WAR ON THE WEST COAST.

West Coast Times, Issue 128, 14 February 1866, Page 3

WAR ON THE WEST COAST.

DESTRUCTION OF NATIVE VILLAGES AND CULTIVATIONS NEAR WAREA.

FURTHER DEFEAT OF THE REBELS.

By the arrival of the Airedale yesterday morning from Manukau, we (" Nelson Examiner," 10th) received a copy of on extra of the "Tnranaki Herald," published the preceding day, giving an account of tho proceedings of General Chute against the Taranaki rebels and their allies, below New Plymouth. After _ receiving the address 'of the Superintendent of New Plymouth, on Saturday, the 28th January, General Chute started on his journey southward, and proceeded as far as Oakura. We take what follows from the extra of tho " Herald" :—

The next day he went to the Hangatahua; and on Monday the 29th arrived at Warea On Wednesday he mo^ed on to Tipoka or its neighborhood, six or eight miles beyond Warea, and whero the road turns inland to Waikoukou, the position occupied by the rebels. On Thursday, General Chute attacked Waikoukou on two sides and took it, but tho natives, as might have been expected from tho nature of the country, retired without difficulty,, and probably with little loss, after firing a volley' or two at the advancing troops. Nevertheless tho taking of Waikoukou is an undoubted success, becatise it has shown the rebels that they carf have little hope of finding a place to live in where they cannot be got at. The following is an extract from a private letter written by a gentleman who accompanied the expedition :—: —

" I write to you a few lines, thinking you might lho to hear what went on the other day. Tho idea was to surround the rebels apd. cut thorn off, so

Corbett's Company went up to Warea on Tuesday evening, went into tho bush from Warea, and travelled on to Okeanui where, I understand, he got near them into a track which brought him out near Waikoukou. However, before he got there he -was discovered, and exchanged shots with the natives, and fearing to bo surrounded during tho night ho got on the top of a hill in a clearing, and remained there, again exchanging shots with tho rebels. Early on Thursday morning, he was just telling his men to get their blankets together, when firing from tho General's party was heard ; he hurried up, too late, however, to cut them off. Captain Livesay, of tho 43rd, strtrtcd on Wednesday night for Opunako, marched all night, and came up about a quarter of on hour after the affair was all over. He heard our shots, but could not come up to us at onco. iVo started at about 3 p.m. on Thursday, the Ist instant, in tho following order :. — Friendlies, first ; Von Tempsky's men, second ; General Chute and Staff and 43rd, third ; 14th and artillery, last. The track, I understood from one of Jhe 43rd men, was tlie same — at any rate part of tho way — Colonel Colvillo went, and ci'o§sed a river about half way up tho track. We then went straight on. About five or six a.m., wo camo out at Waikoukou, after going some , considerable distance through forest and bush. Tho call was then for tho 43rd, the General having moved, up to tho. head of tho 43rd column Just as wo got up wo hoard somo single shots, apparently in different directions, from tho bush, like warning shots ; then I heard in front moro shots, aud soon we camo out in tho open, aii(,l went on to get under cover of a bank, tho rebels blazing away heavily over our heads. Then the 14th came up on the right of the 43rd, and soon after I saw tho Staff waving their swords and " hoorooking" on the men to tho village. , Part of the 14tn and 43rd went, and I went with them into the village. There wa3 no ono in the whares whon wo got thoro,. but somo shots came from the bush, and so the men at the bank returned the fire At the bush, blazing away like beans, which tho General, however, soon stopped. Tho rest of tho force, with some of tho 14th and 43rd, had apparently gono round to try and cut off the enemy, aud in about a quarter of an hour everybody seemed turned up from somewhere. Tho 14th had ono poor fellow killed, and Corbett had two wounded. I saw also two wounded friendlies. I never saw a rebel Maori, though I hoard plenty of their bullets, and hardly anyono except McDonnell saw any ; but the^ kept up a heavy fire. It was the usual thing, heavy firing and nobody to bo seen. The men behaved very well. Tho General is a very plucky fellow, and goes in for tho thing liko any other officer. After tho enemy had disappeared, which, as I have said they soon did, the men piled arms and destroyed a lot of cultivations and tho villages. The next morning the General said there were ten Maoris killed." On the day following, tho General went over to Opunako, on his return to Wanganui.

On Monday the sth, a small force consisting of part of the 43rd Light Infantry, under Captains Livcsay and Horan, and Captain Corbett's Company of Bushrangers went to attack tho pah, or kninga of Tautahi, bettor known as Arawhititaua. Tho place was taken and destroyed, and it is said fivo natives killed.

An important brigade order has been issued by General Chute, ordoring all officers at outposts to harass the enemy as much as possible.

Wo extremely regret to havo to add that on tho road to Opunako General Chute's force destroyed or took away a good deal of friendly natives" property — a proceeding as foolish as it was wrong.