BELL BLOCK. [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENCE.]

Taranaki Herald, Volume IX, Issue 421, 25 August 1860, Page 4

BELL BLOCK. [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

Friday morning, August 24, 1860. On Tuesday morning last, a party of 20 of the enemy with four laden horses weie observed skirting the bush coming from the direction of the town. A party of settlers and tioops, under Lieut. Richardson, went fiom the garrison to endeavour to cut them off. On passing in the rear of Mr. Collins's house, on the Henwood load, which they fired, the enemy proceeded round by Mr. Greenway's, burning a stack of hay, then through Mr. A. Wills's clearing, by this time the troops had passed beyond the Paraiti pa. A few men having advanced to the abandoned camp of the 40th, on Mr. NoUhcroft's hill, occupied the trenches and heard the enemy talking behind a thii)is>'elt of bush in their front ; some more men having been seen advancing-, the men in the trenches crept forwaid and occupied some bush 300 yards in advance, and quietly took cover, waiting patiently for the enemy to shew themselves j very shortly they came leading the horses, but catching a glimpse of some of the men who had just come up, they dropped the reins of the hoises and tan to cover, they were evidently taken by surprise ; they fired a musket shot, to which, on some of them showing themselves, the rifles replied, and one of the enemy was said to be liit. After firing commenced, little of the enemy was seen, and very few shots were fired by them, — being laden with plunder they wished to get off as quietly as possible. The retire was sounded, and on our leaving the hill the abandoned horses were galloping about a few hundred yards off. On returning to the camp, the danger signal was flying from the stockade, and our 3-pounder doing its best to kill or frighten to death some of the enemy in the act of buining Mr. Clare's house. We now steered off in this direction, the smoke rising in a massive column, direct to our front, from the doomed building, soon bursting the brittle glass, huge tongues of flame leaped from the windows mounting the roof which soon fell in with a crash, again burst forth the flames triumphant, and in a few moments all that remained was a mass of smoking ruins. Joseph Street's house was also burned down, and two others were attempted, but were ex - tinguished by Lieut. Richardson's men. A few natives were seen and fired at, but they made good their retreat, and shortly alter drove off a large herd of cattle to the head quarters at Waitara. The huts in the Ninia pa were fired by a party of troops under Cupt. Leeson, and some of the settlers' cattle driven in. A few scouts having been out in the bush 'at the back of the Bell Block, report that the enemy have abandoned that distiict, and they discovered a ■well-beaten track along the edge of the bnsh just out of sight of the stockade. On Thursday night a few scouts went out to the Tima pa, and on creeping up to within 50 yards, found it was occupied, no sentinels were on the look-out. Under the circumstances it was not deemed advisable to attempt firing it, they retired, went to the rear of the pa and fired some stacks of corn belonging to the enemy, and made good their retreat to the blockhouse without being discovered by the enemy. The fire illuminated the whole plain during the night and no doubt caused the enemy consideiable uneasiness.

vernor making it permissive to persons coming under certain conditions to quit the settlement of Taranaki and inquiries as to whether the Immigration Regulations, in force here, admit of their receiving free or assisted passages to Canterbury. I beg to inform you that our Immigration Regulations do not provide for the cases you contemplate. I must also inform you that the condition of the public exchequer does not at the present moment admit of this Government making a money grant in aid of so desirable an object as that alluded to in your letter. At the same time I am most happy to inform you that a public meeting called by myself has been held, and an appeal to public sympathy in aid of Taranaki refugees readily responded to. I beg to enclose a copy of the resolutions, and to inform you that Mr. Joseph Brittan has been appointed and authorised to act as Honorary Secretary with a view of carrying out the wishes of the public of Canterbury. I need hardly add that the Government of Canterbury will welcome and assist to the utmost of its ability all and any who may avail themselves of the privilege granted by His Excellency the Governor. I would, in order to give Mr. Joseph Brittan's communication to your Honor proper authority, again repeat that that gentleman has been duly appointed the medium of acquainting your Honor from time to time of the wishes of the subscribers to the Fund in aid of Taranaki sufferers. I have the honor to be Sir, Your most obedient servant, Charles Bowen, Deputy Superintendent, Canterbury. To His Honor the Superintendent, Taranaki. , RESOLUTIONS to be Proposed at the Meeting to be held at the Town Hall, on Wednesday, the 25th instant, in aid or the SurrERERS at Taranaki. 1. That this Meeting having learned by the latest intelligence from Taranaki that the war between the European and Maori populations still continues, and that thcie is no definite period ,at which it is reasonable to look for a cessation of hostilities, desires to expiess its deepest sympathy with the European settlors there, for the suffering and loss to which they have been exposed. ' 2. That this meeting having had laid before them a communication addressed by the Superintendent of Tarnuaki to the Superintendent of Canterbury, asking if it be in the power of the province to assist the immigration to Canterbury ot a portion of the Taranaki settlers, resolves that a subscription be immediately set on foot throughout the province, for the purpose suggested in that communication, or for any other purpose which may tend to the relief of the Taranaki settlers. 3. That for the purpose of collecting subscriptions, a committee be formed, the same to consist of

