The Sun.
London, England, 1846-10-13 00:00:00

TRE SUN, LONDON, TUES t AY EVENING, OCTOBER, 13,_1846.

NE `V

Atr--47 IA ND.

We have a file of the New Zealand Spectator and Cool's
Stra,ts Guardian, published at Wellington, New Zealand,
to the 23d May. These papers supply us with the offi-
.:; eial and other details of the affair of " The Hutt," in
killed it will be seen, six men of the 58th Foot were
and four wounded, by the natives (Maories), led
‘t* On by Ran gi~
614 u aheata, who took so active a part in the
ghter of our countrymen at the commencement of
the disputes in the northern parts of the colony.
OFFICIAL STATEMENT.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR.
Went, a 21, 1846.
Sir,—At the desire of his Hllionoguron MajMory Richmond, I
13e.g to hand you copies of the reports of Major Last and
t}4ll. Page, relative to the late attack by the natives on
.The detaehment of the 58th- Regiment stationed at Mr.
leutts farm on the Hutt, in order that the public may
" possession of authentic information on the subject.
I am, Sir, y( urs obediently,
S. E. GRIMSIONE, Secretary.
(CTY:)_

Welii ngton,l 8 -16.
f Sir,--I have the honour to enclose a copy of a letter
r°lo Lkut. Regiment, made u 58th llegimt, detailing an attack
16t upon },ice b the natives cn the morning of the
h y
inst, in which I t egret to state t ur loss has been
8""e, as will be seen by the annexed list of killed and
~, !founded out of the 50 men unclee his command that were
.11. n the position he and his small party so bravely de-
. ended at Boulcott's Farm, about two miles in advance of
-thtuale stockade, containing, 50 more of the same regiment
tr Captain Hardy. On hearing of the attack I instantly dispatched an
- 7 order for Captain Hardy and hi 6 men to move forward
: ,t 9 Lieut Page's support, sending the same number of
~.; the 99th Regiment from Wellington by a forced march,
'.. to replace them in the stockade, proceeding myself as
soickly as possible to the scene of action, and on reach-
nig the position, about eleven A.m., just 1; fore the rein-
forcement had arrived, I found the enemy were still
hovering in the vicinity of the position, and firing on us
at intervals from the thick scrub on the opposite bank of
..the river.
: At this time Captain Hardy and party came up and
several volunteers, when I immediately advanced with.
thy whole force (as far as practicable) in extended order,
' anti directed a heavy fire of musketry, which drove the
enemy back and silenced them.
as The thickness of the forest precluded our being able to
tioe,',lrtain what casualties occurred, and there is no
Dr they must have been considerable.
paid Galbraith, of the 99th Regiment, on his arrival
re, • e‘ery attention to the wounded, whose cases h.e
the-eivQ.d over from Dr. Turnbull, who happened to be in
neighbourhood at the time, to whom I am under
RtPat,aligations for his skill and care until Dr. Gal-
arebrai'n eame u and lam happy to say the wounded men
doing well

I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your most obedient servant,
C. (Signed) EDWARD LAST,
Major, 99th Regiment, commanding
troos, Sen District.
, liis llonour the Superintenpdent,uth &c.,r Wellington.
4eturn of the killed and wounded of the Force under
. the command of Lieutenant Page, 58th Regiment,
li,hile rebistit) g an attack of the rebellious natives in "e Valley of the Hutt on the morning of the 16th
• 163. 1846 •
DolC.Liiied•-58.th Regiment—Lance Corporal James
• ji:',"ellt Privates William Allen, Robert Brett, Thos.
Ili' J. Al'Fadden, T. Sonham. Total killed, 6.
Ix. ounded--Lance Sergeant E. Ingram (severely);
Total, Patrick Bevan, Thomas Tayler, John Ward.
.total, 4.

(Copy-)
Sir h Camp River Hntt, May 16, 1846.
hour bofo have the honour to state that about half an
Where the r?; daylight this morning the sentry in front of
:to Maories 'nelpiinngg picquet was posted observed several
towards him ; he fired, when immedi-
routlYd!. here/ rush was made from all parts of the sur-
iusu„lf.ng wood. The picquet was overpowered in an
Maories then surrounded the outhouses
up 41-I:e4 by part of the troops, at the same time keeping
cheni"l"3' fire. Sergeant Norton here succeeded in
hoa'''ag them with a few men who got out of the
,1117ses• I rushed from the back part of my house with
. servants, but we were driven back directly. We
,led forth again, and with a few men who joined up, -itur our way at last to the barn, round which I had
04" a small stockade, occupied by half my force (25).
: arriving there, I advanced in extended order, with
Lake any more of the men as I could in all safety
from the stockade, and drove the enemy
1,-I°ss the river. They then plundered a house
From
to a settler of the name of ill‘llardie.
:rota the darkness we were unable to judge emu-
"lely of their numbers; from those we saw, and the
for e
'War dance they had afterwards, I should suppose the
Were about 200. I feel convinced but that the alert-
begs of all turning out, and the determination of the
ken, we should all have fallen. The enemy were so
aompletely supericr in numbers, and having the advan-
tage of knowing the ground, and watching us for some
time before the alarm was given. It was impossible to
b men outhouses, as none of them would resist a
'in the slightest degree. I am sorry to say our
loss has been severe for the number of men engaged;
several of the enemy were killed, but carried away by
oltthur ers directly they fell. I have the honour to be, Sir,
"ttadient servant,

(Signed) G. HYDE PAGE. ,
Lieutenant 38th Regiment.
Major Lut, 99Lh Regiment.

POSTSCRIPT.
VDoctor Turnbull, of the Wellington militia, who hap-
ed to be in the neighbourhood,'
arrived about two
very
after with some volunteers. He also rendered
the
assibtanee in his power to the wounded men till
arrival of Dr. Galbraith from Wellington.
, I bog to enclose a list of the killed and wounded.
(The names are the same as mentioned above).
True copy,
M. Richmond, Superintendent.

