TAKANAKI.

New Zealand Herald, Volume III, Issue 687, 26 January 1866, Page 6

TAKANAKI.

[FROM OUR Off» CORKESrOXDENT.J January 20 JLt length brighter days s>*em to be dawning upon as, as far as the management of our most glorious ■war is concerned, General Chut l ) having ::t ia-t liit upon the only plan likely tj bring " Jack Maori " to his senEes. I tm perhaps wrong in st.'i ting-that there is any -originality on the part of the Government in the present scheme, as I beii n-e Governor Browne in the corarnoncehient of the war strongly recommended tho adoption of something analogous to this, us ihe only way effectually to harrass and dishearten the enemy. However, "let that fly stick to the wa,' "as the Scotch proverb has it. The General deserves all praise for having broken through the cordon of "red tape" that has hitherto invested (ho conduct of all affairs military in the colony. Since the f rmation of the " Flying Column " w'e have been anxiously looking for some sign of their doings. Last week news reached us from Opunake that the General had started from the Patea River inland, and had resolutely taken and d.'s'royed all the rebel pas and villages in his course, including a famous stronghold known as Otapawu; that the rebels had evacuated one pa after another, fairly retreating before him, and had trtken up a position at Pukekaraka inland of Manawapou, which he was then investing. Our delight at this unhoped-for good news is necessarily mingled with regret for the brave men who have fallen. .Report states our loss at eight killed, and nine wounded. Only tvo names are mentioned—Colonel Haggard, 57th, and Lieut. Swanson, of the 40th, both wounded, the former dangerously. On the native side there was sf'ed to bo some 14 killed in all. Of course, we , .t look for any more accurate statement for a , • two, until the General lias opened a. communication with this settlement. Jan. 22nd. The General seems determined to give the Maoris no rest; he is stilt in full cry after them. Yesterday an orderly rode into town with the gratifying intelligence that the column were within a few miles of Matataiwa, that tho General had taken the Pukekaraka pa, defeating the enemy with rjreat slaughter—■ reported number better not stated—until something more definite is known He also stated that tho brave men had been reduced to great ttraits from want of food. This latter, as they are so to the settlement, will be speedily remedied. A force consisting of P.JI.S. had left IMkorangi vesterduv with fivo d\ja' provisions, and were expected to "form a junction with tho General's force. This-is in substance tho report that reached us Yesterday. jN'o doubt we shall shortly hear something more definite. In a few days at most wemav tho whole force, as I hear to-day that tho authorities had been advised to that effect. owever much the reports of successful engagements may be modified, there is the broad and undeniable fact that the General ha*s led a considerable force through the very heart of the rebel country from Patea, and apart from all other considerations, a proceeding so unusal, and evincing such daring and determination in its conception and successful earrylng out must have considerably astonished the Y.aoris, and have taught them the stern fact that the old style of warfare has passed away with all its attendant shams, and that General Chute at least is n't a men to be either played with or fooled. . January 23. In writing last night I omitted to state the whereabouts of Matataiwa, where the General then was. Matataiwa is in the north of Taranaki, in the "Waitara district. I believe he has now reached Tikorangi, one of the military settlements on tho r.ortheru side of the Wa.tara river, so that we may expect him and his force in town in the course of a day or two at most. A glance at the map of our district lately sent out from tho office of your contemporary, the Cross, will show the track he must have tiaversed from tho Patea river by the base of the mountain inland side on to his present position in the Waitara. A meeting is being held this evening by the settlers to decide what steps shall be taken to give n fitting reception to the General on his arrival here. The universal feeling is, that his achievement u worthy of all honour, and such being tho case we cannot give him too honorable a reception. I have only one suggestion to raalce, to wit, that is he appears to he the right man in the Wght plu.-e, he ww he has so well b e gun, by routing out that nest of ruffians tho Kawhia natives. Such an undertaking, with the hearty co-operator of the the mil:ta.7 settlers at Harapipi and other p rts on the vVaikato would be certain of success, aad woul 1 I verily believe, pu t the finishing touch unon tho war in W Zealand, -he rebels could never make head m any eihcient manner after the less of such a grand commissariat depot as Kawhia. Thev mi,«t if they would prolong the strife break upin\?"VJ bands ; and altnough for a time they would Vtroublesome, still starvation, misery, and despair would speedily bring them to sue for peace.