REMINISCENCES OF THE WARIN NEW ZEALAND.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VIII, Issue 2144, 10 September 1875, Page 3

REMINISCENCES OF THE WARIN NEW ZEALAND.

Part, XI. GENERAL CHUTE'S RETURN MARCH FROM * TABANAKI. General Ciiote began his return march down tho coast on tho Ist of February ; and nothing of importance happened until tho forc3 roached Waikoko, a nativo villago lying between Warea and Opunaki, where the Hauhaus mado a most determined stand, killing ono of our men and wounding several, whereas they only lost four men. Tho Nativo Contingent were the first up at tho village, but behaved.badly, caused not by refusing to faco tho enemy, but fearing tho soldiers in tho rear, who did not readily discriminate between Maori friend and foe, and tho village, after a sharp fight, was carried by tho Imperial troops. Two days after the force proceeded to Waingongoro, arid General Chute's memorable campaign closed. I beforo mentioned that only 80 Kupapas accompanied tho General in his .march round Mount. Egmont, tho remainder, 150 strong, wore left at Waingongoro, ' under Lieutenant Wirihana, N.C., and Hunia To Hakeke, chief of the Ngatiapas, with orders to harass tho enemy in every possible way, destroying cultivations, &e. On tho 20th January Lieutenant Wirihana was absent oil ono of those raids, and on bis return to camp found one of his men missing; the following day- sevoral parties went out in search of him; ono of tho parlies, 18 strong, under tho joung Ngatiapa chief Aperaliama, aftor searching the whole morning, sat down to rest in a clearing about firo miles from camp, and were surprised and fired into by aboui 50 Hauhaus. All our people at onco bolted for tho bush, aud look cjver, excepting two—Wi Pcka Peka, and a boy, Harriots, who stood firm, firing away at their enemies, until Wi Peka Peka was mortally wounded. Ilarriela then coolly took bis bells. and rifle, and retired to tho scrub, hid them, and, returning, continued tho fight, until his party, ashamed of themselres, joined him, and|hcld (heir own until Aperahama himself was wounded, when, finding the enemy, from their superior numbers, were outflanking them, they retired, carrying away their wounded, until they met Wirihana's party, when they again returned, and a sharp fight ensued, which elided by tho enemy retreating, with tho loss of six men. It was subsequently ; ascertained that tho missing man had lost his way, and falling in with some Ilau- [ haus, they shot him. On. tho following , day Colonel Butler, finding tho enemy j still in force, started with a detachment ; of the 57th and N .0. to attack them, and a ; sharp skirmish ensued at Ahipaipa, where 3 the rebels lost six men, wo having several wounded, and this, with some trifling exceptions, ended the campaign of the t Imperial Troops in Npw Zealand. The Native Contingent (50 strong) were now

-— ordered again to I'ipiriki, to provout that post from falling back into tho bauds of tbo Uppor Wanganuis, who, under Topia and Pciii Turon, ircro liviug at Maiignio, about sevod miles further up tho river. They arrived thero in tho middlo of February, 1866, and reliovcd a dolachmcnt of tho 67th Ucgiment, under Major Stewart, who roturncd to Wanganui, and hold that post until tho middlo of July. During that period. thoy con* tinued to open up a friendly intorcourso with Pehi, who invited tho wkolo of tho Wangauui tribes to visit him at Mangaio, aud about 400 nativdV. accosted tho mvitation, 'Tho start was worth seeing ns they proceeded'up tho rivor in about 30 canoes, somo ot them very largo, do« corated with'foalhcrß, <fco. WliQii.vritliiti about halfa-milo of 'tho pa, a most charaotorist(o 'Maori ovont happened. Moto Kingi, tho lio'ad ohiof of tho Warigauuis, called alltho canoes around him, and spoko as follows: —" Wo do not know llio truth of these people, they may bo good, thoy wcro so originally, lor mo thoy not Wnnganuis liko ourselves. But Oh | my children, thoy liavo bccotiio ilauhaus, and no. trust can bcfplacod in them; therefore, I say, tiro off your guns, for it is Maori cliquctto to show your trust. But bo suro you reload thorn. It will bo hotter so, as somo of your guns liavo boon loaded for a long time, and may liavo missed fire, which would bo awkward iii caso of treachery." Tho instructions wero duly carried out, and thoy advanocd on; Below the pa thero was a formidable rapid, which necessitated tho visitors lauding, mid druwing thoir canoes aftor them over tho boulders, and then re-em-barking closo to tbo pa, under a cliff, iu . so dangorous a position that all Meto Kiugi's precautions would iiavo lieeu useless had our_ friends meant mischief. But as thoy did 'not, tho Wanganuis landed safely, amidst a pandemonium of Hauhau incantations and Maori war dances; ouo man, a brother of Topin's,, wos stark mad, and spoko Maori with an * English accontation so ludicrous that tlio old chiefs of ono party could not liolp laughing, and somowhat dotractcd from tho gravity of tho mooting. But order was soon restored, and talking comnlcnood and lasted fop two days, interrupted only by feasting, and concluded a,t last by agreeing to maiutain peaco on tho river, but that cither party wore at liberty to fight in other districts. This treaty was scrupulously kept, and it enabled tho Govornmont to uso tho Nativo Conlingont in tho forthcoming campaign against tho Ngaliruauuis, whilo Pipiriki was occupied by a mixed parly of Muulmus aud fricndlies. T.WiGi (To be continued,)