FURTHER DETAILS.
(From the New Zealand Spectator, May 23.)
We have put together in a connected narrative the
particulars of the attack on the troops last Saturday,
and an account of the events of the past week. It may
be necessary, however, for the information of our readers
at a distance, to state that during the priceding week a
very general opinion was entertained that some sudden
movement was in contemplation by Rangihaeata and the
natives actirg under him. Their firing on the recon-
noitring party from the cam at Porirua, on the 10th
rode-, was a declaration of openp hostilities on their part,
t!lnd as no measures were taken to punish this outrage,
was confidently expected that Rangihaeata, em-
inoldened by impunity, would proceed to further extre-
con,, ities- As we mentioned last week, the troops sta-
..
-u at Porirua were warned that a sudden attack was
Etutended, and an order was in consequence issued that
7 should be under arms every morning at daybreak.
uni's warnings and offers of assistance, as we have
Freviuusly stated, were treated by Major Richmond
v4„l'ith indifference and neglect. On Friday, the I‘.„,re the attack Muturoa, one of the principal chiefs of
ripit p '
h• e 8 a, called on Major Richmond to warn him of
,Is danger, and to offer the assistance of his tribe ; but his assistance was declined and his warnings de-
e'sed- Accordingly, at daybreak on Saturday morning,
e(msiderable body of natives, amounting to
aboutHutt,
200 in number, had arrived in the valley of the
lutt, with the intention of surprising and cutting off the
detachment of the 58th Regiment, stationed at Mr. Bout-
,t.)tt'a section, about two miles above the stockade at the
Hutt bridge. The party of soldiers amounted to 42
'ten, 14 of whom were quartered in Mr. Bouleott's barn,
the others were dispersed in tents and the buildings in
the immediate neighbourhood. Lieutenant Page, the
°Meer in command, and his servant, occupied Mr. Boni-
°tt's house, and Mr. Boulcott and his two servants were
,'ll II small house adjoining. The rebels were under the
}tie
of lisparetebau. Some of the rebels entered
);;0 house of a settler named M'Hardie, and enjoining
titl3, and his wife to silence, directed them immediately
tn— 'eave the spot. Mrs. M'Hardie, on leaving her house,
1,.:31.' shelter behind a fallen tree, and from her place of
ref
bed hwitnessed the whole of the engagement.
e first alarm was given by the sentinel, who, on
1.0,71413 g the noise, fired his piece and endeavoured to
were the picquet. Immediately three heavy volleys
tiiro punted into the tents in quick succession by
toe
theatives, and they rushed on with loud yells
ton,k Work of destruction. Four of the soldiers were
vcauawked on the spilt in one tent. One of them,
4,2, acted as bugler to the company, behaved most
ICIY. On the first alarm he seized his bugle, and while in
hz..ac t of sounding the instrument a blow from a toma-
groutidnearly severed his arm, and struck him to thed
the But while lying in this mutilated state he seize.
bugle with his other hand and attempted to warn his
eornra f .
tomahawk their danger, when a second stroke of the
rebels nearly
severed his head from his body. The
evidently calculated on takincr the party by Prise,sur-
and hoped. that in the confusio'n of an unexpected
rrisetackd tahnettyvvould fall an easy prey. But though sur-
ougat ailed surrounded by superior numbers, the troops
fully sustained tfie
most devoted courage and gallantry, and
tenant Page had sormeleudiation of
British soldiers. Lieu-
his house, which was sufficultY. cutting his way from
, andrrounded by the rebels. This
at length he effected
Late men, animated them by his thliisr.gprheismself at the head of
mxbe Party stationed in the barn behenacv
oose coolness. They divided the eedanwdiththe examp'e.ut-
selves into two par-
!tes of seven each, firing by Wrenn?,
loadeda then reltnreatthede
!Inger cover of the barn to again
sfule_igh! of the engagement a party of. seven of
~:13 idutt militia had been disbanded on the pre-
. tn.. - ii , ,
1,"..a10nc19r, attracted by oun of firing, most
lipir"wrely, repaired to the spot., elandby their presence in-
ed the troops with r
costs' troops
to the success courage, and materially
s of the day, for the rebels, be-
niog that furt'ier reinforcements were close at hand,
"gall to give way, and were finally driven across the
fitirv;e! t,aking with them their dead and wounded. The
'''g lasted about an hour and a half. The loss on the
torartaho_f
.the troops is six killed (four of whom were
h.._ 4wked at the commencement of the attack) and
as wounded. We refer to the official dispatches for the
"Trehese °f the killed and wounded.
Nattyloss on the part of the rebels has not been cor-
ascertaiaed, as they carefully carried off every
it who fell in the ergagement. Two were known i o
It" been killed '
d, and several were wounded very badly.
weilibelie.ved that the total amount of their killed end
Wedded la thirteen. There is no question that they
rib completely tNnilsed, and were forced to recross the
...er L
biti4..l"Y.th6 herow little band. The tents were corn-
6037111iddled with bullets, the Maories tiring low in the
knt.th_al
rtehe soldiers were in bed. A party of the
tad t ea' it n 1 several volleys into Mr. Boulcott's house,
.4 MO Ma2restion that it was occupied by soldiers.

We are concerned to add that a ball struck Thomas
Hoserean, Mr. Bouleott's servant, in the act of getting
cut ot bed. The ball passed through his body, inflicting
a mortal wound, and lodged in his-bade, from which it

was subsequently extracted by Dr. Galbraith of the 99th.
Mr. Boulcott himself narrowly escaped the same fate.
Immediately on receiving the dispatch informing him
of what had occurred, Major Last directed 50 men of the
99th Regiment to proceed to the stockade at the Hutt
bridge, with instructions to Captain Hardy, the officer
in command, to advance with his men to the support of
their comrades; and shortly afterwards proceeded him-
self to the scene of action, in company with Major
Richmond. On his arrival he found the rebels had
crossed the river, and omit r the protection of the stand-
ing bush they kept up a straggling fire on the troops.
The order was now given for the soldiers to advance in
extended line, and drive them out of the bush. Epuni,
who accompanied Major Last, was very much struck
with the gallant manner in which this manoeuvre was
executed. Throughout this and the following day (Sun-
day) the rebels remained in the Hutt, occupying the
ground On which the troops were formerly encamped,
about half a mile beyond Mr. Boulcott's section. On
Saturday they robbed M`Hardie's house, killed his pigs
fir food, and took away or destroyed all his property.
In obedience to a message from liangihaeata they re-
turned to Purina on Monday.
During the whole of Saturday the toa n of Wellir.g-
ton was in the most painful state of alarm aral excite-
ment. Families were flocking in from the Hutt. Fa-
rs and heads of families were sending their wives
and children to Wellington as a place of safety ; arid
rumours of all kinds were in circulation. At one time
it was believed that the party of militia and police sta-
tioned at Tihata as an outpost, ale ut three miles above
the camp, Here cut off by the nativt s. In the early part
of the week Major Richmond, disregarding the warnings
he had received from different quarters, had, from mo-
tives of i conomy, disbanded the militia in Wellington,
and reduced the company in the Hutt to 25 men, and
but two days previous to the attack had informed Mr.
Turnbull, the only acting-officer, that his services would
be dispensed with. So that, on Saturday morning, the
men at Tiliata were only under the command of a ser-
geant. Fortunately, however, they succeeded in effect-
ing their retreat, and joined the troops without meeting
with any opposition.
Every assistance was rendered by Captain Stanley.
Ta o of the Calliope's boats were sent in the afternoon
of Saturday to Petoni, one with arms, and the other to
bring away the women and children to Wellington.
The wounded, who received every attention and assist-
ance from Dr. Turnbull until the arrival of Dr. Gal-
braith, were also sent over to Wellington to be placed in
the hospital. The slain were buried on Sunday, on the
field of battle.

