WELLINGTON.

Otago Witness, Issue 878, 26 September 1868, Page 8

WELLINGTON.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Thursday, 17th September.

THE PANIC.

On the 9th the Sturt arrived from Wanganui. We so little anticipated any particular news, scarcely expecting that M'Donnell could do more than keep on the alert, and make occasional sallies into the bush, that the news of a disastrous engagement came upon us like a thunderclap. When one began to tell the other that Yon Tempsky and Buck and Hunter and Palmer and Hastings and others were killed, counting them slowly upon the fingers in the effort to remember them all, the effect was in most cases to create momentary anger at an attempt to hoax on such a subject ; but when it was known to be a fact, our spirits fell as they only did before on two occasions, when the news of the defeat at Puketotara, and subsequently at the Gate Pah, reached us. The "Extras" in due time gave us all that was known, which was little more than the mere fact that a fight had taken place, with a certain loss in killed. Every flag in harbour dropped to half-mast ; and what with sorrow for the dead, sympathy for those they left behind, and eager anxiety as to the names of the wounded, the Wellington people spent as unhappy a day as thoy have done for a long while. A few days brought us fuller particulars, and suspense was at an end ; but it was not until last night that the

official account arrived, and only this morning that our longing was satisfied by the publication of Colonel M'Donnell's despatch.. The brief despatch, stating that " a severe engagement " had taken place, which M'Donnell first wrote, was all that he could well be expected to write at the moment, Yet it would have only been doing justice to himself to have forwarded his complete despatch at the earliest possible moment. Almost every one engaged meanwhile write 3 his, version of the affair to a friend. The opinion of the public gets settled into a groove, from which it is difficult to shift it, and when the commander's version at length appears, it fails to remove the blame that has perhaps attached itself to him. In these private letters M'Donnell has frequently been blamed for not storming the stockade which had been erected on the site of the previously- destroyed pa at Ngutu o te Manu ; in his despatch, he explains why he could nor.

THE WOUNDED.

We should like to know the truth about the wounded. I fear it is only too probable that some were left on the field. M'Donnell speaks of the difficulty of getting them brought off. Other accounts say that those who could not walk were left where they fell, which is manifestly untrue, because many who were in that condition were brought in. Yet Mr Richmond, speaking on Tuesday night of the return of the natives to barbarism, stated that he had reason to believe that some were left behind and had been tortured. It would be gratifying to be assured that those who were left were really dead, beyond the reach of terrible pain. A letter, from one on whom I can rely, says : — "Poor Yon Tempsky, one of the best officers in the whole of the Colonial force, died most bravely. One of his men had been shot down wounded, and to prevent his falling into the hands of a relentless foe, Yon Tempsky sprang forward under a deadly fire, and attempted to drag him away. He must have known that he was rushing to almost certain destruction. A bullet pierced him in the head, and he fell lifeless over the prostrate form of the unfortunate man he was endeavouring to save. Buck behaved with the same unflinching courage, and shared the same fate. There is a rumour abroad that the latter was left wounded on the field, and that he implored his men not abandon him to his fate ; but I don't believe it. M'Donnell has gone to Wanganui. Ido indeed pity the poor fellow : harrassed as he is, on the one hand with his duties and responsibilities as Commander of the Forces, and on the other with domestic trouble. His wife has been in a state of delirium for several days, and is still in danger. Poor Hastings behaved with admirable coolness and intrepidity ; so indeed did all the officers. The men whom they commanded were panicstricken, and the result was a sad disaster. Its effect on the Natives will, I fear, be very mischievous." It would be equally satisfactory to have something definite about the number of the rebels killed. Our present reports of the number killed range between five and thirty-three ; but Colonel M'Donnell's medium of twenty-eight is probably as correct as can be well ascertained. Thirteen only of these fell from Pakeha rifles, the remainder from those of the Native Contingent.

BACCHUS.

I have the utmost contempt for those who, sitting at their ease in safety, freely vent every idle report ; and I should not even have hinted at the drunkenness which is so freely spoken of as disgracing the Camp, if it were not more than report. The newspapers from Wanganui do not attempt to disguise it ; and if Patea has been "abandoned to Bacchus " for any length of time, it is a pity that the canteens and grog shops were not closed long ago. It is to be hoped that Colonel Haultain, who is now on. the spot, will see that the men are not tempted to further disorganisation, but that he may find use for the shovels and axes which the Government sent up in the Sturt. For the present, they are said to be too dispirited to be got out on a regular expedition again.

hawke's bay.

