JOURNAL OF EVENTS SINCE SATURDAY, 10TH MARCH, TO THE TIME OF PUBLICATION.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XIX, Issue 24, 24 March 1860, Page 1 (Supplement)

JOURNAL OF EVENTS SINCE SATURDAY, 10TH MARCH, TO THE TIME OF PUBLICATION.

Saturday, March 10.— Several native chieis signed a declaration to the effect that they swear allegiance to the Queen, and a willingness at all times if called upon by the Governor to take arms in defence of her authority, and to protect the lives and properties of her Majesty's British subjects in Taranaki ; that they will not in any way assist or give information to her enemies. First on the list is Poharama of Moturoa, followed by Mahau, Waka, Ihaia, Wi te Alioaho, Piripi, Manahi, &c. One of these declarations has been sent to Omata, and another to Bell Block, and several signatures obtained. This is an excellent plan, and will separate the loyal from the disloyal natives in our neighbourhood, and render them amenable to the consequences should they at any time break their oath. Permanent passes with Royal Arms and V.R. printed on parchment, weregiventoa chosen few who had signedtheirnames to the declaration. Nothing further heard of W. Kingi's movements, and nothing seen of his natives by parties going to and from the camp. They are supposed to be building a strong position somewhere in the neighbourhood of Kairoa. At four, p.m., H.M. S.S. Niger steamed for Manukau, to coal, and bring more troops. His Excellency the Governor visited the Bell and Hua stockade this afternoon.

Sunday. — A muster of Militia and Volunteers paraded as usual this morning at ten, a.in. Monday. — Some town people rode down to Waitara yesterday, and reported that W. Kingi's party were about building another pah on the Devon road. This requires confirmation. Archdeacon Govett returned to-day from Taranaki, where he had been on the Sabbath, and brought a letter from some of the Taranaki natives, asking the Governor to recommend the Tataraimaka settlers to return, and promising to protect them ; that on second thoughts (which are generally best) they would not join W. Kingi against the Governor— eating their own words in fact. There is, however, no dependence to be placed upon these natives. They are evidently frightened into a show of submission, and all they said before as to beginning with Tataraimaka, then Omata, and finislung with the town, was, it seems, "waha,"— to use a native expression, — namely, " mouth." In a letter written by Tamati Wiremu, to Poharama, mentioned before, they were going to do wonderful things, and nothing but an immediate descent upon the whites was to follow any accession of military strength to the settlement. They see that the Government will not be trifled with, but are fully prepared to resist any aggressive movement on the part of the natives. These remarks apply as well to many of the natives residing within the settled distriots, who before the arrival of his Excellency were wavering, and, to use a native phrase, had „" two hearts :" only Ihaia's and Teira's followers, together with Polxarama and Mahau, were really to be depended upon for loyalty and faithfulness. Had the Governor remained away and no more troops been brought into the settlement, most of the natives generally considered loyal and true, would have fali'en out from our ranks and joined the rebels against us- But a strong determination and readiness of purpose on the part of the Government has done wonders. The mounted escort returned this evening from Waitara and reported all quiet. Some of W. Kingi's natives with a flag of truce had applied at the camp on Sunday for permission to inter the body of an old man, the father of Heneri te Whao (Heneriwas the man who led the women in resisting the survey) at their burial ground on the other side of the river, near its mouth. Permission was granted, and the natives (four including Heneri) are described as being very wretched, and sullen, as thfly would not speak to any they met at the camp. The escort did not Bee any signs of the pah reported on Sunday about to be erected on the Devon road. Tuesday.— Militia and Volunteer parades gouig on as usuaL The town is very effectually guarded during the night. Twenty-five men occupy a part of the iron Btore in Devon street, and post sentinels up Ourrie street and the Carrington road. Another picket is stationed in a building near Captain Bulkeley s residence, who post men at different points from the beach up Dawson street, and by a cross street to the iluftnt School room* where another picket is stationed.

