DETAILS FROM WANGANUI.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 170, 27 November 1868, Page 2

DETAILS FROM WANGANUI.

4 The following is from the Wanganui Chronicle of Nov. 21 — The treatment of the Wanganui settlers by the General Government is wholly and inexcusably bad. Mr Stafford came to Wanganui —talked a lot of rubbish about newspapers, and complained of the apathy of the people ; himself the most apathetic of mortals—and then took his departure without adopting any. the least, step, (so far as we could learn), to put things on a better footing. Since he has gone, there is profound silence ; no Govern!-, ment official makes the slightest sign. The state of matters reminds us very forcibly of tbe extinction of the heathen deities as described by Milton: — Their oracles are dumb, No voice or hideous hum Runa through the wretched roof With words deceiving^. Government for Wanganui, in as far as protection of life and property from rebels is concerned, has ceased to exist. The people feel keenly that they have been made fools of, and they cannot help, and will not try to help feelisg that Mr Stafford and Colonel Haultain, with their henchmen, have made themselves the other thing. We dare say the position of affairs is the most anomalous, unfortunately, it is also about the roost dangerous, that probably ever existed in a communitysupposed to be under any form of British ruleX The Government will listen to no Bugges___ns from the parties concerned—, will do nothing for them — and yet will not allow them to do anything in a military way for themselves. It is very unpleasant to be compelled to say so. At a time when there ought to be a feeling of the utmost

unanimity ; when the Government should be straining every nerve for the defence of the district ; and when the people, laying aside all their petty differences, should support them in every way possible ; it is very hard to have no alternative but to censure. We find it territyfet against the will, yet can see no escape fromJJ^, Wanganui and the districts around it are suffering at this moment all the calamities of war. From the Waingongoro, some seventy miles distant by the coast line, down to within six or seven miles of this town, the rebel natives have swept our force before them, burning homesteads and carrying away the property of the settlers as they came. Wanganui is now crowded with families compelled to leave their land*, and the rebels are hovering about th_ town, on which an attack is imminent. The people of Wanganui have nothing to do with this war any more than those of other districts of the colony, save in so far as their unfortunate proximity to savage tribes has made them suffer by it; the war arose in another province, and neither by act nor deed had Wanganui the least connection with it. Nay more, but for the apathy of the Government and the incompetence of its officers, the war need never 'have come near the settled districts at all, far less to the town of Wanganui. We wish especially to draw public attention to this fact. The whole business has been mismanaged by the Stafford Government, whose chief now turns round and, as a sort of cloak for his own criminal indifference, — a cloak, however which will not avail him in the hour of reckoning, — says that the press of Wanganui is Vile, and the people of Wanganui are apathetic. We are uot careful to defend the press from Mr Stafford's attacks, but we are concerned to repel bis accusation against the people of Wanganui. The defence is not of our seeking. We would rather not have gone into it, but the truth must be told. , The people (speaking of them in the mass: of course there are selfish and silly people here as elsewhere) are not apathetic in the sense Mr Stafford means to say they are apathetic, but they do decline most persistently to be snubbed and insulted by au official of his — liberally paid out of public funds to perform a publio duty in a way acceptable to the public. It would almost seem, in view of putting Wanganui into a state of defence, that Mr Stafford's only question was the same as that of Dogberry: " Who think you the most desertless man to be constable ? " And the response addressed to a certain gentleman has been — " You are thought here to be the most senseless and fit man for tbe constable of the watch." On that point, with only such exceptions as confirm tbe rule, the public are unanimous and there is an end. Tbe settlers in the Middle Island are therefore to understand, if they have been in any way misled about apathy in Wanganui, that any such feeling which may exist has arisen from official mismanagement of the militia and the Government know it is so. They know too the public feeling in regard to the Defence Minister. Colonel Haul tain is only politically knowu, so far as weare aware, for deliberately giving a pledge to his constituents at Otahuhu, and as deliberately breaking it at Wellington; and the question (we had almost called it the conundrum) which Mr Stafford has set the colonists to answer is this — Why should Colonel Haultain be Defence Minister ? What gift or grace does he possess that the lives and properties of tbe public should be committed to his care, or want of care ? Beyond causing one outpost after another to be evacuated, he does not know how to plan or act, and (more damning accusation still) he does not seem to care. If in this latter charge we do him wrong, we shall be very sorry, but judging by all that he has said and done in these districts, he appears to be as heartless as he is helpless. A meeting of the inhabitants was held in the Odd Fellows' Hall, on Thursday evening, Nov. 19, for the purpose of taking into consideration what steps were necessary for putting the town into a state of defence. There was a large attendance. The following resolutions, after some discussion, were agreed to :— 1 . That in consequence of the enemy having advanced into the settled districts, and there being at present nothing to prevent him from committing his depredations in tbe town, it is absolutely necessary that immediate steps be taken to place Wanganui in a position of defence. 2. That 120 men form themselves into a committee for the defence of the town of Wanganui ; and that a sub-committee of management be appointed to carry out such plans as may be adapted. The following, also from the Chronicle, gives the latest authentic news from the front :—- ----' Nothing of the slightest consequence has taken place at the Front since our last publication, but a movement likely to have an important bearing upon future operations, we understand, is in process of being carried out. The Governor' 3 Contingent, that is, the fresh levy of Natives now proposed, is to be put under the charge of Colonel M'Donnell ; tbe original number of 100 to be quadrupled, if possible ; and to take the field in a different direction from, or in a direction which will not interfere with, the force under Col Whitmore. In present circumstances and under such a system, we presume, few will interpose those scruples which are apt to arise on the employment of a Native force, and many will rejoice if the thing can be carried out and the new Contingent fairly take the field. The redoubt at WoodalFs is nearly finished.' Nov. 20, 5 p.m. John Handley's house observed to be burning. Fired no doubt by the rebels. The cavalry set out to the scene of conflagration, but the enemy had fled. There is quite a blank where Moore's house stood. There are a number of men shearing Moore and Curries sheep at their woolshed. The officer

