THE NATIVE WAR.

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 59, 2 June 1863, Page 2

THE NATIVE WAR.

IMPORTANT NEWS.

EXCITED STATE OF THE NATIVE POPULATION. j

WAITARA GIVEN UP. j

ABDUCTION OF SETTLER* FAMILIES. SIKH SOLDIERS SENT FOR FROM j INDIA. ! i (From the Otago Daily Times.) By the arrival of the barque Zillah, from Auckland, we have later important news from the North. Below we give the letter of our Auckland correspondent, and other interesting particulars : — AUCKLAND. ["from our. own correspondent.] May loth, 1863. The mail carried by the Storm Bird, from Taranaki, subsequent to my last communication from Auckland, would apprise you of the murderous onslaught made by the Natives upon the military escort proceeding from Tataraimaka to Omata, and the deaths resulting therefrom ; it will, therefore, simply remain for me to follow up those particulars by furnishing your readers with additional facts which hare since come to hand. May 11 th. An inquest has been held on the bodies of the murdered men, and was concluded on Saturday morning, the jury having been locked up all night. The following is the verdict : — ' That the said Thomas Heathcote Trage't, William Aslle Hope, Samuel Ellers, Samuel Hill, John Flinn, Edward Kelly, William Banks, and Bartholomew M'Carthy, on the 4-th day of May, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, at Wairau, in the Province of Taranaki were cruelly and barbarously murdered on the public highway, while in the peaceful discharge of their duty, by certain persons of the native race, to the jurors unknown, by gunshot, tomahawk, and spear wounds, and of which wounds the said Thomas Heathcote Tragett, William Astle Hope, Samuel Ellers, Samuel Hill, John Flinn, Edward Kelly, William Banks and Bartholomew M'Carthy did languish and die." The following was the rider appended : " The Jury are of opinion from the evidence presented to them, that though the Government were in possession of information showing the dangerous state of the road to Tataraimaka, owing to the threatened recommencement of hostilities, sufficient precautions were not taken to guard against such murderous attacks from the natives of the disaffected district, which there seems to have been great reason for some time past to dread. (Signed) " Francis Uliathoun Gledhil, •* For self and Jurors." All the evidence was gone into that j could throw any light on the inquiry. First Sergeant Hill, brother of one of the deceased, the hospital sergeant, proved their identity. Then Dr Mackinnon was examined as to the nature of their wounds, and gave the statement which you have already published. He has since said that he believes the wounds he described as spear wounds were really done with a bayonet, no doubt taken from the hands of the wounded and dying soldiers to be used against them. The drivers and escorts of the carts going down, towards Tartaraimaka, and who saw part of the occurrence, were also examined* The sum of their evideac*

