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THE WAR
IK
NEW ZEALAND.
l'v way of Sydney wo have news from Tara
naki to 13th iust., being fourteen days later.
The Taranaki Ikmhl of the 8tli September
furnishes the following summary of the
week's operations:—
The military opcratitms of this week have been
marked by unusual activity, it not attended with
equivalent results. From the csmp at Waitara
Major Nelson at the head of a Hying column has
marched through the country lying between
Ttkorahgi, to the north of the waitara river, and
the Bell blockhouse, and failing in his efforts to
encounter an enemy, has destroyed every pa in
his linn of inarch. From the town n powerful
force of militaiy, naval, and militia, uudcr the
command of Msjor-Geuoral Pratt, started at
midnight for Ratapihihi, in the hope of surpri
sing the southern rebels, but with like unsuc
cess. These expeditions, or explorations, con
firm the belief that the main body of the rebels
have retired from our neighbourhood, and aban
doned most of their fortified pa3 and positions.
From motives with which we aro as yet' unac
quainted, the country round about, may, with
the exception of small marauding parties who
have remained behind, bo said to be dear of
natives. So much so, indeed, that the force at
Waireka has been withdrawn to town.
JOURNAL OF EVENTS. |
Saturday, Sep. 1.—A native from Waiwakaiho
reported this morning that a party of friendly
natives from the liua and Kaere pas had been to
1'ukctotara aud found tho pa unoccupied. 200 of
the G5th, under Capt Barton, Licuts, Urquhart,'
Whitbread, 'l'oker, Lewis, and Ensign I'agau; 40
of tho 40th, under Lieut. Holds; and fifty of the
Militiaand Volunteers, under Capt. and Adjutant
Stapp, Lieiits. Hirst aud Jonas; tho whole com
manded by Lieuteuaut-Colonel Leslie, proceedod
to destroy it. They found the pa cmpty^ and
burnt the palisading and wliarcs, and levelled the
trenches. No natives were seen. A number of
horses were brought in, and a quantity of potatoes
andkumarasdestroyed. Simultaneously with the
burning of Puketotara, Capt. IV. C. King's two
storied boii3e, at Woodlcigh, at the edge of the
bush, was fired by the rebels, and totally
destroyed; aud Rome houses in a bush
eicariug iu rear of Mr King's were seen in
ilames. As it was apprehended that tho natives
might burn the bouse of Captain II. King, R.N.,
at Brooklauds, a party of 80 bluc-jacknts! and
marines, in command "of Lieut. Bent, RAI., and
Lieut. Hume, R.N., went out in that direction,
but without meetiiig the enemy. The rebels are
supposed to have left Puketotara on Thursday,
but must have intended to return, as there was a
large quantity of potatoes, &c, in the pa. and its
pits outside. A force of 150 met), uudcr Captain
Shaw, 40th Regiment, and Lieut. Talbot, C5th
Regiment, and 25 militia, under Captain Rich
mond, escorted supplies to the camp at Waireka.
The Fawn for Wellington, and the Airedale for
Nelson, remain at the anchorage windbouud, iu
conscquencq of the south-easter. The Jamo
Peats, from Wanganui, arrived to-day. The
following proclamation was issued to-day :—
l'ROCLAJIATION.
Much irregularity, delay, and inconvenience
to the public service being caused by families,
ordered to embark on bonrd tho steamers pro
vided for their conveyance, disobeying the orders
they receive, the Major-General directs it to be
notified that lie will bo compelled to employ the
power with which he is invested to enforce tho
embarkation of such persons; but lie trusts that
the good sense of the inhabitants will render un
necessary his ltaving recourse to a measure so
repugnant to his feelings.
"By Command,
SfJ " R. Cahev, Lieut.-Colnnel,
" Deputy Adjutant-General.
"Head Quarters,
"New Plymouth, 3rd Sep., 38G9."
Sunday, Sep. 2.-U.M.S.S. Fawn left to-day
for Wellington. She is to return immediately
with some guns from the Prim us. The Aire
da o sailed to-day for Nelson with families. The
| MJiile Swan (s.s.) is expected to-morrow to carry
another living freight, and the Airedale iclurits
on Thursday for the same purpose, so that by tlie
cud of the week, the military autliorities
will have cleared Taranaki of the settlers' wives
and children. Two or threo families, we aro
told, who refused to proceed by the Airedale to
day, were informed by the Deputy Adjutant
General, that by the nest opportunity tliey would
be compelled to leave. Major-General Pratt in
spected the forces to-day in tlio trenches. The
garrison will muster- in the trenches for inspec
tion by the Major,General every Thursday anil
Sunday at half-past three, p.m. 50 menrnnder
Major Nelson and Captain Seymour, li.N., reached
the Doll Blockhouse from Waitara to-day, having
left 150 menatMahoetahi, after burning the Tima
Te Puke, and Kaipafcnpako p.as. The Tima pa'
hail a red flag flying, aud apparently had been re
cently occupied by the rebels. The flag was pulled
down and taken away by the 10th. The Tasmania
Maid arrived from IVaitara to-day Mo News;
) Monday, Sept, 3.—IVeather fine. GO men of
tlio uoth, under Lieut. Talbot, formal a guard to
carts sent out to Captain JL King's to-day, to
bring m produce anil household effects. 50th of
the 12th, under Lieutenant Lowry and Knsi»n La
louche, came in to-day from Dell Block as an
escort, and returned in the evening. At dusk this
evening the Militia and Volunteers' bugles
sounded the call, and 150 men with rifles were
ordered to bo in readiness to fall in at 11 p.m. It
| is behoved that an attack is to be made against
the Southern rebel', on Burton's Hill, neat- liata
pihipilii. The Kiwi for Auckland, and Sea Gull
(for 11 angamii,sailed to-day.
