CONTINUATION OF JOURNAL OF EVENTS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume IX, Issue 418, 4 August 1860, Page 2

CONTINUATION OF JOURNAL OF EVENTS.

EVENTS. Saturday, 28th July. — No news of in^ terest from north or south.

Sunday. — We have sad intelligence from Waitara to-day, brought up by Archdeacon Govett. Mr. Hugh Corbyn Harris, attached to the camp, while carting driftwood from the beach yesterday was shot dead by a party of rebels in ambush. We have received from Waitara the following particulars relating to this brutal muider. "You will be sorry to hear that a poor fellow named Hanis, a carter, and most respectable young man, was shot dead from the bush near the bench about 1300 yards south of the blockhouse, only yesterday. He had gone for wood, accompanied by a private of the 40th, neither of them armed, and although the beach close to the Waitara point is one mass of timber, he wibhed, it appeals, to find some which was better suited for culinary puiposes, and as no Maoris, excepting the friendly ones had ever been seen in that direction he apprehended no danger. Five or six shots were fired — and one ball passed through poor Hairis' head, killing him instantaneously. No attempt to plunder his body was made, and his cart and bullocks remained uninjured. _ The man of the 40th states that he was under the imptession that the Maoris were some belonging to the Waitara pa when first he saw them coming towards the beach, but on seeing them nearer he called to Ilanis, who was 70 or 80 yards from him, without Harris apparently heaiing him." Corbyn Harris is the only son of an old settler, and was a most exemplary young man, and the main support of a family of sisters. The writer of the above from, Waitara also informs us "that the Tasmanian Maid is/repairing, having had her sponson beam Smashed while coaling from the Airedale, it is a heavy job and I am afraid she will be detained for two days moie. The sentries at the Puketakauere pa made a great row last night and blew two cow horns on the strength of having killed poor Harris." From Bell Block we hear that a son of Mr. Greenway's had a narrow escape to-day while out on his father's farm. He was surprised by some rebels, mid only succeeded in time to hide

behind a fallen tree — the rebels tracked him and passed several times within a few feet of him, but lost his tracks on a piece of grass ! We also hear that natives were parading at Mahoetahi dressed in the coats of the 40th who fell at Puketakauere. A boat left this evening to bring the corpse of Harris to town. x Monday. — Weather fine. The Airedale arrived from Manukau with the following! passengers : — Colonel Mould, commanding 1 Royal Engineers ; Lieut.-Colonel SilleryJ Deputy Quarter-Master General; Assistant Military Storekeeper Hamley ; Surgeon Major Smith, P.M.0. ; Purveyor Ajhims, and 2 sergeants, 1 corporal, and 1 private 6fslh6 f slh Regt. The Airedale also brings the ttand instruments of the 65th. We have Auckland papers to the 28th ultimo. The boat from Waitara returned this morning, and brought up poor Harris' body in a shell. It was carried up by several young men. personal friends, to the Chapel at the Kawau pa. We are told that Hanis has also a bullet wound through the chest, near the heart, and that the shot fired at his head must have been from a distance of a few inches, as his hair was singed, and eyebrows blown off! A skirmish took place again to-day at the Bell Block. Early in the morning several rebels were observed to be on Tate's land driving off some of his bullocks. A small party went out from the stockade, and after some firing on both sides retreated to the stockade. A pair of bullocks belonging to Mr. Tate were taken ; and two horses, one of them saddled and bridled, belonging to Messrs Stockman and Johnson, who joined the attacking party from the stockade, were frightened by the firing, gallopped over to the rebels, who soon after were seen riding them.

Tuesday. — Weather still beautiful. C. Harris was buried to-day, followed to the grave by a large number of his friends and Militia and Volunteers and some Military. A firing party of Volunteers and the Volunteer Band preceded the body. In consequence of some information received from Bell Block that the rebels were in force there, the Light Company of the 65th, un_der Lieul.-Colonel Murray, marched out this morning, and were followed in the course of the day by Capt. Barton's company with two guns and six artillerymen. It was rumoured that the rebels were in numbers in the bush, and as an attack on the town was to be apprehended, the Militia and Volunteers were called together, and strong outlying piquets told off. Before dark, btroiig lines of sentries weie posted, and extra piquets stationed in commanding positions ready to resist attack. The schooners Emily Allison and Tyne came to an anchor this evening, from Wanganui, the 30th inst.

Wednesday. — Weather very fine. From Wanganui a coriespondent writes — " A report is in town this morning (28th) that the rebels have now completely hemmed you all within the town, and that they hold possession of the Waiwakaiho Biidge. The news was bi ought in by Aperahama of Waitotara, and we think it may be true as from the last accounts the Ngatiruanuis and Taranakis had determined upon attacking your town. We have also heard that they have possession of the Hua stockade, and have killed many more soldiers. A letter was received yesterday from Waitara which was brought down the river, giving the natives an account of the fight at Puketakauere. It states that 200 soldiers were killed and only 5 maoris, and that the dead bodies of our men uere left on the ground for the pigs and sea gulls (karoro)." The ketch Traveller's Biide arrived this evening from Wanganui bound for Manukau. The 65th detachment returned to town from Bell Block.

