Taranaki.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 4, Issue 217, 15 November 1860, Page 4

Taranaki.

, [From the Herald's ‘ Journal of Events.’] Saturday, Oct. 13.—The advance-guard of the southern expedition reached town about 2 p.m., and were followed at intervals by , the main body and rear-guard. The following General order was issued on the return of the expedition: — . “ i/ead Quarters, “ iVew Plymouth, 14th Oct. 1860.

“ The Major-General desires to express to both officers aud men of all branches of the service, composing the field force engaged in the operations on the Kaihihi, his thanks for their steady and exemplary conduct during four days of hard and harassing duty. v By command, “ R. Carey, “..Lieut.-Colonel, “ Deputy A.djutant-General.” Monday, Oct. 15.-220 men of the 40th, under Capt. Hare and Lieuts. Gibson and Clarke, with 2 24-pounders, marched at 6 this morning for Waitara, their baggage being shipped on board the Tasmanian Maid,which left about the same time with a party of the Naval brigade, and a gun, from Mount Eliot. A party of friendly natives have been detached today fo burn the fern and scrub north of-Bell Block, which will be much facilitated by the continued dry weather. Tuesday, Oct. 16.—The Tasmanian Maid left this morning with the General aud Staff for Waitara, and returned at 4 p.m. II.M. S.S.* Cordelia was in sight this morning, and anchored at 10 a.m., after having communicated with the Waitara. Our Auckland dates are to the 13th. The Cordelia anchored at Manakau heads on Sunday night, and came out yesterday. Previous to the Cordelia’s departure, information was received that a settler at Waiuku, on the south, shore of Manukau, had been murdered by the natives. It was rumoured that the out-settlers would be called in, as considerable excitement prevailed. The following Proclamation was issued this evening : ■*'< The Major-General hereby gives notice, that it-is imperatively necessary that all persons should come within the lines of entrenchment at night-fall, and that, in the. event of alarm, all women and children repair at once to Marsland hill. It is also requested that lights are then put in windows of all houses. “ By command, “ R. Carey, “ Lieut.-Colonel, “ Deputy Adjutant-General.” Wednesday, Oct. 17. —H.M.S.S. Cordelia sailed for Manakau to-day. Weather dull. A singular discovery of bullets in wheat pur*, chased by Mr. S, Oliver, ex Sea Gull from Wanganui, occurred the other day. Mr. Oliver was passing the wheat through the smut machine, when, suddenly it was stopped by some foreign substance, and on examination it was found to be choked by a bag of 400 bullets, weighing 15 lbs. The bag of wheat which had contained the bullets was bought at Wanganui from the natives.* A Court of Inquiry was held to-day into the charges against Hoera Pirere, alias Big Joe, of complicity in the Omata murders and traitorous conduct, before Col. Wyatt, 55th regt., president, Capt. Shawe, 40th regt., and Capt. Miller, 12th regt. It commenced at 11 a.m., and was adjourned, at 4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 18. —We hear that the Waikatos intend to hold a congress among themselves, the Taranaki and Ngatiruanui tribes, and Wi Kingi, to decide upon a course of action for the future.

Saturday, Oct. 20.—The detachment of the 12tii regt. at Bell Block, under Capt, Leeson and Lieut. Dudgeon, were relieved today by 80 men of the 65th regt., under Capt, Strange and Ensign Butler. 90 men of the 40th regt., under Ensign Morphy, embarked for Waitara on board the Tasmanian Maid, and left at 11 a.m. We have been informed that th.e northern tr^es not inten<l erecting pas, fearing the big guns, but to spread over the country ip parties. It is also their intention'to cultivate, extensively the country, on both, sldeS of the. Waitara. We have been informed that Matiu, who,

visited'Mataitawa on ’Thursday and returned last night,-reports that from 600 to 800 Waikatos have arrived at Huirangi, under Rewi, Porokuru, Te Waro, and other chiefs. A large party arrived in. the middle of the week, and the remainder yesterday. Our informant states that the Waikatos intend occupying the Waitara land, and have brought their women and children with them. Ngataiparirua and Kairoa will be reoccupied, and a portion will occupy Te Puke and the Tima pas. Rewi intends visiting the camp at Waitara on Mon day, to request the troops to move into town. The JVgatihaua, from Matamata, a Thames tribe, are amongst the Waikatos, Matiu saw the Waikatos, and had an interview with them.

