SUPPLEMENTARY SUMMARY.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVIII, Issue 1969, 13 October 1863, Page 3

SUPPLEMENTARY SUMMARY.

LATEST NEWS FROM THE NORTH. ARRIVAL OF THE NEW GUNBOAT AT AUCKLAND. ARRIVAL OF H.M.S. ECLIPSE AND H.M.S. CURACOA WITH FURTHER REINFORCEMENTS. MORE FIGHTING AT TARANAKI. NINE MEN OF THE 57th REGIMENT WOUNDED, TWO MORTALLY. LATEST NEWS FROM HAWKE'S BAY. NELSON AND THE SOUTHERN PROVINCES. Our previous Summary, published on Saturday morning, contained news from the seat of war to the 29th September, but since then through the arrival of tbe Lord Ashley and Lady Bird, we are in possession of later intelligence from Aucklaad and Taranaki to the 7th inst. Mere Mere had not been attacked, but steady preparations were being made for a great assault. The troops having been already massed at the front, the civilian forces were being drafted forward to fill the posts thus vacated. Ambulance waggons were being prepared, tbe surgical staff had been ordered to be at the Pokeno redoubt by a certain day, and indeed every thing betokened that the meditated blow would ere long be struck.

The Maoris are stated to have been driven out of the hush which they had for the last week or two occupied.

It is alleged that the 800 natives who were recently in the Pukekohe, Waiuku, and Mauku districts, have gone to Mere Mere.

Tbe Waikato gunboat convoyed by H.M.S. Eclipse arrived at Auckland on the 3rd inst., from Sydney.

H.M-S. Curagoa with 270 rank and file of the 12th Regiment, under the command of Col. Hamilton, arrived at Auckland on the 2ud inst, from Sydney.

The Golden Age with 153 Volunteers from Melbourne, under Col, Pith, arrived on the sth.

Two skirmishes have occurred at Taiauaki. Iu the first, which took place on the 29th Sept., seven Maoris were wounded, without any casualties on our side, but the second appears to have been a very different affair, It took place on the 2nd inst, between the 57th and the bush parties, on one side, and u large force of natives on the other. The natives fought chiefly under cover, and in the effort " to prog them out" the 57th lmd nine men wounded, — two mortally. 500 hostile natives are said to be on each side of the town of New Plymouth.

Among the passeugers by the Lord Ashley fov Wellington is His Honor Chief Justice Arney.

H.M.S. Elk, Capt. Hamilton, is expected to arrive on the New Zealand station.

We subjoin from the papers to hand fuller details of the news above refeired to, which for convenience sake we have arranged under appropriate headings : —

THE PHOJECTED ATTACK ON MEBE-MEHH

The Auckland correspondent of the Nelson Examiner, writing on the 7th inst., says :— The news of the war is not so important this mail as last. There is a great lull, such as may well precede a great storm ; and this I imagine will be the case. The natives have fairly given way before the exertions made to drive tbem off from our frontier posts, and we may therefore snppose them to be in some force, at all events at Meremere once more. That stronghold will be assaulted now, I have no doubt, in a rery short time — probably in a few days — and the result cannot be doubtful. Everything points towards the preparation for a great fight, and a steady advance up the river. The gradual massing of soldiers towards the front has been followed, during the last week or ten days, by the gradual drafting forwards of the civilian forces who are to come after them, and take their place at the various posts which they leave. The daily getting up of whale-boats and ambulance wagons, and the strict orders to all the surgical staff to be at the redoubt, Pokeno, by a specified day, not now very distant, all speak very plainly of an early crisis to the long-protracted affair at Meremere. An excellent reason, if reason were needed, for the long delay during the storms of winter and the heavy rains of early spring, in advancing upon Meremere, may be found in the simple facts that, in the first instance, the General had no soldiers to take it with, and, when he got soldiers, there were next to no natives to be found in it. Neither of these set of circumstances was at all suitable to his views, as, in the first place, even could be have stormed so strong a position, garrisoned by 2,000 men, when he had but 800 in all, he could not possibly have advanced bejond the position farther up the river, as he would thereby have left the enemy to cut off his posts in the rear, and surround him in all directions. In the second place he did not think it well to throw away the one good chance of giving the rebellion a really great and stunning blow, which the war had presented, or seemed very likely to present owing to the fact that there is no stronghold ot anything like the same natural advantages as Meremere, on the Waikato river. The Maoris, as I have said, are now quite driven out of the forest districts, of which they had taken possession so completely a fortnight ago, and this has been brought about without the loss of a single company from the 2,000 men or so that are now ready to go up the Waikato, Uking Meremere on the way. The 800 men who have evacuated the district of Pukekohe, Waiuku, Mauku, &c, have, it is believed, gone up to the stronghold at Meremere, where it is to be hoped they will get caught in a more effectual manner than was altogether possible in the forest. ARRIVAL OF THE ECLIPSE AND WAIKATO GUN-BOAT. The Southern Cross of the 6th has the following interesting account of the passage. "We are much pleased to be able to inform our readttis that the Waikato gun-boat, convoyed by the Eclipse from Sydney, arrived safely in the Manukau on Saturday night. Both vessels seem to have experienced fearful weather after leaving Sydney, and it ceitninly reflects great credit on their officers that, under their difficult and dangerous passage, they have brought their charge safely iuto smooth water. As particulars of the voyage will bo interesting, we cannot do better than give a few extracts from the logs of Eclipse, and Waikato. The following is from the log of the first named vessel : —

