THE WAR AND MILITARY LIFE IN NEW ZEALAND.

Wellington Independent, Volume XX, Issue 2216, 8 June 1865, Page 3

THE WAR AND MILITARY LIFE IN NEW ZEALAND.

Thk following amusing extract from a letter written by an officer of her Majesty's forces in Auckland is given in the United Service Gazette of March 18th :— "I told you in my last letter that the natives had until the 10th December to consider whether tliey would give in or not, when if they did not the war woidd recommence with renewed vigor. All this has been knocked on the head by Sir George Grey, who, on William Thompson's ' (the native fighting chief) application has allowed the natives until the end of February. All that they wan! is time to get in thoir crops and provision's and to recruit their forces from the non-combatant (vibes. The- Governor does not seem to see this. He is oil her over-confident or is so fond of the Maoris that he becomes wilfully blind. When the time expires you will find that Mr William Thompson, Rewi, Wircmu Kingi, and the other native swells in tho hostile ranks will laugh, and call the Governor an old woman. There is a very great sfir in the Raw Zealand colony just now. They are going to remove (he seat of Government from Auckland to Wellington, which is an awful sell for (he Auckland people, as (hey calculated having all the profits of the war to' themselves. Serve them right ; they are the most extortionate and uncivil lot of swindlerd undei the sun. You never get anything good here ; everything you get is fearfully expensive, and is either the refuse of thc^English or Australian markets. As for tailors' goods, you have only to go out in a shower of rain in a new suit and you will find the legs of your trousers up to your knees, and your arms much 'further your sleeves than is fashionable even in Whiteehapel. Your coat also becomes suddenly transformed into a sort of half-bred jacket, with the waist on your shoulders. We have all given up the idea of getting any more clothes in this colony, as it ia most unprofitable and much too expensive. Most, of our fellows get their things out from home, and certainly it is the cheapest and most economical way, for they lust twice the time and cost about half the money. "The sooner they' move us out of this (own the better it will be for our pockets. It is fearfully expensive now. Since I was here last there has been a great change in (lie place. There are now two theatres, one docs the legitimate drama, and the other is an opera. We have to patronise them alternately. The amount of subscription that we have to subscribe to is something awful, not only colonial, but we get a lot from home sent out, which is a great shame. Races also add to our expenses in the shape of plates, &c. But what runs up these sort of thing* is that every now and (hen a host of fellows get leave from the front, full of money, and when they come in there arc all manners of things, balls, etc, towards which we are expected to subscribe. Our messes are also expensive, as we have to entertain them when they come into town. " We have just now received worse news than ever, to the effect that our lodging-money is to be stopped after the Ist of January. It will be an awful shame if they do so. " We have had rather hard work here lately in the shape of reviews for the presentation of Victorian Crosses, of which art icle there appears to be ii plentiful supply at a very cheap rate. Some facetious, person the other 'dny announced that there was a case full of them coming out with the next annual supply of clothing, and those that are not, distributed would be rallied for at a publichouse. " We have had several balls lately at Government House. They were very much crowded, u-ith al! sorts, from ex-convicts 'up to the General, the former having many more pretensions than the latter. Horse, foot, and dragoons were there in great force, also marines ami sailors. L should like you to see the colonial ladies here ; they are entirely spoilt. They cannot carry their heads high enough ; it would do (hem sill (he good in I lie world to wear a martingale for a few months, to teach them, to keep their heads in the proper place. J cople with whom you would not be seen speaking at home are here the .swells of the place, and think twice before they speak to you. "We have had very queer weather here, one one day being very hot, and the next day pouring with ram. I wish that I could sketch, for then I would send you a picture of tent life on a rainy day, but if you can picture to yourself an individual awfully wet, silting on the bed clothes, all bundled up in a heap on the bedstead with an oilhkm coat and an umbrella over his head. On the iloor two small dogs may be seen sitting in large puddles, looking very miserable. 1 did°not like tins sort of fun at first, but now 1 can sleep wet or dry without any trouble, and thanks to a good constitution I never take any harm from tho experiment. When the rain leaves ofF out comes the flics, and then you are almost carried off bodily through tho ventilators of the tent by the brutes, which for perseverance in annoying you beat everything that I know of."