Monday, Got. 22.—The Tasmanian Maid and Wonga-Wonga left this morning for Waitara, the former; with Colonel Mould and 1 rank and file, J2.E , and 100 rank and file 65th, under Lieut. Talbot and Ensign Pagan. The occupation of Puketakauere has been determined upon, and a blockhouse and signal station is to be erected on the site of the pa. This is a very proper step, for it will, independently, of holding the ground against the enemy, eiiahle the garrison to command the surrounding country and communicate with the Bell Blockhouse and head-quarters in the town by moans of signals. The following notice from the office was issued to-day:—- “ The Deputy Adjuant-General having intimated that escorts will be provided to enable the owners of live stock to bring the same into town, persons desirous,of availing themselves ofithis offer are requested to lodge their applications, at this office in order that they may be submitted to the military authorities. The application must state the locality, and •umber of stock, and persons having stock in the same distriet should arrange to have them brought in, together if possible. “ October 22, 1860.” Tuesday, Oct. 23 —Porikapa’s the Poutoko natives in town this morning, From Porikapa we dearn that communication has been had with the rebels since the attack upon Kaihihi. The natives are very reserved about their losses, 7 and refuse to give a list of their killed and wounded. It : however transpired that a. man named Ruka was killed, and another named Hone, brother-in-law to Parenga Kingi, severely wounded by a cannonshot. Porikapa admitted that several were wounded (ten, he said), and : three likely to die, or dead, The evacuation of the pas was caused by Aperahama Reke, a chief of Warea, who at the close of the first day’s bombard ment fairly ran away with his hapu. We asked several of the Taranaki natives for information regarding the affair at Kaihihi, but all (excepting Porikapa) refused to give any, and several (the wish being father to the thought) said they did not believe the rebels lost a man. Many .of the Poutoko and Porikapa’s natives are closely related to the rebels, forming part of the tribe, and there is no doubt their sympathies are enlisted with them. Their friendship with us is. only a matter of convenience. - Indeed, as regards some of them who were in town to-day, it is difficult to account for their being friendly natives, knowing as we do that they are uncles, fathers, aud brothers of many of the rebels,aud murderers. . Matiu, who has again visited the rebel camp, returned this afternoon.: He reports that the Waikatos are still at Huirangi, but only 100 strong. , On asking him what news he brought; he said, “ I have been to Wi Kingi’s pa and the camp.' of the Waikatos at Huirangi, and bring an evil word. The Waikatos/have settled upon a plan of operatiop.su. which is to. repeat their former conduct, and plunder, destroy, and murder. Ere long they will be on our skirts.” At present the Waikatos.are busy cultivating, and, for a short .time will be employed putting in. potatoes.

. Wednesday,, .■ Get, 24. -= A reconnoitring party of about 200, men vyent north. On. arriving at the lima, tile troops commenced loading the carts with firewood and potatoes ; a ton and a half of the la,tter v;ere dug up, and brought away. Some natives were seen at a distance of 800 or 900 yards, and a few shots exchanged. The force returned to to,wn at dusk. ' ' '

Thursday, Oct. 25.—The following, notice was issued by the Commissariat

“Notice.; 1 “ Commissariat, New Zealand, “ Taranaki, 25th Oct, 1860. 1 “ All applications for compensation for loss s of cattle or ,horses -killed or captured by the enemy wbiilPiri the employ of the Commis- I sariat department to the present date must be i made in writing to the Senior Commissariat I Officer on or before the 7th proximo. , ; And in ■’ future no application * for indemnification will i be received if not brought forward within one t mon,th after the occurrence of such loss. H. Stanley Jones, Commissary General.” 1 Maj'or-General Pratt inspected the garrison in the trenches at-4 p.m. . . Friday, Oct. 26.-~The following proclama- ' tion was posted in town this morning ; 1 ** Consequent on information just received, the Major-General cautions all individuals • from moving beyoiffi, the> projection, oj tl|e '• outposts, . -1 “ By command*. VK' CAREY, r . V Lieut.-Colonel, v ' Deputy Adjutant.-General. “iHea'J-quarters, . ; *• New Plymouth, Oct. 26, I 860.” We have been ;tol k d that a letter has,been sent front Mataitawa t 6: a friendly native informing him “ that the Waikatos intend moving towards the town either to.day, to-morrow, or Sunday.” 600 aye seated to be at Huirangi, | and 200 on their way, 10 miles this side of

Moka,u; 7’he letter also requests'the friendly natives to join the enemy or remain neutral, and that if they do not, and any of them are caught, they will be “ flayed alive.” The Wonga from Wanganui yesterday, where sha arrived on Wednesday, anchored in the roadstead at 1 p.ni.. She reports all quiet at Wanganui. Mr. Hulke, arrested by the military authorities last Wednesday on a charge of sending tobacco to one of \Y i Kingi’s natives, was ’ brought before a Court of Inquiry to-day. It appears that some time ago, a native from ' Mataitawa, forming one of a marauding party on the Sell Block, took away one of Mr. Hulke’s horses. Mr. Hulke, wishing to recover the animal, sent by Matiu, on Monday last, "100 figs of tobacco as an inducement to the robber to give up the horse. Matiu returned without the horse, it having been sent to Ngatimaru, a tribe inland, but whether the tobacco was brought back or not we are unable to state. ’

