Taranaki.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 4, Issue 208, 13 September 1860, Page 2

Taranaki.

The following is a-summary of the occurrences from 18th August to 3rd September. The Herald s Journal will appear in our next.,, c, . •. .■;

On the 18th August the natives burned several houses at the back of the town, and intelligence was received of several having been burned oh 1 the 16th at Ornata—namely. Beveridge’s, Jupp’s, Pote’s, Parker’s, Ball’s, Gudgeon’s, and Colesby’s. On the 19tli all doubt was removed as to the defection of Te W aka and about 12 of his men; they went to Waitara, taking with them ammunition (1000 ball cartridges and a quantity of lead) that had been handed over to them a few days before. Te Waka has been friendly for the last 18 years, and is supposed to have been aggrieved by a smaller salary having for several years past been given to him as an assessor than to some others who were not so friendly. - On- -a- inumbeiliCof/houses were destroyed at the Henui—among others, Dr. Wilson’s, Mrs.. Smith’s, and Paynter’s. A small party having been attacked near the town belt by Maories, who followed them to within 400 yards of the barracks/ three companies of the 65th and a party of sailors, the whole under Lieut.-Colonel Murray, went out against them; there were about 200,, and several were seen to fall, among others a man of the Ngatiruanuis named Hoani, whose pouch contained cartridges with pistol bullets in them; his party were firing balls made of puriri; eight of the natives were killed and ten wounded—not one of our men was touched.

- On. tho same day there/Was a skirmish at the Bell Block. The natives were driven off the block with one killed. - .The Ninia pa was destroyed with 1 a large 1 quantity J of wheat, and a lot of cattle was brought away. On Wednesday the 22nd Major-General Pratt left in the Victoria, for Manukau. Mr. Richard Brown, died/at Waitara at 2 p.m. An inquest was held on- Thursday, and the verdict was,,that heidied from the: effect of a gunshot wound received on the <26th May. The ball had gone through one of his lungs aud lodged in hisj backbone ; the immediate'cause of death, was influenza; he died without- pain while the surgeon was dressing ,his .swoiu'lds. : fOn Friday, the ■ 24th, a militiaman named H. Crann, who went out to. look for bullocks, was shot|by a party lof Puketotara. On Sunday, the 26th, Capt. E. Brown/ was buried in St. Mary’s,churchyard. On Monday, the 27th, intelligence camo/iutp town,

that the natives hail left the neighbourhood of "Waireka, a chief of the Taranaki tribe having been shot, dead from the.camp on the Saturday; they have taken all the horses, cattle, and other property they could get. On the 28th the Victoria returned, with General Pratt, Commodore Loring, and Mr. McLean. r jehe soldiers of the . 40th, at V aitara went into the Puketakauere pa to-day, and found it empty. It was a very weak place. iVo natives were seen ; and it appears that the V aikatos (about 120 reckless young men) have .gone northward with their plunder, some of st havim* been even taken, it is said, from their ally W. Kingi. They are, supposed to have lost abont ten of their nuniber. They occupied three days in transporting their spoil m carts across the Waitara. On Tuesday all ■women and children receiving, rations were ordered to prepare for going to Nelson. On ■Wednesday, the 29th, 200 soldiers,- sailors, and volunteers,-went out to- the Henui-after some, natives, but they had dispppeared before our men arrived.' With this exception scarcely any of the natives had been" seen hear the. town during the week ending Ist September, and it was believed they bad gone home to put in their crops. r On Saturday, the Ist September an expedition went out against the Piiketotara pa buVfound it deserted. Oii the same day the Airedale left, with: a number of women and children for Nelson. .. r ~ , ,

On Sunday a force of 800 men accompanied by about 50 friendly natives, under the command of Major General Pratt, started for Eatapihipihi. Tlie noise; of the carts <£*c., could Ibe heard at, the distance of three miles, so that they could not have intended to surprise the enemy. They arrived at his position at 4 o’clock in the morning and found that he had decamped 12 hours before, upon which they returned to. town. Major ATelson. has been amusing himself and his men with burning the empty pas near his position at Waitara.