The Sun.
London, England, 1863-08-19 00:00:00

.<;lealings with us to be iusolent, turbulent, and en-
SIR R UNDELL PALE, .C. and M.P.—
Vie° de Cesar par L. Napoleon—Fashionable Intelli- .cioaching. have met such conduct alternately
Lain FILN this week. One Penny.
;••with
;fence—vacillation and with injustice, or rather with

NENV TB E ATRE-ItO YAL, ADELP HI.-
Sole Prooriator and Manazer. Mr. B. Webster.
THIS EVENING, THE: IRISH TIGER.
Alter which, at Eight o'clock, a new drama, entitled THE
_HAUNTED MAN ; OR, T. GHOST'S BARGAIN, in
which will be exhibited Professor Pepper's adaptation of
the Great Spectral Illusion. Messrs. J. L. Toole, R. Phi:lips,
efton C. J. Smith; Mrs. Alfred Mellon and Miss 11. Simms.
Followed by a new Burlesque, entltled ILL-TREATED
IL TROvATORE. Messrs. 'Toole, P. Bedford, R. Phillips,
Ebrirne, C. J. Smith, Romer ; the Sisters Nelson, Carry and
Earl, and Miss I. telly.
Commence at 7.

mismanagement. In dealing with such tribes care
should be taken not to leave room for future dis-
turbances, as in the case of the disputed block of
land. A strip of territory which intervened between
Taitaraara Block and the settlement was allowed to
be claimed by the natives, whereas whatever flaw
existed in the earlier transaction, when it had once
become a subject of warfare, and the land had been
conquered and reconquered, the intervening space
steould have been also occupied, if it was intended
to avoid further contentions. 'Ve are, of course,
b ound to act upon our principles, whatever construc-
t ion may be put on them, but it should never be
f orgotten that savage tribes are apt to mistake laesi-
ation for weakness, of which they are never slow
1 o take advantage. If, therefore, we hope to keep
them at a distance, and at once to preserve the in-
terests of our colony, and to spare the lives of the
.Maories, we should take care that they respect our
rights and fear our anger. It is a most mistaken
kindness to shrink from taking decisive measures
at the outset of the strife, since by unwise vacilla-
tion and a timid and hesitating policy,
outbreaks
that might have been easily repressed with
to
witlea stronggrow
hand at first, have been
S
into formidable wars. Such happily will not
present instance.
winristtearncea.muSseisr
hGeEoR theGE
procrastinated, conciliated,
him of having
aGREY,case
in
alt thheo u
and yielded until he had exhausted at once the
patience of the colonists and his own," is now
adopting measures whose vigour and promptitude
will, we may hope, speedily produce considerable
effect. Under the able leadership of General
CAMERON, an attack has been planned on the native
pah," or foil, which has been completely success-
ful. The Maories have been dislodged from their
stronghold, many of them killed, and the colonists
have plucked up hope and courage under the pro-
mising aspect of affairs. The numbers of the con-
tending parties and the lists of the killed and
wounded appear strangely small after the whole-
sale slaughter of which we are continually hearing.
An encounter in which less than a thousand men
are engaged on both sides, and the deaths are
reckoned at four on the one side and twenty-four
on the other, does not appear at first sight to have
been of very formidable dimensions, and it seems
strange that the colonists should attach so much
importance to it. On further inquiry, however,
we shall find that the attendant circumstances added
very greatly to its consequence. It was the first
step taken in the actual warfare, and the natives
were completely outwitted. For once our men
I succeeded in surprising them in their encamp-
merit, in spite of their keen watchfulness, their
quick wit, and the assistance of professed friends
of the colonists who haunt our quarters and pick up
what information they can. Means were taken to
elude the vigilance of such observers by mislead-
ing them, as to our movements. Instead of
arriving at the native encampment after
much toil and labour to find the enemy
decamped, General CAMERON and his men were
able to take them by surprise; and exactly one day
month after the commission of the yet unpunished
crime the Maories were taught a well-merited les-
son, and defeated on their own ground. It was
necessary to surprise them, in order to prevent their
hasty retreat, it was also indispensable to take a
sufficient body of men to ensure the assaulters
