WELLINGTON AND THE WAR.

Wellington Independent, Volume XIV, Issue 1442, 31 July 1860, Page 5

WELLINGTON AND THE WAR.

We are happy to report that the war is still confined to Tarauaki, and that during the past month onr province has been remarkably quiet At Wangamii, the West Coast, Hutt and Wairarapa, the natives continue on the same terms as they have always done ; fear and suspicion alone magnifying" otherwise trivial cir. oumstances into grounds of alarm. While, however, we thus congratulate the province un its position, wo dare not shut our eyes lo the danger which the conduct of u (fairs

|at Taranaki threatens us with. The natural eff..ct of the news from thence is to depress the settlers and elate the natives. The former cannot but feel that if the outbreaks, to which all the provinces in the northern Island are moie or less liable, are to be quelled under the command of Colonel Gold, or military officers like him, general ruin must result wherever such outbreaks occur. The latter, also, naturally , feerconsiderably elated as they learn that their ! fellow country, .men at Taranaki are able to hold their own against a British force of more i than double their number. That there has has been an absence of all outward nianifestatim of this feeling we attribute entirely to the prevalence of influenza, which has completely prostrated the natives in this district. Numbers are lyiug at the various pas in a state of utter helplessness and in some cases of destitution. Under such circu nstances it would be strange were they anything else than quiet. But every day renders our position the more critical, and alls for the utmost prudeuce on the part of the settlers and authorities. The natives are still as peaceably disposed as ever they were ; but, thanks to Colonel Gold, they have less fear thiin they had. There is no cause for an outbreak here — the re.»l danger lies not in a.iy general ill feeling between the two races, but in some casual dispute between hot-bloods leading to blows and involving the community — ,md this may occur any day. The Wait am pa and Ocaki nutires have not yet hoisted the Maori Ki'i,» flig; having determined to wait smother mouth, for the return of the chiefs who have gone to the conference at Auckland.

The stocki/le at the tfutt Bridge is now being erected. It is to be a square of 93 feet, with walls of 9 feat, and budloi proof to 6 feet. It will contain a bJockWii.is and magazine. The accepted leudertf*>i/£7'2'>. It lias been decided to erect-auother stookade at the Upper Hiitt, as soon as the appnral of tiie Auckland authorities are obtained.

In Wanganui the militia his been called out, but no further drafts of Militia have beeu called out in Wellington, and a portion of the officers have received their discharge. Nearly 200 rifles have been received during the past month, and nearly the same number have also reached Wanganui. The Militia and Volunteer Corps have not beaa very actively drilled for some weeks, in consequence of the stormy weather. A rifle corps tins however been formed in both the Upper and Lower Hutt, both of which promise to be very useful. In No. 1. Corps (Lower Hutt) the following election of officers has taken place. Mr. Hugh Cleland, Captain, Mr Edward Brathwaite, Ist .Lieut.; Mr Thomas Mills, 2nd Lieut. ; Mr. Humphries, Ist Serjeant ; Mr. D ownie, 2ad Serjeant; Mr Hurry Braithwaite, 3rd Serjeant. On the sth July, a meeting was held in Wellington to agit.Ue placing Militia-men, Sec, on the same footing as discharged soldiers, with regard to free grants of land. A resolution was also passed calling on the Governor for an efficient supply of arms, it being stated that there were only about 20 ia store. The meeting did much good by giving prominence to the lamentable deficiency iv the supply of arms with which we are provided, aud the moderate counsels we have advocated are seen to be the only ones which even mere regard fjr our own safety should dictate, while we remain in our present utterly defenceless state.