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with a gun, from which there was a good bit of firing, answered by a not very heavy fire from the natives. The 65th got into the bush twice, but were each time recalled. A small party of the 40th now advanced under cover of the guns to the bush on the left, which was unoccupied, and the natives being driven from the peach trees by the shells, they pushed across the road and advanced a short distance into the bush, where they were met by the enemy. There was now sharp firing both in the bush and at us in the open, for about a quarter of an hour, -- the bullets many of the evidently from rifles, were whistling over our heads quite thickly enough for our comfort ; but, fortunately, nor more casualties happened, except to sailor who was touched in the ear There was a good many mounted men riding about exposed to the fire : and it was a great wonder none of them or the bullocks were hit.
"After a short time, our men,not be supported, were fairly driven out of the bush by the natives, retiring so hurriedly that they even got behind two guns and a rocket tuba that had been advanced close up to the bush, leaving the gunners unsupported, but this was only for a few minutes.
"After this, the word "retire" was given with the idea, we hoped, of bringing the natives into the open. We soon found our our mistake, and our commander being of opinion that everything had been done which could be done, the order was given to return to Waitara at once. The natives as we retired came out and fired a volley, but did nothing further to molest us. The rear guard was formed by the volunteers, who have orders to fire the fern as they retired.
"From some unaccountable reason, nothing was served out, not even a drop of grog, till we got to camp at about two p.m., though everything was on the ground.
"Soon after reaching the camp, orders were given to return to town next day, and back we came accordingly.
" I have only further to state, in order to enable you to for a judgment as to the propriety of retiring with an army of 1500 men before two or three hundred naked savages, that, as far as I am aware, no reconnaissances were made to ascertain whether a road could be found to the pah further inland, avoiding the bush altogether, although many persons acquainted with the country assure me that, the bush in which the natives were lodged, and through which the direct road goes, was only a very narrow piece, with open country on every side, except the right, where there was another road l and secondly, that if a farther advance into an unknown country was thought imprudent, the ground near Kairo was clear not only of bush, but of fern, and offered every facility for an encampment from which further operations might have been completed at leisure. I can only suppose that we were scared by the terrors of the bush in front of us, to the extent of losing our reasoning faculties. It is the trees which fight the battles for the natives, and the very sight of a sapplejack insures us a whipping. A bit of standing bush is as sure a sign of disaster to our commanders in Taranaki as the moving forest to Macbeth.
"I need not say whether this affair has raised us in our own estimation, or that of the friendly natives who accompanied us.
"We returned to town dispirited, to our dreary and next to useless pickets and parades : and should be almost hopeless, if we did not remember how many wars the British have began badly and ended well."
(From another Correspondent.)
Taranaki, 14th September.
"Last Monday a grand expedition proceeded to Waitara against the rebel pahs, consisting of 1270 privates, and in all more than 1400 men. They took many guns from town, and were to procure more from Major Nelson at Waitara. The force halted at about eight miles distant, and on Tuesday morning, being joined by Major Nelson and the guns, one a 68 pounder, proceeded, accompanied by about 50 Taranaki Volunteer Rifles under Captain Stapp. They most gallantly stormed four empty pahs, and burnt them ; but on attempting to enter a road leading through some light bush, to another pah, some natives who had been previously observed to enter the bush, fired a volley upon the advanced guard of the 40th Regiment, wounding one man who fell, the Maories appearing to lie in force. To the shame of the English, it has to be recorded that the men of the 40th turned and fled in disorder, leaving their comrade behind them, whether alive of dead, they did not know, and did not stop till they had left three cannon {(posted in the rear) exposed, to be captured by the Maories, as there were only 15 men who remained with them. One of the officers, it is said,fell over a stump and lost his sword, and could not afford time to regain it. The "retire" was then sounded, and the whole force retreated, having been battled by 200 natives, who soon fired shots at them in derision from a distance. Commodore Loring, with a rocket-tube and six blue-jackets, was also left exposed by the flight of the 40th, and had to retire as best he might. The advanced guard were again directed to advance, and at least recover their comrades, but a second time retired in confusion, and a general retreat was ordered, some to Waitara, and the rest to their halting place of the night before, and next day reached town in safety. The general returned to town by the steamer from Waitara on Tuesday night.." When the 40th retired, it is said that it was intimated to the general that the 50 Taranaki Volunteers were ready to enter the bush and drive the Maories out ; but he said where he would not send soldiers he would not allow volunteers to go. So ended the great expedition of 1400 men against 200 Maories. Surely some different mode of, warfare must be adopted before we can hope to defeat the Maori. There have been terrible rows with the women and children about forcing them away from their homes, in fact, some of them, who were warned to go by the Airedale, are gone somewhere with their husbands'., guns, cannot be found. Captain King (militia) was put under arrest yesterday for refusing to head some soldiers to fetch the women out of the houses."
