The Daily Southern Cross.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XX, Issue 2103, 16 April 1864, Page 4

The Daily Southern Cross.

LUCKO NON UKO. " If I Inn o been extinguished, 3 et there rise A thousand beacons fioni tlio sp.uk T bore "

SATURDAY, APRIL 16, 1861.

Our latest intelligence from head quarters is explicit on one pomt — tlio campaign, for tbe season, is closed. After nine months of as arduous and thankless campaigning as ever British troops were engaged in, they retire into winter quarters to enjoy that repose they have so well earned, by distinguished services and uncomplaining devotion to duty. Their task has not been an easy one ; but difficult as it was, it has been accomplished. They were called upon to invade an enemy's country, of which they knew nothing, and through which they were compelled to open roads as they advanced. It was necessary to organise a land and water transport service to provision the troops actively engaged in the field ; and this service, costly as it was complicated, absorbed many hundred men, thereby permanently reducing the combatant force. We recently particularised t\o number of the troops serving in tb» colony, and indicated the force which General Cameron could mass for any particular service, and it is needless to do so again. Our readers are aware of the difficulties which beset the troops on every side, exposed as they wore to ambushes and sudden attacks from concealed foes, whilst they forced their way up the line of the Waikato'and extended their flanks on cither hand, driving the enemy from his positions in the Thames and on the right of the AVaikato. Battles -n ere fought and won ; and wherever the enemy encountered the troops they were defeated. Steadily the army advanced, and as steadily the enemy was forced back upon his base of supplies. Here tho natives made a stand worthy of Maori reputation, and sustained an unequal struggle with gallantry and spirit for a time. But the rebels were forced to succumb — not to brute force, but to superior intelligence. For, be it remembered, the war in JNew Zealand is not a war of ruthless extermination, as some saj', which counts its successes by heaps of slaughtered men and women. It is a war of civilization against barbarism ; and when the end for which the war has been undertaken could be attained without sacrifice of life, that course was taken. But there has been no hesitation in offering and accepting battle, when necessity required; and the issuo in oveiy case has not been doubtful. We will not ou this occasion discuss the results of the campaign • our space will not permit us ; but we have the satisfaction of saying that it has been eminently .successful. The plan of the campaign was well matured by a master iv the science of war ; and that plan has been cairicd out in detail without any check. The only drawback, from first to last, was tho difficulty arising from the want of Commissariat supplies, owing to tho increasing distance to which they had to bo transported. But for that drawback, the campaign in the Waikato would not have lasted three months ; and the humiliationof the rebels would have been more sudden and striking. As it is, however, their humiliation has been complete. Notwithstanding the want of roads, the difficulties of the country, and the utter desolation of tho districts traversed to Kaugiawhi.i, General Cameron succeeded in feeding his army, making roads and bridges, establishing posts, and permanently occupying the country. As we have said, he fought battles and repelled surprises, and by his skilful disposition of tho troops in his command, he nullified the elaborate defences of the enemy at head-quarters, which thus fell into our hands almost without a blow. The country between Maungatautari and Auckland is now in our possession. From sea to sea we hold the conquered territory of the rebel tribes ; and although there is a rising in tho Tauranga district, and although, fighting still goos on in Taranaki, we do feel thankful that the neck of the rebellion is broken. Waikato, the centre of tho King movement, is conquered. The power of its turbulent chiefs is at an end. Its people are decimated, and their lands are forfeit to the Crown ; and with such substantial results at the close of the campaign, we can afford to regard the disturbancos that still exist as of lesser consequence than they would have been if the campaign had closed under less favourable auspices. To General Cameron the thanks of the Colony are due. To his patience, courage, and foresight we owe our success ; and we do thank that gallant chief and the troops under his command for opening the line of the Waikato by practicable roads, and thus at once clearing the way

for permanent settlement. Let us hope that before twelve months elapse .most of the conquered territory will b~e beneficially occupied. We have no doubt the Government will do their best to accomplish this great end ; and as our latest advices from the Front seem to indicate the full submission of the Waikatos remaining in that district, let us likewise hope that these misguided men will bo so disposed of as to silence the restless and unscrupulous enemies of Christian civilization and settlement in this country.

