TARANAKI.

Wellington Independent, Volume XIX, Issue 2052, 23 April 1864, Page 3

TARANAKI.

The steamer Wonga Wonga, from Taranaki via Wanganui, arrived in -this harbour on Friday morning last, bringing intelligence from the former place up to the 20th inst. A military expedition had been organised and despatched to the South ; every available man having been pressed into the service. They had arrived at Kaitake, the scene of the last encounter, but had not fallen in with any of the rebels. The Steamer Susannah Outhbert, Captain Dixon, hadjinstructions from the Government to call at a certain places on the coast, so as to attract the attention ofthe maories.

By the Wonga Wonga, we have the Taranaki Herald, of the 16lh inst., from which we make the following extracts :—

VISIT OF MB GIIXIES XO TABANAKI,

The long expected visit of a member of the General Government to Taranaki has at lust been made, and we hope the results, when known, may prove as satisfactory to the people of tbis place, and as beneficial to tbe public service as was expected. As far as we can learn however, Mr Gillies has not done very much since be has been here, but do doubt he has obtained information which was a necessary preliminary to action. It was no doubt this information that the Government 1 aye waited for so patiently, and something will have been gained if tbey have learned at last that there are matters here of importance requiring immediate attendance. They were told this hefore repeatedly, but theywanleditonunimpeachable authority, and therefore waited till they could ascertain it for themselves.

First of all there is the question of roads. It is a great pity the Government did not know sooner that they would want roads here ; it is a little surprising too, for the fact seems to have been rather an obvious one ; now, the summer is over, but the roads are still to make. Mr Gillies informed a deputation of the Provincial Council which waited on hira yesterday that " he found the expenditure" (on the bits of road which have been begun) " wasteful and extravagant — and as soon as possible the whole system will be remodelled"— not only remodelled we should hope, but extended. The road making here should be done under a system which takes in the whole of the military roads to be made in tbis island.

One satisfactory thing which Mr Gillies told the deputation was tbat the Government would consider forthwith the recommendation of Colonel Wane to build a line of Block-houses, round the town (two of which are already agreed to), at a distance of about three miles. This will be a great thing gained if we can safely occupy even so much of our land as this line will include. Another good thing is, that it is to be in the discretion of the commanding officer lo relieve married man temporarily from militia duty, striking them ot couise, off pay and rations ; but not as yet iv any great numbers.

A commissioner is to be appointed as soon as possible to enquire into and wind up the compensation claims, so that there is a possibility of getting the money, or as much of it as we may be thought to deserve, before the next meeting ofthe General Assembly. Mr Gillies has consented to increase the pay of the Bushrangers to 3s 6d a day with two extra pairs of boots in the year, but the Government will not grant land to any but military settlers. Any Taranaki settler, therefore, who wishes to enrol himself can do so, his three years counting from the day he joins — the past three or four years' service we suppose are sufficiently recompensed -by. the half-crown a day and the pleasure of having served one's country so long. Other questions are to be referre d to the whole Ministry. MILITABT. On Monday last, a force of about 250 men, nnder Major Butler (consisting of a party of the 57th and the Bushrangers), went down to Ahuahu to seek for the body of the missing man. The 57th advanced up tbe road from Hauranga, the Bushrangers going across country from Wairau, but theiv search was unsuccessful. The only thing found was a rifle belonging to Sergeant Bentley (?) which he had to throw away when wounded. It is something to have saved' this from the natives, who by this lamentable affair, have already got several besides a good deal of ammunition. When the search had been given up, the 57th proceeded to destroy some crops of raai_e, ft:c., which had beeu discovered, the Bushrangers at the SBtne time going up the hill to where the pa (Ahuahu) had stood. After being here some little time, 'the latter were about starting to explore in the direction of what looked something like a clearing in the bush at the top of the range, when they were recalled, as aheavy rain had setin,andtherewas still 13 or 14 miles to be got over before reaching towu. The force therefore returned. As the missing body bas not been found tbere is little doubt that it must have been carried off by the Maoris ; if this has really been done there is too much reason to fear that it has been with the object of perpetrating some further savage rites, butof this probably we shall hear more wben we get their own account of of the all iii" by way of Wanganui. It is not known where these natives now are, whether they have retired down the coast, or are, as is thought more probable by those who know them, still ut the far end of the range inland of To Tutu ; if in the latter neighbourhood it would not take very long to discover them though the country is difficult. If we are to go on here with such force as we bave, it is, as we said last week, of the utmost importance that something should be done at once to lessen the confidence of the natives, elated as they no doubt are by their recent success, the savage and unmistakeable tokens of which are sure to gain them allies before long. We have had three months of almost, unexampled iine weaker — the swamps aye as dry and the rivers are as low probably as they have heed for manj years : but the winter is at hand, and a week s rainy weather, which may be expected any time will do mi-re towards fortifying the country of the Taranakis than ihey themselves could do in a year. If, bowevev, the report is true that General Cameron is coming down here shortly with as many men as he can briug to deal with Ngatiruanui and Taranaki in the same thorough way as he has dealt with Waikato the case is no doubt, altered. We trust the report may be (true. It does not do to lin_er over the busi-

