TARANAKI.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 6, Issue 1, 29 June 1865, Page 2

TARANAKI.

EXPEDITION TO THE SOUTH. JUNCTION OP THE FORCES SENT FROM TARANAKI AND WANGANUI. DESTRUCTION OF THE KEKEUA PAH. MAORIS KILLED. RE-CAPTURE OF PLUNDER FROM THE ' LORD WOESLEY. .[From the Taranaki Herald, June 17.] The expedition to the southward, which started from here nearly a fortnight since, returned on Wednesday last, after a very successful journey. It will be remembered that Colonel Warre, Mr Parris, and the Bushrangers, embarked in the Ahuriri on Monday, the sth instant, and landed: at Opunake the same evening. The weather being wet and stormy, they did not start till the 7tli, when about 200 of the 43rd and 70th, under Capt. Colville; the mounted men, under Capt. Mace; and the Bushrangers, under Lieut. Free (Captain Jonas being left ill at Opunake) ; the whole under the Command Of Colonel Warre, started Southward to communicate with Major Butler at Waingongoro, the northernmost outposts of the W|pga-'

nui force. The progress of the first day, however, ■was not very great, the Taungatara (a rather nasty river) being swollen with the rain, so that the Bushrangers only were able to cross it, and the force then camped part on one side of the stream and part on the other, four or five miles from Opnnake.; The next day the carts and guns were sent back to Opuuake, and pack-horses only taken on ; the force then advanced, the Bushrangers in front, but the natives did not appear, the first man met being an old bnshranger who has been lately stock-driving at Patea and who was coming on by himself, and reported Colonel Weare with 700 men about a mile further on, near Kurnupuliia. The two forces camped within a mile of each other, and the next morning (the 9th) Colonel Warre,,with the mounted men and mounted artillery of the other force, started for Waingongoro, returning the same evening. The Bushrangers in the meantime had been exploring Inland about four or five miles and found plenty of tracks and even fires, but no men. A letter written on flax and stuck on a stick in the road was found and brought away, the purpose of it was, we believe, that the writers (Pai-Marires) did not mean to do any mischief if not interfered with, and, as they kept out of the way, no harm was done on either side. On the return journey of the mounted men from Waingongoro, one of the corps named Peed, having been treated too hospitably it is thought at the latter place, suddenly started off at full gallop inland, and, though followed for some miles, could not be overtaken. On Saturday Colonel War re and his force came back to Opuuake. The next day it was reported that Private O’Neill's horse was still near the scene of the skirmish, and Captain Mace and a party of his men went out and found it, and brought several Maori horses in as well. On Monday the force came on as far as Kapoaiaia, a great part of the men taking up their quarters in Te Ika-roa-a-Maui, the great rebel meeting hopse, which is said to be considerably mere than 100 feet long. On Tuesday, the 13th, Colonel Warre proceeded to attack the Taranaki natives in their settlements about Kekeua, inland of Warca. But first, with commendable humanity, he released a prisoner and sent him up to. tell them that if thev came and met him at Te Puru they would not be hurt, otherwise they must be ready for what might happen. The appointed time however passed, and no signs of the ambassador—who, by the way, was entrusted by Mr Stockman the interpreter, •with his watch, that he might not mistake (he hour; but he did not come back, nor did the people come to the appointed place—and Colonel Warre, therefore, proceeded to carry out a complete plan of attack which he had previously arranged. Dividing the attacking force into three parties—the main one, consisting of the 43rd and Bushrangers, under Captain Colville and Captain Jonas, went up the road from Te Ikaroa ; the second one, under Major Holmes, 43rd, went straight up to Te Puru from Warea, Colonel Warre accompanying it; and the third, consisting of a party of the 70th under Major Bussell, 57th, went up on this side of Warea to a village called Ngakumikumi, after destroying this party joined the centre one. Captain Colville’s party the Bushrangers being in front, passed though a mile or two of light bush, and then came upon a village, or rather an assemblage of small villages, known as Okeanui. A skirmish took place here ; some guns and other things were taken, the houses burnt, and the party went on, this time through a mile or more of heavy bush, and up a steep lull, when they came all at once upon Kekeua, which is an old pa with a deep trench round it, recently re-occupied; it is palisaded against an advance from Te Puru, but not -on the other side, where the bush comes right up to the trench. So sudden was the appearance of the Bushrangers and the 43rd, that they surprised one Maori, said to be Big Jack (Te Meiha), who was quietly looking through a telescope at Colonel Warre’s parly at Te Puru; at the first shot he jumped or tumbled right down into the gully below, leaving his telescope and rifle (one of the 57th) which was ready loaded, as a remembrance. The others took to the bush, except one or two who ran into the whares, closing the doors and firing out. The whares were set light to, and one old man was dragged from one of them after it was burning, and his life thus saved. They had evidently never contemplated an attack from that side, but hoped their enemy would come tip in front, which would no doubt have proved hazardous enterprise. In the meantime Colonel Warre had advanced to Te Puru, on approaching which natives were seen going round their pai marine pole ; a slight skirmish took place, and the village was destroyed. Colonel Colville, after the capture and destruction of Kekeua, joined Colonel Warre, and the whole force returned to Warea, and the Bushrangers and others next day came on into town. This, it will be admitted, is an excellent beginning, and, if properly followed out, will complete the subjugation of these natives. We may remark that besides the potatoes and other food at these places, which, being. underground, would not be destroyed by burning the whares, &c., there is said to be a large clearing (Akukawhia) not very far behind Kekeua, where a large quantity of potatoes and other things were grown, and where they are no doubt stored. The loss of the natives is not known, but it has been a subject of much regret to the members of the force of that among the killed wero two women, who were shot at long range, where it was of course impossible to distinguish them from the men, among whom they were, dressed as they were, exactly alike. At some of the villages there were whares filled with plunder from the Lord Worlsley ; some of this was brought away, including jewellery belonging to Miss Briggs, which we trust may be got and forwarded to that lady. Mr Parris has remained at Waingongoro, as it is said that a portion of Ngatiranui are desirous of making peace. [From the Taranaki Herald, 19th. June.] Intelligence was received in town yesterday that Richard Peed, of. - the Mounted Corps, reported in our issue of Saturday last as being missing from! th* force of the Southern expedition.

through his own conduct, and of whose life being saved uo hopes were entertained, was brought into camp at Wairnate by four rebel Maoris, and given up to Major Butler, with his horse and accoutrements, as he had fallen into their hands. The four rebels gave themselves up, and signified it to be the intention of the tribes around to give in their submission to the Queen’s authority. The contingent enrolled to occupy the north of the Waitara, started from town this morning to occupy their land. The Government steamer Sturt arrived yesterterday from Port Waikato, and left again this morning for the Waitara River, with timber for block-house to be put up on the north side.