We haveadvices from, Taranaki, New Zealand, to the Nth of
January. They report another success gained over the natives by General Pratt, but they do not afford any ground for a belief that the war is near a- close.
At the end of 1960 it was knowirthat the Waikatos had sent rein- fiorcemenre in- aidiof the remnants of the detachment of their tribe de- fretted-at Mahoetaki. There was also considerable agitation among all
the tribes to the southward, and William King held fast in his strong- hold in the bush. The Waikatos had fortified. a pah at a place called ittatarikoriko, a very strong position on the Waitarm river. On the
28th, General Pratt, reinforced frent the crews of the war ships Niger and Cordelia, mustered nine hundred rank and file for field operations, and marching to the- Waitara, regularly set down
against the pah. He attacked. it for two days with shot, shell, and bullets, and on the third day, having some suspicion that the natives
had retired, he sent a force of sailors. and soldiers into-the enemy's works. They were abandoned. Our loss was three killed and nine- teen wounded. The loss of the enemy is estimated at one hundred and thirty-five killed; and this from the fire alone. General Pratt occupies Matarikoriko, whence his outposts could see the Waikatos working at a second pah two miles distant up the river. The heavy storms of wind and dust had prevented an advance of the troops up to the 12th, when the mail left. It was believed that General Pratt would drive the Waikatos from Huirangi, and then deal:with William King and the southern tribes.
The elections were going on in the colony, and it was feared. would end in the overthrow of the ministry.. A heated controversy with Sir William Martin on the one side, the champion of the cleiical view of native rights, and Governor Browne and Mr. Richmond on the other, was in full blast. The papers are well written, and amply discuss the questions at issue. Mr. Roebuck has offended the' friends of. Italy in Sheffield. At a meeting held in Sheffield, on Monday night, Mr. Councillor
Booth in the chair, it was resolved that a copy of the following resolution be forwarded to Mr. Roebuck, and. a. prompt reply re- quested : "-That in consideration of the wide-spread surprise and
regret with which Mr. Roebuck's recent speech on Italian affairs has been received, this meeting deems it an imperative duty respectfully but urgently to request that gentleman to pay a visit to his consti- tuents, for the parpose of fully explaining the views enunciated in the before-mentioned speech.
Mr. Gladstone, it is said, will, stand as third member for South Lancashire, if required to do so by a handsome contingent of electors. The Dissenters have agreed to support him; although he opposes- church rates, and it is assumed that his appearance will lead to a thorough union:of the Liberal party. The Bright set are warm in his favour.
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