Tuesday, Sept. -l.-At 11 o'clock last night the
MilUia and Volunteers assembled opposite the
Militia Office, received 00 roumls of ball amrauni
lion per man, am! at midnight started, as wa3 an
I ticipated, for Burton's Hill, in conjunction with a
I large force of military aud blue jackets,in command
of Major-Geueral Pratt, C.B. The attack
ing fore a were divided into three divisions grid
proceeded by different routes, to' meet at ono
point, viz, Burton's Hill, where the rebels have
been located fot several days. No. 1 division of
18 men of the Royal Artillery, vvjth 1 21
pounder howilzer, 2 Spoimder field pieces, and
5j inch mortars, 32 of tlio Royal Kimineers
105 of tlie 10th regt, (from the Waireka camp)
21C of the 05th regt, nnd.13 of the naval hri«ade
with 2 tubes and 30 rounds of 21 pounder
rockets, in command of Lieut-Colonel Sillerv
05th regt!; Copt. Hare, Lieuts. Clerk and Burton,'
40th regt; Gunner Buckle in charge of rocket
tubes, proceeded by Moturoa and SealyRoad;
No. 2 division, of 88 men of the 40th regt, SO of
tthe naval brigade, and 73 of the (lath
regt, in command of Lieiit. Colonel • Leslie
Captain Shaw, ■ Licuti Hobbs, Gibson,
and Adjutant .Johnson, 40th' regiment.
No. 3 division, of 150 men of the Militia arid
Volunteers, in'command of Major Herbert, pro
ceeded by tlio Traukley Road to Patterson's saw
mills, where they halted till morning, and conti
nued (heir march through a deque forest till'they
reached A. Brookiug'a clearing about three inilos
in rear of Burton's, when they came upon Burton's"
road and continued the road through Messower'a
clearing towards Burton's Hill anxiously expecting
the signal gun (if attack iu their front; they
arrived at the hill at about 10 ami. aud found
the place evacuated,■■ tbotigl, quite recently
occupied Ly the eucWy .ae logs were burning ami
some natiyo doge running about.' When it was
fouqd that, the other, divisions lmff returned to
town, No. .'{MiyUion 'ooptinued' their),march
through RaLapihipibi (tlio settlement of tlioniito
notjs Mannlu), winch thby burnt, bivouacked (or
a short tiine at Honey field's,'anil returned to
town at half-past 1 pirn. The expedition vvaa very
trying to all the force, the roads being in place,
kneo deep in mud, and the night bitterly oold
The steamer White gwan from WelHuSS
schooner Panumibt from Mohan, arrive? to-day,
\\ednesdw, September 5. - The Tasmanfan
M™,, from U aitara at the anchorage. ThelCorihi
and Tikorangi pas have been destroyed by Major
Nelson. Tikorangi is a strong position on the
north hank of IVaitara and (a only accessible By
ouo road. The pa was foun,( wiUtotit inhabitants
but lialf-cookcd food wag on tho fires, and other
evidences that the rebels had made a preoiniKfo
retreat. 1 !
. Thursday, Sep. C.-40 Militia and Volunteer,
in command of L'apt. Wats nod Lieut. Hirst,
marched to Bell Block this morning to relievo tlio
1-th stationed there, but after arriving, (ho order
was countermanded and tlie force returned to
town. The steamers Wopga Wonja from Wei
hngtoii, amKluedale iroiu -Notion, aiielmrctl this
tin;;. The relinoiwr .lip,iter from Whahv
i, anil iravrii rs Bmle from M.umkau, also
el to-thy. 1'Ihi htter report* iJje mvr'j of
brig Kiimw, C'nj»t. Ilolfont, at Manuhu
"ad-, happily without loss of life. Captain
liolford lus for insiiy years carried ,,u our chief
trade with Sydney, and was on his w.y b'tlirr
With a cargo of timber from M;.';mUu when the
unfortunate accident ve«mvd. Large lires have
'I'll May tall livll Block inland
Is . and it is 5.,M that
Ngvta'parirun, Kamu, and lluiraimf, have
'i'"' by the troops. Kingi and
M- party _ have now only their stronghold
Mataitawa in the forest. The fmccs mustered h,
the trenches again today, and were inspee'ed l,v
Major-GencraKiuld, Mai„r w;i-V=«u cau-e into
town by land to-fcy, and returned to' Waitara
1" vveumg wuh a mounted escort. The
soutueru natives are reported to have retreated
liomon aids. 1 he M a.katos have returned elated
with licir successes, ami have reported on their
way that they drove the P.ikeliah is before them
anil burnt and plundered as they liked, 'l'i.ov
were I ideu with plunder, and intent) so thel
state, to return vylicn tapir crops „,'c j„
ground, The \\lnto flwim sailed this ever,inn
for IjcLvon with families. Wo were truly eon
crned to see force employed bv tlie" inilL
tary authorities on the occasion'. A few
families, under orders to embark in tip. RTi'in
Kwau, refused to leave. The father of onc'of
these (Mr S. Andrews) vvaa sent to the'guaril.
is >in, and mi officer, of Mililia (Capt. W.'C." King)
placed under arrest for refusing to accompany a
file of soldiers to coerce tlio wife, The oml wax
that Bho yielded. . The proceedingoccasioned
great agitation, and has left a painful impression.
Friday. Sept. 7.—Tito abandonment of the
Waireka camp having been decided on, carta,
with an escort of military, left early this morning
to bring in the tents and baggage of tho troops
Btationed at Waireka. II p.m.—The troops from
Waireka have arrived in town, and are camped in
Queen-street, near the Union Mills. Tho Taenia
niau Maid has left for Waitara
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