GOVERNMENT TELEGRAMS

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 15, Issue 647, 14 January 1869, Page 3

GOVERNMENT TELEGRAMS

RELATIVE TO THE LATE YICTOEY ON THE EAST COAST. THE HON. J. C. RICHMOND TO HIS EXCELLENCY Silt G. F. BOVCN. Ng-atapa was taken yesterday at daylight. Tho Hauliaus had evacuated, a few of the rearmost, running out as E. Hamlin, and the Ngatiporou entered. Our men pursued all day. About 120 are killed, including Nikora. I have offered £SOO lor To Kooti. This place i 3 beyond all comparison the strongest that has ever been besieged in New Zealand I think the fighting garrison would have been about 200 —perhaps a TJriwera party had joined. We have 80 prisoners, about 14 men, 50 women, and the rest children. Many of the women and children are mere skin and bones. There was no food in the place, and little ammunition on the dead bodies. Our loss is LI killed and 9 wounded—one dangerously. All have worked cordially. They were four nights in the trenches — one, steady rain—without huts. Ngatiporou are off on a long chaso to-day, bent on exterminating tho Iwi-kohuru. I have thought it right, and in accordance with the wish of tho Government and country not to withhold their hands. Our commissariat and transport has been effective and I hope we shall be able to feed the pursuers. This achievement is duo to the energy and resolve of Colonel Whitmcre. The mere labor of toiling through bush up this mountain would have quelled moat men, unless supported by some Unflinching spirit in their leader. JNoxt to Whitmere I put Ropata. lam sure the Colony will appreciate the laJDor, tho risk, ..the courage and success of our efficient little army.

THE HON. J. C. RICHMOND TO THE HON. COLONEL HAULTAIN. "Whitmore's success leaves little to wi-di. This mountain is a sort of wedge. The front is a moderate slope for a mountain, yet steep enough to make it laborious for the assailants. The rear and flanks towards the top are precipitous, but not so as to prevent escape. The rear runs out in a knife edge of fifteen hundred feet. The pa is on the slope, a triangle with banks and ditches only on tho front side. All tho mountain is covered forest. The forest slope is chiefly light timber. The forest stretches by flank and rear, with heavy timber continuously for miles in every direction except that by which our road approaches —a rare position, well calculated to daunt assailants by the labor of attack. Whitmore's energy has inspired the forces, and they have dug their way up this great hill.

