THE NATIVE WAR.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVI, Issue 1492, 29 January 1861, Page 4

THE NATIVE WAR.

[From the Nelson Examiner's Correspondent.] January 13, 1861. The week has been a stirring one, and full of anxiety. Since I last wrote to you the Niger and Robert Lowe have arrived with troops, which have been sent on to the General, whose operations will require an enormous force. The result of operations at Waitara to the present time has been the takinar up of several positions in advance of Kairau, the' natives showing considerable boldness, but being unable to offer any serious resistance to the advance in the face of the heavy fire of our artillery. On the 17th, a sapper, and one of the 65th, were surprised within two hundred yards of the camp. The former made his escape with a shattered arm, but the other was not recovered. He was seen to fall, whether wounded or not is not known, and it is hoped by his comrades (notwithstanding the promises made by the enemy to save prisoners) that he died on the field.

Heavy firing was resumed yesterday, but it was not until this morning that we got any account from Waitara. The General gained another position by the aid of artillery, and this commands the rifle pits near the peach grove at Huirangi. Only two of our men were wounded, an artilleryman and Mr. Grayling, (volunteer.)

These operations will require an enormous force and expenditure of ammuntion, and the natives will see that they cannot hold pahs or pits against us, and will aot accordingly ; but it 13 not felt that they are restrained in their movements, or that the war will be ever brought to a close in this way. The best confirmation of this opinion I can-offer is, that whilst the General is, as he imagines, dealing a heavy blow, and holding the enemy in check, they get in his rear, and sweep cattle from the Bell Block without interruption, and fire on our people in the open, at different points, at about the same time.

On the 14th, two men (Greenway and Howard) herding cattle near the Devon road, between the Waiwakaiho and Mr. Read's farm* were fired upon, and only escaped by galloping past their enemy, Mr. Handle's cart was fired at by the same party, and the drivers (a native and a half-caste), who esoaped into cover, were rescued by Mahau and party, who were apprized of their danger.

Mr. Rossiter (who will not learn caution, venturing out to his farm in the forest, suddenly oame upon tracts of natives, and whilst thinking of what he had best do, the souud of voices in his rear put him to his wits end. The Avenueroad, by which he left town, was out off, and there was nothing for it but to gallop some miles onwards until he reached the Carrington -road, and town by a junction line above Mr. Dovenish's farm.

Ou the 15th, a Mr. Maunsell (nephew of Archdeacon Maunsel, and one of the mounted volunteers) was fired at by the natives near the Waiongona heads, where Mr. Richard Brown received his death wound.

Yesterday morning, bay-cutters at Mr. Standish's farm, close to the town, and withiu a few huudred yards of one of the posts, were surprised a»d fired into by a party of natives, fortunately without effeot. Amongst them were a Taranaki chief

named Parenga Kingl (Wounded at Waireka), Tipene (an ex-policeman), Weka ( a younger brother .of rßn jj Carriugton ) , and the ;Ngkti|uan^i,^,Tamitavil.aukaw()2 who has been concerned iii most: of the Omata murders. A large number of stock, chiefly horses, were carried ony and two friendly natives, mounted, were sent to recover a horse belonging to Mr. F. Standish. The taua, numbering about 150, were encountered near S* Andrew's farm, and the messengers in answer to their demand had their horses taken from them, and were sent home on foot. This morning natives (probably .the same) were observed from the Omata stockade taking horses from Mr. G. Curtis's farm, but desisted on being fired upon. Forty I men turned out from the stockade, and brought in the stock from Messrs. M'Ke llar's farm on the opposite side of the road. The town in fact may be said to be surrounded.

At Paraiti, near the Hau, in the Mangorei road, adjoining Mr. M'Kechney's, the bush in the rear of the town, and at Waireka, large parties of natives, chiefly from the south, have been observed, and it is known that the Waikato chief, Epiha, directs their movements. It is impossible not to feel from this circumstance, that some higher game than mere cattle lifting is afoot, and the coming week will probably put this to the test. Our people complain loudly, and not without reason, at the prolonged separation from their families, but they have the comfort that at Nelson they are safe.

Sickness with us is likewise .on the increase, and without an extension of the lines, stringent sanitary measures, and the prohibition of the burial nuisance within the lines, one oajmot see where it will end.

Our old friend, the Niger, is anchored close in, ready at a signal to land her men.

The Tasmanian Maid is again up from Waitara {two, p.m ), but brings no additional news.