TARANAKI.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1100, 27 May 1863, Page 5

TARANAKI.

The ' Wellington Independent' of the 19th instant contains the following rather mystifying explanation of the news via Wanganui:— Some private letters received by the overland mail from Wanganui on Saturday brought the startling intelligence that Major Logan, of the 57th Regt., had attacked the rebels in full force at Tataraimaka, and had defeated them with considerable loss—the natives admitting that 100 of their number had been slain. The uncertainty with respect to dates makes this news somewhat confused and doubtful, especially when it is taken in conjunction with what appeal's in the'Wanganui Chronicle'of the 14th instant; but, as the greatest interest has been evinced by the public in the matter, we will endeavor to give an intelligible resume of all the information that has come to hand. The ' Chronicle' of the 14th inst, says : — " Two of our Wanganui natives, who went on towards Taranaki to gather the latest intelligence, arrived in town on Friday afternoon, having ridden from Whareroa, seventy miles, that day. Their report, which has since been confirmed, is that the troops at Tataraimaka were entirely surrounded by the natives, and that they heard heavy firing there all day on Wednesday." Now, Friday afternoon was the Bth inst., and the very latest news these natives could bring would be to Wednesday the 6th, while our previous intelligence by the Storm Bird from Taranaki was to the 9th instant, the ' Herald' of that date containing news from Tataraimaka to the Bth. No mention was there made of heavy firing having taken place on the 6th, but it is not unlikely that the natives were surrounding the troops at Tataraimaka. The other intelligence contained in the private letters is a very different affair, and may possibly prove to have some foundation in fact. We may fairly cast aside the statement of the two natives who arrived in Wanganui from Taranaki on the Bth instant, but one of the letters we have seen distinctly states that another native came into toivn from Taranaki on. the 13th, and brought the report of Major Logan's successful attack and defeat of the Tataraimaka rebels. Supposing this man to have left on the 10th, or morning of the 11th, he would thus bring later news from Tataraimaka. One of these letters gives the news received by this channel, to the effect that Major Logan and his troops being surrounded by the natives, and cut off from wood and water, made the attack in question, and another letter dated Wanganui, the 14th, states that this report is fully believed by the natives there, who were much depressed in consequence. The writer continues, "I am convinced there is some truth in it, partly because it is believed by the natives themselves, and also because it is against themselves." Native reports of reverses sustained by themselves are often worthy of some credit, but we carefully guard against vouching for the authenticity of the present, more especially as we are in receipt of j>rivate and rather later information tending to throw some doubt on it.