IMPORTANT FROM WANGANUI.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 8, Issue 390, 2 July 1866, Page 3

IMPORTANT FROM WANGANUI.

The foUowing important intelligence appears in a letter to the ‘ Wanganui Times,’ dated from Patea, ISth June:— At noon on Saturday last, 16th instant, Major M'Donuell, accompanied by Mr O’Carrington (Chief Surveyor), Mr Percy Smith, Surveyor; Lieutenant Wilson, Native Contingent (Wirihana), and two orderlies of the W.Y.C. started from Waingongora to Patea. When they had proceeded about three and a-half miles, a little beyond the Waihi River, Lieutenant Wilson who was a few yards in advance noticed peculiar movement in the fern. In doubt and suspicious of his old friends the Hau-haus, although the road is considered comparatively safe, be checked his horse suddenly, which brought the party altogether, Wilson’s doubts were soon set at rest. He shouted out “ Hau-hau!” and at the same instant up rose over twenty natives at a distance of about forty yards, and fired a yoley into the party. In a second or two another lot of about twenty more sprang up at the same place and fired a second voUey, and until the Europeans got out of range, all the Hau-haus fired as fast as they could load.

It will be hardly necessary to state that as soon as they had recovered from their surprise, they ail wheeled their horses round as quickly as they could, and boat a speedy retreat, more especially as none of the party were armed, except the two orderlies, who only had their swords and revolvers. Whilst retreating, Major M'Donnell, who was riding in the rear, received a severe blow in the eye from a clod thrown up by one of the horse. As he was quite blinded by this, and was in great pain, ho called out to the remainder to slacken their pace when they had gone a short distance, which they did, although still within range of the Hauhaus, who kept up a constant fire. But here again the sharp eyes of Wirihana detected another body of Hau-haus, doubling down a blind gully on the right front to cut them off; therefore they were again obliged to increase their pace and eventually reached Waihgongora in safety. As it was important that they should return to Patea the same night, Captain Dawson, Royal Irish, commanding the regiment, kindly furnished a party under the command of Lieutenant A. Jackson, Royal Irish, who escorted them to Manawapou. On reaching the scene of the ambuscade they examined the ground around. It was entirely strewed with cartridge papers—not only with the ordinary native cariridge, but also with Enfield cartridges—proving that rifles had been in play os well as single and double barrelled guns, A short distance further on the opposite side of road, the tracks were discovered of another party having been in ambuscade. This made it apparent that it had been the intention of the Hauhaus to allow the party they were lying in wait for to pass the first ambuscade and when abreast of the centre one to discover themslvoa and thus place their victims between three fires. But the quick eye and natural instinct of W irihana who discovered the centre ambuscade before the party had arrived abreast of it, disturbed their calculations by half a minute or so, and it is to him in this instance, and also when the Hauhaus tried tocut off their retreat, that itmay be truly said all owe their lives. It is certainly most miraculous that not one of the party was wounded, and it can only be attributed to the Hau-haus firing too hastily in their anxiety, and to the confusion caused among them by their ambuscade having been discovered by Wirihana before it was quite ripe. W hilst loading and firing they kept on shouting —“ E Riki Kawea.” This would appear to be a kind of battle cry—“ Riki” being the name of their god of war, and “ Kawea,” meaning to lead on or direct. It cannot, perhaps, be better interpreted than by “ God direct our fire." Nearly everyone of them was armed with a tomahawk, in addition to a gun, and they were mostly naked, and all in perfect war costume. The Hau-haus of late have frequently by letter and word of mouth, intimated their intention of not interfering with the Pakeha if he kept to the road and did not attempt to go inland. Strange to relate, about two hours after Major M'Donnell and his party had left Waingongora, the Friendly Chief Hone Pibama (who had led the native attack on Nukumaru) rode into Waingongora from Opunaki. Ho stated that he had hastened up in consequence of his having received a letter from the rebels to the effect that, as they had noticed the Pakehas were surveying the country, and going into the bush, they considered the Pakeha had broken his compact, and therefore that they intended to watch and ambush as before. There is no doubt whatever that the Hau-haus who knew of Major M'Donnell’s arrival in the district, had watched him going to Waingongora with Air Carrington and. Wirihana and laid tho ambuscade next day for this party—as barely 20 minutes before they were attacked -three Military Train Orderlies were allowed to pass unscathed. What would have been the horrible fate of M'Donnell, Carrington' and Wirihana, had they been trapped, we leave our readers to imagine. FURTHER PARTICULARS. At a late hour last night we received further particulars, with a tracing of the road between Waingongora and Patea, showing the position of the two ambuscades, and the gulley by which the third party of Hau hans rush, d to '.he murderous attack, a few seconds too late to reader their fire upon Major M'Domicil’s party effective. It appears that previous to leaving Patea for Waingongora. Major M'Donnell expressed his intention of going to Ketemarai, but was warned that if he did so he would be attacked. He then deci ed upon going to Waingongora, where, on Friday last, he met the Uau-hau chief Wiremu Hukanui. The Major told him that be had give?

instructions to his men not to interfere with or molest any horses, cattle, pigs, or any other property belonging to the Hau-haus; and also told Wiremu to inform the Hau-haus that if they found any of his men out in disobedience of orders, were to bring them in as prisoners, and ho (Major M ‘Donnell) would thane them for so doing. Wiremu expressed his entire satisfaction at this arrangement, and also said that he was glad that the Major had not gone to Ketemarai, as ho intended to do that morning, and that all wouldbe well. Major M'Donnell then told Wiremu togo home and inform his men of the conversation which had taken place; this he assented to, and left. Although the party was treacherously waylaid next day, the Major does not attribute any treachery to Wiremu. It is a singular and significant fact that, at nine o’clock on Saturday morning last, a soldier stationed at Wereroa, nearly fiifty miles from where Major M‘Dounell and a party were fired upon, was told by a Hau-hau that the ambuscade was laid and M‘Donnell and his party killed. The soldier reported the conversation to his officer, and the intelligence reached onr office, from the Wereroa last night, wa say this is a significant fact as connected with this murderous ambuscade. On the morning of tha day the deed was to bo perpetrated, and two hours before the time of attack, a Hau-hau neatly fifty miles distant was aware of the plan that had been laid, and believed that it had been or would be successfully carried out. Wo may now mention that at the close of Gen. Chute’s campaign, Dr. Featherston strongly urged the necessity of sending Major M'Donneli and the Native Contingent to Xetemerai to keep the Haubans in submission. Although the Major wa* then badly wounded, yet himself, his brothe— Capt. M‘Donnell—Lieut. Gudgeon, and the whole Contingent and kupapaa would cheerfully have gone to complete the work so nobly commenced by General Chute, but Dr. Featherston’a recommendation was disregarded, and there is now no use in denying the fact that immediate action must be taken to re-chastise those treacherous tribes.

During the past week wo have continued to receive most unpleasant intelligence from Pipiriki but did not wish to give it publicity. Capt. Mo Donnell holds that post with 25 or 30 of tho Native Contingent, and the Hau-haua by whom they are surrounded make no secret of their determination not to submit to British authority. We are in hourly expectation of important intelligence from that quarter. Hori Kingi was at Corinth, London, and other places up the river during the last ten days, and his decidedly expressed opinion there, was tiiat the only way of securing the submission of the disaffected was by actively and energetically enforcing it. This loyal old chief is hourly expected iu Wanganui.