" Sydney, September 22. — Weighed anchor, and proceeded under steam, the gun-boat Waikato in tow. Parted company with flagship Cura9oa at 6*lo p.m., from 7 to 12 p.m.

weather increased to heavy gale from S.W., with a very heavy sea, the ship rolling tremendously. 11-20 p.m.— starboard towing chain cables parted ; gun-boat adrift. Kept in company until the 23rd, and took gun-boat in tow again. At 5 p.m. the weather was so heavy that Eclipse got foul of Waikato, smashing in the quarter of the latter and damaging two boats ; the dingy of Eclipse being torn from the davits and lost. During the uigbt of 23rd sea still increasing, but kept tbe gun-boat in tow, and also during the 24th, 25tb, and 26th. September 27th. —Blowing hard, and ship rolling heavily. Carried <wav three shrouds of the port fore rigging. Gun-boat still in tow, but on the 28th at 9 a.m. the hawsers by which tbe Waikalo was then being towed parted. Kept in company, however, under easy sail, and again took the Waikato in tow on the morning ofth»3oth, at 9 a.m. From that time experienced fair weather. Entered the Manukau on Saturday the 3rd October — all well — and came to the anchorage at 8"30 p.m."

The following extracts are from the log| of the Waikato :—" Left Sydney on the 22nd, 530 p.m., in tow of H.M. s.s. Eclipse. At 11-20 p.m. blowing very heavy; towing cables parted ; hove to under fore staysail ; not shipping any water. 12-15, were obliged to slip towing cables to relieve the ship. Set the gaff foresail, and made sail. Stood on till 3*30 p.m. of the 23rd September. Eclipse attempted to take us in tow again, but having no sail set, we went to leeward. Eclipse's starboard quarter came foul of Waikato s port bow, and caused Eclipse the loss «f a boat, and other injury. Waikato's port bulwarks were stove in, port cathead and coveting board started. Found vessel making a little water in magazine, but nothing to speak of. All went on well from this till the 28lh, when the towing hawsers paited. Had good weather, ship answering her helm beautifully ; the only inconvenience being caused by her shallow draught of water ; her rudder being sometimes out of water. Had dry decks the whole time. Hove t» till seven p.m. Wind rounding to West and S. West, made sail at eleven p.m., sailing five and a half knots ; going free ; at twelve p.m., going six knots and keeping up with Eclipse under sail only. Kept in company till eight or nine a.m. of the 30th, when Eclipse again took Waikato in tow. Found on this day two feet water iu the magazine, and several cases of powder wet, Got a carpenter from the Eclipse, who repaired the damage. Arrived in the Manukau in tow of the Eclipse on 3rd October, and came to an anchorage at 9*15 p in."

Several officers of the Eclipse say they never experienced such weather on the coast before. The following are the officers of the Waikato: Captain G. R. Breton, Lieutenait O'Callaghan, Chief Engineer Mr Jeffrey, with a crew of twenty-five subordinate officers and men.

