The Express.
London, England, 1860-12-26 00:00:00

TES WAR IN NSW ZEALAND.

The following letter, received recently by a
gentleman of Ilympton from a relative residing iu the dis-
turbed district, gives a dark picture of the vexations lied
trials to which the inhabitants of Taranaki have been sub-
jected during the last six months. The enter says that
Taranaki being under military law, the newspapers pub-
lished there are under control, and cannot therefore speak
out as to the causes of the war us they
otherwise might be expected to do, and as some
of the piper in the other parts of the colony
do. " Thew, he continues, •se well as those of
Australia, speak boldly out, and condemn the mode and
manner in which our commanders deal with savage tribes ;
and I verily believe that they are afraid of the natives, as
they have allowed them to horn a number of houses ad-
joining the Town Belt, at the Shiner, about three-quarters
of a mile from our house, without any interference on the
part of the military authorities. Shame and dis,grace have
covered all their actions. The town, originally more than
500 acres, is now reduced by the circumscribed subtreoch-
meat to a space only of 40 acres, and in this space are located
the piriou—voltuiteen and militiamen, say 2,300, with the
inhabitants who have not left, comprising about 1,300 more,
making a total of 3,800.
" You -may imagine, in so small a compass, that it is
not so healthy as it used to be, and lam sorry to say that
disease is creepieg in fast, typhus fever having carried off
several ; how it will be as the summer comes on is hard to
say, particularly when the troops arrive from India and
elsewhere, to it is reported we are to have 3,000 more,
which will only be enough to barely conquer the savages
by whom we are surrounded. Only picture to your-
self not to be allowed, in fact it is dangerous,
to be half a mile from the entrenchments ; Coed
and Crawn having been murdered by the brutal
savages within that distance. It appears that not content
with shooting and killing, but they rush ou and use the
tomahawk with all the ferocity natural to savage tribes,
although they are called Christians by the missionaries,
who hays not implanted in them any real Christian or moral
virtues. I have seen quite enough of the missionaries to
disgust any one, and bow the British public can be gulled
as they are is a matter of astonishment. Unfortunately
our house is outside the trenches about 127 yarda, with
about twenty other houses within a tangs of 2,000 yards.
Had we been entrenched I could have made from 100/. to
1501. • year ; as it is, we stay and sleep in it, for the pur-
pose of trying to save it from ruin, it having cost me
upwards of 4001., which I am glad to say is paid
for, and should it. destruction be accomplished by the
natives, would cripple us completely, as you must suppose
that we do not earn so much as formerly. If we are
compelled to go to Nelson, where the government are
sending all the women and children, and also those who
are non-combatants, myself being disabled from serving in
the militia, it would be a severe trial under the small
pittance which they dole out, it being barely enough to
sustain nature. I should have mentioned that total ruin
and devastation of the country all around us has been
effected. Houses and homeateed burnt, cattle, sheep, and
everything being either destroyed or taken by the natives
and driven off to their homes

" Ruin ! ruin ! utter ruin ! to the settlement. Men
who counted upon their thousands are now reduced
to pauperism, and if the British government do not
open the purse liberally in compensating the sufferers,
en indelible disgrace on the British nation will lie the conse-
quence' as the war is not of the settlers' seeking, or by any
means cauaad by them. In oorroboration of this I would
wish you to read attentively the letter signed " Tyro" in
the Taranaki News, and which was republished iu the
same paper ; it gives a brief account of the origin of the
war. How it grieves me to sit down and think of the bar-
' bariticeperpetmted, houses bunted, stock destroyed, and
everything wearing the aspect of woe and desolation—it is
truly heartrending, and then, not knowiug how aeon these
same afflictions may be your own, it is a melancholy picture,
but I am sorry to say too true. This is war ! May the
Almighty in his goodness and merciful kindness be pleased
to order and direct a speedy cessation from the dire
calanuty under which we are suffering. Twelve mouths
since and what a change in this, I mar say dourishing and
then prosperous country ; it was really a place or provisos
that anyone might be proud of. I depend more on the
I British public than on the goveromeut for the means of
placing the settlers in sena, position to gain and earn a live-
Ithood, and hope that relief feuds will be set on foot in
England for that purpose. You will have seen by the
papers that a sanguinary affair took place near the Waiters
at Peiketakaguare, between the northern rebels and the
force underthe command of Major Nelson, the lose on our
sole being ;r2 killed and about the same number
wounded, since which the natives have SlC-
kiwwledged to the loss of 100 killed and 60
wounded. This officer (Major Nelson) is a most ener-
getic, clever, daring person, and it is to he regretted that
he has not the chief command ; he is worthy of the name
of the immortal naval hero, and ix always eu dio
annoying our enemies. A force, above 1,500 rank and
tile, under the command of Major-General Pratt, left
this ou Monday last, with the requisite number of large
guns, baggage, ammunition, Ile., and when engaged
with the natives at one of their strongholds near the
Wallin*, despatches were received by the major-general to
atop proceedings, as to the reason for which the public are
yet in the dark ; this is wane mom of the strange and un-
accountable designs of the government ; indeed, we blush
to belong to our own country. Defeated, obliged to
retire, and other procrastinations are weaning the settlers,
who have manfully struggled under their distressing cir-
°mustiness, and still would continue were there a pro.
tabUity of its coming to an mid, from their allegiance ;
and if unfortunately a war should ODellf between France
and Great Britain. the Australian colonies would be au
easy prey for the former, as they have en overwhelming
tome at New Caledonia, &c., in the South Seas, as
oomptred to the British force. Moreover, although the
French do not colonies like the English, they give
protection to their colonists. You will think me tiresome
no doubt, but too touch c.aanot be said on the subject for
every now and then, in the night u well as day, the
slain, trumpets wind, and every one is expected and re-
quired to be within the lines of trenches. Under these
encitiug and troublesome times, you must be aWIIT that

our sufferings are not easily dercrilexl, ard of course,
not iu our usual enjoyment of good health. I .6„:
anxiously wait to receive a letter from you, with IL:
opinion of the British public of our untoward
You must not give any credit to what the Bishop s
Zealand and the church party may say on the matter, h,
to them, and I am sorry to iry it, we my attribute our
perilous case, as they have encouraged the savage
glues in their hostility to the government and the settlers.