A budget of official correspondence from New Zealand has been
issued by the Colonial Office ; the dates extending from the 15th January to the 26th March 1845. They do not throw much additional light on the subject to which they re- late, the outbreak of the Natives ; but there are several important points. Go- vernor Fitzroy explains why he did not concentrate his troops on Kororarika: " Wellington was threatened," and Heki meant to attack Auckland if the troops left it. Lieutenant George Philpotts, who writes in a rather apologetic strain, im- putes the defeat of the British to the abandonment of the outer block-house. So does Captain Sir Everard Home, of the Queen's ship North Star: he attributes it, however, not to want of courage, but to want of judgment, one party having seized the block-house while Mr.t Campbell had left it to attack another party; and Mr. Campbell is a young officer of but two years standing in the service. "It is remarkable," says Sir Everard, "that the Protestant church at Kororarika has been burnt down, whilst the Roman Catholic establishments remain untouched." Governor Fitzroy meant to remain on the defensive until reinforced: he has "had offers of assistance from several tribes in the North of New Zealand, of about .3,000 men; which he declines accepting unless driven to extremity, lest they should become his masters." Under these circumstances, the Captain says that he should depart from his orders to leave New Zealand, until it were safe to do so.
Previous page