Various measures of precaution and defence were now
adopted—among others, that of turning the natives.
Epuni's offer, which was before treated with coldness
and indifference, was now eagerly embraced, and, with a
little solicitation, the old chief was persuaded to arm
with his tribe and fight with the settlers against his old
enemy. Accordingly a hundred stand of arms were
sent over to Petoni for the use of his tribe. On Monday
the natives of the pass at Waiw etu, Pipitea, and Tearo,
were also supplied with arms, though the manner in
which this le as done by the superintendent was calcu-
lated rather to repel them than to enlist their services
heartily in the cause.
The natives are placed under the command of Mr.
David Scott, who will act as the organ of communication
between them and the commanding officer. They are
intended to form a sort of guerilla corps, fighting with
the enemy after its own fashion, and falling back on the
troops in case of need for support and assistance.
Great dissatisfaction was felt by the natives at the
miserable description of arms supplied to them from the
Government stores. The equipment of a New Zealander
for the fight is very simple. A good musket, and a car-
touche box to contain hi§ ammunition, strapped round
his waist, are all that he requires. But so little prepa-
ration against any emergency has been made by the
superintendent, that a great portion of the muskets de-
livered to the natives were returned as unfit for use, the
ammunition had been formerly wet, and was unservice-
able, and there were very few cartouche-boxes for the
supply of our allies : the greater part of the cartouche-
boxes given out to the natives were obtained from
the company's stores. It will hardly be believed
out of the settlement, that although the militia
have been called out since the destruction of
Kororarika, now a period of fifteen months, and
have been more or less employed during this interval,
they have nut even yet been supplied with scabbards
for their bayonets. The greater body of the natives be-
longing to the pas in Wellington went over to Petoni on
Tuesday, and are now encamped between the stockade
and Mr. Bouleott's section. The number of friendly
natives under Epuni amounts to nearly 250 men. They
had a war dance on Wednesday evening, and speeches
were made by the chiefs expressive of their determina-
tion to make common cause with the settlers. " Why,"
they said, "should we wait until some of our own

people are killed before we take up arms ? It is true we
may remain here and not be attacked, but are we to
allow our pakehas, our friends, to be killed before our
face P No—we will show our love to the pakehas, and
identify our interest with theirs."
Rangihaeata is busily engaged strengthening the de-
fences of his pa at Pawaitanganui, and thinks, now that
the Ngatiawas are arming against him, that affairs are

assuming a more serious aspect. After these defences,
which are on the plan of those at the north, are com-
pleted, he intends to send out parties to kill and plunder
in every direction. The natives say he openly expresses
his determination "to continue to kill white people ;
that when he is himself killed, he may previou.ly have
obtained a great situ. He is determined to continue
fighting ; he will never end."
We have thus endeavoured to give a succinct but
faithful narrative of the events of the past week. We
do not pretend to decide where responsibility rests, but
it must rest somewhere. Te Rauparaha, in a communi-
cation lately received from him, distinctly states, that on
their visit to Porirua last week he said to Major Rich-
mond and Mejor Last, " an attack will be made on the
Hutt ; when you reach (Wellington) take precautions
concentrate the people."* Major Richmond was re-
peatedly, deliberately warned, from various quarters,
that an attack was contemplated. What measures were
adopted to ward off the blow ? What is intended to be
done ? The natives have engaged heart 'and hand
with the settlers from motives honourable to both
parties, and their present conduct is the most' satis-
factory refutation of the calumnies so often repeated
by those who, wishing to excuse the conduct of the
local Government with reference to the land claims,
have asserted that the settlers of Cook's Strait were
the oppressors of the native race. We do not repeat
idle reports ; we are satisfied, from our sources of in-
formation, that we express the honest sentiments of the
great majority of the natives in the neighbouring dis-
tricts, when we say that in thus committing themselves
to this contest, of which they could have remained un-
concerned spectators, they have been actuated by a sin-
cere good-will towards the settlers, and a desire to up-
hold the supremacy of the Government—that they have
made common cause with us in a spirit of justice, and for
the maintenance of peace and good order. They know
that Rangihaeata is actuated by a savage thirst of blood,
by an insatiable desire of destruction—that he is at the
head of a band of robbers and murderers, the outcasts of
every tribe, who herd together for every evil purpose,
and that the safety of the community depends on their
being put down. They know that he has only 200 men
at the uttermost under his command, that at present
there is little probability of his being reinforced. Epuni
has 250 warriors armed and eager for the fight, and
the Ngatiawas at Waikanai and Queen Charlotte's Sound
who will join them number 600 more. We repeat,
what is intended to be done ? Will the authori-
ties take advantage of the present feeling of the natives
in their favour, and crush this common pest, or will
they suffer their zeal to grow cold by inaction and delay?
We warn them—for the public good, and the present
crisis requires us as public journalists boldly to proclaim
the truth—we warn them that the natives are unable to
account for the delay that hits already taken place. They
say if it had rested with them, not one would have re-
turned to Rangihaeata to give an account of the conflict
on the Hutt, and that if it had been their quarrel they
would have ended it in a week, and they suppose the
pakeha to be afraid or unable to defend himself. We
warn them of the mischief occasioned by the wasting
of precious time—of the reports which the emissaries of
Ragihaeata will circulate to our prejudice—of the ef-
fect of these reports at the north, exaggerated as they
will be in their progress. We warn them that the mur-
der of the Gillespies was no common crime, to be dealt
with by the ordinary tribunals. It was a deliberate challenge by Rangihaeata. The challenge was repeated
when the boats were fired upon at Porirua—it was re-
peated when Gillespie's hut was burned, the day pre-
vious to the attack, although the authorities remained
unacquainted with the fact—it was repeated in charac-
ters of blood on Saturday. Whether Rangibaea,ta will
be permitted to complete his defences, and deal indis-
criminate ruin and destruction through the land, or be
signally arrested in his career, depends entirely upon
the use Ahey make of the present opportunity. The
time is passing. God grant we may not have to record—
The time is past!'