The same journal of the 7th inst. has some further details relative to this vessel, which have not yet been published : — " Having had an opportunity of inspecting her we obtained the following particulars, which may he interesting:—Her length over all is 153 feet, waterline 140 feet, beam 20 feet, and depth of hold Bft 6 in. Thedraughtof water in ballast for her voyage across to the Manukau was three feet, but when her spars are taken out of her, and she is fully prepared for actual service, she will draw only 28 inches. There are 2 engiues of 25 horse power each, which have been supplied by the builders of the vessel ; and an horizoutal high pressure boiler — the valves being regulated to 6411)8 to the square inch. The steam exhausts through the stern and under water, thus assisting materially in the propulsion of the vessel, which could be. moved slowly by this means without the power of the wheel being exercised. A small donkey engine is fitted up to work a patent ventilating fan, and which will supply pure air to those in the ship fore and aft. This wiil be of the greatest importance to the crew and troops when engaged in operations below, or in case of an attempt being made to take possession of the deck. The hot water and steam pipes round the vessel are also expected to render good service in the event of an attempt being made to board the ship. This patent has not been tested yet with hot water, but was found to answer well with steam- The paddU wheel is on a patent principle, with feathering floats 12ft 6in in diameter and 7ft broad, and it will hare the same immersion as the draught of the vessel. She will carry 20 tons of coals iu her bunkers, and the consumption at full speed has been estimated at about three' tons per diem. Two rifled bulletproof cupolas have been erected on deck — one forward and the other amidships. They are 12ft in diameter, Bft Gin high, with three ports in each for the 241b howitzers, and 14 loopholes for rifles. There is a ventilator at the top, and the communication with the cupolas is from the lower deck. Twenty-eight meu for firing could be accommodated with ease in each cupola. There are also 84 scuppers in the lower deck, which can also be used for ibis purpose. Over the wheel and engine room there is a bullet* proof house, loopholed the same as the cupolas. Iron houses are also placed on deck for the leadsmen, who otherwise would have been subjected to great danger when taking soundingsThere is a wheel for steering in the engine house, and also another in the foremost cupola which can be connected at pleasure with either the bow or stem rudders. The masts which served her so well in crossing from Sydney are to be taken out ; and light staffs three feet six inches in diameter introduced in their place. They will be used simply to hoist signals upon, or to set a jib. She has five watertight compartments, namely, the engine room, saloon, after troop deck, bunkers and stoke hole, fore troop deck and magazine. Communication io had fore and aft between decka, and the watertight compartments are fitted with watertight doors and bulk heads. Four hundred men can be accommodated on board for a short trip; 300 having been on board when the trial trip was made ; and she did not then appear to be at all over crowded. The saloon is elegantly furnished ; and painted walnut, with gilt cornice. The cabin doois have patent jalousies to secure thorough venlilatiou. Sleeping accommodation is provided for seven persons. Pre^ions to starting on her voyage from Sydney she was fitted with two sliding keels, or centre boards, fore and aft, four feet deep, which proved very useful at sea ; but these will now be dispensed with. When sailing, she is reported to have a very peculiar motion — not heeling over, but sliding or shuffling along — and which had the effect oi turning every person sick on board for the first few days, from the oldest salt to the \ youngest cabin boy. Her decks were kept clear of water, whilst the Eclipse was making frightful seas. Four howitzers were brought from Sydney, but the two placed in the cupolas only will be retained ; the others being brought to Auckland. The additional arms on board are j 24 Terry's breach-loadiug rifles, 24 Colt's improved revolvers, and 24 cutlasses. These will be supplied to the grew. The ammunition now on board is about 600 rouuds of shot and shell, with proportionate quantity I of ammunition for rifles. She has two 20 feet gigs, which are stowed on deck, near the bulwarks, to preserve them from injury by shots. The total cost of the Waikato, exclusive of arms and ammunition, may be stated in a round sum as £9,500, at the time she was handed over by the builders. She has not been registered ; but her burthen is estimated at about 295 tons. The repairs to the injury in her port bow, caused by collision with the Eclipse, and the necessary mechauical fittings, to enable steam to be got up, are now being made. It is believed she wiil be ready to leave for her des • tio&UoD, about the end of this week.

