WELLINGTON.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 2126, 27 November 1868, Page 3

WELLINGTON.

(FROM O?H OWN OeiIRKSTOXDKNT.) Wednesday, November 18th. A meeting of gentlemen was called in Wellington, by circular, on Friday last, with a view to decide on something in reference to the present crisis. The floating opinion, out of doors, was that the Government should to strengthened in any active measures it was taking in reference to the JSast and West Coasts, or urged to take active measures, if it was goinjg on only at tho ordinary jog-trot pace. Almost every body appeared to sink political differences for tho moment, and address themselves to tho common emergency. It appeared to 90me that a public meeting would be a very good thing, and Mr Richmond and Mr Hall were asked to attend the preliminary meeting above-mentioned, with a view to explain, if convenient, what the Government were doing, sd'that if a public meeting were called, it might como to the consideration of the crisis intelligently. The two ministers .already named attended, as requested, and the representatives of the Press were informed that, as it was merely a meeting for confidential consultation, it was deemed proper to request them to withdrav. Had I not been present in another capacity, I should have felt myself at liberty to have ferreted out an inkling of what took place,; ■■ but, as no public meeting has been called in consequence, I am at liberty only to suppose that a public meeting was deemed useless, or not likely to promoto tho ends which all had in view. A very shameful hoax was perpetrated out of mere silliness Ly a young man named Harry Bowler, one evening laat week. He went to the front four months ago in Captain Buck's Company, and returned to his wife's home in the Porirua road by Cobb's coach', when finding that sho was visiting at a friend's in Wellington, he rode thither on horseback. lam < told by a gentleman who was present, that on entering the drawing-room where a large party was assembled, he accounted for his travel-stained dress by his having ridden in post haste, knocking up seven horses ; that he had brought in important despatches announcing the attack on an escort, 13 killed, Mr Booth and party missing ; and more to the same effect. To make a very disgusting story as short as possible, when the newspaper people called on him next morning for full particulars of the disastrous story which had got into circulation, they found it was all a hoax, ho denying having said anything of the kind. The new Government House is talked of immediately, your architect, Mr CUyton, being, it is said, about to be commissioned to design a building that shall answer the purpose for the next seven years, and then be convertablo into 1 Assembly Chambers and Offices. I may be excused, as a Wellingtonian, for saying that temporary buildings have not been very advantageous hitherto. When Mr Weld enlarged the barn that had till then been denominated the Government House, a couple of thousand pounds were spent temporarily, and the excuse for tho " shedifice," erected last year by Mr Stafford, at almost as great a cost, was that its ugliness would only bo temporary, it would be part of a permanent design. Now the present Government House site is to be cleared, and the •< shedifice" pulled down, and a building put up which, I trust, will _iot remind us, by its mediocrity, that it will do for tho present, although its temporary Government House character is admitted from tho commencement. The Manawatu Land Court has been sitting for some time to adjudicate on the purchase of that district, made by Dr.Featherston two years ago. The dissentients have had the advantage of legal counsel this time, but the difficulty of any stranger getting up a case involving so many complications—hard names, of. tribes arid hapus— Maori history and custom, has been sufficient to cause him tothrow~up his brief od the first convenient pretext. A settler (MrM'Donald) has since taken up their cause, but it is tolerably certain that he will break down, and that the cases will be withdrawn. The Native Lands Court is an excellent institution in theory, no doubt, but like a good many more.of the institutions devised for the benefit of the natives, it is only useful -in practice-when they choece - to permit. |f they choose to at>ide by its decision they do so, and if they don't choose, they don't do ao. The European is made to submit; but the Maori may snap his fingers to his heart's content, well knowing no ona will attempt. to coerce him. The Government and Court are treated with the utmost nonchalance,' and the decision of this title is likely to be left just -where it ever was, except that, every delay renders the solution more and, more difficult. "- > Mr Hall returns to Canterbury by first steamer. I see it is seated that he intends continuing in the Ministry for some time yet •- ■ : "-'■■ l: ■■•"■■ '-' . . '."'.' '■■'■ '"■ •■"■'. ■ ■. ; Friday,' November 20th. Thk morning has brought vM l»tert

dates from Auckland, Hawke's Bay, and Wanganui. I have scarcely timo to open the newspapers ; but from the cursory glance over them, I find one or two poin«3 particularly noteworthy. The pig businness, lam glad to find, is not true. The Turanganui correspondent of the Hawke's Bay Herald mentions a something which, no doubt, gave rise to it Alluding to a letter received from a native, ho says, " The letter states that the bodies of Major Biggg, lady, and child, ar.d those of Captain Wilson and. his family, have been devoured by pigs." Although nothing is more likely than that bodies lying j about should be thus devoured, yet, I thank God that even this statement is not borne out by the fact—since we received yesterday tho astounding intelligence that Mrs Wilson was alivo, that her son James, a lad of nine or ten, was unhurt, and that they were iiot only in Turanganui, but that the doctor had hopes of her recovering from the numerous bayonet (not tomahawk) wounds inflicted on her. I knew the Biggses personally ; I knew Captain Wilson intimately ; and as it is a great satisfaction to mo to feel that their bodies were not horribly dealt with, so I believe it will be to your readers generally. I'a.tca is not to be abandoned, but is to bo held as a standing protest against the occupation of tho country by the Maoris. This, I believe, is the result of an earnest protest by Dr. Featherston and tho settlers. The Governor's sayings and doings aro all reported concisely in the Wangamii papers, and to them I refer you. You will see, from the conversation that took place at an interview with Mr Stafford, that Ministers think they are conducting the war vigorously, approve of the policy of the Defence Minister, and acknowledge it is the policy of tho Cabinet Such being tho case, it is difficult to conceive any set of men more utterly incapacitated for their position.