NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR, AND COOK'S STRAITS GUARDIAN. Saturday, June 21, 1845.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume I, Issue 37, 21 June 1845, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR, AND COOK'S STRAITS GUARDIAN. Saturday, June 21, 1845.

By the Vixen, which arrived on Friday, we have received Auckland papers to the 7th June, and a Government Gazette of the 31st May, containing Colonel Hulme's despatch to Captain Fitzroy, in which he details his military operations against Heki. The impression conveyed by this despatch is most unsatisfactory, the absence of due preparation, the mismanagement appears to be most lamentable. The expedition sailed from Auckland on the 27th April, and anchored off Kororarika on the 28th. On the morning of the 30th, Pomare was taken prisoner, on the threat from Colonel Hulme, " that if he did not come to me in five minutes, I would attack his pa:"— he was told his conduct had been very bad — and that he must account for it to the Governor. Mr. Merrett, who accompanied Mr. Meurant the interpreter with the message to Pomare, says he had never been told officially that Pomare was to be taken a prisoner, and 'seems to intimate that he was entrapped: The result is that Pomare is liberated by the Governor. On the 3d, five days after his arrival, Colonel Hulme commences his march, and then discovers he has no means of carrying the spare ammunition, and is obliged (we quote from Colonel Hulme's despatch) "to issue spare ammunition to the extent of thirty rounds to every man, to carry in his haversack, — a very unmilitary arrangement, and thereby endangering the lives of the soldiers, and exposing the ammunition to be damaged and lost : — in this wav, without a single tent or day's ration of liquor, a force commenced its march into the interior of New Zealand, to crush a rebellion which had existed for many months. After a march of nine miles, the force halted for the night ; at midnight it rained heavily, and in the • morning it poured. As there was no shelter for the troops at Waka Nene's pa, I immediately marched to Kiri Kiri, and occupied the large store and other buildings ,at that place : the -spare ammunition was inspected, and twothirds of it found unfit for use, and the five day's biscuit which each man had received was unfit to be eaten." On arriving before Heki's pa on the 7th, he makes the discovery that it is impregnable to musketry, — the artillery having been carefully left behind at Auckland. The rocket party fired. twelve rockets, "but the result was not «o favorable as was anticipated," the secret being, as we are informed, on good authority, that they had forgotten to bring their quadrant with them, without which it is impossible to take aim with these weapons of destruction. The men, however, behave \ery gallantly, having driven back Heki, and having, three times during the contest repulsed, at the point of the bayonet, a large body of natives under Kowaiti. ' In consequence of the bad ac.commodation for our numerous wounded, and jno means of procuring proper nourishment, for them as there was not an ounce of tea or sugar in the camp.'- Col. Hulme decides on retiring to Kiri Kiri, — but another difficulty occurs in having no means to transport the wounded, and the effective men of the attacking party are obliged to perform this duty, ' the volunteers carrying the .arms and appointments of the f sick and wounded.' -On the 1 1th the- t^hale force is re-emharked and , -returns to Auckland, where, the gallant .Colonel composes his despatch, and where, we -leave him and his. Excellency to share the glory of the campaign between them. We learn that Colonel Despard, who had arrived at Auckland, had failed -for ,the. Bay of Islands on the Bth ult. with a force of 400 men and 4 guns ; 100 men had preceded him, and 75 volunteers were to follow — and we sincerely hope that his campaign will, in every respect, present a striking contrast to the mismanagement of his predecessor.