against all risks. These seemingly incompatible
conditions have been successfully secured, and the
position in which the enemy had so strongly en-
trenched themselves has been wrested from their
grasp. The plan of the works constructed by these
natives was by no means despicable. Their party
assumed a position at the foot of a hill, with a river
in front, and honey-combed the ground around them
with zigzag rifle pite. The storming party was
divided into two divisions, one of which went along
the road up the cliff from the beach, protected by
the guns of the Eclipse; the other ascending the
river;eshich they crossed there, rushing on the rifle
pits. The plan, which had been skilfully laid down,
was boldly carried out, and the result has infused
fresh spirit into the colonists. As a proof of the
danger and difficulty attending this species of war_
fare, we are told that when the encounter was sup-
posed to be over, a party of men were standing
carelessly over a pit in the ground that had been
covered by a hurdle, when a Maori from beneath
endeavoured to stab one of them. On farther exa-
mination six natives were found concealed in the
pit, all of whom refused to yield, and consequently
fell in the struggle. The strife was short and sharp
for as hour—after the first attack all was quiet.
The natives were pursued ky a detachment of
skirmishers who, it is said, killed many of them, a
fact which must be taken into account in reckoning
the enemy's losses. A general enthusiasm animates
the colony. Volunteers are forthcoming in any
number that may be required, and the regular and
irregular forces act most harmoniously in unison.
'We trust that the authorities will keep up the
spirit in which they have begun, and endeavour to
bring matters to a speedy close; for however
ranch
they may deplore the bloodshed and expenditure
a war, it is manifest that neither
inseparable from
life nor property was secure under the old
regime. Regiments are being summoned from
Australia, and an ironclad turret gunboat of light
draught is also to be forwarded from that country.
It is satisfactory to find that notwithstanding these
unhappy dissensions the fortunes of the colony are
thriving, and:that it is better able to contribute its
share of the demands of the war, both in men and
money than it was two or three years since. The
gold
fields of Otago have greatly expedited the de-
velopment of its fortunes; and, as the Auckland and
Nelson gold fields continue to improve European
enterprise is not likely to suffer itself to be checked
by Maori caprice or assumption. An interesting
feature in the intelligence is the announcement of
an intercolonial exhibition which it is proposed to
hold at Otago in January next. It is to be open to
all branches of colonial ndustry, and to :such
articles of British or other origin as are likely to
benefit the colony. This is a sensible and spirited
proceeding, and speaks well for the prospects of
New Zea'and. We sincerely trust that the colonists
may be able to enjoy the gathering in peace and
comfort, and that these vexatious and frequent con-
tentions with their unruly and dangerous neigh-
hours may
long before that time be set finally at
rest.

OYAL STRAND THEATRE.
Manager, Mr. W. H. Swanboromr,h.
THIS EVENING, EIS FIRST CHAMPAGNE. Mr.
Leigh Murray.
Followed by (27th time) THE MOTTO, " I'M ALL
THERE." Messrs. Honey, Turner, E. Danvers, Collier,
Clifton ; Mesdames Ada Swanhorough, P. Josephs, Maria
l3impson• Wallace, and Jenny White.
To conclude with TURN HIM OUT. Mr. Turner, Miss
Thorne.

Commence at 7.

It is much
- - -
to he regretted that more care is
not taken with regard to the sale of poisons, and
also their due administration when purchased.
Last week there were two cases of a very distress.
ing nature, in which lives were lost through
sheer carelessness and ignorance. One victim
was a lady at Liverpool, who
sent to a chemist
for a blue pill and a black draught. Instead of
the latter mixture the chemist sent laudanum.
The servant who procured the medicine
stated
that the shop was all in confusion, Owing to some
alterations going on. The lady observed that the
draught tasted very peculiar, but no notice was
token of the circumstance. Nothing unusual was
discovered until the next evening, when all as-
sistance was unavailing, and silo expired. In the
first place, during any unusual arrangement of a