TO-DAY'S BATTLE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 13373, 6 May 1914, Page 4

TO-DAY'S BATTLE.

To-day -As' a, big? day at -' the. Takapau camp* *fr}l .Arffi«-c.being ■■:■ engaged m ■• a - shai^ ../fafot,,i^*:jslJL- be.,in : progress throughput the day..' , ... The> ; general' scheme is as follows: — Auckland *and>Wellmgts6n 'are«r*garded as separate states, with' at Auckland an<jl Wppdvillectfespectiyely. . After strained relations \had existed for some time, Auckland, having been secretly preparing-, 'for- -hostilities, "is in 1 a better position. on tbje declaration- of a, state rf war. ■',-, - •« AUCKLAND'S POSITION. They landed troops ' at' Napier on April 27th, anoVon 4iae fi>sfe *f May. the' invadiagr aumy. ; had-,., succeeded m con>centrating ,by road and r^iLat Ormbnd? ville l^ where they learn that the Wel : lingfemarray are at WoodviHß* A battle at Dannevirke -(JnfniVl'ay; 3r4ris«'Won> by Wellington, and. ;.tl|e .Auckland, army commences to fall Back, n\uch .djsprgan-, iaed? and* short of' provisions arid ampin-, nition. ■ : A- jrearguiardi consisting of -abattery (D Mountain), a-.-battalionv (6th' Wellington) and . one. squadron (Caquad^ ron-of Ninth 'Regiment), covers the .retreat. At mid-day on May sth the main body have reached Ha'tuma, and have gbne into .bivouac, whew.the<ienemy break off the fight.- At 6 p.m. the officer commanding the rearguard is , in-:, formed .that Wellington troops have readied Marakeke,.and are m touch with 'his patrols on his north front, along the Makaretu..wer..,. P W,ar#e> follows) ,fer at. 7 pirn, heY is advised, by his f.mAin, body not to expect assistance from that quarter, as the. troops; move northwards ato Napier. "The dispatch advises a retreat to Porangahau, and efforts will be made to take? .the^earguards> off by transports from' Napier. - „, .., „.> . • „'•■ • . The following' movements wiU have to be ntesumed on the morning of the battle -in, order to- :-. get thei forces into the right* positions f op • reviewing and adjudication purposes. ; rearguard to fall back on: Porangahau, but must give pattlo to allow transport Ho get away. The guard, entrench at farm. After, the mounted men frieet the •enemy, the detachment-are forced back to the Porangahau a-jver... , !•'.... ' ■ That's Auckland's hopeless; position, truly a sad plight for any force. The Auckland staff ■„ will be as follows :—. Comm^WJeri -Lieufc.-Otfjonel E. H. Turner j slaff-'pfriQer,; -Gapt.i.F. lSymon ; A Squadron, Major C. E. A. Hamilton; Gisborne Mounted Battery, Major Pethevick;'• ,sth Wellington, Major vJ. - A. Cowleu. ;

WEEtINnTON'S POSITION. Viewed through tho spe/rtades pi the Wellington commander, the r • position shows Tiself as follows: — Haying beaten i>ie Auckland invaders at Dariheyirke, the Wellington O.C. sends one regiment m pursuit of ijhe White ;>army" along the railway/ In order to try and cut off the opposing rearguard. tw/> regiments are sent through Norsewood by a wide detour, and^at, .5 , p.m. on:; May sth the Jamer fote'e becupy the gorse at the east of the 's*laVakeke station, where the»ouj> s nostft <df ' both foiicei remain ii> ... touch overnSfcht.^T^ Wellington O.C: "hears that- hia pursuing section have lost touch with the, enemy' at, 1 Hatunta, and it is ; tp. jde.9troy • th& rearguard, at Oruawharo.,'.- The Wellington forces pc i cupy the new liridge^aiid all the «forjds for fom* miles below it.- The arrival of tioth. poi/tioi^s :<of rthe Wellingtdn. army cjves the opportunity of closing ; ; in: on the. vearguard, and, the effort of the O.C will- be tiv force the cub off Aucklandera up the Marakeke valley. " The Wellington officers will be" as follows :— Field, .^ArtiUenytr- * Commander, Captain A. F. Roberts ; adjutant, Captain Standish ; ' :Fp Battery,' . Lieutenant Levien; J Battery, Lieutenant Garner ; ammunition, cqlunxnj 1 ' Lieutenant' • Orftni. Engineers: Field Coinpany, .Capt. Gibbs; Signal.x Company, Lieut. Alexander, ..In-* fantry- Brigade? Cohiniander, Colonel Tatej^ordwy^ officer', Lieutenant, ] Harris.; brigade ijrraJDr^ >Mdjor< Potter ; regimental. O'sC-. , '- iLieuti'-'Colbnels Hislop, Jlughes, V.D.. Charters, and Malone. ..■ . v The nmpiwJ staff w^ill 'be as. follaws;:— , Chiefs -Colonißl -Htiard 1 , LG.S, ; senior. umpipfS"€!olon«l ■Campbell, "ViD.', A iJi.Q; ; assistant (^impires, Major 'Cprrigan quauters Mounted » Briga^, Maibr ..John-' atona-,? North' Staff ordSfcire. 'Jle{jim(siU /Head4&a*tersr lttfaritry. 'Brigade), 1 -' Secondi jVloufltedriMfle^v (Major Herbert)*}. Sixth, MouMted ./(Caiptaim B*addell> N.Z.S.C.) ; Ninths 'WjoHingfeh <(Ca|itajn Pqwles,; tt.ZiS.Cifcj. itiEtefflx Artillery (Captain' Stevens, tt.Z.S.C.) ;• ">Beventfc|,s,e^imeht (Ma^or : Beere) ; TlrSt - Battalion Ninth, (Major 1 B.afteh)'; .Second Battalion, Ninth (Major Bellringer) ; Eleventh Regiment; Sktey). v • . ,