was they saw a party of soldiers with twf horsemen /coming _jtp meet them, at about half a mile distance''; .they were hidden by a trifling- bend .in the, road, and ttoen they saw a volley fifed from the bank, and immediately after two soldiers bodies lying -on the beach. One man, T. Donovan, says that he saw the one. on a grey hUee ( Dr. Hope) fall, and then stagger a few paces ; he thinks die horse started and threw him, which was likely as it was a young oneV He says, "I then saw 20 or 30 natives come, down and attack him ; they were naked except something tied round their middle. I saw them striking as with long-handled tomahawks." This is the only incident in the massacre that was seen by the. party from town, except the two men l.vittg on the beach, and the volley or two volleys— 14 the balls splashing in the water." They all spoke of the firing as lasting five or ten minutes, which is quite long enough ; it will be seen that F.Kelly, the survivor, speaks of a longer time— twenty-five minutes — bvrt; this is surely impossible, considering that our men were completely exposed, only seven of them were armed, and the Maoris were " from five to twenty yards off." The following is the statement made by the only survivor of the massacre:— Florence Kelly — I am a private in the 57th regiment. On Monday morning 4th May, I left Tataraimaka in company with the deceased. Color-Sergeant fillers was in command. Sergeant Hill was to give evidence against W. Banks, who was being brought to town to be tried by Court Martial. There were five privates. Dr. Hope and Lieutenant Tragett overtook us bv the Tiniaru, and went a-head for a while, but we gradually overtook them. They made a dead halt at a little stream (the Wairau). I don't know why. We then came up to within about five yards of them, and presently there was a shot fired from the bank. The shot came from behind a bunch of fern. I looked round on| the occasion. Sergeant Ellers and Sergeant Hill were then in rear of me. I asked Sergeant Ellers if his firelock went off accidentally. He told me he had not. The question was hardly asked and answered when a second shot was repeated, at which Sergeant fc.llers fell prostrate on the ground. I then knew that as none of our own had went off it must be Maoris, so I capped my own and fired in the direction of the shot that killed Sergeant Ellers. The next thing I perceived was Sergeant Hill lying prostrate on the ground too. After the second shot was fired there was a succession of shots from the Maoris. 1 then looked to my left, and perceived Dr Hope lying also prostrate in the stream. On that occasion Lieutenant Tragett dismounted his horse and joined the party which was firing. Private Kyan went a few paces to the front.and then a few paces to the rear and sung out murder. I then told him to cease crying and commence firing at the Maoris, which he did. I turned round then and saw Private Flinn doing nothing, I asked him why he diu notloa'l and fire. He told me he was not able, his left arm was broken by a shot. I then told Lieutenant Tragett to take Private Flinn's accoutrements and firelock, and commence firing. He had no anus himself, hadn't Lieutenant Tragett. Private banks was lying on the ground apparently wounded in the breast. He pointed out. to me several times the Maori that was keeping up the constant fire. At that time there were only three apparently living, including myself. Lieutenant Tragett was wounded in the left arm ; he gave me the handkerchief he held round his wound. I put it on the top of my bayonet, as a flag of truce. Private Kelly did the same wiih my handkerchief We had flags of truce flying for about ten minates under the fire of the Maoris. They appeared to take no notice of the flags ; on which Private Kelly and I kneeled down and commenced firing. Lieutenant Tragett asked me what he should do. I told him il was best for us to retire, while there were yet three of us living. He answt-red, he could not retire and leave the wounded on the beach. I told him there was no use in us trying to protect them ; thai our lives would only be sacrificed too. When I saw he was not inclined to retire, I also remained a.id abided my fate, I looked round soon again, and saw Lieutenant Tragett lying on the ground, apparently dead. After the death of Lieutenant Tragett, Kelly did not fire any more, but said it was useless firing any more. When the Maoris took no notice of the flags of truce, I went on firing. Private Kelly checked me for doing so. I told him it was useless holding up a flag of truce, and no attention paid to it. After firing a short time aiyself. Private Kelly got a second wound, which he sunk under. When I saw the last man dead but myself, I thought I would ma'<e some desperate effort to save my own life. While loading my firelock a Maori stooped over the edge of the sand-hill, and was taking away Sergeant Ellers' firelock, I think it was, I was then loaded and capped. I fired at the Maori and shot him. Two other Maoris took away the one I shot down, on which occasion I took up my firelock and bayonet and ran to the rear, closely followed by the Maoris. They were yelling and shouting after me, and firing, on which I turned round to fire, and perceived a number of Maoris (about twenty) on the beach over the dead— about ten or eleven more fol lowing me, I threw off my pouch belt, took ten rounds of ammunition out of it, and threw it into the sea. I also took off my havresack, waistbelt, and small pouch, and threw them into thesea. There was flax tying.my boots— it broke, and I pulled'off my boots and threw thsm away. After going about 400 yards on the beach, the Maoris gave up the chase. I threw myself into some long fern to hide, for I was exhausted from running. I remained there till the escort came down from St. George's redoubt, at Tatarairaaka. That was all I remember. About the centre of the fight I SAW a Maori trying- to outflank me, to get a drive at me. I presented my firelock, at which he hid. The greatest number I saw was between thirty and forty. The party then fired at me and I at them. I was myself slightly wounded in the thigh before I left the dead. Private Kelly told me before he fell, that he had been in many a field before, but he had never been so hemmed in. The first man that fired at us was not five yards away. His first shot did no harm ; his second killed Sergeant Ellers. The furthest was not more than twenty yards away. From the first fire to the last was about twenty-five (?) minutes. The seven forming the escort, were armed, Lieutenant Tragett was not armed, nor Dr. Hope ; but if he had any be would not have had time to use them, as he fell at once. They were in regimentals I was hid about two hours. Other evidence was gone into proving that the Government bad been informed: of the ambush on the week before, and that at least one of the officers, Mr Parris, had been conscious of the danger for at least one day, a week previous to the mas-

