OMATA.

Taranaki Herald, Volume IX, Issue 421, 25 August 1860, Page 3

OMATA.

[from our own correspondent.]

In my last week's notice of the affairs in the Omata district, a statement w,is made which subsequent information has proved to beincoirect, — two pas were described as having been erected on W. Harrison's ground.

I am excessively cautious in sending"y<m information, and make it a general rule never to repeat reports without I feel confidence in the truth and integrity of the author.

This report evidently has ar - 6en from a mistaken judgment, and not from any intention of palming on us a falsehood ; the position of the ground on which the Poutoko pas are erected having been mistaken in the distance for W. Harrison's farm.

The weather lately has been very cold and trying ; from our exalted position at the stockade, we receive the full force and effect of the penetrating winter blast.

On Thursday afternoon, August 16th, Blasohke's, Berridge's, Jupp's, Pote's, Parker's, Ball's, Gud. geon's, and Colesby's houses were burned, — a pretty fair quantity of mischief for one afternoon's work Judging from the smoke, I also imagine that White's! Messenger's, Greaves's, Newland's, Patterson's, and all in that neighbourhood, have ceased to be. Some idea in the loss of this kind of property alone may be imagined if we average the value of the houses at two hundred pounds each. Captain Burton's residence has at last followed the rest. It appeared ungrateful of the natives to have destroyed this dwelling after having rested beneath its sheltering roof so long. Friday, August 17th.— Very early this morning firing heard from the soldie/s' camp. The natives busily engaged upon^Honeyfield's farm driving: cattle and horses sway. About one o'clock p.m , they paid a visit to the village, and set fire to Grylls's house, when Major Hutchins sent from the camp several shells which fell with great precision near the conflagration, with what effect cannot be said, as the building was hidden from our view by a hillock. As the afternoon advanced, all the other houses in the village were ignited, including Job Harrison's, Miss Shaw's school, Newsham's large store, and Ware's Omata Inn j in fact, the village now has completely ceased to exist.

About three o'clock, some natives were seen coming from the road at the end of which Poharama's pa is situated, driving working bullocks, whilst another man was coolly seated driving a loaded dray. With all our philosophy this was really too much to be quietly borne, consequently we opened fire from'onr stockade upon them. One shot fired at eight hundred yards passed very closely over the man driving the cart, who, taking the hint, quickly dismounted and gttjited his bullocks into shelter; the others, findinjpour fire'too warm for them, left some of their bullocks behind, six of which found their way to the stockade, from whence they were driven by some of our men to their owners in town. Some horses have also been stolen from close proximity to the Moturoa pa. The natives at this pa, I am given to understand, are very, very sick. As they are our dear and afl'.-c . tionate allies, it behoves us to do all in our power to alleviate their sufferings. In their present state it strikes me that it would be advisable to remove from them every exciting cause. Their position must indeed be peculiarly painful, — secuiely placed as they are in a strong fortification, armed as allies by a kind and liberal government, to whom they have sworn allegiance, — to find themselves, under these circumstances, incapacitated by sickness from pulling a trigger to prevent half a dozen of the enemy from stealing before their eyes the pioperty of their white brothers in arm 1 !. The desire for avenging such bold impudence must tend to increase the already raging fever.

Under these circumstances I should certainly recommend, at least whilst the enemy is near, that their arms and ammunition should be replaced with arrowroot and sago, with may be a bag or two of sugar and flour to make lillipi of. But to write seriously on this subject. It is of the last importance to us at the stockade to know whether or not implicit reliance can be placed upon the faithfulness of the Moturoa natives. Without judging too harshly, the incidents of the last week have been sufficiently glaring to shake our trust. If they remain loyal, armed parties lrom here can at any time with but slight risk succeed in reaching town ; if, on the contrary, they prove false, unawares we may at any time be cut oil" by a party in ambu6h. Our forefathers have fiom time to time handeddown to sequent generations, various adages and trite sayings, one of which warns us not to be over careful of our enemies, but to be very wary of our friends. As regards that part of the Maori race which have declared in open warfare, very few of us have the slightest bitterness against. We know that wherever they can meet us at an advantage they will take our lives ; whilst we, on the other hand, will endea\onr to return the compliment. Whilst ue to some extent honor the boldness of our open enemy, we must look with contempt upon those who are acting a despicable, cowaidly, and double part. We have now been some considerable time without heating any news from our tried and faithful adherents Tainan Wiremn and Ngaiongomate. We one and all trust that they are alive and safe. In all probability they are kept as close prisoners by the enemy. Saturday, August 18th.— Rev. G.Bayle)'s stable on fire. It it is tme that every savage is gifted by nature with an excessive development of the organ of destruction, these Maorics certainly shew great judgment in not burning and destroying all at once, so that they are thus enabled to gratify their leading passion, whilst they avoid satiety. ,g — About tluee o'clock, Autridge's house in flames, and in the town dnection, Peter Elliot's. Natives having been seen to pass down the bush load towaidb Poharama's place, some of oui men* from the stockade threw themselves into ami

near the road by which they would return, which ere long took place, when a volley from the rifles warned them for the future to be a little more cau. tious in their movements. The whole amount of damage effected I cannot say, but one man was evidently badly wounded in the shoulder. After the first volley they immediately followed their usual tactics by running to covei and firing upon our party, but happily without effect. Sunday, August 10th. — Another cold and showery day. About half past 9 a.m. a body of militia and volunteers under the command ofCapts. Brown and Atkinson were seen in the distance preceding as an advanced guard a body of solditrs escorting provisions and stores for the Waireka camp under the command of Lieut. Colonel Sillery. Capt. Mould, R. E., with some few men of his corps, also accompanied the escort. In the afternoon, after having safely delivered their charge at its destination, the whole party returned towards town. The natives appear particularly quiet to daj r , in all probability they are holding a cabinet council (or rather I should say a bush one) as to what mischief they will be enabled to effect on the morrow.

Monday, August 20th. — No improvement in the weather ; having no fires to sit by we feel the effect of the cold very much. Firing of heavy guns heard from the Waireka. Great many natives seen going towards Peter Elliot's farm, upon which a large barn is still remaining. Some little time after the movement of the Maoris had been signalled to town, firing was seen in the country between Stephenson's Smith's and Peter Elliot's. The natives appear to have formed their head quarters foi the occasion in and near Peter Elliot's farm. How much we wished that it was in our power to assist the attacking party from town by marching down the road and commencing operations in the rear of the enemy ; but I am sorry to say that our complement of men is too small to allow of us being indulged in such luxurious recreations. We Know nothing here as to the result of the skirmish. From the stockade we observed the Maoris to retreat two or three times, but as the men returned to town they closely followed, and on their way fired a house which we supposed to be Mr Stephenson Smith's. In the evening several shots were fired fiom Ratapihipihi, which after an interval were answered from various parts, being evidently a concerted signal. In the neighbourhood of the stockade very few Maoris have shown themselves to-day, one or two alone having been observed as far off as Gilbert's. All those houses immediately within reach of our rifles aie still standing, and I have now some hopes that they will continue uninjured. W. I. G.