ness of conquering— to make the teaching im* pressive the lessons should follow each other with little intervals and besides, the last ne-AS from Europe showed that England may soon want all her troops: thcreforerfor all reasous, wbat has to be done should be done quickly. We have not referred to Mataitawa in the above, because, we siill believe, as we hare more than once hinted, that' that place would long since have been taken if unseen influences from Government House had not been at work to prevent it. We should think, however, that this state of things will not be allowed to last much longer after the Ministry are aware of it. Captain Atkinson, of No. 2 company T.V.R., has been promoted to the rank of Major "for distinguished services in lhe field." This appointment will give general satisfaction, except perhaps to the members of 'lis late company, who are very lolh to lose him. He will still continue we believe to conduct the Bushranging as hitherto.

It is with great reluctance that we notice a case, most discreditable in different ways to all parties concerned, which occurred in the Besident Magistrate's Court yesterday. Mr H. Morrison and Lieutenant Hussey were brought up before J. Flight, Esq., Resident Magistrate, charged with assaulting Creed, a native policemau. The case against Lieutenaut Hussey was dismissed, hut Mr Morrison, baring pleaded guilty, was sentenced to two months imprisonment with hard labor. The assault was committed at the honse of a native notoriously a house of ill fame. This native, it was stated, had requested Creed who lives near to interfere and send Mr Morrison away. The latter refused to go, and when taken hold of by Creed knocked hira down ; a short scuffle ensued, Creed getting the better of it in the end being tbo more powerful man, when they were separated. What we wish lo call attention to is what took place in the Resident Magistrate's Court. When called upon to plead Mr Morrison acknowledged the assault, but urged extenuating, circumstances in the shape of provocation, but the Resident Magistrate "considering the critical state of our relations with the natives, aud to shew them that there was one. law for both races," without hearing any evidence, not even the statement of the prosecutor, sentenced tbe defendant to the extreme penalty of the Jaw. Now it must be remembered that with the disreputable features of the case—the immorality of the course which led to the assault— the Resident Magistrate had nothing to do. He is appointed to try offences against English, not moral law, and the question therefore is reduced to Ibis : — First, was the assault, simply as an assault, of the most aggravated, brutal, and unprovoked description, to merit the highest peualty that could be inflicted ? and, second, if it was, how did tbe Magistrate know it witbout hearing the evidence? It raises a most unwholesome and daugerous sympathy with offenders against the law when its penalties are so overstrained as to shock the popular notions of justice. Another serious question remains to be asked — how it is tbat such a place as we bave spoken of is allowed to exist in the town ? Wbat are our policemen and magistrates about? On the present occasion the policemau seems to have beeu acting with rather than against the keeper of tbe place. Surely this is a scandal that should be removed.