AUCKLAND.

Wellington Independent, 12 April 1845, Page 3

AUCKLAND.

The Southern Cross of the 22nd March, .contains a letter from Lieut. Geo. Phillpotts, who is commanding H. -M. S. Hazard, during the illness of the commander, highly complimentary to Captain M'Keever, of the U. S..S. St. Louis, towards whom there was an unfavourable feeling, under the impression that he had failed to afford assistance which he had led the settlers at the Bay of Islands to expext would be furnished should necessity demand it. We confess we cannot understand Lieutenant Phillpotts'reference to international law. The contest at the Bay of IslandsHyas not a war between two independent natiojis, but the rebellion of a section of the commtiqjitjrl against the Government; and to have aTk-e'd or accepted the aid from.another nation would not have been calling upon it to side with one party as against a country with which they were upon friendly terms. We are under the opinion that international laws does permit a Government keeping itself in the saddle ,by the power and credit it can obtain, and that was all Captain Fitzroy would have been trying to do had he made an application for

aid from the American man:pf..war. Sure we are that, had that aid been sought and granted, it would have been mutually beneficial to the Natives and to the European population. . There are letters from Lieut. Bhillpot ts in the Auckland 1 imes, of the 25th March, addressed to the Right Rev. Lord Bishop of New Zealand, and Mr. Beckham, complimenting them on iheir conduct at and after the assault upon the Bay of Islands 'on the 11th March. There is an advertisement in the Southern Cross, asking " what have the working classes of New Zealand done, that they should be denied the national advantages and privileges of a Savings' Bank. It is sad to think of the total neglect the best iuterests of the settlers has experienced, at the hands of the Government, during the five years and upwards that New Zealand has been a British Colony. We believe it to be utterly unexampled in British Colonial History. Mr. John Moore, printer and proprietor of the Auckland Chronicle, has closed his establishment, and has left the colony, declaring that he had done in consequence of haying lost all hope in New Zealand, after the passed and the policy to be expected in future to be pursued by his Excellency Captain Fitzroy. Ninety-five passengers left Auckland for i Sydney in the barque Slams Castle, Captain Dawson. Several vessels were laid on for Sydney, and it was said would sail soon with a great many passengers. We hope this may not prove true. We are certain the emigrants will regret, before long, acting under the feeling of fear. On the 22nd March, the lady pf his Excellsncy the Governor, was confined of a daughter We are happy to find by the Auckland papers, that the mother and little one were doing well. H. M. S. Hazard,, March 15, 1845. Sir, —I have the honor to report that between the hours of 4 and 5 o'clock on the morning of the 11th instant, Capt. Robertson H. M.S. Hazard, with about 45 seamen and marines, proceeded from their quarters on shore, for the night at Kororarika, Bay of Islauds, to a hill on the right of the road leading to Matavia Bay, commanding the town, for the purpose of throwing up an entrenchment] the morning was thick and hazy. On their departure I proceeded to the Barracks to turn out the detachment, by way of precaution, not having at the same time any reason to suspect a movement on the part of the natives towards the town. Captain Robertson had arrived on, the hill, when they were attacked by about 200 natives. The detachment having slept armed and accoutred; arm% loaded, formed immediately in frojsitiof ~tl*a Barracks,when Mr. Mowbrayand Mr. Spain R."N. came to me and begged of me not to fire on the party in front, which I was about to do, as they had been cut off from their party, and then knew not which the seamen or the natives were nearest to us. I then immeditely commenced firing in extended order on parties of natives who made their appearance, scattered on the hill to the left of the barracks towards Onoro beach, and checked their advance on the barracks; we were also fired upon from the rising ground behind the barracks. On looking round, I was first aware that the natives had taking possession of the block-house oa Flag-staff hill. At the time I received a message from Lieut. Morgan, R.N., informing me that a party of natives were at the church, at the back of the town; I advanced in extended order to dislodge them, firing in our way upon natives who appeared amongst the houses in our front. I then learnt, I forget from whom, that the seamen had nearly expended their ammunition, and turned back towards the beach to join them, when they appeared at some distance from the beach, on their way to the stockade (Mr. Pclack's house,) advancing towards us, having effectually driven back the natives, who I observed retiring down the road to Matavia Bay, I then moved on to the lower blockhouse which commands the stockade, which the seamen soon took possession of, and in which were the town's people and the women and children; I found Ensign Campbell and his party in the blockhouse, checking the advance of the body of natives who were in possession of Flag-staff hill and the gullies between the upper and lower block, houses ; I did not enter the block house then or afterwards ; I remained outside on a platform in front, where the seamen from the Hazard were working two ship guns, assisted by — Hector, Esq., and two of the town's people (old soldiers I believe ;) my party commenced firing, there was room for no more on the platform, they fired from the sloping ground on each side of the block-house towards the rear of the building, also on the natives on the adjoining hill behind Mr. Beekham's house, this hill is deeply covered with brushwood, a very sharp fire was kept up by the natives, and was well and effectually returned by us, this continued all the morning—two or three of the seamen joined us; a party of my detachment also assisted Mr. Campbell in the block-house, as many as had room, the remainder were in the stockade with the seamen and town's people, commanded by Lieut. Phillpotts, R.N. After a considerable time, I went down to the stockade to get ammunition, for the' ship guns, aad left Ensign Campbell in charge. The natives soon after ceased firing, nor was it afterwards renewed, it had lasted for some hours. Immediately after the first attack oa Captain Robertson's party, in the morning, the natives on that side of the town retired in a body from the town towards Matavia Bay, carrying off their dead and wounded. The body of natives who had surprised and taken the block-house on Flag-staff hill, were the assailants of the lower block-house, held by the military; the stockade (Mr. Polack's house) was at no time attacked or threatened, the lower block-house commanded it, and prevented -Buch an attempt/ A party of seven or eight of the

