TARANAKI LATEST INTELLIGENCE FROM WAITARA. (From the Taranaki Herdld,March 16.) " The Field, Friday, 5 p.m.

Otago Witness, Issue 488, 6 April 1861, Page 5

TARANAKI LATEST INTELLIGENCE FROM WAITARA. (From the Taranaki Herdld,March 16.) " The Field, Friday, 5 p.m.

The fighting, or rather the bombardment of T6 Arei, is being prosecuted more vigorously than ever. At six this morning, 320 men of the 57th and 65th advanced to the front, and here divided into working parties and , coveferg. The sap leading to Te Arei was resumed, and a branch sap was also carried from No. 8 redoubt to sweep the rifle-pits on the verge of 1 the valley. t . The Maories observed this at nrst with ap-* parent indifference, and continued to fly the flag of truce in the pah. About- seven, a.m., however, Captain Mercer arrived from Waitara with sixty of the Royal Artillery, three of the celebrated Armstrong guns, and two 8-inch and two 10-inch mortars. A bastion for the artillery was made to the left of No ; 7 redoubt, and all our works went on witliout'the Blightcst sign of opposition from the enemy until eleven o'clock, when the white flag Was lowered from the Maori staff, and replaced by a blood* red war flag. In a few minutes it was lowered 1 * and one solitary shot from the natives invited us to the combat. The troops were not yet allowed td reply, and the 'Maories, after hoisting and loweriug their war flag three times, opened fire in good earnest, and poured^volleys from their pits^ . The coverers and the guard at No. 8 redoubt returned the fire warmly, and in a few minutest more the 8-inch gun, the Armstrong guns, and the large mortars showered their destructive projectiles from No. 7 redoubt on every position of the enemy. I have barely time to say that the practice of all the guns is excellent, and becoming more and more accurate every successive shot. One. ! of the 14th has just been wounded in the wrist. j The pah will be in our hands, in all probability, by Sunday evening. The firing js still going on.