THE NATIVE WAR. (From the "Taranaki Herald," Feb. 17.)

North Otago Times, Volume VI, Issue 107, 8 March 1866, Page 3

THE NATIVE WAR. (From the "Taranaki Herald," Feb. 17.)

We reported Ia9t week that a pah, said to be Tantahi's, had been attacked and taken by a mixed force of troops and bushrangers ; but we were not then able to give the particulars. It appears that on the 6th instant, a force consisting of 150 men of the 43rd, under Captains Livesay and Talbot, and Lieutenant Longley, with Capt. Corbett's company of Bushrangers, Capt. Harris in command, started from Tipoka at 9 p m., and proceeded along the beach to the southward till they came to the Moutoti stream; here they turned inland and went up to Ngatoto, which was found d< serted. They went on through the bush to Ilukanni, also deserted, and then still further inland to Piripiri, the place they were seeking, which \va» reached about 1.30 on the morning of the 6th. Captain Corbett and some of his natives were in front, and when they got to the foot of the hill on which the whares stand, a dog began barking, having no doubt heard them •. but the natives appeared to be incredulous of danger, for one of them came out and abused the dog for making such a noise. It was now deemed prudent to wait till dawn, just before which one of the friendly natives (Etariki) crept up to the wlnres, and came hick reporting that he had heard the natives snoring. At dawn the advance was made, Captain Livesay's company taking the left. Captain Corbett's the right— the offtr companies acting as supporters. There was a little firing from the whares on the left (which were lower down than the others) as the troops advanced, but the natives bolted from the ones above, completely surprised apparently, and without having bad time to pick up their guns ; one of them was shot while escaping by Captain Corbett himself, and more of them would have been killed if the supporters and some of the rear of Captain Corbett's own cnmpnny had not, from the dimness of the light we suppose, taken those in front for rebels, and opened fire on them, forcing them to take cover, and wounding two. Two maoris were "aid to have been shot near the whares on the left, and two more in the bush, makimr (if the statement is correct) five killed in all. After destroying the whares and crops, the force proceeded through the bush to the southward for about a mile and a half or two miles, Avhen they came to another pah, Ngaanki-erua, which was palisaded in front, but had no defences to speak of behind. The rebels were heard here shouting the words " pai martre," with unintelligible pihbcrish in the intervals, at the same time firing off their guns, but they did not get their courage up to the sticking point, and retreated without offering serious opposition. One of the whares here was found fitted up as a blacksmith's shop, with forge, bellows, anvil, and tools complete. The place was destroyed entirely, and the crops partially, aid the force returned by way of Te Manila to the camp at Tipoka. On the following day. the 7th Captain Harris, with some of the 43rd nnd the bushrangers, proeeeded to N^atoto, where the whares were destroyed and some of the crops, but the rain coming on,- Capt. Harris retired, leaving the -work unfinished. On Friday, the 9th. word was brought to tne camp at Opunake that W. Kingi, Matakea, and Heremaia, and forty or fifty of their followers, had gone over to the enemy. The news was hardly credited in the camp, and a letter was sent up to them to ascertain the truth, but TTeremni on receiving the letter rammed it down his gnn and fired it off, which was his only answer, at the snme time informing the messenger (Tamati •Kaweorn") that he wruld be shot if he came again. On Sunday an old Maori woman is reported to have given information of these natives and others having laid an ambush at Tc Narau, for the purpose of cutting off small parties going from the camp. In consequence of this, Captain Livesay, with some 43rd and Capt. Mace's mounted men went up to Nukuteapiapi (Matakatea's place inland) for the purpose of destroying it. Shots were exchanged without any effect, the natives retired from the scene, and the place was burnt. At a late hour last evening, we received the following particulars' from the mounted men who have returned to town, of the operations, under Colonel Synge, 43rd L.I., against W. King! Matakatea and Heremaia's natives. On Thursday a force of about 300 men of the 43rd L.I. marched three and a-half miles inland of Omuroa, and destroyed a village, from which the natives decamped on the approach of the troops into the bubh which surrounds it. The natives kept up a smart fire from the bush, which the troops returned. After burning the whares and destroying the crops, the troops returned, and were followed r»y the natives to the edge of the forest, where they succeeded in wounding two men — Private Miles, severely in the hip, and another man in the ancle slightly. Colonel Synge's force is returning to Warea, and, it is said, thence into town.