WANGANUI.

Wellington Independent, Volume XX, Issue 2222, 22 June 1865, Page 5

WANGANUI.

THE END OF THE CAMPAIGN". INTERVIEW BETWEEN MR PARRIS AND SOME NGATIRUANUI AND WAIKATO CHIEFS. By the s.s. Wanganui wo aye in receipt of the latest news from the late seat of war. The Wanganui Chronicle, of the 17th instant says : — The campaign may now be considered, to bo finally concluded b/ the meeting of the troops from Wanganui and Taranald. Col. Warre, with a force of about 500 men of all arms — chiefly of the 70th and 43rd Ecgrs. — left Opunake on the sth inst., at 10 a.m., and arrived at Tongatara the same day, at 4 - 30 p.m. Lieut.-Colonel Colville . proceeded, witii 150 men of the 43rd, across tho Tongatara, and encamped on the south bank the same afternoon. The road to Tongatara was in- j terseeted by gullies and rivers very difficult to cros-sone of the latter, the Wainui, taking the men up to the chest at the crossing place. One man had a narrow escape from being killed, having been jammed between a cart and one of the boulders lying in the stream. Here then is a fine bay, and boats may land goods with great safety at the mouth of the Wainui, except from tho boulders which are strewed on the beach. This was a very wet day and the march was conducted under any but pleasing circumstances. The force left Tongatara next morning, about half-past seven, leaving Captain Leake, with 150 men of the 70th Eegiment, as well as the baggage carts, whiclx could not be got across tho Tongatara stream, forty-seven pack-horses being substituted for the carts. The road, for three or four miles, was again intersected by gullies, which made the progress slow, and then the force came to a precipice down which they made the best of their way, then crossed a nasty river, the bed of which was full of ugly boulders, and proceeded along the beach for a short distance, when another river was crossed, and a precipice ascended, up which the pack-hor3es had some difficulty in climbing. One poor animal, feeling a little curious about his whereabouts, turned round a little, lost his footing, came down on his nose, made a regular somersault, and repeating the feat twice or thrice hurt, was lauded at the bottom more frightened than giving, however, a man of the 70th a considerable shake on the way down. Two heifers in first-rate condition were seen here and four horses. From the top of the hill a good level road was got across a plain about eight miles broad and stretching inland further than the eye could reach. Two swamps were passed, and largo herds of cattle grazing on the plain, which is a very beautiful and fine tract of country. The force also passed through a village containing about thirty good whares, which seemed to have been occupied the previous night, fires having been newly extinguished, and the recent traces of horses being found in some adjacent enclosures. The force met the advanced guard of Colonel Warre's command two miles on the north side of tho Kaipukonui, and continued their march to the bank of the stream, where they halted. Here the meeting of the troops took place. Next morning (the 70th) Colonel Weare's force retraced their footsteps southward, Colonel Warre accompanying them to Waingoro with some of the Taranaki Mounted Force. In the afternoon his force crossed to tho south side of the river, where they remained till Ms return, when they again marched northwards towards Opunake. Colonels Warre, C.8., and Weare, with the force under the command of the latter arrived at Waingongoro, on tho 9th inst. Colonel Warre had the misfortune to fall into a potato hole at a little distance from WaingongDro, and four of his staff came tumbling over him, but fortunately no one was injured. In the advance of Colonel Weare (who had about 600 men with him) towards Kaipukenui, the axletree of an Armstrong gun carriage broke, and the gun was buried and left behind. On the return of the force the gun was disinterred and rigged up temporarily, so as to admit of its being brought along, the limber being brought on in an ambulance, wliich of course gave rise to many jokes respecting the sick or wounded cannon. We cannot close these final sentences regarding the campaign without noticing the admirable arrangements made by Deputy Commissary General Strickland for the supply of the troops with provisions. The difficulty has been much greatei than was at first anticipated, in consequence oi its being found impossible to land provisions af various places along the coa3t which were countec on as having good enough inlets for this purpose Notwithstanding this unexpected difficulty th<