The Barracks, Commissariat, and Harbour boats are similarly guarded. Mounted patrols also ride over the country during the night, and the Niger's blue jackets and marines, posted at different stations between Cracroft redoubt and Niger fort, effectually prevent surprise eastward of the town. Several natives in town to day with produce— all with passes. At a late hour this evening a noto was received from Waitara stating that a part of the land had been surveyed during the day,' and without any signs of opposition, as no natives were seen. The admirable action taken by tho Government, the promptness and determination with which every tiling has been carried out by the Governor and Colonel commanding, seems to have silenced the natives. From this time and for ever the maori in this province can never say anything more about their " driving us, soldiers and all, into the sea." Maori influence is at an end. What a false and injurious policy was that of former Governors, when natives were succumbed to and actually paid to cease their misbehaviour. It is generally believed that W. Kingi's party are making preparations to build a pah near the Devon line, as several carfc loads of timber have been carried to the spot. W. Kingi's brother Matiu left him yesterday, being very "dark" about the troubles', and has gone over to Tamati Tiraurau, Ihaia's brother, at his pah across the river Waitara. Hapurona, chief of Huirangi, a double dealing fellow, has joined W. Kingi, with his party. The authorities have requested the natives living along the Devon line to burn the fern and tutu, in order to leave the country open to the camp j a judicious order, as it must in great measure prevent am* buscades along the road. Wednesday.— News arrived in town this evening that the land had been completely surveyed without the slightest obstruction ; that not a single native had been seen. We do not know what to make of this— whether W. Kingi's party mean to succumb, or whether they are preparing for some decisive movement shortly— they being no doubt fully aware that the survey was being proceeded with. There is little doubt that in any case the greater part of Waitara and the adjoining district will fall into the hands of the Government. A valuable country lying comparatively waste, but in our hands will amply repay the trouble, inconvenience, and expense the colony has already been put to. Things certainly are looking brighter, and after all it may prove a bloodless campaign. Thursday.—' The inhabitants last night were startled from their sleep, by the reports of small arms. Several of the Volunteers and Militia turned out under arms ; it seems' that some loaded muskets were discharged across the Waiwakaiho, not, however, with the intention to create alarm. From information derived from Natives it is stated that W. Kingi is waiting the return of the Ngatiruanui and Taranaki chiefs at present at Waikato, on a visit to King Potatau. He expects they will return with instructions from his Majesty to assist him in defending his non-selling land policy. But in this he will find himself egregiously mistaken. Friday. — Some natives from Moturoa, state to-day that Enoka, one of W. Kingi's brothers, arrived yesterday from Port Nicholson ; that he had attended several meetings of the Ngatiruanui and Taranaki tribes on his way up, and that they had decided upon joining W. Kingi. So much for the Taranaki address to his Excellency I Only part of Taranaki, however, at present agree to take part with W. Kingi. It will be perhaps interesting to state that W. Kingi is one of three brothers, children of a great Ngatiawa chief named Eeretawhangawhanga— their mother's name Te Kehu. Eeretawhangawhanga and Te Kehu had but three children, boys; Wiremu Kingi, Matiu, and Enoka. Enoka arrived at the Ratapihipihi yesterday, and started for W. Kingi's pah this morning through the forest. The Ratapihipihi natives, intimately related to Ngatiruanui, should be jealously watched. An open air meeting of the Taranaki Volunteers after parade this morning to nominate additional officers, the force having increased from 100 to 180 since the recent disturbed state of the province. The result of the meeting, which had the previous sanction of the Governor, will be laid before his Excellency. A report reached town this morning that two stockades were erected last night by W. Kingi. A correspondent, having considerable experience of natives, proceeded on a tour of inspection, and says that " during last night a party of W. Kingi's natives erected a strong pah on the south-east corner of the block of land purchased from Teira. It is put up in the form of the letter L, with a double palisade and covered galleries, musket proof; is capable of containing 150 men, and is at present occupied by about 70, supposed to be under the command of Hapurona and Hare. To-day they set fire to the i em, pulled up all the surveyors' stakes, and endeavoured to erase the boundary line ; in consequence of which Teira set fire to W. Kingi's pah at the entrance of Waitara, which was burnt to the ground. Towards sunset they danced a war dance, and their yelling was distinctly heard at the camp, about a mile from the spot." Considerable reinforcements of men must have reached W. Kingi to have enabled him to build this pah in one night. Whether it is on Teira's, or native land, can make no difference, as the object is clearly to menace Her Majesty's forces stationed at Waitara. Visitors going to the camp will do well to proceed by the beach, as the natives are very much excited, and will certainly prevent their passing the pah. The mounted escort has been detained at the camp, and the remainder is _ under orders to march. Lieutenant Blake, 8.N., with the rocket corps of the naval brigade, and two 24pounder howitzers, will proceed to Waitara during the night. The natives will be ordered off the block, and, if they refuse to go, the troops will attack the pah early to-morrow. Eleven, p.m. — The guns have just passed through the town, and the escort has left for Waitara. Saturday, Nine, a.m.— No news from Waitara.

