TARANAKI.

Marlborough Press, Volume I, Issue 33, 18 August 1860, Page 3

TARANAKI.

[From the Nelson Examiner, August, 15.] The intelligence from Taranaki brought by the Victoria leads us to believe that by H.M.S sloop Fawn, now hourly expected with refugees, ■we shall learn the particulars of an engagement which took place on Saturday last between the troops in the Omata Stockade and the rebels. Early on the morning of Saturday, guns from the stockade were heard in town, and before the Victoria sailed, a signal had been made for succour, and troops had marched from the town to afford the required assistance Whether the engagement was begun by the natives attacking the stockade, or by the troops attacking the natives, we have yet to learn. — Examiner.

(Extract from a Private Letter.] New Plymouth, August 11. My dear Sir —The Victoria proceeds this day to your port with another cargo of unfortunates. When is this dissevering of all social ties to cease? It is getting now to a point that the most desponding of us could not have imagined at the beginning of this trouble. I send you a Herald of to-day.; you will there see a proclamation, dated August 10, relating to the expulsion of families. Can you conceive anything more cruel or moeking, than that Nelson, as your people admit is full, and of course now much overdone in all kinds of labour, and yet to tell these unfortunate wanderers that, deprived of everything, most without £5 in the •world, they must go to Nelson, or, if they want to go elsewhere, they must pay their own passage and keep themselves. If this is sympathy, what will be the compensation at the close of the war to'these poor people ? I can assure you that you can scarcely imaginethe ruin caused Wrer many families just holding their own and

living respectably, have everything swept away, stock, crops, &c, and who most at the close commence the world again in a worse position, much worse than when they first arrived out here. The town is palisaded and banked nearly all round ■; though not an efficient protection, still it is a good temporary one. Fencing has been torn down for this, and the whole place begins to have now some of the features of war, of which wc have hitherto been onty acquainted through written accounts. The churchyard is not even respected ; bullocks, some twenty or thirty pairs, turned into it every night to break the fences and trees growing around the graves. This, I think, a great shame; for if private property is not respected, I think the feelings of those who may he unfortunately interested in the sacredness of the spot should be respected; hut nothing seems respected or cared for; all is military. Fray God it may not last too long. A party of ninety went out on Wednesday evening, at seven o’clock, for an ambuscade, but the natives were either not near the spot, or were too cautious to be trapped ; tine latter 1 believe. While I am writing, guns are heard booming atWaireka; I suppose something is lip there. The natives arc again at Captain King’s and Broadmore’s places. Broadmore iiad a narrow escape this morning. A party of civilians are going up there. Can you tell me what the Commissariat gave for flour they bought at Nelson? The Pride of the Isles was wrecked somewhere near Manukau. I have not heard particulars, but her mail came down yesterday. C. \V. Richmond made a brilliant speech on the native question. Archdeacon Hadfield has made a sad mess. The House is of unanimous opinion that the war must be carried on : the Government are, I believe, more firmly seated than ever; the best, I think, we can have at the present time. Plenty of compliments to the Taranaki settlers; hut after that miserable proclamation, I am inclined to think that is all we shall get. All other news you will seen in the paper. Monday is talked of as to be a grand move. The General keeps his own counsel. We shall see what his plans are, and what sort of a leader he will he. This warfare is so totally different to all orthodox fighting, that we almost require a Sir Charles Napier, who had great experience of this kind, to bring about a glorious conclusion I expect the Victoria will return here immediately.