LATEST FROM RARANAKI

Wellington Independent, Volume XVI, Issue 1507, 22 March 1861, Page 5

LATEST FROM RARANAKI

By the Wonga Wonga, we have received intelligence from Taramaki up to the 18th inst. No event of great importance had taken place. The sap had been carried up to within 20 yards of the rifle pits, and it was expected that Hapurona's pa would shortly be stormed. Lieut. McNaughten, of the Royal Artillery, was killed on the 17th inst. by a shot from the enemy's rifle, pits. Lieutenant McNaughten was pointing a gun, being on his knee, sightingthe gun, when a shot grazed his wrist and entered his left breast, causing almost instantaneous death. This gallant officer has greatly distinguished himself since the commencement of the war, by his activity and daring, and his death is universally lamented.

William Thomson, the Waikato Chief, had been to Taranaki, and proposed terms of peace. Hostilities ceased for a time, and the rebel maories might be seen in the open, inspecting the sap, and picking out the bullets from the earth. The proposed terms being inadmissable, hostilities were resumed after three days truce, and the booming of the big guns was distinctly heard at Taranaki un Monday afternoon.

Thompson had returned to Waikato, with the intention of bringing down re-inforcements. House burning, in the vicinity of the Town, was still going on ; and the Southern rebels had built a strongly fortified pa at Waireka, the scene of Capt. Cracroft's gallant exploit. The opinion most generally entertained at Taranaki relative to the Sup, is that it is a useless waste of time aud labour, a wearing oat of the men without commensurate results; but out own Correspondent, in a letter dated Waitara, the 18th March says:— "That the war will sooner end from the patient following up the system, which the General has adopted, than it would have done, if hasty movements had beeu adopted. If we drive the war to the bush, a guerilla warfare will be the result, because the natives will learn to live were at present they can hardly exist." We fervently hope that the opiuion expressed by our correspondent may turn out correct, for a speedy termination to the existing state of affairs is devoutly to be wished by every settler in New Zealand.

We have to thank Mr. W. Murray, 'engineer of the Wonga Wonga, for furnishing us with a copy of the Taranaki Herald of the 16th inst., which has enabled us to continue the "Journal of Events " up to that date.