BELL BLOOK.

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 292, 7 August 1860, Page 3

BELL BLOOK.

(From our own Correspondent.) Hua Stockade, August 3, 1860. On Monday morning a fatigue party of 30 men marched to the Waiwakaiho flat to clear scrub ; also a fatigue party of 20 men to get wood. At half-past 9 o'clock three natives were observed at Mr. Tate's, late Mr. Pepperell's farm, driving off g pair of bullocks; this bqing reported ii> the olptee'r commanding, Lieutenant Richardson, lie gaye1 permission to a party1 of volunteers to go in pursuit,1 consisting of five of the soldiers, and five of the rifjesj under the command of Serjeant IJush, t|n rea.ch}ng tlje pli^ppl,'-'tlie qativTes.'\v : ere 'perligiyetJ "a 'sjiforj; dia^a^ce '^riving thp }ulloc]£s at a quick pacp, anc} finding themselves japo^ pressed,: abandoned the bullocks,, and. were lost sight of near Ra win's house at the end of the block. John Kelly, being a little- in advance of the pursuing party, made towards Rawiri's house, the door of which was then open, with the intention of shooting from the gable windows' overlooking the Waitaha stream; when within a short distance, the cjoqr ym (juddemV closed}, ancf expecting'it'f 6be oacupiedby the enetnyy retired tinder cover. "By triis time the test of i'the party Were up, and fifed a volley into :thcfhouse, and. several native^ were seeh leaving it hurriedly.1 Other'natives lii aftjb'ush' iqtlte Vicinity on Searing m% firjng!<jame to! the scene o'| action ;' tnis'beingf obWrve^fi-pm tfWstoc^acje, tneret'ife v?as. sounded, on Hearing 'wttjeti Seijear^ Bush 'ordered, a ret^rjvhjpb waf re'l^antlV gqiflpljed, w|%: bW |pck^ vyprp. |eft jn tfte'han^s of tl^ enemy, whq duf-: ?jng thiij.time kept \m a smart fire, eyi^ejitly Wth rifles, from the peculiar sound of the bullet inita flight, which was heai'tily.responded to on our part; As we retired, the enemy sharply advanced^but as both parties speedily availed themselves of the cover gf the furze hedges, little was seen jof the enemy, their whereaboufs only being khovjqjby th6'§fe6H^ of the rif|^s%nd^es|mltwhfene'oitsie^ '■ Bur halting lit the ch^pe|, !nt'h! e' eneniy wab wjtliin |_50 yar^sr By il^ia i'|ihe wpqd "fatigue pay.ty ■: gqd. the men, ffqiq fte "W^iwa^ajlio flat liay|ng ■$?.! ti^rnpd, a par(;y of,ab,f|ut |Qmen, Jjieqt.m Jjowry, cfjtfte tq our aggistanpe, and h#p4 a* the i bouse lately ocoupied by Mr. Sunley, where we shortly joined them; the friendly natives also, to the number of 50, on hearing the firing, cafne' as far as the Mangati, and danced the war-dance! A party having been sent put to out-flank ; the enemy, on reaching the cross-roads at Hollis1, housej found >hey bad decamped taking J ,the;eatt|e,..wifti therii ? pnouriting" Uitb|etnerl- si§' -pairs' ot vfqr|c|ii^ 1 horse, §addje aj?4 bifid, Je. The whqle fbrpp ! laving returned to the Bloakhoqse by noon, the were shortly ; after observed-rin number about 150~on the Devon road a short distance outside the boundary of the block, to dance the war-dance, fire their guns, and veturn to the neighborhood of the Mangoraka river- '<■ On Tuesday morning, at daylight, the enemy lyere seen taking a hovspfrora Mr. Hulke'sand. giving about ten%ea4:of cattle ajbng tHe^arai'ti;i itoad in the 4direpti6ft-of;' the bush.! "4bqut's a.'ml'1 Jjieutenant-Colpnel Murray and;the light pompany q'f the 6^th arrived at;;the stockade, and shortly after three natives were observed on Mr. Rundle a farm, situate in tho centre of the block, catching and haltering four or five horses. Mr. Hulke waited on Colonel Murray and asked permission to go with some volunteers to the end or the block and fire on the. natives,; having recognised two of his own horses. Colonel Murray replied he could not grant the request, as he must abide by his instructions! The loss Sustained this day was six feorseg ao'd'^bqut 3QQ Bh,e.ep.'; Qn \^e.dnesdayteorning, abqutm'qpj vMr.'HHlke'yepQi;ted fifteen pf the enemy going round in a stealthy manner at the back of Northcroft's land. The light company of the 65th left for town, leaving two guns and artilleryman. !' J '■ About twelve o'clock a fatigue party getting wood at, the Paraiti pa were fired upon by a party of natives secreted in gully in the vicinity. A notice to t]ie fqilqwing eiwet^vas jMffl oa! W© door of tlie gtpclca^e tq-day li=— ■''i^OTip^-rrSettlera wishing t6 drive in their stock will liave aasistgiice, tm at the same time

4hey are warned that.in the present state of affairs it does not follow that although natives may be seen -taking cattle]; ,&c.:, that any demonstration should take place from the stockade.— : John Richavdson, Lieut. 12th Regt., Commanding Detachment. Bell Block.' Thursday.—The flock of, sheep taken by, the natives were seen grazing at Mahoetali i 20tf natives reported to be in the bush at the back of the blocks who have partly destroyed two houses, killed a bullock, and driven off some cattle. Friday .—Last night natives were seen in John Pupperell's house, and about the premises of A. Hoskin—-the next field to the stockade, \