PAPERS RELATIVE TO EXPEDITIONS TO ESTABLISH MILITARY POSTS AT PUKEARUHE, NEAR THE WHITE CLIFFS, TARANAKI.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1865 Session I, E-08

E.—No. 8.

PAPERS RELATIVE TO EXPEDITIONS TO ESTABLISH MILITARY POSTS AT PUKEARUHE, NEAR THE WHITE CLIFFS, TARANAKI.

PRESENTED TO BOTH HOUSES OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, BY COMMAND OF HIS EXCELLENCY. WELLINGTON. 1865.

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R. Paeeis, Esq., to the Hon. the Natiye Ministee. Sib,— New Plymouth, 18th May, 1865. Adverting to my report of the 11th instant, I have now the honor to transmit for the information of His Excellency's Government, the following report in detail relative to the different expeditions to establish military posts at Pukearuhe, near the White Cliffs, and at Opunaki, near Te Namu, in the Taranaki District. 1. On the 18th ultimo, with the advice of the Hon. the Defence Minister, I sent three Waihi Natives inland to the Kirikiringa District, with a view of ascertaining whether Hapurona and his people really desired to withdraw from the rebels, sending them at the same time a copy of the address of the Ngatikahungunu Chiefs to His Excellency the Governor, deprecating the murder of Mr. Volkner. The messengers returned on the 21st to Waihi, and the following day the Chief Piriki came to town to inform me of the result of their mission. Hapurona refused to leave the district, and stated that he was remaining quiet, and not joining in any hostile proceedings against the Government; and that he entirely disapproved of the proceedings of William King and his followers. Hapurona also informed them, that on the occasion of our Native allies going to Kaipikari, on the 21st of March last, there were some Ngatimaniapotos there, with the Chiefs Kaharoa, Wetere Ia Kerei, and Ngatawa Ia Kerci. That soon after the attack on Kaipakari, -these Chiefs left for the north, with a promise to bring down reinforcements for William King from Waikato. (This information was also confirmed by the Natives who came away from William King's followers, and joined our allies during our overland march from Pukearuhe to Waitara.) Upon this report Colonel Warre, C.8., and the Defence Minister determined to take possession of Pukearuhe, the occupation of which place completely intercepts the passage from Mokau to this district. 2. On Sunday, the 23rd ultimo, a detachment of the 70th Eegiment and a company of Bushrangers embarked on board the s.s. " Phoebe," under the command of Colonel Mulock. I also accompanied them, taking with me two Natives. We left New Plymouth roadstead about three o'clock, Monday morning, and arrived off the White Cliffs (Pukearuhe) at daybreak. As I was standing on the deck with the captain of the steamer, pointing out to him the landing-place, Lieutenant Feneran (Adjutant of the 70th Eegiment) came up to me and said, " Tou are to go ashore with the two Natives in the first boat; those are the orders." In reply I said to him, " Under those circumstances, I hold myself to be under no one's orders, and shall go ashore when I think proper." Soon after Colonel Mulock came up from the cabin, and apologised to me, and stated that he had not instructed Lieutenant Feneran to order me to go ashore. The coxswain of the surf-boat was now ordered to get his crew and pull inshore, and look about. On receiving the order the coxswain asked me to accompany them. I had previously assured them that the landing-place was good, and perfectly safe in such weather as then prevailed; and knowing that any delay in landing would only increase the chance of opposition had there been any rebels near the place, which was not far from some of William King's followers, I therefore determined to go ashore at all risk; the boat was hauled up to the gangway, and I got into it, faking with me the two Natiyes. After I was in the boat, I asked for some volunteers from the Bushrangers to go ashore with me, when Lieutenant Free, Sergeant Jupp, and ten privates came into the boat. We soon got ashore, and took up a position on the Cliffs (which are rather high), covering the landing. The surf-boat would have taken thirty, and why she was not filled I cannot understand ; neither should I have made these remarks a part of my report, but for the fact of having been ordered to go ashore myself with only two Natives, to land at a place in every wayadapted for ambuscades, from which it would have been impossible to have escaped, as the boat was returning to the steamer, which was lying from two to three miles off shore. I should be sorry to refuse to obey any reasonable order from a commanding officer, but I feel persuaded that it is not the wish of the Government that its officers (in my capacity) should be subject to such treatment. 3. After landing about sixty men of the 70th Eegiment under Captain Ealston, and thirty-six Bushrangers under Captain Jonas, together with some tents, two bags of biscuits, and some salt pork, it became low water, and the landing was not so good, there being a sandbank about half a mile out, upon which the surf breaks at low tide, and which I have no doubt was termed a heavy sea rising, for, to our astonishment ashore, about one or two o'clock the steamer was off, having left us without a single spade or axe, and only what ammunition the men had with them in their pouches, whereas had they waited for flood tide everything might have been landed as well as in the morning. Previous to leaving New Plymouth, I arranged for about sixty of our Natives to go overland, and in the evening after the steamer had left about fifteen of them on horseback arrived, and reported that the remainder were on their way ; but in consequence of being without supplies, I sent back to them to remain at Mimi, where they could get some food from Native cultivations.