Late in the night, whilst the harbour boats were busily engaged in taking on board the two howitzers and stores, a vessel appeared in the roadstead and fired several guns and rockets. No boat could be sent off until those engaged were despatched to Waitara on the application of the Commander of the Forces. Lieutenant Blake and several marines and blue jackets accompanied the expedition. The vessel seen was the Airedale, with a detachment of the 65th from Wellington, consisting of 98 non-commissioned officers and men, and the following officers :— Captain Turner, Lieutenant Toker, Ensigns Pagan and White. Captain Mairis, of the Royal Engineers, and three men, have also arrived. The troops were landed early this morning, and have taken up their quarters at Marsland Hill Barracks.

D. M'Lean, Esq., and Matene Te Whiwhi, a chief from Otaki, are also passengers by the Airedale.

WANGANUL— A correspondent, writing on the 14th instant, says — "The natives here are all quiet, and do not sympathize with W. Kingi."

[From our Correspondent at Waitara.]

During the past week the camp has presented a busy scene, large parties having been daily employed in cutting lines and burning the fern in every direction, others in throwing down a portion of the old entrenchment, and paving the reduced area of the camp. A lofty flagßtaff has been erected, and a palisade erected round three sides of the redoubt. Numerous wells have been dug round the swamp, and good water obtained. The friendly natives have brought in supplies of fish, onions, cabbages, and peaches j and were it not for the insufferable dust, which the slightest breeze raises in clouds, and which penetrates everywhere, powdering one's hair, blinding one's eyes, and peppering one's food, one might fare worse than at Pukekohe. On Wednesday, an assistant surveyor, accompanied by a party of natives, cut the boundary line of Teira's blook, the troops were at hand to protect them, but not the shadow of an enemy was to be seen. The Provincial Government, in its usual dosy way, delayed the survey until Wednesday, and the troops are not indebted to it for meeting with no obstruction. Here we have been for years urging Governors to purchase the Waitara district, months of idle time in the Survey Office have intervened, and when the time of action comes, reliable maps of the district have to be prepared} whereas, under proper management, dozens of copies made by the cadets should have been in the office, She opening of the country

by the military lines alone prevented the erection of another stockade and the cutting the boundary line without a skirmish. The escort fire the fern every return trip from Waitara, being ordered to proceed to ! Waitara, when practicable, by the beach, a most foolish arrangement, by the by, should native hostilities ensue, inasmuch as an ambush at thePuketapupah, in the thick bush, within easy range of high water mark, could cut it off without the force at the Bell blockhouse knowing it ; whereas, if a proper look-out be kept from one of the towers at that station, the escort can be kept in view until within a short distance of the camp. It should be borne in mind that Puketapu pah has a direct line of road running from the beach to one of Wiremu Kingi's strongholds (Mataitawa) near the Tima. I have omitted to mention the appearance of a paper called the Gore Browne Redoubt Observer s the author will be at once recognised by the motto prefixed and his florid diction : as it is intended for publication, the public will best judge of its peculiar merit. Last evening rumours reached the camp that two pahs would be erected during the night, and this morning we hear that the report was not unfounded— two stockades having been put up, one near or across the road, and another larger one near the junction of the Huirangi and Mamaku roads.

[From a Wellington Independent Extra, March 12.]

