TARANAKI.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVI, Issue 1693, 13 December 1861, Page 5

TARANAKI.

By the way of Nelson, we have received Taranaki papers Up to the 7th iust, but they are barren of interest. How to get rid of the thistles, which have now become a perfect nitisauoe, was the absorbing topic engrossing public attention. We extract the followiug from the Herald of the 7th Deo. : — " The master of the cutter Thistle states (on what authority we do not kaow) that on the arrival of the schooner Matilda at Kawhia, the King natives at that port boarded her, demanding harboui dues and duties on her cargo. She escaped these demands by moving over to another part of the harbour while tbe natives were mustering in force to compel tho captain to pay them. [from our own correspondent.] Taranaki, Dec. 9, 1861. At last so far as the white population is concerned energetic steps are being taken towards Eradicating the thistle the vastincrease of which since the war I have often before had occasion to remark on. But without tbe co-operation of the natives temporary good can aloneresult from the present endeavors. Id the possession of the Natives are thousands of acres thickly covered with thistles the seeds from which will spread eveiy where. The prospect before us is indeed very gloomy the most ardent can barely perceive tbe slightest speck of light upon which to ground a hope for thefntuie. Suppose it should be in our power to refence our lands, from whence is the stock to come that will again supply our dairy's. The Editor of the Taranaki Neivs sadly maligns us, he states " That the means taken for checking the rapid increase of thistles in this Proviuce, appears to create some dissatisfaction amongst our militia and volunteers from which it would appear to one not interested, that the above force though most ready at all times to receive both pay and rations for themselves and families are not equally ready when called upon to make an adequate return in the shape of t labour." I was rather surprised to see remarks of this kind sent forth to the world by an old settler uuattended with explanation, he at least ought to have understood the feelings that caused the murmurings— they were not grounded on Indolence but on an honest English pride. The same pride and love of independence which has caused men to leave, their homes in England for the wilds of a far off country and there amidst the forest and wilderness raise around them the comforts and elegancies of life. It is galling to men of this class who have struggled upwards for nearly twenty year?, to be marched up the street to labour on the hills in charge of an officer. Sergeant aud corporal almost boys in years and holding in all probability a lower grade in the social scale, and on their march to be threatened for the slightest military impropriety with the guard room, whilst tneir ears ever and anon are awakened wiih an eyes right

ff| or eyes left; the natives, may be standing on the foot path, jeeringly calling out in Maori, d " slaves go and work for your food." Such treatment will cause the question to i arise, is it for this we have left our native land, j and by individual labuv bestowed ou this disi trict, giren it a value which it had not before. ; What can be the intentions of the authorities that they are thus, by this military humbug i endeavouring to press out of us at the eleventh hour the little of self reliance still remaining., i Was all this parade required when the maori ; was nightly expected to attack the town? No, I'll say! and yet such was the confidence of the commanding officers in the Taranaki settlers that they have always been placed in charge of the outermost posts. The published records of our killed and wounded bear evidence as to the part taken by, us through tbe time of danger. Depend upon it however much volunteerism may be spoken of, England is not the country to carry it out, her army system is so entangled with routine, that to be a good soldier a man must have no ideas beyond a perfect faith in the too often half digested regulations and laws issued by tbe Horse Guard?, I do trust that tbe " thistle" questi jn as heretofore will be left in the hands of our Superintendent who I have not the slightest doubt will find hearty co-operation in his fellow settlers towards bringing about any public good. W. I. G.