THE NATIVE WAR. TARANAKI.

Otago Witness, Issue 489, 13 April 1861, Page 6

THE NATIVE WAR. TARANAKI.

CONTINUATION OF JOURNAL OF EVENTS.

(From the Taranaki Herald.)

Saturday, March 9. — No communication with Waitara to-day. The Tasmanian Maid left for Waitara at four p.m. At three, two 'iteamerß were observed to leave Waitara for sbe north, supposed to be the Niger and Victoria. The schooner Raven, tor Manukau, -sailed at four pm. with the mails for Auckland.

Sunday. — The Tasmanian Maid arrived from Waitara at nine p.m., and brings us our corjeapondent's letters and news from the front Tip to Saturday (yesterday.) The events of We week will he seen in another column, under the head Huirangi. A letter from the camp says: — "The usual works have been goini on at the sap. On Monday night the guard in No. 8 redoubt were entertained until about two o'clock a.m., by Hapurona, who .■was urging his people most vehemently to attack them, and said they were very weak in it. He said the Governor had done him all sorts of injury, and that he (Hapurona) would scatter our bones over the Waitara. He failed about the attack, and said the Waikatos were no good, because they would not come on. Several of the men in the redoubt knew his voice and what he said quite well. They fire m good deal every night. Yesterday the sap got through the hollow which has been entirely commanded by the pah and the hills close by, and has ascended the gentle riope to the pah, and the work is not so difficult and dangerous. The. rebels fired very well, and kept up a continual shower of bullets about the heads of the working party at the head of the sap until about twelve noon. At this time they got a shell in a corner of the ditch of the pah, which seemed to do great execution, and they were quiet until about three p.m. Suddenly about half-past four o'clock a most tremendous fire wa3 opened. - The natives had crept up in the fern and were close, and in large force along the bush and thick cover at the edge of the cliff over the river, only about forty yards to the left of the sap. In a moment the. men were at the work, and such a fire" was kept up until half-past six o'clock p.m. m baffles description. The, artillery were it the parallel, and did capital service under lieutenant M'Naughten, K.A., with a 24pounder howitzer, a cohorn, and some hand grenades (the latter were thrown from near the head ef the sap.) They were at last silenced. We know nothing of the native loss, «8 they were so close to the cover they could Have; fallen down the cliff killed or wounded. The sap is getting near the pah, and a few day o. will, finish it.' I think the natives will all leave and go on to Kingi's nah, as the whole country is filled with a continued line of riflepitfl in that direction. The 64th and 70th regiments are on their way from India ; they left "in January, and may be expected here about the end of this month. No news since xpy last. Weather wet and miserable; no casualties: The and Victoria left Waitira onSaturday evening for Manukau, it is Mid to bring" down Captain Mercer's battery of Armstrong guns, and the artillery corps recently'arrived, there from England. Tamati Keweora returned from Waireka to-day, where

he ' has been detained several days by the - rebels! He reports that the party who attacked the Rifle Volunteers on Sunday week numbered thirty, and that the person in the friendly native dress waa a man named Koxnene, of Ngatiruanui, whom he saw at Waireka. That no natives were killed or wounded, •hd that they decamped directly Koraene was fired at, who, he says, narrowly escaped, as two bullets passed close to him. As traces of a body having been dragged away, and blood was found on the chickweed, Tamati's report is not to be relied upon. He informs us that • large number of sheep and cattle have been driven south, and several of both are daily killed %nd eaten by them. Manahi, the murderer, nas gone south, being pouri (grieved) about the stock of the Moturoa. farmers having been killed and driven off. Tamati says he was detained at Waireka, having, as they said, offered Waiau ( a pah on the Taranaki coast) as" a landing place for the troops, and was ultimately, released on denying having done