REPORT BELATIYE TO EXPEDITIONS TO ESTABLISH MILITARY POSTS AT PUKEARUHE.

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4. Up to Wednesday morning the 2Gth, there was no appearance of a steamer, and after consulting with Captain Ealston, who was of opinion that no time should be lost in endeavouring to communicate with Xew Plymouth, in order to make known to the Colonel Commanding the predicament we had been left in, I therefore determined to go at once with the Native allies overland. Those who had come to Pukearuhe on horseback went with me so far as Mimi, and on joining those who had remained there, I sent the others back to remain with Captain Ealston. During our passage overland we were joined by six men, four women, and six children (followers of William King), who came down from the Ranges and tendered their submission. One of the men, who came down from Tupari, a high position inland of Mimi, stated that some more of their friends were anxious to come in, and asked to be allowed to go back for them, which I agreed to : but on his returning he found an armed Native patrolling in front of the place, and without speaking to him he returned, without seeing his friends, knowing by the armed sentry that William King's Natives must have arrived from Kaipikari to prevent their coming in. I should have gone to the place with our allies, but for the necessity of getting to town without delay. After getting some potatoes from a cultivation near Urenui, which were cooked for food, we resumed our journey, bringing with us the sixteen who had joined us; and on arriving at Onacro, after instructing the Natives to hold themselves ready to take supplies overland in case there should be no steamer for that service, I left the Natives in order to ride into town that night, where i arrived about eight o'clock. 5. The following morning the s.s. " Wonga Wonga" was at anchor in the roadstead, and after reporting to Colonel Warre and the Defence Minister the condition of the detachment left at Pukearuhe, steps were immediately taken to secure the "Wonga Wonga" to take supplies to them. The supplies were shipped at once, and about two o'clock p.m. we left the roadstead, and arrived off Pukearuhe about six o'clock ; but although dark I went ashore with a boat, and took some food and ammunition. The next morning everything was landed, and about one o'clock we left for New Plymouth, where, on arriving, I found arrangements had been made for an expedition by water, to occupy Te Nainu, in Taranaki. The s.s. " AVanganui" was taken up, and troops were embarking. On landing, Colonel Warre, C.8., requested me to accompany the expedition (which he was going to command, and take some Natives, and also a canoe. We left the roadstead about twelve o'clock, and arrived oft' Te Namu the following morning at daybreak. Several tires were lit on the cliffs immediately on standing in for the Opunake fifty (about a mile and a half south of Te Namu). Colonel Warre requested me to send the Natives which I took with me in the canoe to ascertain if the Natives ashore were willing to communicate, as he had no desire to fire upon them unnecessarily, more especially should they prove to be William King, Matakatca, and Arama Karaka's people. Five Natives got into the canoe, and pulled inshore, when two men came down from some houses by the Waiana lliver on to the rocks, and spoke to our Natives. The two men proved to be some connections of Arama Karaka's, who they said was living in the bush inland. Our Natives told them we were going to land, but if there was no resistance no one would be fired upon. We had two surf-boats with us, which were both filled with troops and