THE NATIVE WAR.,

Wellington Independent, Volume XXIV, Issue 2785, 16 January 1869, Page 2

THE NATIVE WAR.,

'latest from poverty bay. f THE FALL OF NGATAPA. TE KOOTI'S PA TAKEN. TE WARU & 120 HAUHAUS BILLED 100 PRISONERS TAKEN. The HawJces Bay Herald of the 9th inst. gives the following particulars of the fall of Ngatapa :•— On the Monday and Tuesday the pa was Bhelled, the practice being represented as very good. One shell is said to have hit a Hauhau in the chest, and to have blown him to pieces, at the same time killing five others. In connection with the operations before Ngatapn, a good story (which we believe to be well founded) is told of the Hon. J. O. Riehmojid. Ammunition was wanted at the front. It was placed on a dray for transmission, but no one could be found to drive it without an escort ; whereupon Mr Richmond jumped on the cart, took the reins, and himself conveyed the ammunition to where it was wanted. I Whilst the shelling was going on, the work of sapping in front of the place was proceeding vigorously, and the assailing party was close to the enemy's position on Monday night. The assault was made at daylight on Tuesday morning by the main body of the forces, which had been engaged sapping in front ; Major Eraser and his men scaling the rocky ridge in the rear. Tbere were not men enough to surround the hill upon the summit of which the enemy had taken position ; and, in consequence, he had begun to make his escape by dropping over the cliffs to the right. His immunity, however, was very shortlived. Sixty of thft enemy were left dead in the trenches, a good many of whom were killed by shell ; and sixty more were destroyed in the pursuit. Among the dead are Nikaro and Rangiflho. The career of the former is Trell known, and it is said that £50 was given for his head. Rangiaho was at the head of a small body of Uriweras, some 40 or 50 in number. This party, in the pursuit, made a stand in the bush, but were attacked by the JNgatiporo and eighteen killed on the spot. Unfortunately the arch villain Te Kooti was among the number who escaped, but the pursuit was being briskly followed up, and tbere was little chance of his ultimate escape. Eighty prisoners were taken, fourteen of whom were men, the rest women and children. Mr F. E. Hamlin, we learn on good authority, was the first man to enter the fortified position of the enemy. The eight Was truly sickening, many of the dead being in a state of incipient decomposition, and awfully mangled from the effects of shell. The enemy would appear to be nearly out of food, and to have had very little ammunition left. A few watches, some clothing, and £50 or £P0 in money, part of tho Turanga plunder, were found in the place. The old men, Women and children were fearfully emaciated, the law having been lately that,, provisions being short, only the best fighting men should be fed. Ngatapa ia a wedge-shaped mountain, originally covered with bush and dense scrub to- the top, and estimated to be 2000 feet above the level of the sea. Te Kooti had cleared the summit of its timber, and used the trees for defensive purposes ; the remainder being still densely wooded. There was a deep gully up the gentleßt slope and it was up this that our troops made their ascent. The trench work wag tedious and laborious, bnt it was considered that to attack in any other fashion would involve a fearful sacrifice of life. Te Kooti is supposed to be making for Maungapowhatu, in the Urewera country. This, taken with the facb of an Urewera chief having been engaged against us, renders it probable that the pursuit may extend to that place, which would be a very good thing, if practicable. It was rumored in Poverty Bay that it was the intention of Colonel Whittnore to leave & force there of 100 mounted men, and to proceed with the remainder to the West Coast. The Sturt, soon after her arrival, proceeded to Wairoa for 30 horses belonging to Eraser's division of Armed Constabulary, to convey the same to Poverty Bay. Among the Hau Haus killed, in addition to the two chiefs named above, were Wiremu !Ringi Paia, and Paora Te Riri. One of the prisoners taken is Kepa, son of Paora te Arawhariki, who is reported to have taken part in the murders of Messrs. Finlayeon and Ferguson. Our loss is said to bo one officer killed and one wounded ; 10 men killed and 10 wounded, only one dangerously. The names, so far as we know, have been communicated to no one here. H.M. steam ram Blanche, which arrived at Napier from Poverty Bay on Saturday last furnished the Hawke's Bay Times of Monday with the following particulars. List of casualties on our side. — Killed — Captain Brown, No. 7 Company ; Sergeant Hetaraka, of the Arawas ; Privates M'Ewen and Sawyer, No. 1 ; Private Clarendon, No. 3 ; 5 Ngatiporou. Wounded — Sub ■ Inspector Caple, No. 7, in arm ; and 9 others. These casualties all occurred in the trenches, before the charge, in which the greater number of the Hfluhaus were killed. Te Kooti had not been captured when the Blanche, left; but the force 9 were still in pursuit. The report of Te Waru's death is unfounded ; he is not supposed to have been in the pa. A report having been circulated to the effect that the Hauhaus killed were chiefly women, and that the fighting men and chiefs had escaped, we can state that it is utterly false. Every principal chief except Kooti himself was killed, and the only women who lost their lives were about four killed in the pa .by shell, and one shot while running away among the men.