town's people from the stockade skirmished with the natives on the hill to the left of the blockhouse ; with the exception of this, the force in the stockade was not engaged during the day since the attack in which Captain Robertson was wounded at,day-break. "■'•■■■ Immediately on my arrival at the stockade to obtain ammunition* I suggested to Capt. Robertson the urgent necessity of sending the women and children ou board.the ships in the harbour, seeing Mr. Polock's house and cellars were crowded with them, shortly after the.y got on board, the magazine, which wa=. in the same house, .blew up ; the building was completely destroyed, tia'ae qf the soldiers or seamen wece injured ; Lieut. Morgan, R.N., received a slight wound in the face from a splinter; whether the explosion occurred by accident, or was the work of an incendiary, remains unknown. A council was held on board H. M. S. Hazard, when it was agreed to evacuate the town, which was done, the town's people embarking first; the party of military in the block-house, were the last to embark. During- the embarkation, the natives surrounded the heights commanding the town, but without making any movement occasionally a random shot was fired; during the evening a few the of town's people, who were I believe, most popular with the natives, were employed in bringing off portions of their property. In the afternoon of the following day, the natives burnt the town, with the exception of the Churches and the houses of the Missionaries, information was received that they intended attacking H. M. S. Hazard during the night; every preparation was accordingly made by Lieut. Philpotts, commanding; the attack was not made. I Next day the Hazard sailed for Auckland, in company with the United States corvette, Si. Louis,-the whale ship Matilda, &ni the Dolphin, schooner, having on board the inhabitants of the town. - --- Killed of the 96th Reg., at the block-house, Flag-staff hill, 4 privates, viz:—Private Millei, Giddens, Jackson, and Juson. . Wounded.—Private Burop, at the lower blockhouse, dangerously; private Welton, in the town, severely; private Gutledge, severely; private Scott, severely ; private Morris, severely. The conduct of the soldiers of the Regiment throughout the affair, was in every respect praiseworthy and honorable to themselves and the ■Regiment. It is with feelings of deep regret I have to report that the gallant, commander of H. M. S. Hazard, fell in the first attack, severely wounded. The serjeant of Marines, a private, and four seamen, were killed. Mr. Tapper, the signal man, was severely wounded, fighting bravely. j I would here notice the very gallant conduct of — Hector, Esq., and the two old soldiers beforementioned, in assisting in working the guns in front of the lower block-house, yet but little execution was done with them, in consequence of the natives being so scattered, and lying con- : cealed in the brushwood. Mr. Hector's two boys also.behaved most gallantly in bringing up ammunition from the stockade during the heaviest •fire.;.. ; s '* .•■*>- .'-.-.' I have thetioaorto enclose a statement of the duties of the detachment on the 10th inst.; also Ensign Campbell's statement of the loss of the block-house on Flag-staff hill. 1 have the honor to be, Sir, Your obedient humble servant, JE. Barclay, Lieut. 96th Regt., Commanding Detachment. Lieut. Col. Hulm, Commanding Troops, New Zealand. I am of opinion that had the lower block-house, occupied by the Military, not been erected, the stockade in which the women and children had sought protection, must have been evacnated, as it was perfectly commanded by the hill on which the block-house stood; the houses to the left would also have afforded protection to the natives in attacking it. Great credit is due to — Watson, Esq., J. P., who first suggested the erection of the lower block-house, and superintended the execution of it. The body of natives who occupied the chain of hills on which the Flag-staff, and upper block-house stood, might have made a general rush, had they been so inclined, on the stockade, but were prevented from so doing, by our having possession of the block-house. E. Barclay, Lieut. 96th Reg.

Auckland, New Zealand, 16th March, 1845. Sir, —I have the honor to state,, for your information, that on the morning of the 11th instant, at Kororariki, Bay of Islands, I proceeded about 4 o'clock in the morning with a party of five men from the block-house where I was stationed, armed and carrying spades to dig a trench on the heights over the Oneroa beech. We had juat commenced digging when we heard firing at Matavia Bay, we immediately returned, and I remained with 8 or 9 men on the hill, overlooking the town, about 200 yards distance from the block-house at the Flag-staff, the remainder of them had got their arms, and were putting oh their belts on the outside of the ditch facing the town, when suddenly I heard an alarm, and some one called out that the natives were in the palasades, and that there was no one in the block-house. (I would here remark that the doorway is enclosed with patassides.) 1 immediately turned round and saw a number of natives rushing into the palasades and ditches, and opening fire on us, I then immediately opened on them, and before a second round could be fired, another party of natives advanced by the Tapiki road, with the intention of cutting us off from the lower blockhouse; I then was obliged, seeing a large body of natives in front and another close to our rear, to retire to the lower block-house, which I im mediately occupied, and checked the further advance of the native's; four of my "men were killed in - the - upper block-house, and one wounded in retiring. . ' I remained at. the lower block-house till Mr. Polack's house wjxs blown up, and the general retreat to the shipping took place. I have the honor to be; Sir, Your most obedient servant, J. Campbell, Ensign, 9b'th Reg. Tho Officer Commanding Troops, Auckland.