Thursday. — The Tasmanian Maid came up from Waitara this morning. She has been detained in the river since Saturday undergoing repairs. A skirmish with the rebels took place on Tuesday when they came down to the beach/and endeavoured to cut off a party of marines escorting carta with firewood. The rebels also endeavoured to shoot some of Teira's natives who had been out fishing as they were pulling up the river. An ambush of 200 natives prevented the forces from the stockade following up the rebels, and on proceeding to suppoit the marines received several vollies and the force retired having succeeded in bringing in the escort. No casualties on our side. Some of the natives were seen to fall. So close did they follow our men that they came within range of the blockhouse and their shots fell over the steamer in the river. Two or three shells were fired into them, and they letired. We have been requested to publish the following ac-

knowledgments relating to Hugh Corbyn PI arris :—: — . The afflicted Parents of the late Hugh Corbyn Harris desire to offer their warmest thanks to the Volunteer Rifles, Militia, and other numerous friends, who manifested their respect and esteem for their departed Son, by following his remains to their last resting place. As they are not able to make their acknowledgments in person, they take this opportunity of gratefully assuring them that their voluntary demonstration of kindness and sympathy lias afforded much comfort and consolation to his surviving relatives, who mourn the loss of an only and affectionate Son and Brother, but who do NOT " Sorrow as those who have no hope." New Plymouth, 31st July, 1860. A reinforcement of the 12th marched to the Bell Block this afternoon in command of Capt. Queade. The head quarters of the 40th moved this evening from the parade ground and took possession of Fort Murray, vacated by the 12th. Friday. — At an early hour this morning H.M. colonial steam sloop Victoria anchored in the roadstead from Melbourne, after a passage 8 days. She brings Major General Pratt, C.8., Lieut.-Colonel Carey, Dept. Adjt. General, Lieut. Forster, R.A., A.D.C., Dept. Inspector General of Medical Department J. Mouat, C.8., Captain Pasley, R.E., and 50 men of the 40th regt. At 10 a.m. the General landed under a salute of 13 guns from Marsland Hill. A guard pf honour of the 65 th in command of Capt. Turner was on the beach at 8 a.m. with the band and the colors of the iegiment, but by the General's request the compliment was dispensed with. The men disembarked in the course of the morning and were played to Fort Murray by the 65th Band. From intelligence brought into town by a courier from Omata this morning we are led to fear that two more lives have been saciificed. Yesterday afternoon (we are informed) John Hurford, farmer of Omata, left the Omata stockade with the intention of calling at the camp on Jury's Hill, for three artillerymen, who were to accompany him as far as his farm in the bush. Towards night one of the latter came back by Honeyfiold's hill through Ratapilvipihi, and stated that several vollies were fired by some natives upon them, when they all separated, he running through the bush and reaching the stockade as desciibed. A second artilleryman also ran and succeeded in making the camp in the middle of the night, but nothing has been seen or hoard of Hurford or the other artilleryman. This morning Capt. Bui ton rode up to the camp and arranged with Major Hutchins to send a guard of ten men with his party to search for the men. The escort had not returned at our latest advices. A number of Poharama's natives proceeded to day at the request of the authorities to the Ninia pa, and succeeded in recovering 70 sheep driven off the Bell* Block by the rebels. They did not meet with any opposition. The schooners Emily Allison and Tyne sailed this evening for Wanganui, and the Traveller's Bride for Manukau.

6 p.m. — The armed expedition sent in search of Hurford and Gunner Gaftney have returned and confirm the worst forebodings. Gaffney was found dead in a gully near Huiford's house, much mutilated about the head and body with tomahawks, but without any gun shot wounds. The body has been brought into town by an escort. No trace of Hurford could be discovered, but there is no doubt of his fate. He leaves a wife and 9 childten (refugees at Nelson) to mourn his untimely end ! It has/transpired that Minaiapa, one of the perpetrators of the first Omata murders, told a woman of the Poutoko (T. Wiremu's pa) this morning that he had killed two while men yesterday, 7 p.m. — The Airedale from Nelson has just anchored. Saturday, 1 p. m. — At 10 o'clock this morning the alarm guns from Marsland lljll and Mount Eliot -were fired, and the bugles called together the troops and militia, a messenger having arrived in town reporting that the natives were in force in rear of the Colonial Hospital in the Town belt, and that a combined movement was to be made on the town. Intelligence also in town that the troops were engaged on the Bell Block. The troops and militia under arms in readiness to move to any point. The women and children flocked to the barracks from all points. A reconnoitreing party of friendly natives report that the rebels have fallen back in the bush after pillaging several houses and stripping a large quantity of lead from the house of T. W. llichardson, Esq. at Waiwakaiho.