AUCKLAND.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 683, 25 February 1864, Page 5

AUCKLAND.

(from our own correspondent.)

[Much of the foUcwing intelligence has been forestalled, but as our correspondent deals with several other subjects of importance, we print his letter in extenso.]

The past week has been one of anxious suspense on the part ot the people of Auckland. The fact, that preparations of an elaborate and extensive nature have been made by General Cameron for the subjugation of the rebel tribes, and that an hour may bring intelligence of the realisation ot the General's hopes, or the frustration of his plans by some unexpected movement on the part of this wily foe, has kept the citizens in a state of feverish anxiety. Thi3 has been increased by the Militia and Volunteers being ordered for duty in the most peremptory manner. All leave of absence wa3 cancelled, and men who on various grounds have hitherto escaped military duty have been sent off to the front. Their duties have been made more arduous through their being called upon to assist in the -Commissariat department. There are few families in Auckland who from this cause do not participate in the anxiety to hear news from the front. ,

The greatest difficulty which besets the General and hinders his movements is the inability of obtaining commissariat stores for the troops. Through the sinking of tb.B Avon by a snag penetrating her bottom, supplies have in a great measure had to be conveyed by land, and the troops have even had to submit to reduced rations.

In no way, however, has- the existing state of suspense shaken the confidence of the public in the movements of the General. All that bravery and experience can accomplish will most certainly ba realised. Every day hi logs intelligence of life and activity on his part, and from the little that is made known it may be gathered that General Cameron is moving on surely and steadiy towards the accomplishment of his great object Tt is little indeed that is now made known of the movements at the front. It has been found necessary to exercise greater caution with regard to giving information of intended military operations. •' Oar own correspondents ' have hitherto done no Jittle mischief by their anxiety, to communicate fre>h and startling intelligence, which has enlightened the enemy quite as much as his pakeha friend. A few stirring events have occurred since I last wrote to you. Two men of the 18th. regiment have been wounded whilst on Escort duty, and an unsuccessful attack made upon a picqust. The most serious casualty, however, has been the death of a brave officer belonging to H.M.S.S. Esk. On the 2nd of February the General and his staff proceeded towards the native position at Paterangi, for the purpose ofreoonnoitering. A covering party of 300 men, some cavalry, and three guns, w^ra taken for the purpose of engaging the attention of the enemy whilst the General was thus engaged. During the time thia was taking place, the Avon was engaged on a similar errand. On her passage up the river everyone on board kept under cover until she had passed a spot called Mangaotania C. eek, where some natives had beei seen. After passing this place it was not "deemed necessary to keep inside the sentry box on the bridge, Lieutenant Mitchell and some other officers were standing on the paddle-boxes and on the bridge when two volleys were fireJ upon them by some natives hidden on the right bank of the river. Mr Mitchell was struck by a ball just below the heart, and passed through to the back. Dr v,'erson, R.N., extrac'el the ball, and gave no hopes of his recovery, He died in about twentyfour hours after receiving the wound. His body was conveyed to Auckland, and buried on Saturday by the side of his fallen comrades. Lieutenant Mpnteatt, of the 70th, was also buried at the same time. He had succumbed to dysentery, a complaint to which he was liable, and through which, about a year ago, he was invalided and s?nt to England. Whilst every confidence is placed in the General, I am sorry to say that a feeling of dissatisfaction has existed with regard to the vagaries and ill-judged proceedings of the Defence Office. It is an impossibility to remove the impression that the Martinetism of the past week has been altogether uncalled for; inasmuch as a favored few have been allowed to purchase exemption from militia duty for twelve months, at the rate of LlO, or less than five shillings a-week. If the exigencies of the public service required so imperatively the services of every man, how in the name of common honesty could a portion be spared who happened to have a few loose sovereigns in their pocket3 l If any had been spared, surely it should have been the heads of families, to whom their presence at home was a vital necessity, on account of business or family duties. Sii George Grey has been on a visit to the General at head_ quarters, so that no one can attribute any share in these obnoxious proceedings to "his Excellency and his responsibls advisers." Even this ingenious contrivance of enabling men who have no stomach for war, to obtain exemption by a money payment, has come to an end and harshness and severity are again the order oi the day. Happy indeed It is for the War Minister that no General Assembly is now sitting, in which some pry'ng member could table a motion that the Defence Officer be requested to furnish the names of all those who have been allowed to shirk military duty by a money payment. Just as the next Assembly commences its sittings at Canterbury the present Ministry may imitate the former one, and get rid of all responsibility in this affair by resigning office.

