ARRIVAL OF THE "AIREDALE." IMPORTANT NEWS FROM AUCKLAND & TABANAKI.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVIII, Issue 1964, 1 October 1863, Page 3

ARRIVAL OF THE "AIREDALE." IMPORTANT NEWS FROM AUCKLAND & TABANAKI.

The s.s. Airedale, Captain Kennedy, arrived in this harbour to-day at half-past one o'clock, from Auckland and intermediate Ports. She left Manukau on the 26th inst, at 8 a.m., reached Taranaki at 5 a.m. on the 27th, left at 1 p.m. the same day, and arrived at Nelson at 5.30 a.m. on the 28th. Left again at 9 pm, {he same day, reached Pieton at 6 a.m. on the 29th ; left there the samo morning and arrived here as above. Captain Kennedy reports that he experienced very unsettled weather and and heavy westerly gales on the passage. On the 17th September, a daring attack was made by the natives on the Pukekohe stockade, which notwithstanding- the superioty of numbers, was successfully repulsed. There were between 200 and 300 natives pre sent at the engagement. Six natives were left dead on the ground, and a large number arc supposed to be wounded. The casualties on our side are two men killed of the 70ih Regt., and one of the 65th killed ; Captain Snltmareh, dangerously wounded, by a ball through the neck ; fire of the 70th and one of the 18th more or less wounded. Our troops behaved with great gallantry, and did not appear at all cowed by the superior force with which they had to contend. The New Zealander of the 23rd, states : — As the result of anxious inquiry respecting the Indian reinforcements, we have ascertained — and we have every confidence in the accuracy of our information — that no Sikhs are under ordeis; but 3,000 men of the Queen's line; what the number of the regiments are we have not been able to learn. THE ATTACK AT CAMERONTOWN. We have been kindly furnished with the following extracts from a letter to afriend. They detail more fully the circumstances connected with the death of Mr Armitage at Camerontown. From the same source we also learn that the body of Mr Armitage was afterwards taken to Kohanga, and buried there. Sept. 11, 1863. This has been a week of great danger, but I will give you an account in full. Poor Armitage left this on Wednesday (9th), very de pressed at the bad prospects from his land transport corps, and I left same day for Waiuku, by Otaua, not by Awaroa, as he (Armitage) had just heard of a warning to the Ngatitipa to cease going to Waiuku. On going to the la on Saturday for the Sunday's services at the military posts, a very strong wind on Sunday deterred rue from going to Tuak&u for afternoon service ; Armitage was at the Bluff, and feared the wind. I took advantage of a lull, and started, and to this, under God, I ascribe my life. He (Aimitage) came on early next morning to Caraerontown, to see the goods about to be conveyed up the mer by the Bluff natives. Now change the scene. On Friday 100 Maoris came to Onewhero, and found a- King native inland at Takahikahi; he told them about the goods at Cameron, offered canoes, and brought them to the Kakenga, two miles from the mission station. On Sunday evening they crossed below Cameron, and crept up through the wood, and huaki'd (showed themselves) just as Armitage hud landed. H>. and Strand, and the blacksmith ran to the canoe ; his people, who had not their guns ivith them, ran into the wood. Armitage was ghot through the heart, the other two Europeans fell into the river, and have not been found. Ngatiwharoa, 20 in number, came in here. We, and all the Europeans, immediately came here for safety. Next day, Ngatimauinpoto returned, having had a skirmish with the soldiers— only tw« of them slightly wounded — boasting of sixty soldiers slain. Yon may imagine now our anxiety — in all sixteen pakehas. They soon set to work at the pigs, oxen, and potatoes, not a seed potatoe left. Next day, their numbers swelled to three or four hundred, and not know, ing what they intended to do, Waata sent them a message to go, but they only laughed at him ; we had only fifty on our side, and twu sides of the pa finished, the other two sides untouched. At last an invitation came from them to Waata to go and see them. They strongly urged him to join as a " post for to strengthen Waikato." He replied, " I will die first." They said that if I had been there, i.e., with Mr Armitage, they would have killed me. They left this morning for Tuakau, A party is said to have been on their way to attack Waiuku, but when their chief, who is a relation of Armitage's wife, heard of his death, they turned back — New Zealander, 24th Sept. _»_