LATEST FROM THE FRONT.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3233, 10 November 1881, Page 2

LATEST FROM THE FRONT.

(BY TELEGRAPH.) L (_ROM OTJR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.) , __ _ r Pungarehu, November 9. Yesterday afternoon was devoted to ' settling the camps and erecting a re- ; doubt. The men were under arms at i 1 o'clock when Mr Bryce told Colonel^ ■ Roberts to dismiss the men, and rode to 1 Opunake at once. J The arresting company of Constabulary ' is composed of a splendid body of men. J From Robotu I learn that Mr Park of , the Hutt Navals, is sunstruck, and another officer at tbat camp fainted yesterday. Tbe small caps arc much to . be condemned. Numbers of men are walk- ; ing about with faces as if just out of a prizefight from the effects of the sun. i Surely a felt hat similar to that in daily use would save the men from the torture 1 now endured. Captain Hamersley's battalion shifts ' camp to-day. This comprises the Canterbury Contingent, the Wellington Guards, Rifles, and Engineers, and they \ Wairarapa men. This is the third camp/ 1 ' for them at Parihaka. , I visited all the camps yesterday. The Thames Scottish and Navals are getting comfortable. The Nelson men complain . about the tents, and no doubt they are t wretched coverings, but there is no grumbling in any corps, although they ■ are severely tried after a scorching day. On Monday the Wellington Engineers had to hand over their great coats, wet > as they were, to the men of another corps going on guard. There is a report of ploughing at Manaia. A party of the A.C. returned from Stoney River yesterday. There are now three battalions in camp, but no Brigade Major. Matters " would move smoothly if one was appointed. .L, , It is unlikely that anything will _?> done to-day. '■ / * "A private of the Palmerston Volunteers was arrested yesterday by the * police for failing to answer a summons as a witness in a case of attempted suicide. Could not this man's evidence have been taken here, and the expense to the country saved. . . Te Whiti and Tohu are both cheerful. \ The former's mana is not lost. The natives say the arms collected yesterday are only pigeon guns. The fighting guns evidently are implanted. 4. p.m. I have just left Parihaka. Nothing further doing. In the afternoon Mr Bryce and Mr Rolleston left for Opunake. A redoubt is being erected at Fort Rolleston. I entered Parihaka. The ! nativeß will not disperse; they say they know that Mr Bryce wants them lo strike the first'blow. Te Whiti tells them that,.no matter what indignity they suffer, not to raise a hand, even if the shirt is taken off their backs. Tho Armstrong gun has frightened some. Tabana left this morning. The Taranaki natives are quite lively. £ The girls are skipping and the men laughing. Wi Parata is Btill there. Kemp sent a letter to his tribe to leave I Parihaka, but they would not receive it. i The Taranaki Herald says tbat Sergeant Grey identified Te Whiti. This is incorrect. Constable Benjamin Gray, of Stoney River, did so. Colonel Roberts is much pleased with the conduct of the officers and men of the volunteers. November 10. I visited Parihaka yesterday, but in the camps all was quiet. Wi Parata, with fourteen followers, bags and baggage, left there about seven o'clock in the morning, but no large exodus has taken place. Tahina took twelve away with him on Tuesday. During the present rush of news the posfr and telegraph officers are hard worked/ 1 but every attention is paid by those in charge. If a supply of stamps were issued to each it would relieve a great inconvenience. The day was spent in camp as a holiday, except by the volunteers. Their officers take advantage ot the large

gathering and the opportunity of working them in rough ground to thoroughly instruct them in skirmishing. Rumor has been rife as to the visit of Mr Bryce to Manaia, and all sorts of conjectures were made. He returned this afternoon, after having searched the whares in the settlements round Normanby, Whawhitobite, and the neighboring villages, collecting one hundred and fifty guns. To-morrow he leaves at five a.m. for tbe front. As Colonel Roberts was in Pungarehu to meet him doubtless all arrangements have been completed.