By the Sturt, on Monday, Major Fraser's company of constabulaxy -went up to do duty at the front. This company wholly consists of well-trained men — only 57 ; and the object which the Government has in sending them is, that the Patea forces, being thoroughly disheartened, may have a nucleus to rally round again. The removal of this party from Hawke's Bay has occasioned much excitement in that district, the - inhabitants of which think that their services are likely to be as valuable to them in that respect aa to others elsewhere. Their objections are perfectly natural, and we can scarcely wonder that, as soon as the intention of the Government become known, Mr M'Lean should have strongly protested against it. Finding that of no avail,

a deputation of Hon. members, settlers, and- others interested in Hawke's, Bay, waited on the Government, but with no better success ; the order w.as not countermanded, and the Sturt arrived here with the Company on Sunday afternoon. On Monday, Messrs. M'Lean, Ormond, Burns, Vogel, and others waited on the Governor, who, being attended by Mr Stafford and Dr. Pollen, expressed himself, bound to follow the advice of his Ministers— that all the power he had, was to order an extra Company of the 14th to Napier, but that he could not very well order one to Wanganui without consulting General Chute, Every stone having thus been turned unavailingly, the Sturt left the same afternoon, Having Col. Whitmore on board, who goes up to take Yon Tempsky'a place, the next in command to M'Donnell, There has been a rumour to-day that Major Edwards, late of the 14th, is to go to the front. He is the best officer disengaged that I know of, and is universally esteemed.

COLONEL "WHITMOUE.

I do not know of anything which has created so much grave apprehension for the' future as this appointment of Col. Whitmore to the Patea front. What Colonel Whitmore's capabilities as an. officer are, is not the point. His experience in the Caffre war may or may not be something more to his military reputation than the experience of many officers in the New Zealand war is to theirs, but his prestige as a commander of local forces has certainly not been enhanced by the recent East Coast campaign. Admitting that his abilities as a commander are ever so good, it is known that he and M'Donnell are not on the best of terms. Some say they are at daggers drawn, and I believe every one who knows anything about the matter at all, admits that they certainly are not the best of friends. The result of putting these two men to work together is regarded with fear. I assure you that the feeling in reference to this Patea business is just at the present one of the greatest despondency. It is a matter of thankfulness that the Government now regard the Native crisis with much seriousness. Until lately they apparently regarded it as likely to blow over quickly ; but now, judging from Mr Richmond's speech of Tuesday, they see the gravity of the situation.

PRACTICAL RESULTS.

The seat of the West Coast disturbances are not in the Wellington Province, as is too frequently stated, but in that of Taranaki. The Patea River is our boundary—yet the disturbances affect this Province quite as much as if they were within our borders. The chief dead are those whom many of us knew personally, and many more by sight, and the depreciation of property is wholly ours. The Waitotara district, halfway between Wanganui and Patea, is principally suffering at present. A fine district and newly settled, — everything was going on so prosperously that the land had risen from 10s to L 3 and L 3 10s per acre. Now it has suddenly fallen, in some cases as low as 15s, ■while families are leaving for Wanganui, and a complete check to progress is the result. In the South Island Dictionary, war means "prosperity," but in that of the North Island it reads now, as it ever has read, "depression, demoralisation, and ruin."

THE DIVER.

The fatal accident attending the examination of the Taranaki's wreck has put a stop for the present to further operations. The Lady Bird took over the diver Burton to the Sound on the 9th, and in the evening returned with his body. As if we had not had enough from Patea for one day to harrow us ! There was something so shocking in it, that it created a more than ordinary feeling of sadness. At 11 o'clock he descended in the usual diving dress, and about a quarter of an hour afterwards gave the signal to be drawn up. He appeared pale and exhausted, but after having some chain attached to his legs, being too buoyant, he again descended, and during another quarter was walking round the vessel. After thrice signalling " all right" and thrice for "more air," he signalled to be drawn up, and was being led to where he had gone down when he evidently fell, and the life line fouling it was fully an hour before he came up, the helmet being off and hanging loose on the back of the neck. From a dent in the helmet it is supposed it must have struck something, and been knocked down. Other divers are offering their services to recover cargo, and the Company are calling for tenders to get up yards, sails, &c.

At a meeting recently held in Melbourne, advocating the immediate construction of a railway to the Upper Murray District, it was stated that thousands of bushels of wheat were lying on the banks of the Murray river for want of the aieans of carriage to a market.