with power to add to their number. Christchurch, Ist August, 1860. Sir, — I have the honor to acquaint you that a public meeting was held at Christchurch, on Wednesday, the 25th ultimo, for the purpose of considering the best means of rendering assistance to those per-, sons in your province who require to be helped by reason of the Maori war. That meeting was called in consequence of a communication made by your Honor to the Superintendent of Canterbury bearing date the 7th ultimo. In reply to that communication I have been given to understand that your Honor will be officially informed by this mail, that neither the Immigration Ordinance, the Waste Land Regulations, nor the state of the Provincial Treasury enable the Provincial Government to answer your Honor's despatch as they would wish to have been able to do. I have, however, the pleasure of stating that the result of the public meeting was the subscription of a sum of money and such a prospect of future funds as to enable me, by direction of the committee appointed by the meeting, to inform you that they are piepared to defray the charges of the conveyance, to this province, of those persons a"nd families referred to in your Honor's despatch, or even others should any cases of such exigency exist as may appear to your Honor to call for like aid. You will therefore take what steps you may deem necessary to carry into effect the suggestions contained in your despatch, and the committee will defray the expenses consequent thereon. For carrying out this object the committee have been in communication with the agents of the Inter C.S.T. Company here who have given them every encouragement to believe that the Company will act with liberality in this matter and considerably reduce the amount of passage money. The agents, however, do not con-

sider themselves authorised to enter into a positive agreement, and have expressed the opinion that the most favorable terms may be effected by communication with the head office, to which therefore I have written. As the cost per head is thus an open question, I am further directed to ask your Honor's co-operation (if it be in your power to assist) in endeavouring to secure from the Company terms as favorable as possible — those terms, of course, will include the entire provisioning the parties from the period of their departure from Taranaki to that of their arrival in this province. I need hardly observe that the object the committee have in view in pressing this on your notice is, that they may be able to husband their funds as much as possible so that it may be in their power to furnish further assistance to those whom your Honor may send after their arrival here. It remains only for me to request that should this offer of the committee be acted on, you will be so good as to forward me the names of those whom you may send away together with such information of their former position in your province as may guide the committee in the ministration of what further assistance it may be in their power to render them. I have the honor to be Sir, Your very obedient servant, Joseph Britta^! Hon. Sec. to the Committee. His Honor the Superintendent of Taranaki. Superintendent's Office, Dunedin, 30th July, 1860. Sir, — With reference to your despatch of date 7th July, 1860, respecting assisted passengers from Taranaki to this province, I have the honor to state that we shall be glad to afford the same facilities to deserving, industrious families of good character, as are held out to immigrants from the home country. I enclose herewith for your information the terms upon which immigration to this province is being conducted. Should a sufficient number of sucli families, or others as you could recommend, be will • ing to remove as to fill a ship, I shall be glad to charter a vessel on purpose ; this would come much cheaper in the end to the people themselves, unless arrangements could be made with the Coleman Company to remove them at a reasonable rate. I have directed the head of the immigration department here to send you a list of the kind of labor most in request. I have the honor to be Sir, Your very obedient servant, James Macandrew, Superintendent. To His Honor the Superintendent of Taranaki. TEEMS ON WHICH EMIGRANTS AXE LANDED IN OTAGO. Ist. All emigrants for an assisted passage to Otago mubt be persons of good character, sound health, and must belong to those trades that are common in a new country. 2nd. Assisted emigrants must grant a bill for the repayment of their passage money, within one year alter lauding if single, and within two years, if married. 3rd. As there are four vessels on the way to Otago from Britain with emigrants, a large propor. tiou of whom are tradesmen, I would only advise persons to come from Taranaki, who belong to agricultural or pastoral pursuits. 4th. AH applicants above 45 years of age must pay their own passage. James Adams, Emigration Agent. Superintendent's Office, Marlborough, 9th August, 1860. Sir, — I have the honor to send you a resolution unanimously passed by the Provincial Council of this province ; and I beg to assure our fellow-settlers at Taranaki that we truly and sincerely sympathise with them upon their misfortunes. I have the honor to bo 1 Sir, Your very obedient servant, WlttlAM AnAMS, Superintendent. To His Honor the Superintendent of Taranaki. Provincial Council Chnmhor, Province of Marlboronfjh, 20th July, JBBO, " That His Honor the Superintendent lie requested to place upon the Estimates the bum of Two Hundred and Fifty Pounds, to bo transmitted to the Treasurer of the Taranaki Aid Commiltoe, Ndaon, and applied by him in such manner as ho may think proper in aid of such persons in Nelson, belonging to Taranaki, who may liavo suffcied during the native war ; and that His Honor the Superintendent be requested to write a letter of condolence to the Supeiintendent of Taraniki expressive of the sympathies of this Council with the unfortunate inhabitants of that province."