A NATIVE ACCOUNT OP THE POVERTY BAY MASSACRE. (Prom the T\ T ew Zealand Aavertier, 4th Jan.) Thth following account of the Turanga massacre ia given by a chief in that district:— Just before dawn on Tuesday, the 10th j November, I was awakened bv a shot. I rushed out of my house, and heard two more. I thought at the time that the}' were at Cadlo's housa, and that it might be a drunken row, as there wero twenty or thirty natires drunk in the evening. In a few minutes, Wilson's house was on fire. I thought then that it was the Hau-haus, aud told the people to fly as we had no arms ; some of the women and children went, but others went to sleep again ; in meantime nine of my people went towards Cadle"s house to see what had happened. I followed them, and as wo neared the house wo saw a number of men in good clothes standing about; they called to us i; to come on ;" wo halted, then turned back. The Hauhaus fired a voilev without hitting anyone} we» ran and the second volled killed HoeiM and wounded another in the arm. 1 hurried to my place, got a horse, and sr:atohing up my youngest child rode away j my wife and other children had left before me; we went to OetaTamihana's pa. The party who had fired at us rushed on to my pa and took a number of prisoners. Piripi, his wife and five children and Pera were set apart and then shot, and sworded. Tiopira and Paora. Chatham Island prisoners, had been ls*fi sick at Whareongaonga, Maria Moniti (wife of Pera) and child, Heni and child, Ema and three children, and so were all the people of Patutahi, Taureka and Wakanui, about seventy in number. The first-named was surprised before the attack on the Europeans, and the main body stayed there while Te Kooti and about thirty surprised Matauhere. A native from Wahanui met Kempthorne and told him what was going on. I met Capt. Westrunp at Oeta ; he said, "It is no use staying here, for the pa is not in a state of defence; lam going on with the women and children towards Wairoa." Tamihana tried to rouse his people to put the pa in order, but the Hauhau section of them got rum out of the houses of the Europeans, and soon made themselves drunk; as Tamihana could not do anything he got drunk too; this state ot things lasted several days. Hape sent a lettev to Turanganui for <> steamer ; in the meantime, Matawhero was being sacked and burnt, but Te Kooti wrote to Tamihana, Paratini.. and other chiefs that they had nothing to fear; news also reached us that all the roads were occupied and no one could escape, and that if I did not give myself up the pa would be taken next day and that I would be sworded. There were no boats or canoes by which I could escape, so I decided upon surrendering. My uncle Himiona would go too, although he knew that ho would not be spared. I tried to dissuade him ; we went to Patutahi and found that the story was not true. Tc Kooti gave me the option of returning with my people to Matawhero. I suspee ted him, and said, li No, I will follow you." I heard alter that if I hud consented we should all have been killed. Paratini visited To Koo;i at Patutahi, and they made an agreement in writing not to interfere with each other. Te Kooti said " If I break the treaty your copy shall be a sword to slay me, and if you break it my copy shall bo a sword to slay you." Paratini answered, "it is well." Te Kooti took off his hat, bowed and said, "Amen." We have been three days at Patutahi, when llimiona, Wi Bangeuhaitai and Paora Patahuri were taken and on the pretence of being put on tenfcry were shot, and then pierced with swords. The same day To Kooti entered Paratini's pa with a strong foico and took all the inmates prisoners, Paratini, lienata, Whakai, [lira Hokopu, Ihiruaera Hokopu, and unoiher, whose name I have forgotten, were at once separated from the others and shot; they were all well-known Government natives. The next day Matana, who went to Patutahi with Paratini, and wiio had been detained by To Xojti to take care of his child, was shot. At the lime we wero at Patutahi, well guarded, most of the events described were net witnessed by me, but thero was no attempt at secrecy. A large force was employed collecting slock of all kinds ; a party oi twenty-five were sent to Kempthorne's and Poynttrs' ruus for cattle. They were returning by Patutahi and fell in with a small party of Government natives, who fired on them, killing two, viz., ilarawira iSatu, and liiv/ai Patete. Te Kooti said

it was their own fault as they were over fond of the things of this world! The Hauhau force at this time amounted to about three hundred men besides women and children. Of To Kooti's own force perhaps two hundred were armed with Enfield's or breech loading carbines, they have also numbers of swords and revolvers. Having collected a quantity of stock, the Hauhaus and their prisoners marched at a slow pace for Makihoi, an old pa above Waikohu, on the the Opotiki road, distant upwards of thirty miles from Turanga Te E.ooti s intentions being to make it his head-quarters, on account of its excellent position. Opotiki, Vv'aipu, and Turanga, all being within a moderate distance. At this time time Te Kooti made inquiries of the Uriwera about the roads to Opotiki and Torere. Hoani Tauwihi answered that the roads were very good. He also asked what character Wiremu Jlingi, of Ngaitai bore, and the Uriwera said, " he has often been out with the pakehas to fight, and it is said they caused the death of Raka raku's mother." Te Kooti said, " If this is true, Jehovah will curse him." On the 34th of NoTembcr while we were camped

