Taranaki.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 4, Issue 206, 30 August 1860, Page 3

Taranaki.

[From the Correspondent of the Lyttelton Times .] Tuesday, July 24, 1860.

I was very much surprised, in common, with all my fellow-voyagers; on arriving here, to find that not a stroke has been struck since the engagement at the Waitara, the unpleasant news of which was taken down to you by the Airedale on her last southern trip. The forces in camp at the Waitara have been quiet except the throwing a shell now and then into the enemy’s pa. The troops in town too have been quiet, engaged in the innocent pastime of entrenching the inhabited quarter of the village. In doing so a large number of houses are left outside the entrenchments, so that their inhabitants will not- only not have the benefit of the protection of the lines, but will be; in the unpleasant position of receiving the enemy's attack front without and the fire from within simultaneously. The town appears to be in a disorganised state. Men, women, and children unemployed and going about disorderly, giving New Plymoth the appearance of a town in a state of siege rather than one garrisoned by troops in full activity. Proclamations have been issued almost in so many words ordering the removal of all inhabitants unfit for service in the field. As there is still a great superabundance of women and chil-dren—three-fourths of the whole—this course may be founded on necessity, but it will assuredly be accepted as a hardship by the people, who one and all seem willing rather to stay to fight or die in Taranaki than to remove to the most prosperous fortune elsewhere The ladies of the place are full of courage ; they seem not to know that there is anything to fear; and should the fighting come to close quarters, I have no doubt that they will be found loading the guns for their kinsmen to fire.

; It was not W. King’s men who fought so furiously at Waitara. jTlie Ngatiawas are too polished to try such close aod bloody jighting.Kingi gave up his land to Potatau, and the contest is noi iiOtfr ©ar-rtct!otr former by the men of his tribe, but by all the tribes and parts of tribes in’ that locality on behalf of the king of New Zealand. The fighting at ffaitara was done chiefly by the Ngatimaniopoto men, wlio are esteemed the most rude aud rough dealing of all in the island. They are very intimately related to the ff'aikatos, and the . loss of some of their men will very probab-y bring down a number of their relatives to seek revenge. With the new commander and the ample force at command, some chance will exist that the appeal to arms will not be utterly unsuccessful on our side. Including the troops I have mentioned as about to arrive, the forces in Taranaki will muster close upon 2800 effi-, cient men—regulars, militia, volunteers, and naval brigade.. The greater number of all these 1 are camped under canvas, . the naval brigade, with, gallant Commodore Loring ’ at their bead, being quartered round the base of the : flagstaff, which it is the main object of the insurgents to capture and cut down. It would besight worth seeing, the handling they will get from the jack tars if they venture upon their wood-cutting operations while the naval brigade stays where it i?.l Meanwhile,;

[canvas tout® make cold quarters, especially f-r she meii just arrived from Sydney and ! MelbournevVior the cold just now is intense; the frost bites deep into I he ground, and Mount jjgniont is grandly beautiful, with the snoW sheeting its sloping- sides down to the base, and makitig it. look like the pareut of all the tents which have sprung up upos fhe ftatu at ite.feet.'-a

JOURNATj OF EVENTS TO Atoot* [From the Tarai<dkiHerald.'\

Saturday, August: 4th. Regarding the alarm of attack this morning, we hear that it was occasioned by. the presence of parties of marauding - natives, who plundered several houses on the outskirts of the town. A report received in town this morning of a skirmish with natives on the Bell Block, ami later in the day of a second,, but. no particulars; received beyond, the! .the nutir« IOSB. . i

Sunday, sth-.— We have intelligence from- : Bell Block that during the; skirmish with the rebels, ? several natives were killed I and wounded. Full particulars * ill be found; - in another column. Gunner Gaffney, R.A... : was buri d to-day in the Roman Catholic cemetery. The two companies of volunteer i rifles, and some militia,: in command of tains Stapp, Watt, und Atkinson,_raarchedotifc tq Mr. McKechney’s houee, plundered yeaterday, and brought in a quantity of lead, doors, mishes, &e. No natives were seen.- TheTastnanian Maid sailed for Waitara with'-the - General and Staff. The Airedale left,foc, Nelson with 103 passengers, principally women and children. The cutter Will JFatck, chartered by the Government to run between this port and Manukau with despatches, arrived to-day from Auckland with Government; stores. Weather fine.