aonnoautrtack on the camp,
In consequence of the report ofh
theof hllisutt without leaving any
hinadthegoanbesetnoce
dtheentsho‘e.rhiffo;
the superinten-
dent
behind him) called a meeting of the
on Saturday afternoon at Barrett's Hotel, thefor
rsettlers
pose of adopting measures of defence. Mi!. Rev Pur'
ans hav-
ing been called to the chair, Mr. Lyon said that he had
been requested by the sheriff to explain that the magis-
trates had, in the absence of hi honour, requested the
officer in command of the militia to call out the Whole
of that force, and that they had applied to Captain
Stanley, of the Calliope, to land the marines and small-
arms men.
Mr. Vincent and Mr. R. Davis then moved a resolu-
tion that a deputation should wait upon his honour to
ascertain what steps he intended to take for the protec-
tion of the town; and that Captain Daniell, M. r. Boul-
cott, and Mr. Lyon, should form such deputation. The
gentlemen named, however, immediately declined wait-
ing upon his honour, on the ground that Major Rich
mond had proved himself utterly incompetent to dis-
charge the duties of his office, and had so grossly neg-
lected the warnings given him that they deemed it not
merely useless to hold any communication with him, but
that they were unwilling in any degree to induce a be-
lief that any confidence could be placed in the superin-
tendent. Other parties were then proposed, but they all
declined to form part of any deputation to his honour the
superintendent.

On Sunday last a large canoe with thirty natives,
loaded with provisions, for the supply of Rangihaeata
and his band, was seen in the eastern arm of Porirua
Harbour, approaching his pa. The police-boat immedi-

" The following is the original of Rauparaha's letter :
" Kihai i mate nga pakeha na kua ki atu ano au ki a te Riti-
mona raua ko te Rati kei Heretaunga- to huaki ai, e tae, kits
mvhio huihuia atu nga pakeha."

ately gave chase, and were rapi•lly gaining upon them,
when the canoe reached a pint beyond which the part)
stationed at Pori' ua were forbidden by Major Last and
the superintendent on their last visit to that station to
pass in pursuit of the natives, and they were, therefore,
reluctantly compelled to turn back. The rebels imme-
diately landed, and taunt, d their pursuers with coarse
and insolent gestures of met kei y ar.d defiance, ar.d after-
wards manned their canoe, and in derision pretended to
chase them, taking care, however, not to pass the charmed
line. They have since circulated reports along the coast
that they chased the pakeha boat, and nearly succeeded
in capturing it.
In consequence of the reports in circulation on Tues-
day, and the apprehensions entertained- that the town
would be attacked by the rebels, application was made•
to the superintendent by the settlers for arms, and other
measures adopted which we have above related. In
order to secure the inhabitants from any sudden
attack, a strong line of picquets, of the military, volun-
teen, and militia, encircled the town, and patrolled
the outskirts, extendirg some distance on the Karon-
' road, i.nd strong parties of militia were stationed for the
protection of the yowdcr magazine. Caytain &ariley
also landed seventy men from the Calliope to assist
the E elders in the c veat of any attack. It is intended to
adopt these judicious precautions c very night. On '
Thursday night, although it rained . very heavily, the
volunteers and militia cheerfully turns 1 out in discharge
pf their self-impo:ed duties. The outsetticrs at Karol i
and Porirua have also been armed and are on the al, rt.
From the number of aimed persons passing and re-
passing, the town pi esents quite a warlike appearance.
Yesterday morning a detachment of marines were
landed from the Calliope, under orders to proceed to
Purirua, to reinforce the troops at that station.

Accounts were received from Porirua, on Thursday,
which state that the rebels did not lose a single man in
the late attack, and that only one of their number was
wounded. They boast also that they were on the point
of making a second attack %%lieu Major Last arrived.
They boast also that the party under Kaiparetebau did
not exceed sixty men. In consequence of recent events,
eight of the intruding natives belonging to the Wan-
ganui tribes, who were staying at Ohariu, have joined
Rangihaeata.

(From the same Journal.)
We must not, however, omit to chronicle the facts
connected with this outbreak of the Maories, and the
most prominent among them is that full notice of their
intentions was given to those whom they attacked. A
fortnight before Te Rauparaha informed Major Rich-
mond of what Rangihaeatt was going to do; and indeed
so widely had it been published, that no Maori was
ignorant of it, and many settlers were also acquainted
with it. The chief Epuni, a staunch friend to the settlers
ever since their arrival in New Zealand, personally in-
formed his honour the superintendent that the hostile
natives were going to make an inroad upon the Hutt,
and requested that he and his followers might be supplied
with arms in order to repel them. This application was
rejected by Major Richmond in a manner extremely
offensive to Epuni, and an offer on the part of Colonel
Wakefield to supply him with arms was treated in the
same manner by the superintendent. This intelligent
officer was informed by other persons of undoubted
credit of the mischief about to happen, and treated all
his informants in the same manner, by appearing not
to believe them. Cognit-ant as we must presume Major
Richmond was of the intended movement on the- part of
Hangihaeata, not a single measure of precaution was
issued on the subject, and everything remained precisely
as it had been since the governor left Wellington. The
result has been that a fourth of the number of the troops
at the upper station on the Hutt has been put hors de
combat, and the whole settlement is threatened with
destruction.

Died, on the 21st instant, at the residence of J. Boul-
cott, Esq.. Te Aro, to which} he had been removed,
Thomas Roseman, aged 25 years, of a musket-shot
wound received in the engagement on the Hutt, on
Saturday, the 16th instant. An inquest was held on the
body, before Dr. Fitzgerald, coroner, when the jury re-
turned a verdict of " Died from a gun-shot wound."

