TAURANGA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume V, Issue 1307, 24 January 1868, Page 3

TAURANGA.

(FEOSI OCK O\TO COBEESPONDBST.) January 19. There is nothing of importance to communicate from this place, everything beine; remarkably quitt throughout the district. The natives everywhere, -with rare exseptions, appear desirous of peaee,_being heartily sick of the war, and many o r . them in the neighbourhood are hard driven for food, their crops, not yet gathered, being much less abundant than was at one time anticipated. A letter received yesterday by Lieut. Hallowes, the officer in command of the small force occupying the so-called block-houee at Pye's Pa, from the Chief of the neareet Maori eettlement, Akeake, exhibit?, I believe, a fair specimen of the feeling entertained towards us by the natives ■who have returned to the sites of the villages we destroyed this time last year, and were so effectually pillaged by the Arawas, Business is very dull, a large portion of our population having gone to t.ae Thame3, whither several of the storekeepers have followed. At the late general parade our force mustered little over a hundred, notwithstanding the place is gradually progreßßine. , . , Some canoes, from Motiti with produce, arrived during the week. About a ton of onions brought eomething less than a Id per lb., and pigs and corn equally low prices; potatoes in any quantity have not yet been brought into the market.

The following is tbo translation of the letter referred to above:— JTo the Chief commanding the soldiers at Otupuraho. Friend, —Salutations to you all staying yonder in our district. Frien-1, this ia a word of mino to you. Be kind to the Maoris who go to visit you; be good and luving to them, so that we may know that your love to them is lite unto you all. Now, do you hearken. Do not regard the sayings you hear from the Pakebas, that is to say the hard talk. Do_ not J.'eten to these speeches, because I, your loving friend, am at the head of all the sayings (of tho Maoris in this locality). It is for ine to reveal matters to you, that ie to Mr. Clarke. I say to you, therefore, bo loving to the Maoris who go thither to carry potatoes or eels, and many other things which tho Muoris take to you (for sale). Enough,—From your loving friend, (Signed) Waitaba tb Haits.