THE NATIVE WAR.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2591, 26 April 1869, Page 3

THE NATIVE WAR.

(From the Wellington Independent, April 24.) The fuller intelligence from the East Coast contained in the Hawke’s Bay papers is of the most unsatisfactory and alarming character. The telegraph some time ago gave the salient points of the Molmka tragedy, but the story as now brought to us is even worse than had been previously supposed. There is certainly a good deal of it confused and contradictory in those parts which refer to subsidiary matters, but the main facts stand out plainly enough. It appears that Mohaka was a mixed settlement of friendly natives and Europeans, situated about forty miles from Napier. Scattered here and there, in a narrow valley between high ranges of hills, were the houses of the European settlers, while the native settlements were situated chiefly on small alluvial flats near the river. It was on this district that Te Kooti and his murderous band made their raid, killing the friendlies, shooting down fleeing settlers, and tomahawking children. The friendly natives in two pahs seem to have fought with infinite bravery and determination, We now learn by the statement of the friendly natives how it was that Te kooti got possession of one pah. The pah was obstinately defended by its little garrison, At sundown Te Kooti said to his soldiers, “ This is the first time I have miscarried in this way. We shall not take these pahs. For fighting we must use treachery.” Te Kooti then called out, “ Stop fighting. Let us make peace.” The firing then ceased. Ultimately, after much negotiation, Te Kooti and his men were admitted into the pah and, what followed is told as follows :—“ Te Kooti then greeted the people, and when he had finished he demanded the arms to be given up. Two guns were handed over. When Ileta’s rifle was demanded he refused to give it up, and held it full cock pointed towards Te Kooti. Uutene pushed Heta’s rifle on one side, but Heta brought it backpointing towards Te Kooti. Te Kooti then said ‘Friend, would you shoot me ?’ and called out ‘ fall in’ to his people. He answered, ‘ I will not give up my gun; you intend murder.’ Te Kooti then fired at Heta with a pistol, and missed him; Heta then fired and Te Kooti fell—we believe dead. Te Kooti’s people then fired and killed Kutene and some others. Confusion now ensued. Six men were killed. Eight women and children and five wounded escaped, one of whom was liipihana, who has two bullet wounds in the stomach and oue in the arm. Fighting now commenced again at Jerusalem, and continued all that day and during the night and on the following day (Monday) until about two or three o’clock in the afternoon. The Bau-haus then retired to Arakanihi, where we heard them going through their incantations on Tuesday night. Our women and children fought all the time. The children who were not tall enough to look over the parapet got boxes to stand on, and those who hail no guns continued shouting at different parts of the pah, so as to make it appear that there were many people in th" pan. We could hardly speak through shouting and singing when relief came. The enemy continued taunting us am! calling on us to surrender ns we were only women ami must be beaten. We answered by telling them to take better aim, as their bullets passed over the pah. During the time this scene was passing at the lleki, a force arrived on the hill in the direction of the Wairoa under lhaka Whanga, Hamana, and others, with whom were about twentyfive of our people. As soon as they appeared in sight an engagement c .mimenced between them and the Hau-hnus. Our relatives avenged with lhaka that they would rush through the enemy ami get into the pah. While lhaka was engaged with the enemy on the hill onr friend, rushed through the enemy and got into the pah safe. lhaka was driven back towards Waiha,. The Europeans arrived to our relief from Napier on Tuesday morning. What makes us believe that Te Kooti is dead is that he felt at the Held when Beta fired. Afterwards we taunted the enemy and sai l we hod killed ! e Kooti, and they an.-wered—“ What signifies? Who made him a chief?” Before they left, a party of llau-hans went out to sea in a boat and threw something into the water and fired a volley.” The details connected with the mu' oer of the European settlers have been given before, and we need not, therefore, further dilate upon them. We feel an overwhelming sense of responsibility in commenting upon this affair. It appears to us that the Government are acting with great energy, but that there is an evident want of knowledge and discre-

tiOn evinced. Possibly this arises from the fact that Mr Donald JM'Lean is no longer at the head of affairs, to bring to bear upon them ;hu> extensive local knowledge, his great experience, and his well proved administrative ability. To judge by the statements in the local papers, there seems to have been a mistake committed in sending the militia overland to Mohaka, as it is stated that had they been sent by sea, they would have been in time to attack the Hau-haus, who bad a drunken debauch to celebrate their bloodthirsty deed. Colonel Whitmore and his force are now, however, in the field, and the panic which previously existed to so intense an extent has apparently somewhat subsided. But we cannot resist the conclusion that if ever Mr M'Lean’s services were most urgently required it is at the present moment. It appears evident in the leaders and letters of the newspapers that the people of Hawke’s Bay would feel far more confidence were Mr M'Lean reinstated, and indeed, for that matter, so would the whole people of the colony. In any point of view our present prospects are very gloomy. We know that Titokowaru and his force are on the West Coast, at Waitara, and indeed the settlers must stand on the defensive there as they best can, now that Colonel Whitmore has left; while on the East Coast, though Te Kooti may be dead, yet his forces are scouring the country, and there will be no lack of a new leader for them. It is indeed an evil time which has come upon us, and we can but try to retrieve our reverses by the exercise of fortitude and resolution.