war." Nothing will then prevent tho ulter extermination of tlie hapless race. And if this occurs, who will be to blame ? Not the settlers, surely. But rather those who, with an insane pretence of Maori sympathy, are thus encouraging rebellion to the detriment and fearful hurt of the European population. Mr. Editor, there seems no hope hut in the return by the Assembly to the vigorous and manly policy of the session of 1863. ' Firmness and decision might yet save the loss of hundreds of lives, hundreds of thousands of pounds

worth of property in the North. Yours, &c., A Te Wiieko Settler. December G, 1864.