The Sun.
London, England, 1863-10-21 00:00:00

THE SON. LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 21, 1863,

THR WAR IN NEW ZEALAND.

on the New Zealand Examiner, Oct. 16, 1863)
The Auckland papers received by this mail confirm the
rumours circulated by one of the Nelson papers last month,
and which we were inclined to discredit, respecting the
rising of the natives in Waikato, and the districts in the Im-
mediate vicinity of Auckland. There is now no doubt what-
, ever that the natives are bent on mischief, and that they are
determined to attempt--and they will succeed, as they have
hitherto done, unless very summarily dealt with—deeds of
daring before they give in. Their mode of warfare is most
harassing to regular troops, and wantonly cruel to the peace-
fully disposed and industrious settlers. In an open plain
they wou d stand no chance with European troops ; they
are not yet acquainted with the modern science of war. But
then, on the other hand, our soldiers, too, are at great disad-
vantages. They have been trained according to rules of mo-
dern refinement, and taught to fight with troops civilised like
themselves. Of the savage mode of warfare the European
soldiers are just ns ignorant as the Maories are of the civi-
lised. In dealing with New Zealanders, it is not science and
attention to modern tactics that will secure victory su readily
as dash, personal courage, and a wild hand-to-hand fight.
This Gen. Cameron is beginning to understand,for he rushed
upon a number of Waikatos, on the 17th July at Kohiroa ;
gallantly attacked them 20 yards in advance of his own men,
carried their rifle pits at the point of the bayonet, and the
fellows who escaped out of their own traps were hunted
with great loss beyond the Wangamarino river. All praise
to Gen. Cameron for this brave deed! This is the only way
in which we can expect to put an end to the war. But,
courageous as Cameron unquestionably is, he is hampered
by the routine of his profession and the stringent rules which
it enjoins upon him. What is wanted is a guerilla chief like
Garibaldi--who is not only his own general and commander-
in-chief, but his own governor and king also. Such a man,
with a band of resolute followers, would very soon inspire
the Maories with a salutary dread of the consequences of
rising in rebellion against a race, v; ho are by nature as well
as acquired rights, their superiors.
What we have from the first main t:dned in this journal is
now beginning to be recognised by the authorities at home
and the settlers in the Colony, The rebellion must be reso-
lutely and promptly put down. Troops are being sent to the
seat of war both from this country and India ; the colonists
themselves are waking up to a manly sense of their duty.
The militia are called out, and volunteers are teing armed.
Asa proof that colonists are exerting themselves in a most
energetic and praiseworthy manner to put down this re-
bellion, we may mention that appeals have been made, and
with success,to Australia, New South Wales, and Tasmania
for volunteers. It is expected that the Australian colonies
will raise 5,000 men. The additional troops thus obtained,
together with Sikhs from India, and the reinforcements from
England, New Zealand will soon be studded with soldiers,
and bristling with arms from one end of the island to the
other. The inducements held out to the volunteers from
the neighbouring colonies are also worthy of notice. The
Now Zealand Government have sent Major Pitt to Victo-
ria with instructions to offer as daily pay, with clothing
and rations, the following liberal wages :
Captains, 14s 7d; lieutenants, 9s Gd; ensigns, 8s 3d; ser-
geants, 3s 6d ; corporals, 3s; privaces, 2s Gd. Each volun-
teer, after 3 years' service, and compliance with certain re-
sidential terms, is to receive a certifizate entitling him to one
town allotment and one farm section. The farm sections
are to be thus allotted—For a field officer, 400 acres—cap-
tain, 300—surgeon, 250—subaltern, 200—sergeant, 80—cor-
poral, 60—private, 50.
Pensions for the wounded and widows of the killed arc
also provided for. The result of this appeal has been a rush
to the offices for enlistment, and it is nut improbable that
GOO or 700 men may leave these shores to get a taste of
actual warfare,

As an additional proof of the all-absorbing nature of the
war, we may also mention in a parenthesis, that the Auck-
land Weekly .A'aws has suspended publication, the greater
portion of the working staff being engaged en military duty.
Everything considered, therefore, there is no doubt that
the work either of subjugation to British rule and the order
of civilized life, will be effectually done now, or the end will
be that the Maories will perish. If we have to hunt them
like rabbits and shoot them like birds, one by one, we must
persevere until the rebellion is at an end and order re-estab-
lishen. At an earlier stage of the outbreak we should not
have felt ourselves justified in speaking in such emphatic
terms as to the mode in which the natives must be sub-
dued; but now that the scene of the war is changed from
Taranaki to the immediate vicinity of the capital of the
colony it is high time shilly-shallying were abandoned for
decisive, manly, and prompt action.