LATER NEWS FROM THE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 827, 15 August 1864, Page 6

LATER NEWS FROM THE

NORTHERN PROVINCES.

PROSPECTS OF PEACE,

[A portion, of the foil owing appeared in our Fxtra 'u-^'-.f.' of Saturday.] :The Lord "Ashley brings intelligence that his Excellency the Governor and General Cameron, had gone to Tauranga to meet William Thompson. Tfcerewere no rebels near the Waikato Camp. The New Zealander of the 2nd, says :— " His Excellency, the Governor, we understand, is about to visit Tauranga immediately, where he purposes granting an interview to the rebels who recently gave in their submission, and signed a declaration of allegiance, in the presence of Colonel Greer. His Excellency is to be accompanied on the occasion by Gen. Cameron, and some of the Ministry." "We understand that during the visit to Tauranga, his Excellency intends to grant an audience also, as solicited, to William Thompson." "We congratulate our readers on the progress of the good cause of Peace. From the present occurrences the happiest results may, we trust, be reasonably anticipated." The Southern Cross of the 3rd instant says: _" The Governor, General Cameron, and the two leading members of the Colonial Ministry, are about to proceed today to Tauranga. The fact is a significant and highly important one in its bearing upon the state of public matters. The general impression is of course that ■we are on the eve of some steps towards peace, and that impression is undoubtedly supported by the general aspect of affairs. It seems probable that we shall not have much longer to wait for the blessings of peace, at least in thi3 part of the island ; and it is highly important that we should have some guarantee that the peace, when made, shall be such an one as the Colony can approve of. Our only guarantee for this rests upon the fact that it h made by Ministers on the basis of the Ministerial policy." The same paper says:—" General Sir Duncan Cameron, X.C 8., attended by his personal staff, consisting of Colonel M'Neill, A.D.C., and Lieutenant St Hill, A.D.C., will leave for Tauranga to-day in H.M. s.s. Miranda. The Miranda will call in at the Kawau for his Excellency the Governor, who will also proceed to Tauranga. The general staff, with the exception of Colonel Pitt, Military Secretary, who remains in town, will proceed to Tauranga, at a later day, in H.M. s.s. Falcon. The colonial gunboat Sandfly, Capt. Marks, ■will also proceed to Tauranga to-day, having the Hon. F. Whitaker, AttorneyGeneral, and the Hon. Wm. Fox, Colonial Secretary, on board. It is also understood that a legal gentleman is to accompany them, to draw up any formal documents that may be necessary in their dealings with the natives. We have heard it stated that it is not at all improbable that Wm. Thompson and many of his followers will submit. His Excellency and the General and staff are expected to be absent for some time. The New Zealander, of the 2nd, has the following under the head " Military Arrangements": — We noticed yesterday a rumor, which had obtatned some currency, to the effect that several regiments of Her Majesty's forces were about to be removed from the Colony. We are now in a position to give more accurate information on the subject. It is, we understand, an order from Home that a withdrawal ot the troops shall be. commenced in January, and shall be gradually carried on, until the strength of the force stationed in the Colony shall be brought down to that of one regiment. T.he regiment appointed to remain is the 18th Royal Irish.' The 14th Regiment is to be removed to Melbourne, and the rest of the force is to be in England not later than December 31st, 1865. This arrangement, however is subject to modification. Should the Colony desire to retain a larger force than one regiment, the Home Government will not, it appears, object to meet our wishes, on conndition that an annual allowance of L4O per man be paid for all over the one regiment that is to be stationed in New Zealand. We have Invercargill papers to the 21th. The Provincial Council was prorogued on the 9th, by proclamation. The Daily Neivs says": —"We are glad that the opportunity has been considerately afforded his Honor of allowing this body to die a decent death. It was a great relief to the public to learn that the coup de grace would be administered to it without its having another chance of exhibiting its vagaries." The Seat of Government Commissioners ■went from Auckland to Wellington by the Lord Ashley. The Independent, of the $th, has the following:—"Towards one o'clock on Sunday afternoon the s.s. Lord Ashley appeared within the Heads, bringing, as we expected, the Commissioners from Auckland, appointed to select a site for the Seat of Government. As the steamer ran alongside the wharf, the forenoon service had just been completed in several of the churches, and the congregations were dispersing homewards. A considerable number of people however collected at the wharf, who soon had the pleasure of seeing the Commissioners disembark. The first on shore was Mr Gunn, who, accom-

panied by the Secretary, walked briskly up towards the reclaimed land, and passing the carriage in waiting, proceeded up Willis street, to the Queen's Hotel. Meantime his Honor the Superintendent had arrived, and about midway up the wharf met Sir Francis Murphy and the Hon. Mr Docker, accompanied by his Honor Mr Justice Johnson, who had^ been their fellow - passenger from Napier. On meeting, Dr Featherston, who appeared to recognise Sir Francis, bowed to the party, when the Judge stepped forward and performed the ceremony of introduction. The. four gentlemen then proceeded to ,the carriage, which they entered and drove off to Government House, where every preparation had been made for their accommodation during their stay in Wellington. Mr Gunn shortly afterwards joined the others. Last, night the Commisaioners entertained a select party of our chief citizens at dinner. We understand that the Commissioners intend visiting the various districts throughout the Province, and will shortly proceed overland to Wanganui. The limit of their' stay in Wellington has not yet been determined."

From Canterbury, we have papers to the 12th inst. The Press of that date announces that the Provincial Council assembled for business on the previous afternoon. The Superintendent closed his opening address as follows : — " The shortness of the period which has elapsed since you were last assembled for the despatch of public business, will, I believe, render it unnecessary for you to be detained at this session for any considerable length of time. The questions, however, which will be submitted for your consideration will be of great importance to the future interests of the province, and will require your most earnest attention."

The Southern Cross says:--"The purchase of half the native block of land lying between the Manukau and Waikato river, bounded on the east by the Waiuku creek, has just been completed by Messrs Turton and Rogan for the Government. The other half has been confiscated, and only for the merciful consideration of his Excellency and his Ministers the entire block would have shared the same fate. The natives who now reside on the land get a high price, to be paid in five annual instalments. They have been also permitted to select 3000 acres of the best land in five separate blocks; and have access to the creek and sea secured to them, together with lakes reserved for eel-fishing. The land will be settled by immigrants sent out by Mr Reader Wood. The block contains 47,000 acres." The circumstance is accepted by the Southern Cross as a proof that neither the colonists nor the Ministry have any desire to grasp unfairly the land of the natives.