VICTOBIAN BIIMTABY SETTLERS.

The Southern Cross of the 6th says: —The last of the Victorian Volunteer Military Settlers arrived in the Golden Age accompanied by Col. Pitt. The ship Star of India brought us 4 officers and 406 men; the Caduceus, 3 officers, and 386 men, and the Golden Age 4 offi cers and 148 men ; so 'at the total strength of the force we have received from Victoria is eleven officers and 940 men, Out of this number the per centage of drilled men is 35, of married men 9 ; the average age is twenty-seven years ; and the average height 5 feet 7£ inches. The total number of Volunteers who offered themselves was 1429, of which 380 were rejected either by the doctor or Col Pitt. The Volunteers who arrived yesterday, and whose names we published, are under the command of Captain Skene, Lieuts. Walker Frazer, and Pitt. Lieuts. Rickards and Percival had proceeded to Tasmania to enlist men there, and it is probable that by this time they are on their way here. With those which have arrived from Sydney ahd Otago, we have now received about 1,500 military settlers. Whether these will be adequate to the wants of the province.it is not for us to say, but such a reinforcement in so short a period, is certainly a valuable one ; and it reflects great credit on Colonel Pitt and the other officers with him, that with the difficulties they have had to contend against, they have performed the taskfassigned to them so pioinptly and effectually. Of course those gentlemen have acted under instructions from the GovernmeEt, who would probably have not stopped the enlistment unless there were good grounds for so doing ; but military settlement to the extent of introducing only 1,500 or 2,000 men does not appear to be carrying out the principle so fully as the exigencies of the case would seem to demand. However, in the prospect of the arrival of three European regiments, we have nothing to fear and much to be thankful for.

THE FIGHTING AT TARANAKI.

The Taranaki Correspoadent of the Nelson Examiner writing on the Bth instant, gives the following account of the fighting on the 2nd inst: —

An affair with the enemy, pronounced by persons who have been present at every engagement, to be the sharpest that ha& occurred during the war in Taranaki, took place during the 2nd instant. It was known that natives were collecting about the Omata district for some purpose, and had crossed our boundary. Before daybreak, a small detachment of the 57th sallied from the Poutoko redoubt, and, soon after, fell in with the enemy's advanced picket, lying on the ground asleep. The officer in charge, instead of firing into them, gave the orders to fix bayonets, the clicking of which disturbed the rascals, who sprang to their feet and escaped. Finding the natives iu force, the officer retired ; reinforcements from town arriving, an attack on the enemy's position followed, which was obstinately fought on both sides. The natives occupied the ground from Toust's farm to W. Carrington's, near the Tapuae ford, and fought from trees and the cover which abounds in that locality. The bush parties, under Captains Atkinson and Webster, in time became engaged, and, though natives did now and again show, the contest was with an invisible enemy — so well did they avail themselves of the cover. It was in the effort to " prog" them out of their corer with the bayonet, that the gallant 57th suffered a loss of nine wounded, two of the number mortally, and since dead. Colonel Warre, owing to the serious reduction in the military force under his command, being unable to out-flank the enemy, slowly withdrew his men without any further effort to dislodge them from their position. The fight had naturally a dispiriting effect on eveiyone, following as it did our long list of successes over the natives of late. We had suffered a comparatively heavy loss, without knowing the extent of the enemy's. It was, therefore a great relief to learn, on the following morning, that a large party of natives were .observed from the Poutoko redoubt, carrying litters (sixteen of which were distinctly counted) to the position on the spur of the ranges, by the circuitous but open tracks from the mouth of the Oakura river. The inference is, that the natives remained on the ground the night of the fight, to bury their killed, and to make litters, and that th«ir wounded could not bear the short but very rough-track acros3 the country to Kaitake. That the contest was disastrous to the natives is further inferred from the circumstance of our bush parties having failed to see a single native throughout a wide tract of country traversed by them during this morning. The supposition is, that the main body of those engaged have retired beyond Tataraimaka.

The natives admit a loss of five killed in Captain KusseU's dashing exploit at Wairau. The chief with the taiaha, who was killed, was a Ngatiruanui of no particular note. No mention is made of their wounded.

