WANGANUI.

Grey River Argus, Issue 106, 15 September 1866, Page 3

WANGANUI.

FIGHT NEAR KETEMARAI. The correspondent of the "Waiiganui Times" writes : — . ' ./ „ Camp Hawera, 3rd Sept,, 1866. My last communication will have informed you that active operations against the Natives still in arms had been interrupted by Mr Parris's futile attempts at persuading them to gome to terms, and I confidently predicted that talking was. useless, and that nothing^ but vigorous measures and hard blows would ever ex.tinguish the rebellion -in this district. My prediction ( has been fulfilled much more speedily than I anticipated. . Yesterday Major M'Donnell received a letter from the Civil Commissioner, -informing ' him that the Natives refuse point blank to come to terms, that he had done all lie could do, and that his mission being fruitless he would return to New Plymouth, Major M.'l)pnneU received this letter an his way from Patea to this places and determined at once to give the Hau-haus a specimen of his mode of talking to them. He at- once, pushed on to camp,, and at 9 p.m. the sanle evening marched qu.t with a mixed force ,of. 180 Europeans' and Natives in the direction of Ketemarai. At half-past twelve a.m; this, morning the. force entered the J>i\alij and feeling its way catiously, halted at dawn. Ca.pt. Kemp, Native Contingent, was then sent to the front .with sixteen men. to. reconnoitre. He soon game, in sight of a number of HatKhaus going in the direction of our main -body, but be.foro he could send word back to that effect they had discovered us, and at once ojjened fire, ; The Rangers and Contingent immediately rushed at thqin in gallant style, and one of the smartest, skirmishes on record ensued. .,. The Hauihans, who fought bravely, aoou. broke and fled 3 and were pursued by the force right' through the bush, across a natural clearing (here Capt. Ross was wounded) and into the hush on the other side iov some! distance, where they were seen 'dragging their -wounded over an earthwork.' As M'JQonnell wisely did not wish to risk a general engagment with a tired; force, and encumbered with wounded, he called for a halt j and shortly after the force returned to. camp, which it reached at one p.m. The casualties cm oiu> side, were as follows .:— . ' : -' ' ' Captain Ross,' Wanganui Rangers, musket ball, left forearm, severely. Sergeant Coffee, No. 10 Co: T.-M.S., musket ball right arm, dangerously. Corporal Guthrie, Patea • Rangers, musket ball light arm, dangerously. Private Corbett, Patea' RangerSj musket ball right arm, dangerously. Of the Hau-haus, six -dead bodies were counted qn the, line of pursuit, Their wounded were all dragged away, or hidden in the dense undergrowth. Five guns, besides tomahawks. &c, were captured. -No prisoners taken. The friendly Natives of Waingongora report^ the. loss of the enemy to be very heavy . r The force, both European ajid Native,^ is delighted with this brush, after its late inactivity.' - behavior of all ranks was beyond praise, The Native Contingent in particular fought in a most dashing style. ....■'"■; • Now that hard blows and not talking is the order of the day, we feel acutely the want of a sufficient force to finish the affair out of hand. - Major .M'Donnell is just leaving for Patea, rumor say 3 to. report his proceedings to Major Rcoke, commanding 2-18 th Royal. Irish, and to ask for his co-operation with as many of his regiment as can be spared from the Imperial post. Should Major Roake's instructions allow him to" comply with this! request, we - may fairly anticipate a speedy' solution -of the difficulty ; but then again where are. the settlers who should occupy the land when it is surveyed? ' " '- :■