The Sun.
London, England, 1861-06-14 00:00:00

CLOSE OF THE WAR IN NEW ZEALAND.

(From the Melbourne Argus of April 27.)
During the truce, which commenced on the 13th
and ended on the 15th of March, terms were
offered to the native rebels by Governor Brown in
the following address :

" Ilapurona and Ngatiawa,—For 12 months you have
been carrying arms against her Majesty tlipe Queen and the
authority of the law. You have now laid down your arms,
and expressed your desire for peace. Believing you to be
sincere, I have come from Auckland for the purpose of
stating the terms upon which it will be granted, and upon
which her Majesty's gracious pardon and protection will be
extended to you. They are as follows :-1. The investiga-
tion of the title and the surve3 of the land at Waitara to
be continued and completed without interruption. 2. Every
man to be permitted to state his claims without inter-
ference, and my decision, or the decision of such persons
as I shall appoint, to be conclusive. 3. All the land in
possession of her Majesty's forces belonging to those who
have borne arms against her Majesty to be disposed of by
me as I may think fit. 4. All guns belonging to the Go-
vernment to be returned. 5. All plunder taken from the
settlers to be forthwith restord. 6. The Ngatiawa who have
borne arms against the Government must submit to the
Queen and to the authority of the law, and not resort
didforce to
n ofto r
useth e r f
orecder e
fors s
the
e awrongs,cquirieoa ornl
of
land,ima imaginary, yf;
the 7 AsVil_
dication of the law and for the protection of her Majesty's
native subjects in the exercise of their just rights, I shall
divide the land which I have stated my intention to dispose
of among its former owners, but I shall reserbe the sites of
the blockhouses and redoubts, and a small piece of land
round each, for the public use, and shall exercise the right
of making roads through the Waitara district. On your
submission to these terms you will come under the protec-
tion of the law, and enjoy your property, both lands and
goods, without molestation."
Those terms were not accepted, and on the 15th.
hostilities were renewed. On that morning 370
men of the 57th and 65th advanced to the front,
and divided into working parties and coverers.
The sap leading to Te-Arei was resumed, and. a
branch sap carried from No. 8 redoubt to sweep
the rifle pits on the verge of the valley. About
7 o'clock Captain Mercer arrived from. Waitara,
with 60 of the Royal Artillery, three Armstrong
guns, and two 8-inch and two 10-inch mortars.
All our works went on without the slightest
sign of opposition from the enemy until
11 o'clock, when the white flag was lowered from.
the Maori staff, and replaced by a blood-red
war flag. In a few minutes it
was lowered,
and one solitary shot from the natives in-
vited to the combat. The troops
were not yet allowed to reply, and the Maories, after hoisting
and lowering their war flag three times, opened fire
in good earnest, and poured volleys from their pits.
Our fire was excellent, and fearfully destructive.
The firing continued throughout Saturday and Sun-
day, and up till 5 o'clock, when it ceased, and the
natives yielded again, and this time finally, hoisting
the white flag. The Waikatos retreated to their
own country, owing to a loss of 300 out of 1,500
men, and Wiremu Kingi retired, though without
accepting the terms offered. These results are
announced in the following letter from the
Governor :

" New Plymouth, April 9.
" Sir,--In reference to the terms of submission offered by
his Excellency the Governor to the insurgents of the
Ngatiawa tribe at Waitara, a copy of which was enclosed to
you on-the 4th inst., I have the honour to inform you that,
as finally decided upon, they contained an additional sen-
tence to the following effect In conformity with the dee
claration made on the 29th November, 1859, the right of
those who may prove their title to any part of the piece of
land at Waitara will be respected.
" I have also to inform you that the terms laid down by
his Excellency have been accepted by Hapurona and his
followers.
" Wiremu Kingi, after having declared that the Gover-
nor's words were clear, and endeavoured to induce his Ex-
cellency to make peiee first, and discuss the terms after-
wards, has finally left Waitara Waikato, with a small
number of followers, without accepting the terms, from the
benefit of which he will consequently be excluded, accord-
ing to a notification previously communicated to him.
" I may further state that his Excellency the Governor
has despatched messages to the Taranaki and Ngatiruanui
tribes, informing them that if they desire peace they must
immediately come forward, in which case he will be pre-
pared to state to them terms upon which he will accept
their submission.
" I have, &0., "F. A. WELD.
" To his Honour the Superintendent of
Taranaki."
General Cameron arrived on the 30th at Waitara,
and proceeded on to Auckland, Major-General Pratt
left Waitara on the 3d of April, in her Majesty's
ship Victoria, and arrived at Melbourne on the 12th
inst. On his return to Melborne, to reassume the
command of the forces in Australia, the Legislative
Council and the Legislative Assembly resolved to
present addresses to the Major-General, compli-
menting him for his gallant services in New Zea-
land. The address of the Assembly was presented
on the 23d inst., in the chamber of the Assembly,
the standing orders having been suspended for the
purpose. The Speaker, Sir Francis Murphy, read
the following address :--
"Major-General Pratt,—ln pursuance of the unanimous
vote of this house, the pleasing duty devolves upon me of
conveying to you the thanks of the house for your gallant
services in New Zealand, and our congratulations upon
your safe return to this colony. You have conducted to a
successful issue the operations of a war of a peculiarly try-
ing and harassing nature, the difficulties of which, I am
well assured, have been but ill-understood at a distance, and
it is a proud satisfaction to your country to know that,
under such circumstances, the reputation of the British
arms has been sustained by you and the brave men you
commanded with a distinguished y
and navy of England.
valour and spirit worthy
of the historic renown of the arm
" I have to request, Major-eneral, that will
the thanks of this House to the officers and soldiersconvey of all
alms, as well as to Commodore Seymour and the naval forces
under his command engaged in this war, for their intrepe-
dity and zeal, and that you will assure them of the high
sense this House entertains of their bravery and of its deep
sympathy with the widows and children of those who have
so gloriously fallen in the service of their country,
" An unintentional omission has occurred in the proceed-
ings of the House, from our being unaware at the time that
the colonial armed steamship Victoria had not been placed
under the orders of Commander Seymour. It would ill be-
come me, on such an occasion as the present, to overlook
the gallant volunteers of the Victoria, or for me to avoid the
responsibility which I now assume in asking of you, Major-
General, to present the thanks of this House to Commander
Norman, and the officers and crew of the Victoria, for the
nyo
rimttr
alasnt duty,
and
conspicuous courage and ready energy which they have on
all occasions so eminently displayed during this war, both
by land and by sea."
Major-General Pratt replied in the following
terms
Mr. Speaker—l beg to return you my most sincere
thanks for the honour done me in your conveying to me the
thanks of this House for my services in New Zealand, and
its congratulations upon my return.
Sir, at any time this would have been an honour most.
highly prized by me, but under existing circumstances it 1.1.3
to me, at this moment, most acceptable, and the grati
tion is much enhanced by my being permitted to return my
thanks in person at the bar of this House,
ur and
" You have also delegated to me a most pleasing
and I shall not fail to convey to Commodore
entertains of
the Royal Naval Brigade, and to Command.eser Seymour
earn-
the officers and the crew of her Majesty's
vessel Victoria, and to the officers
in the war in New Zealand,
their bravery and good services
the high sense which this honourable
he widows and families
and soldiershouco of all
of
and of its deep sympathy with t
Ith
service o eir country during
those who have fallen in the
the war."

THE WEATHER.

METEOROLOGICAL REPORTS. .

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