In conssquesce of information received from the na-
tives of Rangihaeata's intention to make an attack, the
troops at Porirua were under arms all Wednesday night.
Since the late reconnoissance of Rangihaeata's pa, an
order has been issued to assemble the soldiers at Porirua,
under arms every morning at daybreak. It is reported
that Rauparaha has sent to P.angihaeata a portion of the
sugar and flour he lately received as a present from
Major Richmond.—May 16.
We learn from Akaroa and Port Cooper that the na-
tives are very troublesome to the settlers there refusing
to allow them to occupy the land, and demanding exor-
bitant rents from the owners of cattle stations. It 15
said that they are acting under the advice of Charley,
who has been down to the southward, and has told them
that the natives at Wairarapa get high rents, and that
they should imitate their example. This is the
same native who, it will be remembered obtained
a present of a set of sails, &c., from his excellency the
governor.

The military force of these colonies is to be greatly
augmented; a staff of a deputy adjutant• general, and a
deputy quartermaster-general, together with a brigade-
major for New Zealand, have been appc•inted. The
deputy quartermaster general is to ba stationed in New
Zealand.

On Saturday last the miatia in 'Wellington were dis-
banded, and we believe it is intended to reduce the num-
ber stationed at Taita to 25 men, who will be placed
under the command of Lieut. M.Donogh.

WANGANIIL—By the Catherine Johnstone we have
received the following communication from Wanganui:—
" The Victoria brig arrived off Kai Here on Wednes-
day evening, April 29. There being no wind, she an-
chored there for the night, and lanced Mr. Symonds and
party. On the following morning they arrived in Wan-
ganui all well. The natives had a full meeting at the
Missionary Pa, Putiki, on Monday last, which ended in
their unanimously agreeing to complete the sale of the
land, On Wednesday the surveying party, accompanied
by some of the principal Maori chiefs, commenced a
survey of the boundaries, in which they are still en-
gaged. The probability f a satisfactory termination to
the Wanganui land question is now greater than ever;
yet several difficulties have to be overcome, and the
gentleman to whom the affair has been committed will
have no easy part to perform; but from the judgment he
has hitherto displayed, we have every reason to hope he
will be successful, and that my next letter to you will
announce our right to a Crown title."

NAVAL COURT-MARTIAL.

PORTSMOUTH, OCT. 12.—A court-martial assembled
on Saturday morning on board her Majesty's ship
Victory, in Portsmouth harbour, to try Lieut. Henry
Alexander Story, senior lieutenant of her Majesty's
steam-frigate Retribution, for having, on the 13th of
August last, confined one of the crew of that ship in the
coal-bunker, without having an order for so doing from
his captain, the man having died while so confined. The
court was crowded with officers.
Before the proceedings commenced, Lit.ut. Story ob-
jected to Rear-admiral Parker, and Captains Pasco and
Chads, sitting as members of the court, they having
previously conducted an inquiry into the circumstances
of the case, by order of the Admiralty, and the present
court-martial being ordered on their report. The court
was cleared, and the validity of the objection allowed.
The three officers referred to then rose and withdrew.
The court was composed as follows. Admiral Sir Charles
Ogle, president; Commodore Sir Francis Collier, Cap-
tains Ellictt, of the Eurydice; Shepherd, of the St.
Vincent; Williams, of the Avenger; and Stanley, of the
Rattlesnake.
Samuel Arnold sworn—He was doing duty as master-
at-arms the 13th day of August last, on board the Retri-
bution. H. A. Story was tht.ri first lit utenant of that
ship, and E. Redpath was captain of the hold. About
ten o'clock on the morning of the 13th of August last he
received an order from Lieutenant Story to place E.
Redpath on the platform in the coal-hole. Ile was to
be visited and reported to the eflic, r of the watch every
hour, and let out to have a wash and get an airing be-
tween one and two, P.M. Having received this order,
Edward Redpath was accordingly placed on the platform,
under the grating in the coal-I:linker, on the port side,
about half past u o'clock, A.N. I again saw him about
one o'clock, P.M., when he came out of the coal bunker.
He was then in the head, and he appeared to be very
well in health. I next saw him about half-past seven,
P.N., he was then sitting on the platform. I observed
him then through the grating as I was going aft. I did
not see him again until he was taken out of the coal-
bunker dead. I went immediately for the surgeon.
Edward Redpath was sober when I placed him in the
coal-bunker, and to the best of my knowledge he con
tinned so while there. Ile was put there for being drunk
on the night of the 12th of August. 'I he ship was, at
the time, on her way from Gibraltar to Corfu. I have
not been more than five months in the Retribution. I
have known two cases beside the one in question of per-
sons having been put in the coal-bunker for punishment.
The man could not have fallen from the platform on the
coals where he was found, as it was a distance of some feet.
I never heard it hinted by any person that it might be
dangerous to place a man in the coal-bunker. Redpath
did not complain to me of his punishment, or make any
remarks thereon ; he merely said to me that he was
afraid that he would be disratcd.
In answer to Captain WILLIAMS, witness stated
Redpath was to have been taken out at eight o'clock that
night.
By the PRESIDENT—Did you ever put a man in the
coal-bunker before?—Yes. Was that considered a dan-
gerous place?—Not to my knowledge.
By the prisoner—Do you consider that Redpath was
a sober naan?—Decidedly not. Was the amount of
punishment less in the Retribution than in other ships?
—Much less. Has my conduct been harsh in using the
black list?—No, never. You have always shown a
great inclination to avoid reporting men to the captain,
in order to avoid a greater amount of punishment.
John Matthews, ship's corporal, deposed that the
man was put into the coal-hole between ten and eleven
A.M. Witness gave him his dinner at twelve o'clock,
and did not again see him until seven, when he visited
him. He was then sitting on the platform. Witness
asked him if he was all right; he replied "Yea, yea."
When witness visited him at eight o'clock the man was
not in the same place; he got a light and took the
bunker lid off and looked in and called out to him. Wit-
ness then went down to the after stoke-hole, and asked
Thomas Rumley, the stoker, it he had seen him: he re-
plied, "No." Witness asked Rumley to go into the
bunker and look for him. Rumley went in, and called
to witness, "We had better fetch him up, for I think
it is nearly a case with him." Witness reported it, and
they then got a rope and put down, and hoisted him on
deck. It is not customary to confine men in the bunker;
witness had known three cases in the Retribution, but
he never knew any bad effects result from it before this.
Never thought it was dangerous.
By the PRESIDENT—If it had been a cold winter's
night, which would you have considered the most le-
nient punishment—to be put to look out on the weather
gangway, or confined in the coal-bunker? Witness—l
would sooner be confined in the coal-bunker.