The batallion under Capt. Hammersley, consisting of the ; Canterbury contingent, the Wellington Guards, Rifles, and Engineers, and the Makara and .Wairarapa corps, shifted camp this morning to avoid the river Waitotara, which runs through Parihaka, and from which they had been using water for culinary purposes, The weather was yrarm, and some three men fell out. On ' a rising on the new ground the camp was pitched in excellent order, every tent going up to together on the bugle sounding. One volunteer fainted from the heat of the sun, which at that hour (ten o'clock) was very powerful. During the day, being the Prince of Wales birthday, numerous visitors drove ;out to Pungarehu and Parihaka, and 'amongst them were ladies very anxious to see Te Whiti. The access to Parihaka was closely guarded by the A. C, who ordered the visitors not to enter the Tillage. Nevertheless, as it was well understood tbat the order was a dead letter, many persons continued to get in, and at once a picket was despatched to bring out all Europeans. It was amusing to see the unfortunate men roaming the village looking for stragglers, and cursing those who forced upon them a duty which a couple or four extra sentries could have prevented. One special gave considerable anxiety to the guard, but evaded the search by dressing in Maori garments. 'The order preventing civilians from entering the AC. camp has been rescinded, and correspondents are permitted to do so. Strange that this new order was sent to the volunteer camps, whilst the original one was confined to the A.C.

The prisoners are still in Pungarehu. Sergt. John Webb, A.C., was left in charge of this post, and his. seventy men to garrison it. The natives are as usual determined to stand by Te Whiti's order, and they will have to be all arrested one by one, or as a body. They will not resist. It is a strange eight to look down upon Parihaka from Fort Rolleston. The meeting place is packed with human beings, and the only protection is a rough wooden fence all round the pah, whilst within all are quiet, or young people enjoying themselves as it no care had touched them. Without are some sixteen hundred armed men. Sentries are always on the watch, and the Armstrong gun is pointed upon the dense mass. No wonder that a Maori exclaimed in my hearing, "It would be better not to have been born."

The work to-morrow, or rather to-day, will commence by turning off the Wanganui tribe, and destroying their wftares.

The conduct of all in the camp has been good, and no cases of serious sickness are reported. Dr Diver is in medical charge at Rahotu, whilst Drs Boor, Mclntyre, Watt, and one from Canterbury, are most attentive. I have written this over night, as I leave at 4.30 for the scene of operations.

Mr Bryce left for Parihaka at 6.30 this morning.

The Maoris state that coin and greenstone, etc., to the value of £300 were taken during the Constabulary search. About 120 stand of arms was taken during Mr Bryce's visit *.o Wanaia. Nothing of importance to-day as yet. 11 a.m.

One of the Constabulary, Company 2, has just been marched into the pah with Mr Bryce, but for what purpose is not known.

The volunteers are drilling. Everything is quiet.

12.30 p.m. Titokowaru and seven other natives have been arrested. The chiefs of the tribes will be taken in time. No resistance was offered.

' This morning the A.C. are at work repairing tbe road, and the volunteers are at drill. The road from Parihaka to Stratford will be commenced after dinner, and any whares in the way will come down.

12.47 p.m. At 10 o'clock Te Whetu and five other chiefs of different tribes were arrested, and are now in the guard tent. The constabulary are in the marae looking for others. Colonel Roberts, with Major Mair, is superintending the operations from the top of a whar«. Major Tuke and Captain Morrison were also present. Other chiefs were looked for, but could not be identified.

Only sixty guns were taken at Manaia, but also a large quantity of powder and cartridges. Mr Bryce informs me that the Constabulary will commence making a road through Parihaka after dinner. The natives will not disperse. The chiefs arrested are Titokowaru, Rangipuatioako, Patuapai, Hatario, Horiama, Henrakuki, and Kerepekepakeke. These prisoners, along with the others taken on Saturday, will, Mr Bryce informs me, probably be sent to New Plymouth. The reason why the prisoners have not yet been sent is that Mr Bryce fears that all the natives at Parihaka would proceed there and squat in the Btreets.