The Herald of the 3rd inst. gives fuller details of the skirmish on the 29th Sept., and also that of Oct. 2nd. It says :—

On Tuesday last occurred the third successive skirmish with tha Maories in which they have suffered loss and inflicted none. At 3.30 a.m. on that morning-, the two companies of Bushrangers (Captain Atkinson's and Captain Webster's), left town, and, crossing the Bell Block, lay in ambush on the run beside the road leading from Kaipakopako, in the hopes of catching any natives who might be coming on the block to drive off cattle or to murder stray pakehaa; some of whom, we are sorry to say, are still rash and foolish enough to go down there for cattle. After lying there till about 9 a.m., aud no prey appearing, the party struck inland, and, on emerging from a pieue of bush into a fern patch <JU a place called Rorongia), the advanced gul&discovered a party of fifteen or twenty natives standing near together about 200 yards off, besides some others on the edge of the bush on the left. One with a sou'-wester on. who seemed to be their leader, seeing only a few of our men, rushed towards ihera, brandishing his gun, apparently inciting his men to come with him, thinking probably he had some fit subjects for murdering. He, no doubt, changed his mind, however, when the leading section gave him a volley ; for he turned and ran down behind a little ridge and fell, but must have been helped away into the bush close by, into which ail the natives went. He left his' sou'-wester and mat, stained with blood, where he fell. Another was shot as he was entering the bush. When in the bush they began firing, and kept it up for some little time but without effect, though it was noticed they shot belter than Maories commonly do. Their fire was returned as long as it lasted, and then an unsuccessful search was made for the owner of the sou'-wester, but Captain Atkinson did not think it desirable to follow them up, considering the large force known to be in the neighbourhood, and the Bushrangers therefore proceeded on their way — Capt. Webster's company now taking the lead. On reaching Greenway's clearing, three Maories were seen by the advanced guard, under Captain Messenger, on the left of the ridge overlooking the Mangoraka and these were shortly joined by six more. This was communicated to Captain Webster, who immediately ordered a charge. While the men were advancing at the double, they receired a volley from the nine, and also from a party in the bush to the left, but no harm was done,^ though again there were some narrow escapes. After firing, the natives fled precipitately down the bank and across the Mango, raka, tutugb, not with impunity, as was e>i«

denced by blood-stained mats and shawls left behind them, and one man was seen to be dragged up the other bank of the xivev. They also left a bag of bullets, a box of caps, and a kit of food, containing, among other things, some tempting haanga jrirau. It is probable that these natives were on the look out for the party from the Bell Blockhouse who came there for firewood (and who indeed arrived there about tweaty minutes after the skirmish), and they were therefore very opportunely disturbed. It is probable also that the first party fallea upon were intended to cooperate. The following is a list of the Maori casualties on these occasions, as obtained by a native who has just visited Mataitawa : — Karauria, through the body, from one shoulder to the other Enoka, in the arm, badly Kereoma, in the cheek, slightly I One of the Pakakohe (uame not given), flesh of arm Tipene, in the leg Waati, in little finger, flesh stripped off Hami, through tbe ear They are all Ngatiruanuis. Karauria was owner of the sou'-wester, and was formerly a resident in the town pah; his wound is probably mortal. He is part owner of the Puketotara reserve. Our men, on this occasion, fired on an average about two or two and a-half rounds a man, i.e., from 200 to 250 altogether; and, as there were seven wounds inflicted, the cost to the (jrovernment (in ammunition) was about 2s. or 2s. 6d. a wound, which was not dear, we should think, excepting perhaps in the case of Hami ; it is questionable whether ear- marking a rebel is worth hali-a-crown.