By the prisoner—Had you orders to report the man
to the officer of the watch every hour?—l had not ; I
only made my reports at eight o'clock. Prisoner—Has
my conduct to the ship's company generally been harsh
or violent No.
Thomas Rumley, leading stoker, deposed to finding
the man in the coal-bunker in a state of insensibility,
and corroborated the statements of the last witness.
Witness was not aware of any danger from confinement
in the coal-bunker, but said the candle burnt very dimly
when they went in to take him out.
By the PRESIDENT—Did you feel any ill effects from
being in the coal-burker yourself?—l did, and have also
felt ill when i❑ the bunker before.

By Captain WILLIAMS—How long have you worked
in a coal-bunker at one period?—Four hours. I felt ill
at times when I worked there that time. I felt pains in
the head and across the eyes. When the coals will not
run out in the stoke hole it is usual to go in the bunker
to trim them. That happens every ten days when the
steam is up. In hot climates I have found ill effects
when taking coals in. 'Where the coals are dry, it causes
a stifling effect. I have been eight years and a half in
steamers. I have frequently known men put into coal-
bunkers for punishment in all steamers that I have been
in. It is a customary punishment, and Ido not con-
sider it a harsh method of punishing.
By the prisoner—Were there not stokers in the same
bunker that day trimming coals ?—Yes ; all that day.
Has my conduct generally towards the ship's company
of the Retribution been harsh ?—No I I think Lieut.
Story has been very lenient, according to the crimes
which have been committed.

The Surgeon of the Retribution being sworn said, I
was called upon on the evening of the 13th of August
last to attend Edward Redpath. I found his body on
the port side of the upper deck warm, but I believed
dead. Doubtful whether be was dead or not, I resorted
to such means as I thought fit in suspended animation.
I made a post mortem examination. I found the appear.
ances on the body such as are known to exist on persons
dying from the effects of respiring carbonic acid gas. I
examined the body very minutely. I found the lungs
gorged with blood, dark in colour. The blood about the
heart and large vessels, was of a dark colour. The body
was generally livid ; in other respects it was healthy,
except rather an unusual quantity of serum on the bt ain,
and very slight trace of inflammation on a portion of the
inner coat of the stomach. The cause of death was the
respiration of the carbonic acid gas.
By the PRESIDENT—Is such gas likely to be respired
in the coal-hunker of a steamer ? Generally not. Do
you consider there to be any danger in confining a man
in a coal-bunker ?—No. Do you consider the effects of
the coals having been moved about to produce an un-
usual quantity of carbonic acid gas ?—lt might do so.
Was the temperature of the coal-hole very high at the
time ?—From 76 to 80 degrees. Would a high temper-
ature tend to generate an unusual quantity of carbonic
acid gas in the coal-bunker ?—I believe that it might
disengage carbon from the coals, and so tend to form car-
bonic acid gas.
By Captain WILLIAMS—Have any of the stokers been
on your sick list from the ill effects of working in the
coal-bunker ?—Not to my knowledge.
By Captain SHEPHERD—Had you ever been consulted
as to whether the bunker was injurious to health ? —No.
Were you aware that deceased was placed in the coal-
bunker?—No.
By the PRESIDENT—Have you ever requested any
precautionary measures to be taken by the stokers?—No.
By the prisoner—Do you think it probable that car-
bonic acid gas could have been formed where the man
was placed on the platform?—No. Under what cir-
cumstances could there have been danger?—Under
existing circumstances, his health being previously bad,
though he had not complained of his health to me.
He was generally a healthy man. Witness stated that
Lieutenant Story always rendered him every assistance
in his treatment of the sick.

Captain Lushington, of the Retribution, stated at
8 P.M. Lieutenant Story reported to me that the man
was found very ill. I knew of other men having been
confined in the coal-bnnker. It was not done by my
orders. I was not reported in the log-book, nor did I
inquire into the circumstances.
By the COURT—Did you consider it a trivial punish-
ment, which the first lieutenant might adopt?—The
witness said he did not consider himself bound to answer
this question. The Court was cleared to consider the
point, and on being re-admitted, the question was again
put, when the witness replied, " Certainly not for a
trivial offence." Was it a trivial punishment for this
man's offence?—l consider it was. Did you allow the
lieutenant on former occasions to inflict the same punish-
ment without reporting it to you?—No; I do not ap-
prove of the punishment, but did not find fault. Did you
disapprove of it?—No, I did not. Are those in the black
list reported to you?—Not those who are put in by the
imodore
especially. myco
nhdauveitn having n puts
lieutenant's orders to avoid reporting them to me. The
crime which the man had committed would have caused
him to be severely punished if reported to me.
men into the bunkers for offences which, had I reported
By the prisoner—Whensystem
them to you; would in all probability have ensured their
dbeoiinngef—No,
did
dd
not.
pur-
sued by me tended to decrease the amount of corporal
punishment?—Very much. Did you sanction my use
of the black list without reference to you?—l did. has
any complaint ever been made to you by the men since
I joined the ship of my having confined them in the
bunker, or for having abused the authytomaimt3gi,devsnehesitrpeanadl
midshipman, in
by you?—No complaint has ever been made to me what-
ever. Will you have the
mhgo;edsph)ie,possitatesovesartatheeawrdhetitnie,trh,imngy
conduct as first lieutenant has given
faction ?--Most certainly. How long have you known
ever in my life. as regards violence
aaml
against
me?—Since ?iBn—.
s t Sincemin
inhumanity
yc ehy thata orua_c joinedtpeeNr period
On the contrary,
I have always heard you spoken of as a kind-hearted
and humane man; and since you have been first lieu-
tenant of the Retribution I most gladly bear testimony
to the truth which I had previously heard.
Lieutenant Bickford, second lieutenant of the Retri-
bution, being sworn, said the usual punishment was
watering the grog, and occasionally the first watch,
without appealing to the captain.
By the prisoner—What is the ordinary punishment
for such an offence as that committed by Redpath?—ln
ships that I have served in a petty officer would have
been disrated, and a seaman punishment with corporal
punishment.—This witness bore testimony also to the
lenient and humane conduct of Lieutenant Story.

