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NEW ZEALAND.
By tho brig Australia, wo have. Wanganui papers to
to the Oth instant Wo taba the following from an
extra to tho Chroniclo of that dato :
t: Wanganui Chroniclo Offico,
' _ Tuesday, 0 o.m.
Tho Gundagai arrived hero last night, bringing news
of importance from tho front
Yesterday morning tho troops attacked and captured
a pah, or strongly fortifiod villago, on tho Wonakura,
situated about two mile's inland, and about five
or six rai'cs from ' Patea. " Tho order to
advance was given at eight o'clock, whon Captain
Johnson, and a parly of tho 50th rogiinent led tho
attack. Tho Forest Kangors and the Native Contin-
gent-worn both engaged.
Tho fight was of Bhorfc duration. Tho onemy fired .
ono volley and.beat a precipitate retreat, but not boforo"
thirteen of them had fallen dead before tho well-direotod
fire of tho attacking party. Our casualties aro corporal
Philpott, of tho 50th, kilted ; Major McDonnell and
four, privates wounded ; threw privates of tho Nativo
Contingent aro also wounded.
Thnro wera no Maori prisoners talton. They have
been.found costly luxuries, and Oonorat Chute wisely
wishes to indulge in thom au little as possible.
"'Mpstof tho wounded mon were Drought down to
Wanganui by tho Gundagai, under caro of Dr. Owon.
The Goncral ordcrod closo pursuit of tho retreating
Unu-bnus, determined ta follow up tho advantage
which had been already gained.
Wo regret to say that Ensign Gudgeon was acci-
dentally wounded, whilo putting up his revolver at tho
close of tho engagement. Tho wound is in the fleshy
part bf tho thigh, so that it is oxpectcd ho may bo uble
to resumo duty in a fow weeks.
Major M'Donnoll's wound, wo aro sorry to say, is
moro serious both in itself and in its consequences with
respect to tho Native Contingent, aa it will bo exceed-
ingly difficult, if not impossible, .to find any ono so
well fitted to command tho nativo troops. Tho wound
is immediately beneath tho right knee, and tho ball is
said to have lodgod in tho bono. Tho Major, hówover,
still remains in camp.
Among tho incidents of tho fight tho following
deserves notice :-Ono of tho wounded soldiers could
not mako out where his assailant was. Ho looked
around in every direction; at last ho discovered a
brownie ensconced in tho branches of a tree. Ho took
dolibcrato aim, nnd tho Maori carno tumbling down- j
dead.
t """^"
[FU01I A CORRESPONDENT.*]
, Camp Patea, January 8, I860.
Orders wera issued to Colonel YVcaro to march with
100 of tho 50th, nt two o.m.'on Sunday, to caver retreat
from tho Opotiki pa-distant from hore about ton milos.
Arrived at the appointed spot at daybreak, where t-hoy lay
under cover for some timo, until thoy fouud tho Gonoral
bad commenced the attack. The party divided right
and loft-ono under command of Colonel Wcaro, and
tho otbor undor'conimand of Captain Creagh of tho 50th.
Thoy bad not long to remain in this position before
thoy saw somo robols-retreating from tho pa. Thoy
then oponod fire at about 200 yards, only killing ono
native, and bringing another prisoner into camp. Whon
thoy left, heavy firing was hoard in tho bush. This
morning, 200 mon, undor Major Rock, 18th R.I.,
returned to camp, bringing with them tho wounded.
Tho only particulars known as to tho taking of tho
pa, is, that tho robóla, after firing a heavy volloy at a
distance of about 400 yards into our mon, evacuated it,
by which ono corporal of tho 50th was shot, tho ball
penetrating through his watch, and seven men
wounded. lam Berry to add that tho gallant officer,
Major M Donnotl, was severoly wounded in tho leg.
Tho General is oxpeotod at this post to-morrow
morning, and intends proceeding to Kakariraoa. Aftor
returning to camp, he was received with threo enthu-
siastic British cheers. Tho General immediately
replied, thar, those ohcers wera much rather duo to tho
gallant and heroic conduct of tho officers and mon
undor bis command, thoy having maintained in this, as
on formor occasions, that prestige which is tho glorious
inheritance of tho British soldier. Tho Goncral pos-
sesses tho unbounded confidence of all parties, and
from tho vigorous and decisivo stops so promptly taken,
wo may look forward to happy and spoody termination
of hostilities. Tho forco undor tho General consists of
701 mon,
WENTWORTH, JANUARY 0.-Tho weather con-
tinues intensely hot, to-day 114 degrees in tho
ehnde. Wo havo not been visited of lato, I am
happy to say, by any of those frightful dust
storms so frequent in tho carly parts of Bummer ; but
tho steady boat lins been most trying, and although
frequent efforts havo been made to got up a thunder'
atorm, tho attompta havo boen quito futile; boyond a
flash or two of lightning and tho growl of distant
thunder, nothing gratoful has boon vouchsafed to
us ~ Tho whole faca of tho distriat is in a
most wretohod state. Thia season will bo long
remembered for its sevority, and will tax tho owners
.f squatting property in tho distriot to tho"utraoBt*|
should it continuo ruin will bo tho result to many, but
this it is devoutly tobo wished may bo averted. I fear
nil navigation will soon bo stopped, as tho Murray is
gotting yery low, tho water, is running off very fust,
exposing a great deal of the river bed. Tho Warrego is
now hore, abo soon got her repairs completed, as sha
anchored hore last Saturday, and since thon has boen
down >the river for cargo loft as silo carno up ; sho will
Ira off again on Monday morning I - suppose. How
«nany moro times wo will soo her during tho season is
doubtful - Pastoral Timos, January 13.
WECM.-Wo aro plcasod to roport that tho efforts of
Mr. IConnody to obtain wator by means of wolla at
Horrigan, in tho Murray Forest, thirty miles from tho
river, have boen successful. Tho well just opened ÍB
170 feet in depth, and now contains 50 foot of good
water, and sufficient in steady supply, it is estimated,
for 12,000 sheep all tho year round. Mr. Murchison
lias also euccossful'y put down a woll twenty milos
back from the Billabong. Thus tho dry season,
although doublloss a great and almost incalculable
affliction, when .((mutative, of such efforts and attended
with euoccss, will not pass without leaving behind some
Juting tanofltcY
-Dgoili^iùa Ckioaíole, l
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