DESTRUCTION OF TE NGUTU-OTE-MANU.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IV, Issue 44, 23 February 1869, Page 2

DESTRUCTION OF TE NGUTU-O-TE-MANU.

The following despatch from Colonel M'Donuell to Colonel Whitmore, which gives a different account of the above affair to that already published, is from the Taranaki Herald: — Patea, January 19, 1869. Sir, — I have the honor to report for the information of the officer commanding^ that I left here on the afternoon of the 17th inst., with the mounted natives under Kemp (some 60 in number), Captain Eichardsoo, Ensign M'Donuell, and Mr Coot, H.M., with the purpose of proceeding to the Ngutu-o-ie-manu and destroying ifc. We reached Waihi redoubt at about 10 p.m. remained there that night, and proceeded the following morning to the Ngutu-o-te-manu. From the appearance of the pa when we got there T should say no one had been there for a fortnight. Everything had been .stored or taken away. The pa is surrounded by a double palisading, about twelve feet high, each stake about 6 inches in diameter; the outer or screen fence is raised two feet off the ground, so as to allow the defenders to fire from the inside without obstruction. This outer feuce is away from the inner one, having a space between the two of 18 iuches. The inside of the pah is deeply rifle-pifcted and staked, and at short distances they have built banks of earth about five feet square, and three feet in height, and have securely fenced them round with short stakes. The whole of the fencing of the pah is securely lashed with strong vines and supplejacks; around and inside the pah are huge rata trees, from which a deadly fire could be poured upon an assailant, and it was from these trees that the gallant Major Von Tempsky and Captiin Buck, with most of the men killed, were struck down. The side or rear of the pah which is not fenced, slopes .away to a small stream a few paces distant, but is next to impassible from the dense mass of undergrowth, vines, and creepers that form a jungle. The JSTgutu is from ita position, and the forest that surrounds it> one of the most, formidable places I ever knew natives to hold, and it seems now a miracle to me, we did not sustain more loss than we did when we attacked it. There were some 60 to 70 whares (most of them new) which I caused to be burnt. The palisading I did not destroy; it would have taken more time than we could afford to cut it down and b\frn it; and should it again be occupied, information aa to its formation and strength is now known. Several large potato pits full of potatoes were found. These we uncovered and the first wet weather will destroy them. I regret to say that the report that reached me about the burning of the bodies of those left on the field is too correct, and a more horrible and revolting spectacle could not have been witnessed* We found the remains of two large fires or altars outside the pa, and a small one inside, at the foot of a rata tree. The charred remains of human bones and skulls, at each of these fires, and other signs, horrible to think of, told a sickening and awful tale. I Tear that the story told of poor being burnt alive is true, and most likely took place at the foot of the rata tree mentioned above. There is no doubt the dead were partly eaten and partly offered up as a sacrifice by the infamous Titokowaru and his band. On our way back to Patea, the natives caught 12 horses, supposed to belong to the enemy. We went to Otoia (Gentle Annie} and burnt every house there, some 80 in number. Otoia is not such a strong place as one would suppose but it might be made so by a little trouble. There is no fortification there at present. One of the neatest things "yet done by our men (says the Wanganui Chronicle)> fell to the lot of 11 of the Kai Iwi Cavalry recently. They went out to see if they could get a glimpse of the enemy, and crossing the Okehu by a ford but little used, ~ they came upon a party of rebels driving off a large mob of cattle. Two fellows were in a, cabbage tree keeping a look-but, but they evidently did not think) or; perhaps did not know, about the ford that.. th'e^JC^yalry had crossed* and our rtCT&M^^i^jithin 300 yards of them .^ef^l^i^Se^ They then fired, when x|o^|J|^^p|he rt two rebels and ran, fol* 6 * ot wno *9°k to the b^ljlill^^l^ring a shot. The cavalry brought Spf^tte: whole of the cattle, about 64 ; he'adl pfrindipally, we believe, the pro* perty of Mr Lomax.

The feature of Hokitika is its drinkingliouseß, each of which is, of course, an 'hotel.' Ashed which will accommodate a couple of barmaids, a dozen of customers in front of them, and twice as many bottles behind, meets all the. requirements of the New Zealand licensing act, and the Hokitika public. They stand together, <lo these Revell-street hotels, in two's and three's and four's, with not even the decency of a tobacconist between them. On the other hand, each of the five leading religious denominations has a church— 1 -' a halfpennyworth of bread to this intolerable deal of sack.' Of course there are much better things in the hotel line. In such houses as the Empire, the Criterion, and the Cafe de Paris, the traveller has every want attended to, and finds both comfort •and quiet. — Australasian Correspondent.