- -
This closed the ease for the prosecution.
In his defence, Lieutenant Story said that he 'was ac-
tuated by the best motives in ordering the man into the
coal-bunkeß ; as, had he reported him to the captain,
his offence would have exposed him to a muet more
severe punishment. No person had felt more regret at
the death of the man than himself. He then called a
number of witnesses, both officers, petty officers, seamen,
and marines, belonging to the Retribution, who all bore
testimony to his humanity, and his uniformly kind treat-
ment of the ship's company.
The Court was then cleared to consider the sentence,
and after an hour had elapsed, they found that Lieute-
nant Story had been guilty of punishing, the man with-
out first reporting him to the captain ; but, in conse-
quence of its being customary for first-lieutenants in that
and other ships to place men in the coal bunkers for
punishment, without so reporting them, the Court fully
acquitted Lieutenant Story of any blame connected with
the death of the deceased.

THE CONDITION of the PEOPLE
OF THE HIGHLANDS AND ISLANDS OF
SCOTLAND.

(From the Times' Commission( r.)
DUN VEGAN (ISLE OF SKYE), OCT. 6.
The coeclu,ions likely to be di aan by an intelligent
and reflecting foreigner who might be ignorant of the
laws affecting lauded property in Scotland, and of the
modern history of its inanagem* nt, were such a one to
visit this part of the country,. would in all probability
kurprke us re; much as they would instruct us. The
strange perversity with which 'we contrive to thwart
nature—the ingenuity with which we insure that land
hich nature intended should grow food for man shall
lie a perpetual waste, and that man, _ whose labour
should make it " teem with fatness," shall starve in
idleness beside it, or be driven out to seek in distant
lands those opportunities for his industry which cry out
for his industry at home, though we mark it not, fami-
liarised by its constant occurrence—would surely excite
the foreigner's astonishment.
I write to you now from the northernmost part
of the island of Skye, having traversed a great
portion of its length. During my short stay in it, in
the gardens of those gentlemen to whom I have
had the honour to be introduced, I have seen the
greatest luxuriance of vegetable growth. Such is the
mildness of the climate, combined with great humi-
dity, that vegetables, grasses, and flowers here, as in
Ireland, grow with rank luxuriance. In several gar-
dens I have seen fuchsias and dahlias growing in the
open air, with every other description of flower common
to England ; and strawberry-plants, vegetable-marrow,
and other kitchen vegetables, spreading with profuse-
ness. But here labour and skill were applied, and na-
ture kindly aided man's industry. It is not the soil,
then, that is barren ; it is not the climate that forbids
vegetation. What a far different scene awaits you out of
these gardens, of the rich ! This fine island, which is
sixty miles long, is at no part of it more than three
miles from the sea. Deep lochs stretch into it in every
direction from the sea, and the land is thus divided
almost like the rays of a star-fish. Every loch yields
sLa-weed and shell-sand for manure in abundance, as
well as fi,,h for food. Yet from one end to the other of
this island, with all these facilities and capabilities, the
eye rests on scarcely anything but bleak hills, and vast
uncultivated tracts of land covered with moss and
heather, here and there dotted over by, the wretched
black huts of the inhabitants, who exist wretchedly in
the midst of thousands of uncultivated acres, which only
want their labour, directed by skill, to yield them com
fort and plenty.

The fOreigrier would probably exclaim, " What a pity
it is that there are not more people to cultivate this vast
extent of land ! how strange it is that in a civilised
country all this land should be thus left uncultivated !"
But if he should be told that the few people that do exist
on it are absolutely almost starving for want of food, he
would no doubt exclaim, " Then, why on earth not cul-
tivate this waste land, and grow food for them as a re-
payment for their labour ?" Greater still would be his
astonishment if told that it was the "civilised" state of
the country, or rather the laws of a civilised country,
prompted by and acted on by the selfishness of man,
which produced this desolation and caused the want of
population. He would naturally ask, " But how ?"
He would cease to wonder when told what those laws

were, and he began to consider what was the natural

operation of cause and effect. Explain the Scotch
law of entail to him, and how the pride and selfish-
ness of man, through it, had rendered vast tracts of
country unsaleable, affording no security for money,
whilst it but gave a life-interest to the possessor,
and often burdened him with charges which ren-
dered him careless of improvement and helplessly
; couldthen
enxepi tl
ahienr t
os nt
koer
estatehobun
pborrowoor, imn aosnmeyu cohn
mass
t
provisions of the Scotch Poor-law, the effect of which is
send off the youth and the vigour of the population to
give their strength to benefit other lands, whilst it leaves
the infirm and helpless chargeable on the land—"Ah, I
see," the foreigner would exclaim, as the light of this
precious "civilisation" broke in upon him, "the pro-
prietors of the soil have made themselves too poor to
cultivate it—to give employment to labour ; so the la-
bour that makes wealth goes elsewhere. Then, the in-
firm and helpless of the population being only left as a
burden on the poor proprietors, they try to get rid of the
people by 'clearing them off,' and proposing plans of
emigration to save their own pockets. This accounts
for the comparative thinness of the population. Ah, I
see. What en ingeniously perverse syst€m of civilisa-
tion ! how admirably calculated to exterminate the
people, to preserve the land in the condition in which it
was left by Noah after the flood, and to perpetuate
poverty, and helplessness, and misery! Surely barbar-
ism is better than such civilisation."

But if such be the habitual condition of the population
of the highlands and islands of Scotland (and I do
not think that the truth of this description will be gain-
sayed), what must be their condition now, when even
that scanty food, on which they contrive to exist in ordi-
nary years, in many parts has entirely failed? Even at
the tables of those who could purchase potatoes if they
were to be had, and at the hotels, I have not seen pota-
toes at dinner above once or twice during the last fort-
night; boiled rice and other vegetables have taken their
place.
I am assured by a large proprietor here, intimately
acquainted with the condition of the people of the
island, that out of a population of about 26,000, fully
20,000 persons depend for existence on the potato crop,
and that there is Dot above a month's consumption of.
oatmeal grown in the island remaining. Neither is
there any employment whatever for the people, to
enable them to purchase food out of the profits of their
labour. The rental of the island is about 26,000/. a
year, or about 11. for each person. If the supprt of
20,000 of these poor people is to be derived from the
land, it is quite clear that the rental cannot support
them. This, then, is a great and peculiar emergency;
and, however much it is to be lamented that the island
is in such a state of uncultivation as to .afford no em-

