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Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 4, Issue 187, 19 April 1860, Page 3

In our last, the journal of events at Taranaki was brought up to Tuesday,, the 3rd inst This journal is continued to-day up to the 6th inst.;. and news has-come by the Airedale, via Nelson, up to Wednesday the 11th inst. Up to that time no vessel had arrived with reinforcements, and no. movement had been made on either side Wirernu King! remains at his pa in the bush, and the southern tribes engaged at Waireka had retired inland.. It is said that the natives are suing for peace. Lieut Blake and the other wounded seamen were so far recovered as to be able to go along with their comrades, who returned, to Manakau with the Niger on the 7th inst. The Airedale brought over to Nelson othor 68 women and children from Taranaki, making now a total of 418; and as there- are above 300 more expected to leave, there will he a difficulty in affording them all accommodation at Nelson. A meetiug has been held at Auckland to offer the sufferers at Taranaki whatever aid might be possible, and a Comr mittee of ways and means was appointed. We have news from Auckland to the 7th inst. Considerable excitement has been occasioned there by false rumours regarding the Waikatos being about to attack the place. The assistant Native Secretary, accompanied by the interpreter, Mr. John White, Bishop Selwyn, and the Rev. T. Buddie, who was for several years stationed among the Waikatos, had gone to Waipa, to lay before the tribes in that neighbourhood a proper statement of the whole affair, and so to counteract the influence of Wirernu Kingi’s messengers, who have in vain endeavoured, to obtain King Potatau’s concurrence in his proceedings. In reference to these matters, the Governor informs the Superintendent at Auckland, in a letter of the 6th inst.—“ /ncorrect accounts of the difference between the Government and Wm, King have been industriously spread in the Waikato districts, and some part of the Maori population in these-districts are at this moment considerably excited at what they consider an aggression on tike part of the Europeans. “ A gentleman from the Native office has been sent to the Waikatos to correct these misrepresentations, and I have every reason to believe that he will succeed in satisfying the chiefs and most influential portion of the M aories that they have been misinformed'. “ It may also be satisfactory to you to know that every military precaution has been adopted which could be taken if danger really existed, and I have pleasure in assuring you, that the town and district of Auckland is perfectly secure against any attack which could be made by the largest force the Maories could bring into the field.”

7*he force in existence for this purpose is considerable. There are in the district about 300 volunteer about 750 militia, a yeomanry cavalry corps expected soon to amount to 350—0 r about 1400 men, beside the Elk and her men in Auckland harbour, with a volunteer coast guard service of about 60 men, and the Niger with her men at Manakau, where also the Government proposes to place two gunboats under the orders of Capt. Cracroft. In addition, the Iris from Sydney will lie in Auckland harbour.

Beside the Iris, the Pelorus, a very powerful steam corvette, and the Cordelia, a screw steam sloop of eleven guns, are expected from /Sydney with troops. These vessels must, if not arrived at Taranaki, be within a very short distance, as the Lord Ashley, by which the request for assistance was sent, should have been at Sydney by the 3rd inst., and Sir Win. Denison was to have all preparations made for starting at a moment’s notice. .It i 3 also possible that the Victorian sloop Of war “ Victoria” may come over. It is said that an additional regiment has been urgently demanded from home. The “ Nugget,” a large ship of above 1000 tons register, is on her way, with 207 men of the Engineers and 65th. It is expected that the Cordelia, after she has landed the troops, will be employed in maintaining communication between Taranaki and Manakau, and that the Pelorus will; proceed to Wellington. At Wellington a meeting was held on Tuesday last week of the natiae chiefs in the neighbourhood and the magistrates. The expressions of friendship and good will on the part of the former could not have been more cordial. The militia at the Hutt were called out for active duty in the Hutt. A Tahitian at the Hutt has been- apprehended, and committed to take his trial before the Supreme Court in June next, for pretending that E Puni and other Maories had conspired to levy war against her Majesty,, The evidence. adduced has proved the statement to be false. A volunteer rifle corps is in course of formation at Wellington, and a cavalry corps is about to he embodied. Instructions have been received by Major Trafford—“ to reorganize the Militia upon a basis that shall interfere as jittle as possible with the ordinary avocations of the settlers.”

At Wairarapa all is quigt. . Alarming rumours are circulated there as elsewhere, and the natives are more frightened than the settlers, who have been advised to pursue their usual callings. A meeting was held at Otaki on the 30th March, of which Tamihana T. Rauperaha reports,—“ The purport of the meeting was, that we should agree to bow to the Queen of England and also of New Zealand, and leave Ngatiawa at Taranaki to work out their own affairs.” He adds,—“ Do not listen to the idle reports of bad natives or Europeans. Do not think, that a disturbance is being, plotted ; no, there is no ill feeling.”