Monday. — The schooner Parininihi, from Mokau, arrived this morning. Wetere, master, informs us that W. Thompson, Tarapipipi, was at the head of Mokau river, waiting for canoes to bring him down. He has about 50 followers. Tamihana and others of Wi Kingi's people have gone to meet him. Wetere also informs us that the Waikatos have made up their loss in killed since the commencement of the outbreak to be 170. An escort of military, militia, and Rifle Volunteers, with supplies, under Colonel Young, 65th regiment, was despatched to Omata this morning. 1 They arrived without interruption. C)h' "leaving for town a volley was fired at them from Ware's Inn, a distance of 1000 yards, which was answered by a few shots from the stockade. Natives were still busy on their defences on Waireka hill. Tuesday. — The Tasmanian Maid arrived late lftjit night from Waitara. We have no intelligence from the front. Firing was constant yesterday, and there is a rumour that three of our men were wounded during the day. iH.M.S. Fawn arrived from Waitara to em • bark Mr. Parris, the Native Commissioner, who had been previously requested by teleg&m from the General to proceed thither. It is stated that William Thompson, Tarapipipi, has arrived at Waitara and hoisted a flag of truce, and that Mr. Parriß is sent for by the General to ascertain the intentions of the Waikato chief. , " Wednesday. — At .two a.m., Mr. Newsham's house at Omata, late in the occupation of Mr Good, was burnt this morning by the natives. The building is within 400 yards of the stockade. Some mounted Volunteers from Waitara arrived in the forenoon, and report that thje natives are seen gathering bullets at Te Arti, tod taking nr> potatoes at Mataitawa. Mr. Hay, of the Native Department, had been oVer to the rebel position accompanied by the Deputy Adjutant-General. The Victoria and Cordelia had arrived at Waitara with a part of the Armstrong battery, two large mortars, and Captain Mercer, E.A., and a portion of his men. The Cordelia left for Sydney this morning .from Waitara direct with the Auckland supplementary, and the General's mail for .Australia and England. Hoera Tiki was surprised 'to-day on Dr. Neild's farm by a number of Ngatiruanuis. Hoera io related to them; and whether or no, was not interfered •with. ' He states they told him that several parties of natives were posted at different points around the town, and that it was their intention' to burn the houses outside the lines, and asked him to give them some matches. Mounted men were sent to all persons residing outside the trenches in consequence of this information, and to warn them to come within for; the night. A telegram from Omata reports: that while a number of the garrison of the stockade were cricketing in a field adjacent thsy; received a volley from a strong force of rtoeli'ja tfyfe tush near Mr. Newman's farm, wjthm jIjOP yards, fortunately without effect. - ,TfiiirJiday- — The Armstrong guns and mortare, .&c.,; have been landed, and put in readifije^s forl service. The flag of trace is flying. Mhi JEfoy, is, -isttll in communication with Thompson, but Mr. Parris has not yet been near him. Nothing its known of the result of Mi^ Hay's frequent interviews with the rebels,* ;b^tjj^:js, believed that the truce will end toz3*Jiks,z3*Jiks, letter from Waiters says :— »* The ,, l ;3^tpjl¥» *, Were unusually ftuiet .last night *\^|jf^(i9y),{no.t even having shouted in their %ip^|a^^aji;a§.of late. ,:Tbe dawn of the l^fippgfrrejjaled to our view ja_ large white fr om a staff on the light

of the pah, and in ten minutes" afterwards the working parties of the 57th and 65th returned to their quarters, having received orders from Colonel Leslie that they were not required. The Maories are walking about on the open ground in front of the pah, and came down close to the head of the sap, which was carried j'esterday within 80 yards of Te Arei. The natives have been calling for an interpreter, but it is strange that they are also busying themselves searching and picking our bullets out of the earth. Letters have been sent down to the General "

Friday. — Several houses were fired by the rebels last night, and between five and six this morning dense masses of black smoke gave notice that Brooklands, Captain II King's residence, with outbuildings, barns, stabling, &c, was given to the flames. Not a vestige remains, except the masonry of the chimneys, Brooklands is overlooked from the Marslandhill garrison, and is not more than 600 yards from the military fort in the Carrington-road. The guard turned out, followed by the Fort Herbert natives, and some shots were fired, but it is no part of the proceedings of these incendiaries to covet a meeting. Shortly after anotfjer fire rose in the Carrington-road, supposed to be the late Mr. Hursthouse's bouse, or one in that direction. Several other houses in the Omata were likewise burnt during the day, as fires were distinctly seen. The Tasmanian Maid arrived from Waitara; Mr. Parris returned in her. The Victoria was to leave Waitara for Manukau this morning. It is rumoured that the proposals for peace from W. Thompson on the part of the Waikatos are utterly inadmissible, and that hostilities will recommence to-day. Nothing certain, however, is known of the proposals made by Thompson. The Armstrong guns arid the mortars (two 8-inch and two 10-inch) are to be moved to the front this morning. A large escort of 57th, 65th, and Militia, under .the command of Major Butler, proceeded to Bell Block to-day, and returned with about twenty loads of commissariat hay. Natives were seen on Smart's farm at Waiwakaiho from the blockhouse. Owing to the fault iness of the commissariat arrangements, the escort, which left town at half-past six a.m., could not return to town till four p.m. The men (nearly 200 in number) had been on duty the previous night for twelve hours. Much fatigue might be avoided in these escorts if the hay were made up in trusses ready for loading, instead of waiting to do everything until the carts arrive.

Saturday. — The Maid from Waitara brings intelligence that hostilities were resumed yesterday, .the rebels firing the first shot. The 10-inch mortars . had opened fire upon the rebel position, as well as the Armstrong guns, the rebels replying with volleys from their rifle-pits. The sap is being pushed forward rapidly, and it is confidently expected that Te Arei will be in our possession to-morrow or next day.