employment to the people, and that the proprietors can-
not give that employ ment, however willing so to do,
still it is incumbent on the Government to see that the
people do not starve.
One most wise measure 'of the Government, and admi-
rably calculated to meet the peculiar condition ot High-
land proprietors, so far as it extends, is the recent sta-
tute, the 9th and 10th of Victoria, c. 101. This statute
authorises the Commissioners of her Majesty's Treasury,
upon the application of commissioners appointed to
carry the Act into execution, to advance out of the Con-
solidated Fund 2,000,0001. for Great Britain, and
1,000,000 E for Ireland, for the purpose or draining 'lands ;
such advance to be made a prior rent-charge on the lands
drained, at the rate of 61 per cent. for the period of 22
years, when the principal is calculated to be redeemed,
and the rent-charge is to cease.
The execution, or carrying out of the Act, is, however,
subject to considerable, and no doubt, necessary delays;
whilst the emergency which presses is immediate. For
instance, by the Bth clause no advance of money can be
made in compliance with any application until the same
has been submitted to, and sanctioned by, the Com-
missioners of the Treasury. By the 16th clause, if the
Commissioners sanction the application, then the plan,
estimate, and specification ot the proposed drainage must
be subinttted to the Government surveyor appointed;
and by tLe 18th clause, no certificate for the advance of
money shall be issued until notice of the application for
the advance shall have been published two successive
weeks in some local newspaper, and in the Gazette, and
until " two calendar months shall have elapsed from the
publication of the last of such advertisements," in order
that persons having charges upon the land should have
the opportunity of dissenting from such application if
they should think fit. Though these are very proper
precautions, they consume much time, and are not fitted,
nor were they intended, for the present pressing emer-

gency. - - ...
Again, though draining will enormously benefit much
of the waste lands, and render them fit for cultivation,
yet in a majority of instances draining alone will not
suffice. The land wants trenching, and fencing, and
liming to make it properly productive, and to make it
give an adequate return for the outlay expended upon it.
But the poor proprietors, or a majority of them at least,

. . . . .
cannot afford a single pound for either trenching, or
fencing, or liming ; the poor people on the land neither
can nor will work for nothing. Hence this Act, though
a most excellent measure, was not calculated to meet the

present emergency, nor yet does it go far enough in its
useful provisions.
Another and more serious view to be taken is, that

probably this failure in the potato crop may be per-
manent ; at all events, it behoves both proprietors of
land and the Government to take some precautionary
steps to avert such a calamity next year. Should
it turn out that the potato is becoming extinct, other
food must be grown as a substitute. But it will require
at least double the quantity of land now sown with

potatoes to produce a sufficiency cf food to supily the
place of potatoes. This land in the highlands and islands

of Scothind is lying waste in abundance, by thousands of
acres; but the proprietors cannot of themselves gene-
rally afford to employ the labour upon it in trenching
and fencing, as well as draining, which will bring it into
cultivation, and the people will not do it unless they
are employed. Without some enabling measure, there-
fore, there is every prospect of a recurrence of dearth

next year.
several proprietors with whom I have had the oppor-
tunity of conversing, express their readiness to charge
their estates in a similar manner to that authorised by
the statute 9 and 10 Victoria, c. 101, for these objects, if
they can only get the money, satisfied that such im-
provements will immensely benefit themselves as well as
the people and the country generally. They urge the
necessity of an immediate advance of money for these
objects, in order to give employment and the means of
obtaining food to the people; such advance to be sanc-
tioned by a retrospective Act of Parliament.
The proprietors, and the people too, with seeming
justice complain, now that Government grants are the
order of the day in Ireland for public works, " Why
should not we be also relieved ? We have suffered as
much by this calamity as the Irish ; we are quite as

- •
poor ; our people live in huts as mi:terable, and subsist
chiefly on potatoes, which have now failed them ; why
should we not also get public grants as well as the Irish?
Is it because we are peaceable and obey the laws—be-
cause we have neither soldiers nor police among us, and
because we do not perpetually shriek out our complaints,
but suffer in silence, that we are to be passed over and
suffered to starve unaided, whilst the Irish, who are no
worse off than ourselves, are rewarded for their turbu-
lence and defiance of all law by grants of public money?"
Such observations are quite general here, and are natu-
ral enough.
The people themselves are extremely well conducted
and peaceable. But, appalled by the prospect before
them, they are beginning to discus questions
which excite unpleasant apprehensions. They are
beginning to question the unlawfulness and sin-
fulness of helping themselves to food from the sheep
of the farmers on the hills, rather than that they should
starve. Such feelings can only be allayed by prompt
measures of relief. For the sake of the fecple them-
selves such relief ought not to be eleemosynary, test in the
shape of employment which will enable them to purchase
feed. There is here the greatest facility fir eniph.y
nu nt calculated to be productive of pe: ',patient profit and
advantage, but there is no capitol--no means of si=tting
it agoing ; and without that employ meet being giv, n to
the people the prosrect i 3 frightful. 'they are abso-
lutely without food, or the possibility of tetticg it.
The Ai( f proprietor of this tof the idarld is Mr.
Mq.eod of M‘Letcl ; in the perish of lln.rinisb,

which •thilvillage stands, there i 5 a population of :3,000
souls entirely depending upon him, the food en It hiph
they relied having failed them. It is hardly to be ex-
pected that any one proprietor can undertake either to
support or to give employment to so many persons out
of his own means. Mr. M'Leod has, however, corn-
mericcd marking out allotments for the people, and
giving them employment in draining and trenching, re-
lying on the aid of the Government. The efforts, how-
ever, of any one individual are feeble, and insufficient to
meet such an emergency ; and, however much we may
depreCate the existence of such a state of society as here
prevails—the K ant of persevering industry of the people
and the absence of all enterprise—or the unwise and in-
judicious laws which have tended to such a result, yet
the people must not be permitted to starve, nor be al-
lowed by the pressure of want to be driven to acts of
desperation. The-prevention of these evils is the duty
of the Government ; and by its efforts to meet the same
mischiefs in Ireland, where there is a louder complaint,
it would be unfair to assume that it will shrink from
meeting the difficulty here, when that difficulty shall be
made known, backed as it is by that best of all recom-
mendations„ a peaceful, a well-disposed, and deserving
people in want.