Considerable excitement was created in town yesterday (Sunday) morning by the arrival of a courier from Taranaki, with an express from his Excellency the Governor to Captain Mains, officer commanding the garrison at Wellington, with positive orders to get the whole of the military stationed at Wellington in readiness to embark on board the Airedale, immediately on her arrival from the South, which vessel will be despatched direct to Taranaki. In the event of the Wonga Wonga being in port, she was to have been chartered, and the troops forwarded immediately by her. A courier was also despatched to Auckland, with orders for the remainder of tho troops there to be forwarded to Taranaki, at the same time that the courier started for Wellington, Messrs. Standish and Broughton have obligingly furnished us with the following particulars : — Mr. Standish started from Taranaki on Thursday last, at midnight, and arrived in Wellington at seven o'clock on Sunday morning, thus accomplishing the distance in the short space of fifty-five hours. Mr. Standish rode his own horse 110 miles in one day. Mr. Standish was one of the mounted escort which accompanied the troops to Waitara. They started from Taranaki at 2*30, a.m. on Monday morning the sth March, and arrived at the pah at about ten, a.m. When they got there they found that the natives had retreated. The Niger started about tin same time from Taranaki, and arrived off the Waitara about two hours before the escort. Mr. Eogan, one of the staff of interpreters, landed in the first boat. He found about seventy natives at the pah, and informed them that if they intended to interfere with the survey of the land, they had better be off, as the seamen were about to be landed, and the troops were coming overland, and they would all be shot. The natives immediately decamped. They saw nothing of the natives the whole of that day, but during the following night the natives returned, and erected a strong pah within half a-mile's distance from the encampment. The erection of the pah must have occupied about 700 natives, as, although small, it was strongly stockaded, and entrenched all round. On Monday, as six of the mounted escort, in command of Mr. Richard Brown, were bringing provisions to the troops, they were met by about forty or fifty armed natives, who tried all they could to stop them by barricading the road, and endeavoured by every means to excite the Europeans to fire the first shot ; however, the escort ultimately passed them without a colllision. When the report reached the camp, a force was sent to the above-mentioned pah, consisting of some of the military and the seamen and marines of the Niger. As soon as the natives perceived the military leave the encampment, they retired from the pah to their stronghold in the bush. The military took possession, burnt the woodwork, and levelled down the entrenchments. The military then returned to the encampment after an ineffectual search for any natives that might be amongst the fern. The following morning his Excellency returned to town, accompanied by Colonel Murray, who has now command of the town. His Excellency the Governor had requested Wiremu Kingi to meet him, but that chief declined every overture, and had retired with his adherents to his stronghold in the bush.

We understand that his Excellency has intimated to the natives that he will make them pay the ex* penses of the war. His Excellency has declined to take any further steps until the arrival of reinforcements, unless attacked by the natives. Two of Wiremu Kingi's pahs have been destroyed by the military and blue jackets, viz., one at the en* trance to the Waitara, and the other in the rear of the encampment— the one which was erected on Monday night. There was a report that the Waikato natives were coming down in force, but this wacts confirmation. The native tribes residing between Waitotara and Taranaki are in a great state of excitement, and have decided upon marching to the assistance of William Kingi directly the first shot is fired. The Maori king's (Potatu) flag is flying at Whenua Kura, within thirty miles of Wanganui ; as also at Whareha, which is about the same distance from Taranaki.

The native tribes inhabiting the lower part of the Wanganui river are believed to be perfectly loyaL Tho Putiki chiefs offer to send 100 natives to assist the military at Taranaki. Considerable exoitement prevails at Wanganui. A volunteer cavalry corps is in course of formation.

We have no Extra papers by the Overland Mail from Taranaki, but from private sources we learn that on the day of the mails leaving (Monday, sth instant), nearly the whole of the force at Taranaki had proceeded! :' to the Waitara. d^' About two o'clock in the morning, the movemeflf! ' was commenced by an advanced guard of one hundred-, soldiers, then from twenty to thirty carts filled withammunition, tents, provisions, &c, preceded and followed by a mounted escort of twenty volunteers. Another hundred soldiers next moved on in front of the guns and ammunition wagons, one hundred and fifty more troops bringing up the rear, leaving only thirty in town. The Governor went on board the Niger on Sunday evening, and immediately sailed for the Waitara. She was to land a hundred marines, so that the troops will muster about 500 strong. The Elk and Iris are said to have been applied for from Sydney, before the Governer left Auckland, and may now shortly be looked for. Troops have also been written for from Sydney, Victoria, and Hobart* Town.

The Taranaki Militia have been Called out and number about six hundred ; they are doing night duty already. There are also about one hundred and fifty volnnteers, who where to meet on Monday afternoon for orders— it was expected they would be called upon to do barrack duties. All the females beyond two miles distant from the town are in or coming in, and block houses are going up in the Bell and Omata districts.

A complete cooking apparatus for 5,000 men is being conctructed at Woolwich, and is ordered to be completed with the utmost speed for service with the troops in China. Captain Grant directs the formation of the equipment upon the plan of his ambulatory boilers and pontoon kettles. Two ships have also been surveyed for hospital purposes in China. The Presse says that, in the districts of Solferino and San Martino, there has usually been great distress in the winter season ; but that this year (1859) the poor of those neighbourhoods have found very profitable employment as cicerone to English, American, and other tourists, anxious to know where the King stood, what position the Emperor occupied, and where Marshal so-and-so led on his troops.