commanding sends covering parties to protect and assist the settlers in this work. The Wanganui Times of Nov. 21, puts the following questions to Colonel Haultain : — Believing that the people of this town and surrounding districts, and the colony at large, have a right to know facts which so materially concern them, we put the following plain questions to Colonel Haultain, and expect a reply :— 1. Is it true that Dr Featherston, as Superintendent of this province, and with an earnest and anxious desire to arrest the ruin brought upon this town and surrounding districts, offered to arrest the further progress of Titokowaru's career, and compel him to retrace his steps by carrying the war back into his own villages, but that Mr Stafford and Colonel Haultain refused to arm him with authority to do so ? 2. Is it true that Dr Featherston offered to use his influence in raising a purely native force of 450 or 500 men ; with them, under Colonel M'Donnell, to re-occupy Waihi ; send out 250 or 300 of them daily to attack the now unprotected villages of Titokowaru and his people, and thus compel them to hasten back from these districts ? 3. Would it not be better to thus employ those natives who have lately been disbandedwith our arms and ammunition in their possession than to have them scattered throughout the districts as they now are ? 4. What object has the Government in view in refusing, or neglecting to avail itself of Dr Featherston's great influence over those natives, especially as that influence would speedily rid this town and surrounding districts of the ruin which now hangs over them, and which may continue to do so until the splendid country between this town and New Plymouth becomes desolate and without a European inhabitant ? We put these questions to the Hon. the Defence Minister in no carping or factious spirit, but with all the gravity and earnestness which the importance of the subject demands, and which a suffering people have a right to the fullest possible information upon. If by any agency, no matter what, the enemy can be compelled to retrace his steps, the people have a right to know why that agency has not been, — or why it should not now be, employed, and the expatriated settlers at once enabled to return to their respective homes. The same paper of the same date also publishes tbe following from Patea : — The p.s. Woodpecker returned from Patea early yesterday morning, bringing down a full cargo of private and public ; property of various kinds, also a few women and children. There are but three women now in Patea. The Force, consisting of about 170 men, all told, is located near Mr Booth's house, about a mile-and-a-half outside the town, which is deserted and unprotected. There is still in various stores a sufficient amount of private and public property to tempt the cupidity of such marauding plunderers as follow Titokowaru. Within the last few days the main body of his force recrossed the Waitotara river, apparently on its way from the Patea district, but his actual whereabouts, or the objects of his movements are matters totally unknown to the authorities, should Tito-kowaru with 250 or 300 men be tempted to plunder Patea we fear that Major Fraser's small force, now one mile and a half from the town, would be totally unable to protect it. A gentleman who came down by the Woodpecker gives us the following particulars :— ■ " Left Patea at midnight on Thursday ; all quiet when he left. Fires had been seen near Gentle Annie, over Kakaramea, but the natives there were not supposed to be iv large force. The few civilians remaining in the township have established a night patrol of six men. The hospital, which was in an unprotected part of the town, has been removed to the camp near Mr Booth's. Some of the men of the force (Captain Smith's company) had become insubordinate, performing acts bordering on open mutiny. One of the ringleaders was tried and flogged — he received twenty-five lashes under the " Mutiny Act "—which had the effect of preventing what might lead to serious results in the present crisis of affairs. On the other hand the men appear to have just grounds of complaint. They say tbat their time of service has expired; but, the authorities maintain that although enlisted for three months only, yet there is a clause in the agreement which adds — "or until legally, discharged. The men argue that by the enforcemtnt of that clause which few or none of them took notice of at the time of enlisting, they might be compelled to serve for the term of their natural lives, whilst, on the other hand, the Government reserves to itself the power of summarily discharging any one or the whole of them at any moment it may suit their convenience. The insubordinate men were disarmed and located in tbe right flank redoubt for one night without arms. Next day a court martial was held, composed of Captain Gilling (President) and Lieutenant Hunter and Sub -Inspector Withers, members. The men who refused duty were paraded and asked one by one if they would return to duty. All consented to do so except one man, named Pederick, who was tried and sentenced to receive 25 lashes, which sentence was confirmed hy Major Fraser and carried out. The next day (Tuesday) the men were inspected by the Doctor, their arms returned to them, and they resumed duty as usual. The native Honi Pihama reports that three stores at Waihi are still standing — Messrs Rolfe's, Peat's, and Beamish's.