The sittings of the Provincial Conncil were brought to a close on Thursday afternoon, to meet again in October, The session has not lat-

t'.'ily teen v, h_pv'v ono for iiia Honor tim Bupar-iuten.ient-s Executive. Their utter ino3nipeten_o j for office, and their neglect of imperative duties, especially with regard to the erection of public buildings, hai called for the censure of members, and on more than one occasion the Government has been thoroughly beaten. A sitting during the last week was extremely unfortunate for the Executive. A resolution to the effect that the natives of Ireland are as much entitled to the services of an Emigration Agent was carried by a majority of 13 to 3. The worthy Executive and the law adviser being in the minority. On the npxt topic, that of appointing Mr Daldy as Emigration Agent whili in England (on his own private business) being1 entered upon, that gentleman expressed a wi*>li that the Council would at once and finally settle the matter, and mcdest'.y left the Council Chamber. This matter was, however, burked by the querulous law adviser, Mr Wynn, who managed to burk the afldir in a mtst original manner. He called the attention of the Speaker ta the fact that there was not a quorum present. There would have been a quorum if the hon. member hsi not himself " absquatulated." He had, however, no sooner called the Speaker's attention thau he bolted down stairs before the bell could be rung, Thus a Government measure was defeated by the law adviser of the Government. j n a manner that has no parallel in Parliamentary history. But Mr Daldy was further doomed to " pale his ineffectual fires" on that eventful evening. Before the unfortunate count oat had, taken pla-ie the question of his holding a plurality of ffiees, under consideration. Some years ago Dr Pollen had held the offices of Provincial Secretary, Provincial Treasurer, and Commissioner of Crown Land*o. fc'.r Daldy had labored mesfc strenuously to persuade the Council to pass a resolution to the effect that these various offices should not be held by the same person. In this "labor of love" he at last succeeded. But amongst the various changes that time effects, Mr Daldy himself came to hold the same offices, and apparently felt no qualms of coascience in regard of doing s?. In obedience to the laws of true poetic justice, Dr Pollen became the accuser, and brought forward a motion to remind the Superintendent that such a rfsolution had formerly been arrived at. _ Mr May of course opposed the motion, but without effecf, as the motion was carried. on the sime evening, the Government was defeated in an attempt to get rid of the present land regulations. . , At a subsequent sitting the question of Ministerial responsibility _3 brought up by Mr Cadman, a well practised diib.iter and promising politician. The House by a m&j >rity decided that the Executive were bound to feel themselves responsible to the Provincial Council.. There is no wonder then that Mr Datdy, before the House broke up, announced his intention of resigning the various offices he held under the Superintendent. The hoi. gentleman by this step has done hiins - more honor than by the way in which he ha** filled them. It is an absurdity on his part to undertake so many duties, any one of which demanded all the time and att°ntion one man could bestow. To hold them all until the neglect which inevitably follows called for condemnation was a greater folly. Still Mr Daldy, an amiable fellow in private, has only afforded another instance how "vaulting ambition doth sometime o'erleap itself." The narrow escape from a collision with the Northern tribes, on the murder of Mrs Thomp son and her daughter by a native, was a ciuse of congratulation aud thankfulness to the colonists. The presence of an armed force in the Kaipara, however necessary to maintain the authority of the law, was, it was feared, sufficient to arouse the antagonistic feelings of the natives, which has slumbered since the hostilities of 1846, and to lead them to overt acts of rebellion. But such was not the result. I am sorry to record a foolish set on the part of two Europeans, which was still far more calculated to arouse the angry feelings of the aborigines. On Monday, the Ist instant, Mr E.F. Tole, and three natives, were proceeding towards the Kaipara, on a surveying expedition, and had occasion to pass Mr Thompson's house, the scene of the late fearful murders. Two Europeans were seen to come from the house, and having taken up a suitab'e position, deliberately to take aim and fire at the party. Fortunately their aim was not sufficiently true to hit any of them. Mr Tole immediately shouted to them to " cea*e firing;" to which they replied by a second volley, which happily proved equally harmless with the first, and they then coolly proceeded to re-load their pieces. The natives were much alarmed, and when they got clear of th*-. house, and out of range, refused to proceed further. Mr Tole, however, contrived to get them on, telling them that* the act was that of a few ill-disposed Europeans. They shortly .afterwards met Mr Rogari, who was on his way to Auckland, and turned back with him to the place where Mr Tote's party had been fired at. They easily found the marks in the ground of the bullets that had been fired from the house Mr Tole acted throughout with the greatest coolness, and being an adept in the Native language, succeeded in preventing the Natives from immediately carrying the news to the various settlements in the neighborhood. Mr Commissioner Naughton, with the concurrence of theQovernment, imn ediatelly issued a warrant for the apprehension of the two foolish youths, and four of the police force were despatched by the Comra'Bsioner to take them into custody. The examination of the two youths before the Resident Magistrate resulted in the committal of Abbot and the acquittal of his comrade Henley. As to the former his own intemperate remarks were sufficient to ensure his committal. With regard to the other prisoner, suffice it to say there was not sufficient legal evidence to warrant his further imprisonment, The two men had been employed by Thompson, the husband of the murdered woman, and it is sad to see the embittered feelings towards the natives which he, naturally enough, entertains, For'the young men there is no excuse. 13th February. The bitter feeling against the Defence Officer increases in intensity every day, ani no wonder when such revelations as to the treatment of our young men—the hope of the country—are laid before the public. The following appeared in the " New Zealander" of this mo ning :—> Militia Sunday Service. Duty performed by the Auckland Rifle Volunteers at Drury on Sunday, the 7th day of February, in the Year of our L_ One Thousand Eight Hundred and Sixty-four. Order** of the Day. Morning Service. Attend the slaughter house, and remove all the entrails and filth front the slaughtered animals, and bury it. Afternoon Service. March to the creek, and haul two rifts of telegraph posts out of the water, working tor three hours in mud and water up to the waist. Evening Service. On guard for twelve hours. The above is a true extract from my son's letter, dated, Drury, February 9th. Ranu_ph Daore. Auckland, February 11th, 1864. The complainant, Mr Dacre, Is a respectable man, who has had courage enough to appeal by name to the public against tyranny of a most unjustifiable character. Our brave fellows never yet uttered the ghost of a grumble at performing any necessary duties; but they are not fully justified in doing the filthy work of slaughterhouse scavengers when men could be found who would do it willingly for pay. To be made pack horses of is too gross. The matter of employing mere boys in this way -—for be it understood that Mr Dacre's son is a lad of about 16 or 17 years of age—will result in an indignation meeting of a formidable character. At the last meeting of the General Assembly Major Richardson, Mr John Williamson, and other gentlemen brought the matter of employing lads on out-post duty before the house. Mr Russell was the apologist. He electrified his hearers by the broad statement that boys had never been sent on outpost duty, but were kept at garrison duty at home. He assured his hearers that boys should not be employed in the way pointed out; and yet in the face of a'l this boys of 16 are treated as if they were imported convicts. The Avon is not useless, but from her position is an impediment to the navigation of the river. She is now resting her keel on bottom of the river, in 10 feet of water, and so blocking up the channel that no other boat can pass. She will have to be blown up, or otherwise removed. The Koheroa has also met with an accident, but not to so serious an extent as was anticipated. The following telegram was received last night:— TELEGRAM. '"Queen's Redoubt, 7.30 p.m., Feb. 13; "The Koheroa, towing the flat-*, has gone up the river. The Commodore expects to be with the General to-morrow evening. The vessel answers admirably, and the accident was the result of bad management" General Cameron is still hampered by thedifficulties of the Commissariat transport.^ It is no joke to provision an army, when there is no "loot beyond a few potatoes and peaches, and the prospect, after an engagement, of a few handfuls of stinkine Indian corn, or dried fish. The only live stock to be found in Maori territory require more oatohing than it is worth. His Excellenoy's visit to the camp has, of course, given rise to tales of adventurous and