A much more serious affair occurred yesterday on the south ride of the town, at Omata. At three o'clock in the morning, Lieutenant Mills, 57th Regiment, started from tha redoubt with the intention of laying an ambush at Hurfovd's hill. Happily, however, before they had got as far as that, they came upon an outlying picket of the enemy, who fired at them, but without effect. The natives were charged and driven back with the loss of one or two killed, and Lieutenant Mills, hearing the voices of natives about in different parts of the bush, of course retired, bringing away a tomahawk and some mats with him. Some time after daylight the rebels were seen about Mr W. Carrington's house, and near Kangiuru, the pah lately occupied by the Poutoko natives, and also inland of Touet's shed, which they burned, and they soon commenced, in great number, firing into the Poutoko Redoubt, where Captain Wright, 70th Regiment, was in command. News of this was instantly sent to Colonel Wane ; and Major Butler, with eighty men of the 57th Regiment, was at once despatched from town to reinforce the redoubt, Colonel Wane, C.B:, and staff following. Captain Shortt, with ninety men and the two companies of Bushrangers, were told to follow immediately which they did at a very smart pace. When Major Butler knew that support was at hand, he advanced from the redoubt up the road towards Touet's, and as the advanced guard, under Ensign Powys, weie passing Gilbert's garden, they received a heavy volley from behind the hedge and among the trees, wounding Ensign Powys badly and two soldiers. About the same time Captain Shortt was advancing up the new road at the head of the Waireka gully, and behind the Reverend Mr Bayly's place. The first volley killed the regimental dog, a great favorite. After this, fighting was very sharp heie for some time, the enemy being in great numbers in the bush all round, and also on Allen's hill, from which latter place, however, they were very soon driven. la places the soldiers and natives were occasionally only a few yards apart, and Captain Shortt's party were very hardly pressed until the arrival of the Volunteers, who, upon comiug to the scene of action by the old road across the Waireka gully, were immediately extended along the ridge at right angles to the road and overlooking Gilbert's garden, in which a great many of the natives were. This drew off a considerable part of the fire from Captain Shortt, and enabled him, after sending in his wounded, to join the main body. This left the volunteers on the left front. After a few minutes they got the word to retire behind the next rise, where they remained for, perhaps, an hour. Here they received some very heavy volleys, knocking up the ground and whistling over-head, but doing no harm ; there were also some fair single shots from rifles. After a while, Captain Atkinson's company was withdrawn, and left Captain Webster alone behind a hedge to draw the natives on ; but this they seemed disinclined for, though a good many shots were exchanged. Some notion of the number of the enemy may be gained from the fact that they extended from Fort Robert (Rangiuru) right round to Touet's place. A little howitzer practice was made upon them near the former place. What the Maori loss has been it is impossible to say. Seveial were seen down, and we have no doubt they suffered heavily, for two reasons, because our men firs much more coolly, and much better than Maories, and because the latter ceased firing when we did ; and because they did not attempt to oppose the recrossing of the Waireka gully, as they certainly would hare done had they been in good spirits. Colonel Wane, who was personally in command during the engagement directing the various movements, after it was over, thanked the Volunteers for the important help they had rendered him, complimenting them on the orderly and prompt way in which they executed the orders they received. "He was only sorry he had not men enough to have enabled him to follow the enemy up," and we are certain that nothing would have pleased officers and men better if the gallant Colonel had been in a position to let them make a closer acquaintance with the enemy. The following is a list of the casualties on our side. They are all of the gallant 67th Regiment: Ensigu P. E. Powys, severely Sargeant Samuel Harvey, severely I Corporal Edward Rea, dangerously Drummer Dudley Stagpool, slightly Private William Reeves, dangerously „ Patrick Burke, dangerously „ Thomas Finn, mortally „ Michael Folej, severely „ Henry Cain, dangerously. We cannot conclude even a hasty account i like the present without noticing the perfect I cooluess aud steadiness of all the forces engaged and we are only sorry we cannot yet record, as it deserves, the conspicuous bravery of many under as heavy a fire as has often been experienced — here at least. It is evident now (what has fox some time been conjectured ou good grounds), that the natives are in large numbers on the South as well as ou the North side of the Town. Speaking in round numbers we doubt whether it would be an exaggeration to say that there are 500 men on each side of us, and it is clear that if we are to hold the country ag we have been doing, we shall have to fight and fight hard. Bushranging is still the right thing, we believe, for it is in the bush we shall have to meet them but it must be with a " wise valour," as the poet says — the strength of the bush parties being greatly increased, as no doubt it will be after the timely demonstration of the force of the enemy yesterday, and some regular system of supports be adopted. For news from other Provincess see Supple