Commissariat service along a range of coast extending 150 miles from this to Taranaki has been conducted -with admirable precision and punctuality ; and as this is a part of the service which British armies have generally to complain of, we think all the greater credit is due to Mr Strickland for the energy, foresight, and systematic arrangement winch iiave characterised Ins department. The same journal says : — Mr Parris accompanied Col. Warre's force on its inarch southward from Opunake ; and on his arrival at Waingongoro received a written request from four chiefs for an interview. The chiefs were To Ua liaumceno (the prophet), Tito Huanataua, Tamnti Hone, and Tawhana (To Kaukau, the celebrated engineer). In compliance with this request, Mr Parris went up to the vil- : lagc of Kauac, accompanied by Captain Sir I Eoberfc Douglas and Lieutenant Tredennick. I They were received at the gate of the pa, and ! conducted inside, where they found a guard of I honor of about thirty armed men standing to re- ; ceive them, which opened up into two files, bei tween which they marched up to the pole standI ing in the centre. This pole was surrounded by a railing enclosing a space about eight feet square. j Within, were Te Ua and several other men standj ing round the pole and facing outwards. The | visitors were taken into this enclosure, marched j round the pole, and requested to take a seat on a raised plank along one side. On their being seated, Te Ua turned to Mr Parris and gazed intently into his i'ace for above a minute, moving his eyelids rapidly up and down. He then said to the people standing round, "Do you see? the spirit has descended on him." They assented ; and he turned to the guard, saying, "Do our visitors honor," and in English, " present arms," which was done, and the men were dismissed, i falling back among the rest of tho crowd. They I then adjourned to a largo wharc, where they asked I Mr Parris many questions about peace, on what terms they would be received, &c. Te Ua, Kaukau, Manuka, and several other chiefs of Waikato and Ngatiruanui spoke. Mr Parris said that they must just throw themselves on the Government unconditionally ; that no harsh measures would bo used, as the Europeans did not wish to kill them. They replied that was not satisfactory. He reminded them of a conversation lie had had with some of them six years before, when he told them that the king movement would bring them into trouble, but they would not believe him ; they could not but see now that he was right ; and there was no hope of success for them, as their numbers were diminished by the war, while ours were always filled up ; and so it would be to the end. Ho told them of the submission of the king, but Tc Ua said that was nothing to him ; his was an independent tribe. | Mr Parris told them lie could not give them any definite promise in the event of submission, as he , had no instructions from the Governor ; but that _ either he, or some one else would bo sent to communicate with them. On this understanding ho left ; and meanwhile the natives at Kauac, Werewere, and Katemarai, are bringing in large supplies of vegetables for sale to Lieutenant-Colonel Butler's post at Waingongoro. Mr Parris intended returning to Taranaki alone, but as a native with whom ho intended to travel, feared for his safety in consequence of the encounter at Opur.ake, which we mentioned in our issue of the 7th inst, he came down the coast. We understand that ho intends proceeding to Wellington before returning to Taranaki. We clip the following items from the same ■• journal : — The Hatt-hatts Suowixa Mercy. — On the return of Colonel Warrc, in the end of last week from Waingongoro, one of the Taranaki mounted force, by which he was escorted lost his way, by what mischance wo have not satisfactorily ascertained, and after some time found himself at a maori pa named Ivauae, about five miles from Waingongoro. The Maoris received him in an amicable manner, but took from him his sword and revolver, and kept him till the following clay. At short intervals he was taken to a pole standing in the village, used by the hau-haus in the performance of their rights, and marched round it, and was in great fear that his head woidd be taken off in accordance with pai marire custom ; but his captors were under better influence, and next morning set him at liberty, restoring to him 5s which he had given up to them, and afterwards at the request of Mr Parris, his sword and his revolver. We believe that his re- ! turn is owing in a considerable degree to the presence of Mr Parris in the neighborhood. \ Nukujiaiiu. — A reconnoissanco in force was made on Thursday by Brigadier General Waddy and about 500 men. They advanced to within about a mile from the Wereroa pa ; and having made some observations then returned. We understand that the troops may now be expected back from Nukumavu any day, with the exception of 280 who were to be left behind to occupy two redoubts, one a small post to be occupied by 50 men on the other side of the Nukumaru gully, and the other a redoubt of considerable size, containing a store for provisions and war material, and to hold by above 200 men. Since the foregoing part of this paragraph was in type, the troops referred to have come back. We have just received a letter from our Nukumavu correspondent, too late for publication to-day, in which he informs us that in the reconnoissance mentioned above, Major Von Tcmpsky and his corps formed the advance guard, and that they went at the Brigadier's request up to within 400 yards of the pa, where he could hear, and his native guides said they could recognise, tho voices of those within.