sacre: .then he deterred people from gbinjj ;to Tataraimaka, and afterwards congratiM lated William "Newland, a mounted, «# derly, who came up from Tataraimaftl *just after the first ambush was withdrawn! on havirig~had a narrow escape of his UfM When asked' *b'y the jury whether he hall communicated to the Government the hM< formation which made him warn peopl L not to go on to Talaraimaka l w J ***"?arti !' declined to answer, and stated that Hie ha r been instructed not to answer any qu« < tions concevning his communications wit , the Government. What this means sou readers can judge as well as we here.,' May 12th, 1863. , What would have been news once, an ■ startling news too, comes, flat enougl although it should hate interest, if right looked at. The Waitara is given up! Willia King's people are now at liberty to con back to live, and have been fold so byJJAti George Grey in person. The troops, lum > lieve, are to be removed to-morrow. | enclose you the proclamation in Maori ail . English,, lest you should not believe nl The troops, I hear, are to be removed If „ sea, in the Eclipse Teira.is to recent some money in compensation— -at least, t • Governw says so. I will leave the coi ment to you, but I may say that if t reason for this monstrous act (for it is do without the promised investigation) be bribe the Mataitawa natives into qnietni in the the approaching struggle, the G vernor is as likely to succeed in his objl as if he had given them a cake of ginglj bread. On Saturday last, after they knl the Governor's intentions, one of th< same Mataitawa natives taunted me wi the unavenged massacre at Wairau I * ' week ; and said and repeated it, that 1 Governor had done the murders because „, had not given up Waitara. One w« ,'itafter the massacre all title to the land v < renounced. f PANUITANGA. I Na Ta Hori Kerei, Kawana o Ji Tireni. Ko te mea, i te tau 1859, kua puta ritenga o te Kawanatanga o Niu Tir mo te hoko i tehahi wahi whenua i Vi tara, otira kahore ano i oti te tikanga i ' te hoko i taua wahi whenua. -<-,r A, ko te mea hoki ko etahi o nga tikai mo tau a whenua kahore ano i inohiotij te Knvranatanga i ta takiwa i timatl taua hokonga engari kua kitea i natal no reira e kore e whakaotia te hoko 6 ta wahi. I Na. tenei a te Kawana te mea nei, mj uru ano, me te whakaae ano tono runanl Ko te tikanga mo te hoko i taua whl kua inutu. Ko nga tikanga mo taua wl « ite taha ote Kawanatanga tenei te karal <• ! nei, hua, whakare rea. I I tuhua i tahu ringa i Niu Paremataf 1 '■ 11 o nga ra o Mei, 1863. - I- * Naku, na Te KawanJ A PROCLAMATION DECLARING 11 1 ABANDONMENT OF THE WaITAI .. PURCHASE. I* By His Excellency Sir George Gl '* Knight Commander of the il .. .-.-fa Honorable Order of the Bath,lhr.?i vernor and Conimander-in-Cliii-lt D and over Her Majesty's colon J New Zealand and its Dependent .^' and Vice-Admiral of the same,! '. &c, &c. I '.?' "Whereas ah engagement for the purcl ;^H< of a certain tract of land at the Waiii^ commonly known as Teira's block, was ent :■'•*' J^ into by the Government of New Zealani ; _.- the year one thousand eight hundred "^ fifty-nine, but said purchase has neverl >;* :*J completed : , li^wjS "And whereas circumstances con«« with the said purchase, unknown to the . ;._ verntnent at the time of the sale of the j ™ land, have lately transpired, which malr ....**? advisable that the said purchase should! '^tu be further proceeded with : I jjfo. " Now, therefore, the Governor, with! #.* i^ advice and consent of the Executive CoJsft ;' . doth hereby declare that the purchase olp*l ul said block of land is abandoned, and alia Jedj tj the same on the part of the Govern* an( j is henceforth renounced. I j,_ " Given under my hand, at New Plyml' ; -. f • and issued under the Seal of the Colo* ln New Zealand, this eleventh day of I : not in. the year of our Lord one thousand! 1 the hundred and sixty three. I , A n \ "By his Excellency's command, I ™ a * "Alfred Dommett. | : Btor< " God save the Queen ! '' I chea

An incident worth mention in the di ifP ron of graver news, occurred at Dolma^ I^Utn, che, during the past week. Ratf Baj ;- chamberlain, was sent for, and, by in ratio] trade, was ordered forthwith to man ;% on| of the Palace ladies whom he had i^^;^., seen or heard of before. Withii h V:'■minutes after the order was commuii ||?& ' to him, the spouse — not elect, but in if'Styl —made her appearance, and, inside an 'three; the conjugal knot was tied. — 2 fttie'* ->* Herald. *hen .. .... . ... ....,,. , m> #lIT»AJ