Preface.

New Zealand, the home of many of Britain's enterprising sons, and acquiring great importance from its commanding position in the Southern Pacific Ocean, has lately had much attention directed towards it from the unlooked-for disturbance of friendly relations between the Colonists and the Maories, resulting in a war, which from small beginnings attained formidable dimensions, and continued for many months. The principal incidents and events of that conflict are narrated in the following pages, and it is hoped they will found interesting to civilian as well as military readers, as strict impartiality is shewn towards the contending parties.

On the establishment of a lasting peace, the great advantages which New Zealand pos-page visesses in an unrivalled climate, a fertile soil, and great commercial capabilities, not omitting its gold-fields, will no doubt cause a great tide of prosperity to flow towards its highly picturesque shores.

It will be observed by those who are pleased to peruse this volume, that the Author is an Aborigines-protectionist, and that he feels keenly on this subject, at the same time he professes to entertain the most friendly sentiments towards colonists and settlers, as long as they do not interfere with native rights, and believe, and act on the belief, that Divine Providence has given an inheritance to those of dark as well as fair complexions.