rtaiTOvv ex.&\i':3, I/ii'st. Is la Excellency had been fired uprui. Secondly, His Excellency had iei't two of his escort to bring up the pack horses, and unfortunately the men were shot, and the pack horses conveying hampers of wine had fallen into th<j hands of the redskins, who would know how to dispose of them. The Governor passed harmlessly along himself, but there was a little adventure which is thus graphically told :—" The tale to!d by the men who were in charge of the Governor's baggage was all a fabrication, invented to cover a robbery. A search having been made yesterday, the missing man (who was said to have been killed) turned up, and all the baggage was found scattered along the track, the only things missing, being the contents of the wine and a'.e bottles ! It appears thai the men, feeling lonely at being left by themselves (the whole escort, as I mentioned in my last, having gone on with the Governor), and knowing that there was some very good wine in a box on one of Ihe horses, determined to regale themselves and at the same time to punish his Excellency for desertion of them ; so firing a few shots and scattering the baggage along the track, they began to make themselves merry. The above is the story now going the round of the camps, and is founded on the fact that the men all turned up at Whatawhata, betraying by their looks and actions that they had not been confining themselves that day to the " white wine of the country" (vulgarly called water), to satisfy the thirst engendered by the hot, dusty march." The prorogation address of his Honor was delivered yesterday. The only remarkable feature in the address is a lecture read to the Council by his Honor, for having "in an unconstitutional manner v 'ted an unusually large increase of the items sent down in the Estimates, without first addressing the Superintendent on the subject." This'is very refreshing io. this hot baking weather, and comes with untold prace from his Honor just after the Council had decided, that,the Executive must hold themselves reeponsible to them for their acts. • It I understand anything of the constitution of the Province, the Superintendent is merely the instrument for carrying out the wishes of the colonist-!, and this can only be gathered from their representatives. This assumption of the dictatorship will immortalise his Honor Robert Graham, Superintendent of the Province of Auckland.

Trade is necessarily very depressed through the exigencies of the times.