(From the Taranaki News, December 6.)

Otago Witness, Issue 475, 5 January 1861, Page 9

(From the Taranaki News, December 6.)

The cowardly murder perpetrated on the unarmed boy fearten, on Tuesday, has left a feeling of dissatisfaction and discontent on men's minds which will not be easily effaced, and which none of the previous atrocities committed gave rise to. Certainly it is not that we are less prepared for such acts ; we look upon them now as belonging to the savage natures opposed to us, and do not feel the same astonishment that overpowered us on " the HaughTer of the diliaibu Paikm aaaHPotr^afeOmata, in the early days of the strife. The feelings we refer to ( as predominating on this occasion have their rise out of other considerations, and affect the question Of the reliance to be placed uDon the Natives in the pay, and under the directions of the Government. We have not failed to recognise the delicacy of the subject, and the impropriety of evincing distrust where the contrary feeling is so desirable. We regret to say the general impression on I the subject is so strong, and hourly becoming more perfect, that it would be absurd to ignore the existence of a feeling so patent and fraught with so much future mischief. Suspicion of collusion and concealment is in every mouth ; and something should be done to destroy these impressions and set the question at rest by rigid inquiry into all the facts of the case, that confidence may be revived, or a result ; made apparent that would justify additional precautions as a guarantee in the future. This murder did not occur in any outlying deserted district, remote from our town and distant from the location of the natives attached to our force, but, on the main high road between town and the Waiwakaiho bridge, and not a mile and a-half from the intrenebments. Midway too between the - Henui bridge, where the bulk of the friendly natives are now collected, and the Waiwakaiho pah. The distance between these pahs is about a mile, and the space is traversed by the natives of either continually. On the occasion of the murder it was known to them that an ambuscade was placed, as is evidenced | by the warning given to the lads at the Henui. I How comes it that intelligence had not been previously given to the military authorities that parties of the enemy were on this side of the Waiwakaiho ? Is it no part of the duty ! of this force to forward such information? If not, where then is the use of these outposts? It is found that these natives are able to travel far "and wide, and pass" .through ambuscades so" invariably fatal to Europeans ; that they chaffer for the price of safe conduct for our people through these very difficulties; that the intelligence received from them almost invariably follows some fact which had previously announced itself; in fine, that the presence of the enemy in their neighbourhood brings them profit, comforts, and immunity ■ frdm charges they might otherwise be open to. Id .such circumstances, suspicion cannot be wondered at ; -and indeed, is next to inevitable, whether well grounded, or arising from feelings growing out of difference of race and the surrounding circumstances, it ' would be a move in the right direction to remove them, if possible, out of a position so sinister.-

The Nelson Examiner, of the 22nd ult., reports the arrival of the Tasmanian Maid, and states that there is no news of importance from' Taranaki, but it is understood that General Pratt is taking measures to attack the rebels' strong position near Waitara, as the head-quarters of the 40th Regiment have been sent up there, and the force stationed there strengthened to 600 men, under Colonel Leslie. An 8-inch gun, together with a variety of tools required by sappers, &c, have also been forwarded there. A small vessel from Mokau had brought word that 100 Waikatos, the same men who carried home so much plunder a few weeks ago, had passed that settlement on their way back to Waitara, which it is supposed they reached about Wednesday last The conduct of the General in remaining idle so long is being freely canvassed, as well as that of the Governor for removing '400 troops to Auckland, immediately after the Mahoetahi affair, although no doubt the presence of this force was needed in Auckland at that juncture. The defection of W. Thompson, one of the most intelligent and civilized Waikato chiefs, who has joined the rebels, is an event which may give the war a more serious aspect than jt has yet assumed. . ; , . .. '