ARTILLERY IN MAORI WARFARE. TO THE EDITOR OF THE EVENING POST.

Evening Post, Volume XXII, Issue 93, 18 October 1881, Page 2

ARTILLERY IN MAORI WARFARE. TO THE EDITOR OF THE EVENING POST.

Sir, — Allow me to Bay a few words on Colonel Reader's remarks as to tho Wellington Artillery not being of any use as artillery at " the front." I havo served myself in the Royal Artillery for 13 years. During that time I served at tho siege and fall of Sebaßtopol of 1851-5. I also served in the Indian Mutiny of 1857 and 1858, so I ought to know a little about that branch of the service. I also served in Major Yon Tempßky'H Forest Hangers during General Chute's We3t Coast Campaign. We had two 241b. howitzers with ua in charge of th« Royal Artillery at the taking at Otapawa Pah in January, 18G6 The Royal Artillery shelled the pah before the main body arrived near enongh to c >me into action. I must say the shel i1 ng did good service^ or af ter the pah was taken I saw several who had been killed by shells from the Howitzers. I saw one with his head completely blown to pieces by a shell. The Royal Artillery could not see the pah from where they oam* into action, only tha smoke from the whares. So you can sea what good service artillery can do at the taking of a pah. Even after shelling a pah as artillery, they then can attack the miin body, if required, as rifles ; or oven, if they could get near enough, us© hand grenades, very u-eful to throw into pahs from the hand Mr. Pilmer. late In-. BDector of Nuisances, was second in command of the Forest Kangera at the taking of Otapawa Pah in 1866. I havo no doubt ho could vouch for the accuracy of my etat^ ments. I am. & Bichabd Atkins, I Private, Wellington Guards.