Saturday, Oct. 27. —At 10 o’clock last night the glare of fire was seen in the direction of the Bell Bloolc. This morning we learn that six houses on the Block, belonging to A/essrs. John, Joseph, and Richard Street, J, Hirst, sen., E. Hollis, and A. Hoskin, were burnt by the natives. Between 10 and 11 lights were seen in another house, when two shells were thrown from the stockade'by the 24-pounder howitzer, which is supposed to have driven off the rebels, and prevented the firing of this house. Z’he puvesi (encampment) of theWuikatos is said to be at Tarurutangi, near Mr. Wills’ land, and where Rawiri was shot by Katatore iu 1854. They were seen there this morning by some friendly natives. It is said that last night, when they fired the houses, they came near enough to. the -stockade to call out, — “ Haere mat” (come here) to the garrison. Their number is uot known.

Sunday, Oct. 28.—1 t -was signalled into town this morning from Bell Block that two houses (Messrs. Hulke’s and Everett’s): were burnt last-night. Natives, no doubt Waikatos, have been seen tin’s -morning at Cinata about Ware’s premises (the site of the inn), and others are encamped, it is said, at Batapihipibi. A telegram was received to-day at 2 p.m. from Puketakauere. This commanding position has been taken military posse sion of, and fortified under the immediate inspection of Colonel Mould, 7f.E. The signal station is completed, and communication by day and night can now be had with the town. Monday, Oct. 29. —Several houses were burnt this morning before daylight at Bell Block; indeed, all the houses in that once flourishing'.'ou't-district are destroyed by the rebels, excepting a few in the immediate vicinity of the stockade. Those burnt are A. Hoskins’, T. Ibbotson’s, G. Waller’s, and J. PepperelPs. A reconnoitring party, in command of Colonel Leslie, 40th regt., left town this morning for BelL Block. On arriving at the Bell Blockhouse they were joined by Oapt. Strange and Ensign Butler with a party from the stockade, and proceeded to the site of the Ikamoana pa. A skirmishing party of the 40th were thrown out,. and skirmished over the surrounding couni ry- —the volunteers being rear guard, who afterwards wove sent through 'the. fern'towards the head of the bush so as to act as a flanking guard. •/Several natives were seen on the skirts of the forest; and several shots were exchanged. The force returned to town at 2 p.m. We have been told tha£ the Waikatos have despatched a messenger to the Taranakis and iVgatiruanuis, inviting them to join them here. Wednesday, Oct. 31.—A party of military were under orders to leave this morning in the direction of Mahoetahi—to be joined by troops' from Waitara. The rain prevented their going, and the Victoria left early this morning to countermand the order for the movement from JFaitara. At the monthly muster parade this afternoon of the Militia and Volunteers, a general order was read, the substance of which was, that the General wished it to be understood that Mr. Hulk© had been exonerated from the charge of supplying the enemy with tobacco, in consequence of the open manner in which he had communicated with the Native department. At the same time the General wished to impress upon Mr. Hulke, aiid every person, the fact that no communication either directly o* indirectly would be allowed under any circumstances but from General orders. Thursday, Nov. I.—From a native source we are informed that the Waikatos have not succeeded in their endeavours to induce the Taranakis to join them here. In answer to their invitation they stated that they would rather remain upon their own. territory and fight there. The Ngatiruanui tribe,J however, we are told, will com©, and will join the northern rebels by the mountain road. It is also reported in town by the natives that 200 Waikatos arrived at Huirangi this morning. The garrison was inspected in the trenches to-day by Colonel Wyatt, 65th regt. Friday , Nov. 2.—Weather fine. We hear from Bell Block to-day that the rebels came up to the stockade last night with yokes, and coolly took away from a paddock under the Blockhouse 4 bullocks and a cart. The rebels are to be seen on Sentry hill, where they have stored a large quantity of potatoes. It is be lieved that they are fortifying., the position ; they are cultivating extensively in its vicinity. Sentry hill is a height to the.lgft of Kaipakopako and to the right of Te Puk©, three miles from the Bell Blockhouse, and ■ is. of easy access and in open country. The position is an important one, commanding as it does the inland communication with the rebel pas. at Mataitawa, Huirangi, &c. It is rumoured that six' Waikatos were shot by iVikorima’s people

mt Pukekohe while on a potato stealing excursion, and that the Waikatos have' written an impertinent letter to the General.