TARANAKI.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1191, 2 February 1864, Page 5

TARANAKI.

SKIRMISH WITH THE NATIVES AT SENTRY lIILL. (From the ' Taranaki Herald, Januaiy 23.) Intelligence was brought into town early on Tuesday morning that there had been some shots exchanged on the previous day between the occupannts of the Mahoetahi blockhouse (Mahau'speople), at the time only two in number, and some of the Mataitawa natives who were driving away cattle. As this was the first time the rebels had attacked any friendly natives, and as it was believed in town (from a misunderstanding of a telegram from Bell Block) that 200 of them had come down to Sentry Hill on Tuesday with the supposed intention of attacking Mahoetahi, Colonel Warre took out a force of about 250 men to reconnoitre and to relieve Mahau if attacked. The two companies of bushrangers being ready, as they were just going to start for a day's thistling, were sent on first, Col. Warre following with the troops, who halted at Bell Block, the Colonel himself with his staff coming on. Near the Ninia, a bullock, just shot, was discovered by Captain Mace and the mounted men who were escorting Mr. Parris on his way to see Mahau, and when the bushrangers came up a few shots were fired at them from Te Puke, at an absurd distance, only one bullet being heard. Subsequently the natives fired from Sentry Hill, but retreated rapidly towards Manutahi as soon as our men crossed the Mangoraka and were followed up to the Waiongana —but a few, as will be seen, remained concealed in the high fern. When Colonel Warre had thus ascertained that the threatened attack was imaginary, he ordered Captain Atkinson to retire leisurely, and went himself down the road to Maoetahi to see Mahau. The bushrangers retired by the same road they came, that is by the lower of the two fords opposite Kaipakopalco, and as the rearguard (No. 1) was crossing the river they say five natives following only a few hundred yards behind them brandishing their guns and dancing in derision. A few shots were fired and they disappeared, but were evidently not satisfied, as they kept hanging about and firing; others were also seen on Sentry Hill; in all 14. Captain Atkinson therefore withdrew his main force out of sight, but left one section of No. 1 in charge of Ensign McGuinness as an ambush in some bush and high fern on this side of the ford. They had not been there long before six of the natives crossed the river and came coolly along the road. Unfortunately, the rashness of a few men spoilt this part of the business, for they either regardless of Ensign McGuinness' express injunctions, or from a total misunderstanding of them, fired before the Maoris were fairly up, and so they only wounded one or two, instead of killing the whole five. Search was made for them in vain in the pieeo of bush on this side of the river were tracks of blood were visible. While this search was going on two of tha six were observed going up the other hank about 400 yards off, and three or four well directed shots made them take cover, thus checking them and allowing time for further operations against them. When Capt. Atkinson found the search on this side useless, he sent a party af No. 2 under Lieutenant Jonas across to follow the tracks and search the other bank of the Mangoraka; and a part of No. 1 under Ensign McGuinness to occupy Sentry Hill, Capt. Webster remaining to guard the ford and keep a way of retreat open. This move to Sentry Hill had a double effect, it prevented the arrival of help from Manutahi, and made escape out of the valiey of the Mangoraka very difficult as the event proved. For no sooner were Ensign McGuinness and his men well up than they saw two natives leading a third and making for Manutahi, besides four others, one of whom ran across to the other little hill (Te Tarata) where he was hit and fell. Three or four others fell also after the other, but one only of the bodies was found, and this was brought away. The others may only have been wounded, but as two guns and cartridge boxes were found in the road, their owners must at least have been badly wounded, as a Maori will never part with his gun while he can carry it. Search was made for them as long as time would allow, but the fern and tutu were seven or eight feet high in many places, and so dense that the men in boring through could only see a foot or two on either side of them, so that unless they were actually to stumble over the object of their search their labour would be in vain, and, as we said, there was not time enough for a systematic search. The native whose body was found, Hane Te Horo, belonged to the Puketapu section of the Ngatiawa. and was therefore one of Tamihana's people. It was said that he came down to the Tapuirau pa, where some of his kinsmen live, on Sunday night, to warn them that the Ngatiruanui were daily expected, and that they meant"to treat friendly natives as pakehas and kill all they could catch: but this proves to be incorrect. He was one of those who fired into the Mahoetahi blockhouse on Monday when he had his cartridge box shot away. In the last war it was he who fired at and wounded J. Bishop at the Waiwakaiho: indeed he has always been one of the most active of the Mataitawa men in killing and driving off cattle and waylaying single or unarmed men. ° Ilis career has met with a very natural

close. On the return of.the bushrangers to Bell Block, Colonel Warre congratulated them on their success, and thev came into town in good spirits, having again punished the enemy without suffering themselves.

Since the above was in type information has readied town of the extent of the natives loss on this occasion, which proves to have been considerable. The following is the list we have re-

llone te Horo, killed : llapeta, dangerously wounded ; Arama, badlv ; Hrnera Kingi, Tawatahi, Ngoungon, Pukukaitaro, Matina, Ihnia Tawiri, r .le Uetiu, slightly. n ,i The lust niuuert wms wouvhloil in uio shoulder, unci it was through him this list was obtained as he was met on his way up (o Cronni whither lie is going to relit. Another name (Itenu-a) given in a previous account be did not mention, and we have therefore omitted'it. . All of these natives belong to this neighbourhood same are Puketapus, and some William King's people, one (Uruera) his own son. It teems to be the fate of the royal family to be hit only in one part, and that rather an undignified one too, but from not being in the habit of using chairs a Maori does not perhaps suffer the same inconvenience that a pakeha would feel under similar circumstance;;. Eruera King is the third of the name who has suffered in this way, and it is to be hoped the seat of ! tuaiia ' is not the same as the reputed ' seat of honour,' or the influence of this great family may decline. Most of these natives are well settlers, llapola was formerly servant to I.N. Watt, Esq., and did not bear a good character; one of tnc guns found was recognised as his. Arama, on the other hand, was a superior native, his chief taalt being apparently a taste for fighting. It is said he was wounded six times in the last war. lie was wounded also at Maulcau where Lieut. Percival was killed, and now again here. Illiiifi Tawiri used tO: work at Mr. Seecombe's brewery. Tawatahi was formerly servant to Mr. Richard Brown, and one ot the men who shot him.