CAMP TAIPOURI.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume III, Issue 153, 18 December 1863, Page 3

CAMP TAIPOURI.

December 5. Ti: Winmo has returned to-day from XTgarnawahia, and has brought intelligence of the utmost importance„and that will greatly affect the future conduct of the war, if I am not mistaken. He reports that on his arrival there ho was received by about 1,000 Maoris who were established in rifle-pits, and that they formed iu two lines, between which he passed, the Xgatimaniapoto being on one side, and on the other the Waikato tribes of Xgatimahata and Xgatihaua, all of them firing a salute in his honor, and addressing him as follows:—“See your scattered people and broken canoes,” signifying their complete destruction and powerlessness. He was then requested to enter a whare. William Thompson, who was not there, was sent for, during the night. They then had a long debate amongst themselves and Te Wlieoro was sent for and asked whether, if they laid down their arms, they would be treated as prisoners or allowed their liberty. ITe replied that he could give no answer on that point, and they told him that they would give up their arms and surrender the land as far as Xgaruawahia, on condition that they were allowed their liberty and permitted to live in their own settlements and cultivate their own land, but that unless those terms were agreed to they should continue to tight. There was then a long discussion between the Waikatos and the Xgatimaniapotos as to the disposal of the King's flag ; the Xgatimaniapotos wishing to cut it down, and the Waikatos wishing to send it to the general iu token of their sincerity. They therefore, not. being able to agree, made it over to Te Wlieoro, and left to his guardianship, the graves of their people at Xgaruawahia—amongst them being that of old i’otatau. The disagreement ended in anger between the tribes, and the Waikatos and Xgatimaniapotos fired over each others heads in mutual defiance. They afterwards ail left Xgaruawahia and deserted the place altogether, delaying the surrender of their arms until assured of their liberty, being afraid that the General might advance suddenly and make them all prisoners before any terms were settled. Te Wlieoro asserts that had he not visited them they were prepared to fight again, and were well supplied with food and ammunition. Tiie King himself was not present at all.

This is is the sum of To Wheoro’s most important intelligence, but he also furnishes us with sundry other interesting scraps of news, such as that the King’s sister, who is magnificently dignified with the title of the Princess Sophia, was present at Baugiriri and was severely wounded in the knee, and that To Wharepu was dangerously wounded, having no less thau five bullets in him.

He also reports forty-seven of the wounded from Bangiriri as haviug died of their wounds. He met there with the missing black servant of Mr. Crisp’s, who disappeared after a fight at Mauku, and has since been advertised for Ho was taken a prisoner and lias since been well treated. At Meremere they offered to put him in a canoe by himself and let biin float down the river till picked up by the advancing forces, but he refused imagining that his dark skin would be certain to draw a volley upon him as soon as lie was seen.— Taiponri Correspondent of the iVeio Zealand Herald , Dec. 9.