AUSTRALASIAN NEWS.
NEW SOUTH WALES. -The Governor-General opened parliament on the 25th ult., at which he delivered the usual speech, which speaks encouragingly of the condition of the colony as being in a more satisfactory state, although there has been a falling off in the revenue. It also urges upon the Parliament the propriety of making adequate provisions for the defences of the colony in case of war. The Governor-General refers in his speech to the increased production of gold within the colony : to the rapid extension of easy and certain means of internal communication, it being in contemplation to construct railways to Goulburn, Bathurst, and other places. His Excellency also refers to the progress which has been made in the continuation of telegraphic lines and the systematic improvement of the harbours. The news from Kiandra is much better than it has been for some time past, but is not such as should induce persons from a distance to visit that gold-field. The weather had been for some time very severe, and a great deal of distress was experienced on the diggings. There is no doubt that the stories which were circulated in the first instance were of the most exaggerated nature. Payable diggings have doubtless been discovered which will be, workable six months in the year; but there appears to have been no foundation for the reports which were so industriously spread in the first instance to the discountiture of many a poor digger.
TASMANIA.- The telegraph between Tasmania and Victoria is still inarticulate, and by all appearances likely to remain so. It appears it will take several thousand pounds to repair the injury to the cable ;and it is proposed by the Tasmanian legislature that the expense shall be divided between Tasmania and Victoria, but whether this will be assented to we are not in a position to say at present. The conduct of Mr. Justice Horne in connection with the will of the late Mr. Thomas Horne and the Gilles family, related by marriage to the deceased, has been severely criticised. The charge brought against Judge Horne arose out of a judgement that was given in the Supreme Court of Victoria by which it would appear that the learned gentleman use undue influence over his deceased brother, the late Mr. Thomas Horne, to induce him to leave his property, amounting to some £60,000 to various members of the family, himself included, depriving the Gilleses of a certain portion of it which had been left to them in a previous will. Mr. Justice Horne indignantly denied the impartations and has since been allowed to retire on a pension.
SOUTH AUSTRALIA. - Mr. Stuart who had proceeded on an expedition into the interior, had been compelled to return from shortness of provisions. The Volunteer movement in South Australia has been very successful. Sir Charles Cooper, the chief justice, has been appointed a member of the executive council, and in the case of any emergency will assume temporarily the reigns of government.
WESTERN AUSTRALIA. - There is very little news of any general interest from this colony. The subject of exploration is exciting some interest, and it is hoped that some outlet for the stock will be found to the eastward. The natives who have arrived from this direction have always reported the existence of fine country. A preliminary expedition had already started to test the matter.
NEW ZEALAND. - There is yet no favourable news to report from Taranaki, and there is no prospect of the war being brought to a speedy close. General Pratt does not appear to be more successful in quelling the insurrection that was his predecessor in command, Colonel Gold. Our latest date from New Plymouth is to the 14th of last month. A few days before that, 1400 of the British troops, commanded by General Pratt, proceeded to Waitara on an expedition against the rebel natives. On nearing a spot in that locality at which the rebels were supposed to be in force, three empty pahs were discovered and destroyed ; and on the men attempting to enter a road through some light bush leading to another pah, some natives who had previously been observed to enter the bush fired a volley upon the advanced guard of the 40th Regiment and one man was killed, and two slightly wounded. Several attempts were made to dislodge the natives from the bush, but they were unsuccessful. and after some time, the troops not being supported, were driven out of the bush by the natives. After this the word "retire" was given, in the hope of bringing the rebels into the open ground, but it proved unsuccessful, and the order was given to return to Waitara at once. The greater number of the wives and families of the settlers residing in the settlement of New Plymouth had taken refuge in Taranaki and had been subsequently removed for safety across the straits to Nelson. Many of the women refused to leave their husband, and had to be forced out of their houses, and on a recent occasion, when a vessel for Nelson was about to start, others hid themselves taking with them their husbands' guns, determined not to budge an inch. Great distress prevailed amongst the settlers in New Plymouth the majority having been deprived of their houses and property by the outrages of the natives. Captain Seymour, of H.M.S. Peloras who, it will be recollected, was shot in the leg in one of the first engagements with he Maories, has nearly recovered. The great disadvan-