Tite City of Auckland has now been for a period drawing near quarter of a century the capital of New Zealand. It is not now our intention to spealc of the efforts many, but ineffectual, which have been made again and again to deprive it of that position, and if possible to siulc it to the very modesb position and still more modest condition of the cities of Cook's Straits. These efforts have failed, and have failed so utterly that it is not worth while to recall them to mind. They are amongst the curious things of the past, which may amuse but can hardly detain the thoughts of the present. Perhaps the men of Auckland have been to some extent to blame for the numerous attempts to which we have referred. We cannot but think it highly probable that the sight of how little we seemed to appreciate our own position may have induced our neighbours to try to take that position from us. In no respect has our apathy been more remarkable, and indeed in none has it been more remarked, than in oar' city itself. The efforts that have been made to render Auckland worthy of being the capital of a country like Now Zealand, have been infinitesimally small on our part, and gigantic on that of nature. "Whether wo look at the site or at the harbour, we arc equally struck by the magnificence of the scale and the beauty of the execution of nature's part of the business. It is when we turn to the buildings placed upon the site, and we may add marring the view from the harbour, that we are struck by the appearance the reverse of that of a capital which Auckland presents to any stranger, even if he do not look with critical eyes upon it. "Within the last two or three years private enterprise has begun to show the way. This has, wo are happy to say, been followed up by an effort to make the city something like what it should be,by the erection of really creditable public buildings, which may serve the double purpose of adorning and affording convenience to the city, and also of asserting on the part of its people, their fixed belief in the city's being hereafter as well as heretofore, the capital of the colony. These arc now committed to the care of a commission in every way well fitted, we think.to carry out the designtoasuccessful issue, and to make the largo s'lins placed at their disposal go as far as possible towards beautifying the city of Auckland. So far it is well, and we arc exceedingly satisfied that things are now in a good train towards eventual success. Wo now want to see this beginning of Government supplemented bjr the public m the same good cause. Som° great contractors in the neighbouring colon iO will, in all likelihood, bo found willing to undertake the work, but would be butter pleased the more wurk they could get in one place. If, therefore, anj'pi'rvatc companies were to call for tenders at the same time aa the Government, u is not at all improbable that a house ha\in o determined to do the one im^lu bo glad to add to it the other. We have b«.en informed tnat already one such project is on focft. It is, we hear, proposed to place this opportunity ot taking part in this desirable work bcfoic the Auckland public without delay. The object is to build a large hall for public purposes of such a kind as may prove both ornamental to the city, and remunerative to those who have invested their money in the undertaking, as well as a real benefit to the people of Auckland at large, by affording them fcplacosuitable for many public purposes not now attainable OAWiifc to the want of a suitable place. The scheme has taken its rise from the needs of the Auckland Harmonic Society which, now fairly in working order and sure of the public support it so well merits, finds its operations cramped, and its development hindered, by the want of a place in which to hold its meetings. Some of its members have, therefore, started the idea of building a hall such as may meet all its requirements, and at the same time be of use for a variety of other purposes in a 3 r oung but rapidly developing city like Auckland. It is obvious to all that the needs of the Society are not very great iv regard to the time for which they will require the use of the hall when built. About fifty-six nights m the year w ill bo all that it will need, and consequently the place may be applied to many other public purposes during the remainder of the year. A hall, such as that proposed, of one hundred aud In enty feet long by sixty feet wide, and containing within the same building other halls and waiting-rooms necessary for the convenience of the public, for many of the purposes to which it should be applied, might of course be rendered a highly ornamental structure. Qn this ground, as well as on that of public convenience, we understand that Government has warmly entertained the project, and has decided, with the advice and full concurrence of the Commissioners of Public Buildings, to grant a piece of the public land close to the she of the new Supremo Court House for the purpose, only requiring that the design shall be of such a kind as they can approve of. With an admirably central site such as that now offered them, we cannot doubt that, with ordinary good management, the scheme may be wrought out to a great success. Six thousand pounds would, we feel convinced, build a hall answering all requirements, whether those of Government or of public convenience. And having such an advantage as that of a position in the very middle of the city, without having to pay anything for the ground, we can hardly doubt of its proving a realy solid investment for the money of those persons who are willing to subscribe towards its erection. In support of this view it is only necessary to point to the fact, that at this moment there is no building in our city suitable for a music hall, none fit for a theatre, none in which a public ball can -well be given, and, finally, none in which the citizens can meet in anything like full strength for any public purpose. We might add to this list that there is none in which the Parliament of New Zealand can hold a session should they again come here beforo suitable buildings can be erected, excopt that remarkable structure hitherto occupied by them, and which may, without exaggeration, be said to have been the cause of their unwillingness to hold their next session in Auckland. The scheme, therefore, of the new music hall, seems to us to be one of the

mosb reasonable and most certain* to succeed of any that we have heard of for a long time, and we confess wo look forward with great pleasure -to the time, not we hope a very distant one , when Princes-street, Auckland, will lie one of the finest streets jn this part of the world, in respect of its public buildings, as it now is in respect of its splendid position given it by nature. Nor is it, we again assert, a light matter ; imagination has more to do with questions of precedence amongst cities than might be imagined, and Auckland may benefit in many ways by its capital appearance.