The Sun.
London, England, 1869-09-07 00:00:00

THE WAR IN NEW ZEALAND.

The operations of the month ending the middle of July
in New Zealand have been meagre. It was then the depth
of winter at the Antipodes, and the cold and heavy rains
impeded active movements. There were about the 10th
of July about 1,400 troops, Europeans and friendly natives,
in the interior. This is tiro force which was sent on the
expedition to penetrate to the native fastnesses ; but being
undertaken at the wrong season of the year it appears to
have turned out a mistake. Some of the natives have
been defeated ; but part of the colonial force Was surprised
whilst on a reconnoitring expedition. The affair is
thus described by the Times correspondent :—"lt appears
that Colonel St. John, accompagied by nineteen of the
cavalry force, left Galatea on the Gth of June,
and, reaching a deserted village at Opepe, slept
that night in the wharres, whence the Colonel and four
of the force proceeded round the lake next morning. The
natives in the immediate district were friendly, and
as so often occurs in these expeditions, a reckless security
pervaded the little camp. Some natives made their ap.
pearance, shook hands, and talked awhile. They were
mistaken for friendlies. Other natives were soon seen
approaching, but the suspicions which their approach ex-
cited were excited too late. Before the cavalry could
secure their arms ten of them were shot down, five of
them escaping to the bush at the edge of which they
encamped. One of these, a Cornet Smith, was long given
up for lost. When at some distance from Opepe he was
discovered by three natives, who stripped him almost
naked and then tied him to a tree. Three days
were passed in this wretched plight, the rain
falling heavily during the greater part of them. On
the fourth he managed to stretch the wet flax and
liberate one of his hands. Speedily extricating himself,
he continued Lis way in the direction of the fort. Ills
only subsistence was grass and a few potato skins, the
remnant of a Maori meal raked from the ashes of a
deserted wharre. Once he was seen. Fortunately it was
dusk, and he swam the river before Lim. Ilia cap floated
down the stream and was fired at, while Le was safely
hiding in the tall flax on the opposite bank. In ten days
from the surprise at Opepe he reached Fort Galatea, and
soon began to recover rapidly."
The cold which prevails in the high land where the
forces are situated is intense for New Zealand, and the
ctothing of the men being scanty, each having but a sin-
gle blanket at night time, tent life to them is most unen-
viable. When marching, the troops were obliged to carry
four days' provisions ; these, with arms, ammunition, and a
blanket, were soheavy and cumbersome that the gr eat coats
were in most instances left behind, and do not appear to have
been forwarded afterwards. The men have, since their
arrival, been occupied in road•making ; and hard work,
short commons, rain, cold, and the inability to hut them-
selves
have caused so much dissatisfaction that when 150
were ordered on the march, to effect a juncture with
Colonel Herrick, they refused to proceed. So much for
operations in the interior. On the West Coast very
little has been done beyond capturing a force of natives
with some women. During the twelve months ending
June 9th, the total loss of the colonial forces in the war
was 2G9 killed and 127 wounded, the loss of the Europeans
being about 140 killed and 100 wounded. Time Mimics
have had 269 killed and 283 captured ; but since the 9th
of June the number of prisoners has considerably aug-
mented. There has been a change of Ministry, and the
new Government comes in with a new policy. -

TIM FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE.—Tho Durham
Advertiser regrets to learn that this disease is rapidly
spreading in the neighbourhood of Durham.

Sir Trevor Wileler, Bart., of Wellesbourne,
Hastings, Warwickshire, one of the few remaining
Waterloo veterans, has just died at Limerick House,
Leamington. Sis Trevor was born in 1792, and was there-
fore 77 years of age.

Men were at work all day on Sunday in the
construction of the railway en the Thames Embankment.
The engines were in full eperation during the whole of the
twenty-four hours of Sunday without a moment's cessation.
Worcester is already full of yisitors for the festival,
which commences to-day. Mr. Sims Reeves, Madame
Patey, Madame Lemmers-Sherrington, and nearly all the
principal artistes arrived on Saturday ovenit:g.

On Saturday two rough lads annoyed a stall
keeper at Carlisle by playing practical jkles upon him. He
ran after thrm, and ono of them felled him with a ftene,
which struck him on the head, and killed him on the spot.
The Its. Dr. Vaughan, who has been presented
to the Mastership of the Temple, preached his farewell ser-
rnen on Sunday in the parish church of St. George's, Don-
caster. The Mayor and Corporation, with nut ny of the lead-
ing townsmen, ersembled at the Mansion-house, and went
in procession to the church. Dr. Vaughan will go into resi-
dence in the Temple.immediately after the close of the Long
Vacation.

The inquiry on the Beverley Election Commis-
-3:OU was resumed yesterday. The chief witnesses on Satur-
day were several rersons, employes of the Lin and
Waggon Company, and others, who had :Ord for Mr.
Norfolk in distributing money for him in bribery to pro-
mote Lis election. They said, generally, that they I,lad in-
ktruct:o►:s only to secure the election, and used their own
discretion as to the amounts they paid to voters. The prices
ranged from les. to .l.

In a discussion on habitual Criminals at the
British Association gathering at Exeter, the Rev. W.
Caine (chaplain of Manchester county gaol) mentioned
the astounding fact that of 700 "protestant criminals"
in that gaol, 81 had Leen Sunday-school teachers, and
from recent observations he had found that out of
Cl 9 criminals in the same gaol, 593 had been Sunday
scholars, on the average between sip and seven years each
lie thought the grand cause of criminality in England
was " strong drink."

DUNTILLE and Co., Belfast, are the 'argent
holders of Whisky in the world. Their Old Irish Whisky is re-
commended by the medical profession in preference to French
Brandy. Supplied in casks and cases for home use or exports-
ion Quotations on application to Messrs. Danville and Co ,
Belfast; or 4, Beaufort-parliags,Strsnd, Loucio, W,C.—[Ad
ClMlollRitt;

MISCELLANEOUS NEWS.

DECONSTRITCTIONtN THE IRISH CHURCH.

The clergy of the Protestant diocese of Kildare
have met and selected two proctors to repre-
sent them at the approaching synod. At
this gathering another great act of munificenoe
was announced. One of the clergy stated that his
patron had expressed to him his intention of giving
the entire sum at which his patrona,ge is valued—a
sum over ,000—to the Church body, on condition
that a clergyman be maintained on the benefice.
The present rector has also assured his life for a sum
equal to the whole charge on the living, for the same
purpose.