WANGANUI.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 6, Issue 305, 11 September 1865, Page 3

WANGANUI.

We have Wanganui papers to the 2nd Sept.:— Three Officers, One Corporal, and One Private Wounded at Weberoa.— On Thursday afternoon Captain G. L. Bryce, Lieut, and Adjutant T. Le B. Butler, and Ensign P.W. Symonds, of the 2nd Bt. 14th Begt., went out of the Wereroa post up the river towards Perekama with the view of tracing some tracks of natives who seemed to have been about Wereroa during the previous night. They went as far as Perekama, about 400 yards from Wereroa, without seeing any one; and on returning, went about 300 yards to their left round the spur of a hilL Capt. Bryce was then proceeding towards the bank of the rivers when a fire was opened, on them from both sides—that is from the bank on their right and ’ from the bush on their left. About 50 shot were fired and three officers were all wounded—Capt. Bryce, severly, in the left leg ; Lieut Butler, severely in the left foot; Ensign Symonds, severely, in the. right elbow- The three officers made a retreat as fast as their wounds would allow, which was very slowly, as Lieut Butler’s wound impeded his progress much. On the firing being heard at Wereroa, a party was immediately despatched by Licut-Colonel Trevor to the succor of the wounded officers, and a fire was opened from the Wereroa hill on the natives, who to the number of 20 or 30 were pursuing them, although Capt. Bryce with his fowling piece was doing his best with the utmost coolness to keep them back; but they were .now stopped and obliged to retreat. Meanwhile Ensign Symonds, thinking that he would be able to gain the Wereroa post by s shorier cut on the other side of the river, swam across, but* was followed by two natives. He attempted to swim back, but in consequence of tho wound in his arm would have been carried down the stream, had not two of the relievingparty plunged in and rescued liim. Tho natives in their relre.it fired on the relieving party and wounded two men, namely, Lance-Corporal Maurice Green, wounded slightly, by a'ball grazing his thumb, and Private John Carey, who received a severe gunshot wound ini the thigh. We learn that Ensign Symonds only joined his regiment last Mond y, having arrived from England but a few weeks ago. He has soon had a bad taste of New/Zealand warfare. Whatever difficulty the Native Minister may have in understanding tho hau-hau£anaticistn,suoh attacks cannot but open his eyes to the difficulty of dealing with the natives by any other means than force and severity of punishment. The Ranqitiki Natives.— Wi Hapi with about 110 men who were on their way to Pipinkl, have returned home to Rangiliki, to*fight there, it being now proposed by the belligerents rthat there should be no fighting in Wellington or Hawke's Bay. They do.not, however, seem to. bo Unanimous on t hit point.

East Coast" Expedition.— The Lady Bird, Aburiri, and Storm Bird are now lyiug here, waiting for the Colonial Troops from up the river. As the advanced party of the 57th had not reached Pipiriki yesterday, it may be’a day or two before the Colonial Force, can arrive here, However, no time will be lost as the Q-uudagai and Moutoa, now up the river, will greatly assist in the transport. 1 A Man Duowned. —During the Shamrock’s detention at the Heads, the captain with the ship’s boat being up in the town, his wife expressed a wish to go on shore. A young man immediately volunteered to swim on shore and fetch off the pilot boat for her. She, however, tried to persuade him from such an attempt, but he, persisting in his offer, changed his clothes and jumped overboard. He had not gone far when his strength failed him and he sank. The deceased’s name was Charles Stanley, and he was working his passage from Lyttelton to Wanganui.