FIGHTING BETWEEN THE ARAWA AND PAI-MARIRES.

Evening Post, Issue 143, 24 July 1865, Page 2

FIGHTING BETWEEN THE ARAWA AND PAI-MARIRES.

CANNIBALISM OF THE FANATICS. The following letter written on the 1 7th instant, we (Nelson Examiner) received from a correspondent in Auckland. The truth of the statements it contains may be relied upon : — You may expect shortly to hear of a good deal of fighting on the East Coast — Morgan against Patara at the Cape— there will be some sharp work there, as the numbers^f the opposing forces are equal, or nearly so. A very plucky affair has just taken place inland near the lake country, Kereopa (the murderur of the Roy. Mr. Volkner), was proceeding overland to Taranaki, when he wa a stopped by a chief named Aratna Karaka, at a place called Te Whaiti. Kereopa had sixty men, and the Arawa under Arama Karaka numbered about seventy. Kereopa camped near the Arawa pah. A party of the Tuhourangi (Arawa) started from Maketu to assist Arama Karaka, as it was reported hostile natives were marching from Te Awa-ato, Atua, to reinforce Kereopa. Messrs. Nesbitt and Mair. Resident Magistrates at Taupo and Rotorua also marched from Maketu, with seventy men. On reaching Rotorua they found the Tuhourangi returning, as they could uot procure provisions to carry them to Te Whaiti. They then all'retreated to Rotoiti, to hold council together. In the meanwhile large bodies of rebel Whakatohea, Ngatiawa, Uriwera, &c, marched from the Coast to Kereopa's assistance, and they completely invested Arama Karaka's pah, cutting off his supplies of both food and water. On the 6th July Arama Karaka sallied from his pah and attacked one of the enemy's redoubts. The whole body of rebels, stated as being from 400 to 800 in number, they came out from their defences and attacked the friendly natives. Arama Karaka, with his handful of men, beat them off and regained his pah, losing five mpn killed, the enemy suffering a loss of five men also. Kereopa and the Pai-Marire fanatics ate the bodies of the five Arawa. Arama Karaka remained a day at his pah, and then left it without Kereopa attempting to arrest his progress. The blood of the whole of the Arawa is now up, and there will be war between them and the rebel tribes.