Bushrangers immediately the canoe left the steamer; and by the time the canoe left to come back we wevo halfway ashore. The landing on this occasion was conducted very differc; ly to the landing at the White Cliffs. Colonel Warre went ashore himself with two boatloads of men, and commanded personally the landing, which was effected without opposition, which I am convinced would not have been the case had the Natives had time to assemble. Opunake is a deep bay in the form of a horse shoe, with perpendicular cliffs all round it; and on getting up over, we were rather surprised to find the palisading of a new pa recently erected close to the cliff, hidden from view on the beach below by some very high flax bushes. This is the best landing-place on the Taranaki coast, and I have no doubt the pa was put there for the purpose of opposing the landing of troops, whether with William King's and Araka Karaka's sanction or not is difficult to say, but I am inclined to think that, although they might not have opposed it, they were not favorable to its being done. However, shortly after we were in possession of the place, a Native was seen riding towards us with a white flag, which proved to be a young man of Arama Karaka's party, named P.ira (Burrows). He said that on hearing of our arrival Arama Karaka had requested him to ride oft* at once to inform William King, whose place was several miles off (but the only road to it was through the part we were in possession of). Before leaving us he requested me to send one of our Natives up the track he had come, to meet Arama Karaka, who he said was on the way from the bush with his followers, but might bo afraid to come to us on seeing we had landed. He left to go for William King, and I sent a Native, as desired, to go to meet Arama Karaka. Our Native had gone but a short distance the other side of the Waiana Biver when, before meeting Arama Karaka, he fell in with two Natives, who it afterwards proved had just arrived from Waimate, and by whom lie was very near being shot. One of them was a Waikato Native, and the other a native of that district. On seeing our Native one of them levelled his gun at him, when he sung out, " Kati, kati," and retreated, and came back to us in double quick time. At the time we could not understand what it meant, and presently we saw a Native with a gun on a very high clift', on the opposite side of the Waiana Eiver. I got one of our Natives to call to him, and ask him who he was. They both then drew nearer, and as they appeared to be afraid, Colonel Warre, who was with me, told me to show a white handkerchief, on seeing which they came down opposite to where we were standing, and asked who the Maori was that they were following, and also asked whose white flag it was. On being told that it was the Colonel and Parris's, he asked where I was. On being informed that I was present, he replied " Pai Marire," and both turned and walked up to a post (niu) standing by some houses of Te Ua's (the name of the place is Matakupu, on the south bank of the Waiana Eiver, the residence of Horopapara, Te Ua, from which place his family were removed about a fortnight before), where they performed a short ceremony, after which the Waikato Native, who was riding, started off inland to Arama Karaka's place, and the other went on to the cliffs, and performed another ceremony, after which we saw nothing of them. G. Soon after our return to Opunake, Para returned from William King with a message to say he was coming. We were standing close to the new pa, and the Colonel requested me to ask him who built the pa, to which he very coolly replied, "My soldiers built it; and had I been here with them