Monday, 6th.—-Harford’s body was found yesterday, near his own . house, with one giitishot wound, through-the heart. No tomahawk; wounds.. He was buried at the Independent burial ground at Omata. A large number of friendly nativ< s escorted provision carts to-day to Omata. We. hear that these natives will in future serve .in the militia,and receive pay'and: rations. They have been doing duty on theVVaLwakaiho bridge for some time past. • Too Tasmanian A/aid returned; early this morning from Waitara with General Pratt. We have no news-to report from Waitara. The Victoria sailed this .evening for „ Manukau with despatches for tho Government, and has taken three-.families; as ; passengers. > The Victoria, ia - expected back, immediately; and.will, it is reported, return to Manukau- with any families who may desire to go to Auckland. Weather stormy, with showers. Henry Sergeant, the sailor of H.M. colonial sloop Victoria who was accidentally shot on the 15th ult., and whose • foot was amputated, died to-day from lockjaw. The following proclamation wms issued.; to-day:— ' * Proclamation. “ As it is indispensably necessary thatfamilies should leave this . town, they must prepare to embark for such, places as shall be - ; ecided upon..

“ By order, ; ; “ R. Carey, Lieut.-Colonel, “ Deputy Adjutant-General. ’* “ August 6, I 860.” There is a general impression that an Attack on the town may be attempted by the natives, and every precaution is made to meet it. The light company of the 65th were brought this evening from the Henui, and camped in Liardet street, near the Wesleyan chapel. Tho head-quarters of the 40th were moved from fort Murray and camped on the Market-place, Devon street, Forty men were left in the fort. The different companies of militia and volunteers had their stations marked out, and all families living outside the lines were ordered to remove into town, 'i he trenches are being vigorously proceeded with, and palisading put up in various parts of the town; gates are erected across the streets. The outlying picket is brought in from the race-course and stationed in the trenches ; itt fact, every'precaution that can be devised is made to be on, the alert in case of an attack.

Tuesday,, 7th.—At |-past two the trenches were mauned and carefully inspected by <?e* neral Pratt. The following notice was published to-day

“ Notice. : u All families residing outside the lilies, requiring night accommodation/are to Bpply. to the Sergeant of Police until further orders.. t?;August, 7, I 860." in sight thismorniiig, and was found to be the Lord Worsley from Nelson, bound for Sydney with the English, mails. .She has called in here for the latest news. The natives have been committing further depredations close to the town. £ast night it is reported that a large body of natives broke into Capt. King’s house at Brooklandg, and destroyed everything it contained, pulling down linings and ceilings, &c. They also proceeded to S. Jail’s barn in the Avenue road. 1 A party of militia and volunteers Went out to-day to reconnoitre / they encountered no natives, but found numerous tracks: Captain King’s house,, andseveral other houses, have been ransacked,, and on ;the' door of W/B-bberts’s house the following was written in chalk— ‘ Na Waikato/ that is, ‘By Waikato.’* We are told that some natives endeavoured to effect an entrance into Prout’a house on the- race-course, 'within, the town belt. Two men were sleeping in it, and this caused the natives to decamp. r At 7 p.m. a; force of the rifles and militia. 80 strong, under Captains A tkinson and WVXing,. ana several other officers, started on a night expedition. .'{.Tfmrjsia y, Oth.—The' Tasmanian Mate.

-came: up torday from Waitaia. A correspondent writes :■ —“ Here we are going on : v jimcli/as usual, the Muories seemingly haying devoted, their attentions to the Bell Block fort.; hut they.: retain a force in the Puketa- , kftoere pa, and hoist the red flag most days.” ibidlocks aM, sheep 4 belonging to L the fe k ;coh|ra6for:<hadast:tjayed? n\Vts to’the eueniy, fiotwithstanding that Major Nelson*-lin'd .or*, dered the erection of*«“Stockyard. The carters 11 hadrleft itfunfastened two or three nights after it haii^een. completed,..and next morning five or *0 Waikato--par- Eighty-one sheep had also 5- istrayed away: News canie in this morning -. that a skirmish had takbn place with the troops ' •• rat- Waireka 'and th 6 rebels, and a soldier’ is have- bebn *wb'Un(led: ; Particulars' 4 will. ..-he seen tin ; Jetteiv; ! '-Tlre Tasmanian-Maid returned to Waifara. Weather -.. jatormjv'iWi’hi showers; The expedition ;of: /, iLml— wAUtia —rottn-Hed—ut fa.m. :

