LATE SKIEMISH AT TARANAKI.

New Zealand Herald, Volume II, Issue 496, 15 June 1865, Page 5

LATE SKIEMISH AT TARANAKI.

Wn take from (ho Taranaki Herald of the 10th inst., the fuller particulars of the affair published in our Second Edition of Saturday last.

Lieut.-Colonel Colvillf, of the 43rd, who seems exactly suited for the command of an outpost, went down from Opunalce to 'Whatino, a distance five or six miles, with an escort of the Mounted Corpa. "While there some of the men, as we understand, expressed a wish to go ft little inland to Bee what was to bo seen in that direction, and Colonel Colville seeing no objection, a small party consisting of Cornet Johnson and six men—J. Johnson, O'Neill. Olson, C. Curtis, J. Hoskin, and A. Harrison—started accordingly. After going about a mile they saw six Maoris a little way off, and halted, thinking it might be n draw. The natives seeing them immediately challenged them to come on, intermingling some not ver\ complimentary epithets borrowed from the English larjriinge. As was very natural, this invitation could not be resisted, and our men immediately put spurs to their horses and closed with the native?, who fired one volley as they weie advancing and another when they got close up, but the revolvers well used soon put an end to the fight. Cn our side we have to regret the loss of Private O'Neill, a good man and in every way suited to this work ; he wr.s mortally wounded, and died in about thirty-six hours afterwards—the gun of the native who 'shot him was bo neur his Bido as to scorch the flesh. Of the six natives three were left dead or dyinp on the ground, and one or two of the others who escaped were wounded ; hut naving poor O'lfeill to look after and, not knowing but that there m-ght lo more about, our men did not follow them. Besides their wounded comrade they brought away three guns, and a merepounamu, which latter may be looked upon as a sign that one of the killed was a man of some rank, perhaps old If opera of "Whatino. "We should state that during tho brief time the fight lasted the natives kept shouting Fat marire > Pat marire but without producing any visible effect. Uhe mounted men in this affair have well sustained the character of their corps for pluck and daring, ai d deserve all eredit for the way they actcd. It is bv mieli aits as this and that of Major Von Tempaky at Patea that the war will be terminated.