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PAPERS RELATIVE TO MILITARY POSTS AT PXJEEARUHE.

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you would not have landed here, but as you are now here its all right." I told him that during his absence our Native, who had started to go to meet Arama Karaka, was very near being shot, when he rode off to ascertain what it meant, and some time afterwards returned with two others, and informed us that it was two Natives who had just arrived from Waimate, as before stated. The two Natives who came with him (Ihaia and Nikirenia) brought a message from Arama Karaka, to say that it was all right for us to come there to see them, but that he himself could not see us, and recommended that we should take away the soldiers. I told them to go back and tell him that if he and his people did not come in at once and sign the declaration of allegiance they would be regarded as rebels. William King's wife came to the camp to request mo to go back to To Namu to see William. I sent her back to tell him to come to the camp, which he did soon after with fourteen followers. He appeared low spirited, but was evidently glad to see Europeans once more, to whom he was always proverbial for kindness, and many years ago tried to get some to settle upon his land, which was refused by the Government. I asked him what had become of the things from the " Lord Worsley," to which he very significantly replied, " You had better ask Graham " (Mr. R. Graham, of Auckland), "who gave everything to the people " (Iwi). The wreck of the " Lord Worsley "is evidently a sore question with him. I heard at the time that he was very much hurt at Mr. Graham's handing over everything to the Warea Natives after he had taken charge. He confessed to me that many of their young men had joined the rebels, but that he and Arama Karaka had persistently refused to take any part in hostilities, which had caused a bad feeling towards them. After the Colonel and I had gone on board the steamer in the evening we saw Arama Karaka coming in under a white flag, but it was too late to go ashore, consequently I did not see him. On hearing that I had left he refused to come into camp. 7. We landed at New Plymouth about eleven o'clock, Saturday night, the 29th April. On Sunday preparations were made for an overland expedition to the same place. The troops, one company of Military Settlers, and some Bushrangers, together with the transport, started Monday morning, seven o'clock. The Colonel and Staff (whom I accompanied, taking with me Edward Stockman, as interpreter for the detachment at Opunake, and a few mounted Natives, at the request of the Colonel) left about noon. We inarched as far as Warea that day, and Tuesday the whole force got to Te Namu. We remained there until Sunday, the 7th instant. During the week we had very bad weather. During our stay there William King's people, sixteen of them, came in with him and signed the declaration. Arama Karaka did not come in, but two of his young men, Ihaia and Para, came in just as we were leaving, Sunday morning. On our leaving the place, Saturday, 29th April, Para started for Waimate, and returned during the week with a letter from Te Ua Haumene and Tito Hanatawa (Hoani Pihama), which I sent a copy of to you by letter of the 12th instant. The reason assigned for Arama Karaka's not coming in was, " That Captain Cay had been up to this place with some soldiers, that on seeing them they were frightened, and ran away to the bush; that on hearing the big guns a few days later they became more frightened" (there were two shots fired from a mortar for practice, by order of Colonel Warrc.) Within an hour after we left (Sunday morning, the 7th instant) for the homeward march, Arama Karaka came in with ten of his men to sign the declaration. Captain Cay, with one company of the 70th Eegiment, and a company of Military Settlers, was in command at Opunake, until Major Colvillo, of the 43rd Eegiment, advanced from Te Namu, where they had been stopping during the week. Captain Cay demanded their guns, and they went back and brought in seven (7), and then signed the declaration. 8. Major Colville was left in command, with some of the 43rd Eegiment, a company of the 70th, and a company of Military Settlers. The Bushrangers and Transport returned to Warea, Sunday evening. The Colonel, and Staff, and I, came into town. We had no opposition either way, and the places which used to be occupied near the coast line appeared to have been deserted for some time ; and the only place they appear to have adopted as a place of defence is inland of Warea, where the worst characters of the Taranaki tribe are living. 9. On Tuesday, the 9th instant, I went by the s.s. " Wanganui," to the White Cliffs, to withdraw some Natives that had been there. Captain Ealston, of the 70th Eegiment, who was in command there, had with his men nearly finished a very fine redoubt. From the White Cliffs (which place we lift about seven o'clock, Tuesday evening) we steamed direct to Opunake, without calling at New Plymouth, and arrived there at daybreak the following morning. Whilst they were landing three boatloads of Commissariat Stores, I sent Tamati Kaweora for Arama Karaka, when he came down to the Waiana Eiver with fourteen of his men to see me. They appeared very anxious to be at peace, and declared their determination not to have anything to do with those who were prosecuting hostilities against the Government; but they complained of their guns being taken from them, and also of the soldiers taking their potatoes and other things from their houses, and asked how they were to live when all their food was taken from them ? As the last boat was going off to the steamer (about eleven o'clock a.m., Wednesday, 10th instant) I had to leave them suddenly, after advising them to remain perfectly quiet, that no one would hurt them from the camp, and that I would return again soon to see them. Before going on board I recommended Captain Cay, who was in the redoubt, not to insist upon their giving up their guns, but he refused to take my advice without instructions from the Colonel, in consequence of which I went to Major Colville, who was encamped with the 43rd on an old pa, a short distance off. He at once consented not to compel them to give up their guns if any more came in, admitting the unreasonableness of doing so, unless they were within our lines for protection. On my return to town I spoke to Colonel Warre on the subject, and he promised me he would send instructions to Captain Cay not to demand their guns. I have, &c, R. Pabeis, To the Hon. tho Native Minister. Assistant Native Secretary.

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PAPERS RELATIVE TO MILITARY POSTS AT PUKEARUHE.