.■. i Friday,'] in early hour this morn- - A ing-lI.M. colonial steam sloop Victoria an* • chored in the . roadstead, having left Mauakau » cn Wednesday. ’ ’,l 11 •• • . . ./w ! *t. - “Proclamation. ■ “ In reference* totproclaniation August 6, i ' .3860, and" under instructions from the General ■ Gftyerifln&iit; any. lrhying relations and ; . friehd&at .Augkljtrfd imiy'prOiceed there,-but at • ,:."irbeir' own ; f exj ense, and receiving - -no rations. ' r:.AH'pfhers will bev sent to -Nels'oir witlra free • : passage*:but if desirous to’proceed to Canter* *-ivbhry; or Otago, ithey must pay) tlie difference of • . .fronLNelson to' their destination. !v. . ! Lj. “By order,- , ri 'U r R. Carey, Zt;-Coldnel, > *.‘ -i t . ; : Deputy Adjutant-General.

. u , s : ; M. August 10, ! 1860.” : ; i f 'The. above : Proclamation * was posted J iii the town to-day, and we " are' informed that ! soo ; Tipersona-ai ; e under: orders to leave’by the first r opportunity .-for 'Nelson. 'Captain W; -King, \ .with ia».party of six volunteers, went out to-day : to.ssiveAomeieffect's from his house* at Woodleigh,,.which:the natives had plundered. One Aart loadLwns brought into town: On going

?cut asecond time/a native Was observed on

Mrv Mungeam’s land, trying to catch a horse; ... 'Lieut. Jonas, one of the party, fired at the native, who crept away towaids Mr. S.Smith’s, r. .where he: appeared to join, judging by the

voices heard, a number of natives. These in , jturn were answered by others from the forest. , Under these circumstances the party returned, leaving the cart and-bullocks behind them.

n « 5:?, p;m.Tr-We. % have just ' heard from our Omata. correspondent that “ the natives have - ;in;gOod earnest taken "possession of Ratapihi-

■ pihi'agaiii, from .whdnee tljey are sending but parties to annoy, us. This afternoon our sen- . iiinel,.*who is. placed at the edge v>f the gully, had two shots fired at him; wo all directly mustered, and returned them with interest, ,I. jiyhetlier‘with-effect d, cannot say.” - From a reliable source we bear that the murderer Minarapa was wounded in the thigh .i. ifi the skirmish on> Autridge’s farm yesterday . ;morning. ; Mr. W. 1 Carrington’s House at ~Tapuae,;has .been destroyed. Saturday, 10, a.m. —The report of heavy

guns at Omata was heard This morning in 'own; and.we, have.delayed 1 our publication to ‘ nscertain the. new's,’ The impression \vas that an engagement was taking place, as the rebels • are l^iiown, to be hoveling about i both the camp , and Omata stockade. The ) explanation, of, the firing /is that a party- of

. natives, were, .owing to the vigilant watch set . by Major seen in; ambush, and ?two . ,*ho'tS| fired..into The Waireka: camp A lit the,se,cpud They made a'precipitate retreat^

’ <t , . Omata Stockade/ August 10. - : • Tuesday, August >7r— The!new signal staff ; .which has . jbeen,.erected at;the Waireka hill, our Sergeant-IVjajor-,Stevens, .was used for the first, time and found, to work very well;, ; . .The natives.. are reported to be cn their . ..way.Tor jKutapihipihi, where they intend to ,«reqt a pah, Captain- Burton is taking every |'recautipn,for ; the safety .of: the stockade arid feie <sliafge.-r, - * •« - ■. , , August -..8.—-This : morning several natives-were seen and shots heard in . the,,direction, of..Ratapihipihi; .after a : ?short . ,*ime .they,.again, in all probability .Towardsd)eff ; ,<?amp/At.T&puai:' * ; : . ’Thursday,. August 9—The'/firing heard this morning at 5 the,-Soldiers’ camp proved to he,j a JT slight affhir,-; between The natives and l :apldiers. it4 Ear!y-in the morning three ■ sold iers, v «|le only, armed, : accompanied Jatpes Autridge to his father’s fhrmTo. assist him in milking the cows; they had barely commenced, wo. rr* Sv “? vyucii some, niteen or twenty, natives )*usheff 'froiii .house and, fired on the party, "ftheisoldier with the rifle received » flesh' wound in tlie .thigh and- another in the knee. Immediately j>ri the alarm being given, men'started- from, th§, camp to the rescue# and .commenced firing' on'the already-: retreat* iug natives ;’ after the. .skirmish,-,was over a ' native ’.mat' -was . found near a pool of blood. The wounded man was removed to the camp, where l am happy to hear, he is doing well. ' : : • ' ' ' , \V. L G. :