TARANAKI.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 4, Issue 195, 14 June 1860, Page 2

TARANAKI.

[From the Taranaki News of 31st May.} We regret to have to record an attempt b:y some Natives in the neighbourhood of Waitara upon the life of Mr. Richard Brown, who has devoted the greater portion of his life her e to the benefit of the settlement, and whose place there is no one in the present exigenc y to supply. Mr. Brown was riding, on Satui > day afternoon last, near the beach betwee n the Waiongana River and the Camp, at tMe /Faitara, searching for a horse which was/at large, when he saw, some eightyy.ardsdistaint from him, a native who had years bygome been his servant. Not suspecting he rode towards the man, who levelled Ips gun at him, and hit him on his cartridge pouch, and the ball, glancing thence, entered, his thigh, causing a severe flesh wound; tvgo other natives then made their appearance, one on the sandhill above him; both fir&d, one ball entered his side, inflicting a v&ry dangerous wound, and glanced upwards amd is supposed to have lodged in the cavity (of the lungs or in the inusclos of the bs.ck the shoulder blade. One of the have been .loaded with slugs, or something/of the sort, as his clothes were torn and pierepd by a number of holes. ■ Mr. Brown, .with his usual dash and hardihood, rode some distanjee after the natives; but, becoming faint, Returned towards the Camp, whence, in answjer to his signs for help, assistance : came to Insaid and he was carried-into a hut,-where best medical relief was immediately afforued. The Tasmanian Maid- came in on Tuesday evening, and the news brought by several of Mr. Brown’s friends, is,, upon the whole, tolerably satisfactory. - T,he sufferer appears to have bad three hours or t more of refreshing sleep the night before, and. to have been <jble to speak after it with a strung voice in describing the circumstances of the attack upon i hi In. ’But medical men few, for the wcmnfc

in the chest, as if the ball is lodged within the cavity of- the lungs, his recovery is precarious indeed.

i We hear it reported that the JFaikatos are very indignant at the attack on Mr. Brown, and that Wiremu Kingi repudiates the act and all connected with it. The W aikatos declare that they came down here to fight about the land, and not to go stealthily about to murder individuals.

June 7th. ; From IFaitara we learn that Mr. Brown is considered to be going on well, but that he is not yet out of danger. In the absence of the Tasmanian Maid we are now without any rjegular intelligence. Mr. Stockman managed, With a native, to reach town on Tuesday, and, besides the foregoing, states that it was believed that the Waikatos had left W. King, and were on their return home. We do not know what reliance should he placed on this merely give it as we_find_it._ To the south'we liavestlir*fhe same account of the restless state of the natives in the districts between Tataraimaka and Wanganui, and of their determination to come again to New Plymouth, which some were deterred from doing at once only by the influence of others, who desire that they should wait until- large numbers are ready to move. The following notice has been issued by the military authorities since our last:—

“ The Colonel commanding the Forces requests the Militia and Volunteers to give notice to their families to avoid the outskirts of the bush, and not unnecessarily expose themselves beyond the line of defence. “ By command,

“ C. YtAPP, “ Capt. and Adjt. Taranaki Militia.” The cause of this has not transpired ; but a number of natives are known to be collected -at Bell Block, in the .vicinity .of. the road from the beach to the Devon line, and have been seen about the houses of the settlers there by some of our own people.

The Wellington Independent’s own cor respondent writes of date BtH June. “In last Thursday’s ‘ News ’ Mr. Brown is reported .as better; bnt I am sorry now to state the doctors have given up all hopes, but a* the communication between the town and W aitara has been cut off, we are not often correctly informed. On Wednesday last a body of armed natives, between 50 and 60, extended in skirmishing order, advanced on our land, and a party numbering about fifteen took possession of six or seven houses and plundered them. This was done in the sight of the Hua fort containing 100 armed men. Vesterday, Thursday, they danced the war dance in a. nab ..behind the camp at Waitara. and fired one hundred guns over iF; evidently meaning it as a challenge—but it was no go— Major jVelson, of the 40th 72egt., who is in "charge there, having positive instructions not to* invite a collision. In fact the natives have unlimitted leave to plunder and murder all they can see ; all here attributed it to the incompetency of the general in command, Colonel Gold, but I have been informed to-day that information has been received from Auckland, per ‘ Victoria,’ that it is the Governor is to blame—the great bug-bear is fear of the Waikatos. We muster now about 1,900 men, ready and willing to meet the natives like men. This war is a standing disgrace to our arms, to think that from 500 to 700 savages should hold in check 190(0 armed Englishmen, is hardly credible, but such is the fact.

WAIKATO. [From the Taranaki News .] hsay 31st

A preliminary meeting, composed of Ngaiihinatu, Ngatimaniapoto, and Ngatiliaua men, was held on the 28th May, the two former under the leadership of Tomo Whahapo, the latter headed by William Thompson—the Maori “ Warwick” —the native King-maker. In the early morning, immediately after the conclusion of prayers, business commenced with a discharge of musketry, after which about 150 men of the Ngatihaua, armed and in military order, marched up, saluted Potntau’s flag, uncovered, made him an address, and then retired backwards from the presence. Then followed Ngatimaniapoto, in number 70 (of whom 50 were armed), and after going through a similar process, retired with their faces still towards rotarau, wno, pt-m-uhi man, sat at the door of his house wrapped up in his blanket, his chin resting on his knees, his eyes closed, and to all appearance wholly indifferent to the proceeding before him. When it was ended, he retired into the house, threw himself upon his mat, and there remained during the day. Not so his liege men. To the place appointed for the meeting they were followed by 150 women bearing baskets of potatoes and.eels, and by men. carrying pigs cooked whole. The food having been distributed under the direction of a master of the ceremonies,. was disposed of with great rapidity. Then began the orafory, and the proceedings did not terminate until sunset. June 7th, Thursday, 2 p.m.

A mail has just arrived overland from Otawhao. The meeting at Ngaruawhahia has terminated. There were several Europeans present the of Auckland, Messrs. McLean, Rogan, and others, the Bishop, and the Rev. Messrs. Buddie, Wallis, and Reid, wilh others. Nearly 3000 men, women, and children, were present. Potatau is reported to have been very firm in opposing any movement on the . part of the Waikato against either Taranaki or /Auckland. A few urged that they should assist W. Kingi, but Waikato, as a body, decided against it. A few, it is expected, may go, especially from

Kawhia; but the geueral voice of Waikato is for peace. They, however, determined to set up the new flagstaff, which they consider is the final act of the setting up of the Maori king. Several chiefs in the meeting spoke boldly out, and affirmed their determination to sell their land whenever they pleased. When the Bishop fouud they were determined to set up the flag, he ordered his tent to be struck, and left the ground. Mr. McLean entered upon a statement of Teira’s title to tlie land with them, but they did not relish Ins speech, and would not hear him out. It is difficult to say whether this conclusion should be considered favourable or otherwise ; we are not prepared ourselves to venture any opinion at present. The presence of the Waikatos here is considered dangerous by the initiated at Otawhao, and it is feared, notwithstanding the present peaceable disposition of the Waikato, they would be drawn into the war should any of • he. pony tinw dowu.here.be killed, that, in • fact, in the now exciting , whole aspect of things might change in twentyr four hours.

By this arrival we learn that there is no truth in the report that the Waikato party has left W. King.