at the head of Whare Rb'pao stream, at the Coot of Pairoa mountains, we were attacked in the forenoon by the Government natives the fight lasted all day, and two of Te Kooti's men were killed, aud about ten wounded. He took good care not to expose himself, and was very bu=y serving; out ammunition ; lie stated that his stock of it wa3 being expended very fast. About -1 o'clock p.m., 1 asked him to permit me to take the women and children into the 'ranges for safety. I mustered my own people and we started up the bed of a stream. We had to leave Paora Matuakore vu h his wife, who wa3 very ill. By morning my people had decreased from thirty to fifteen ; for live days we wandered among the mountains without being able to increase our distance more than a few miles ; for four days wo heard firing, and on the fifth we got to Tapuiliikiti*, which is at the head of the Turanga Plain ; from here I sent Mania Monete and Horiana with two children to Turanganui. In the evening, while catching horses, we heard firing not far off, near Waikohu, and struck into the bush by the Kaaiakaina road ; in five days we reached Torere, having been ten days in the bush ; our food during that time consisted of fifty lbs of dour and whatever we could collect, such is eels and tawa berries. The party consisted of myself, my wife, Arapere, our three children, Tatnati, a Wairarapa man, two children of Himiona's, one of Tiopira Tawhio's children, and ilakopa and Paora, of Ngatai, who h id been to lurauga with a letter to Major Bigss." There were about thirty Uriwera with Te Kooti. These men were from Maungapotraiu, under the chiefs Te Amo and Hoani Tauwihi. Kooti had sent messages to the Buatatuna people to join him, aud also to Matutaora (the Maori King). He said to the latter, '• That if he persisted in keeping aloof ho would bo cursed by Jehovah, who would command him (To Kooti) to march to Tokangamutu, and put Ma tutaera to the sword." He also said that " it was not his intention to attack Auckland, Wellington, and Napier for the present, but when ho had cleared the small settlements the larger ones would fall into his hands; that he would never spare a European, nor ministers of either race, as they had been the cause of all the trouble at Turanga, nor any natives who have been cursed by Jehovah." Mokena, Hotene, Hirini,Rapata, Paora Apatu, andTamihana would soon be delivered into his hand. He does not believe in the New Testament, but is constantly quoting the Old, and he can always find a passage to justify his acts or orders. Ifo rules his people —by whom he is regarded as sent by Jehovah—with great severity. He has caused several to be run through the body for manifesting sympathy with some of his victims, and a man named Kakeho, who went to a settlement and ordered food in his master's name, was put to death immediately upon the fact being known to Te Kooti. If he intends to put a man to death he strikes him lightly with a hunting whip which he always carries, and then transfers him to a policeman, who takes him in charge till To Kooti is ordered by Jehovah to send for the executioners. These men are selected principally from distant tribes. (Topone Ti Warn, who was taken prisoner at Orakau, had his left arm amputated by Dr Spencer, is one of them. Their duty is to lead the victims apart from the camp or settlement, where he is shot, and swords plunged through his body, which is left unburied, that it may devoured by the " birds of the oir and the beasts of the field." No trial takes place, and no one dare ask questions or make any sign of sympathy. The Uriwera have explained the position of Opotiki, and ask him to avenge the deaths of their people who have fallen in the district, upon the Europeans and WiTaia Ti Teria, and other Waikatohias who have acted as guides at different times. Captain Wilson alono offered any resistance, firing three shots at the Hauhaus, upon which they set his house on tire, and told him that his life would be spared. He then came out with a child on his back, and they told him to go. He had ;>nly moved a few yards, however, when they shot him and his family. In other instances, the Europeans were enticed out of their houses and then killed. Cadle was not killed till his house and store had been plundered, lest lu3 blood should defile any of the goods.

Heavy G-ale at Duxedin. —One of the most severe gales experienced for years visited Dunedin on the 3rd inst. Considerable damage was done to the shipping in the harbor, and various places in. the city also suffered. Nine or ten waterman's and pleasure boats were swamped at their moorings. Tne schooner Jane Anderson, with cargo, and ready for sea, was blown from the old jetty to the beach in front of the gas-works, where she went aground. The Pioneer forced away one of the piles at the old jetty. The ballast lighter Just-in-Time sank at the moorings and had her boat smashed, and the old dredging machine drove until she was brought up by the jetty. The new dredge was well moored and held her ground. On shore the casualties wero numerous, chimnies being blown down, voofs taken off, and damage done in other ways. At the Stuart-street jetty the schooner Pride, owner Oapt. Cain, was driven against the jetty and sunk. She now lies with several feet of water in her hold. From the same jetty a large number of flooring boards, which were piled* up there, and which belonged to Messrs Black and Thompson, were washed away by the sea, which was breaking o\er the reclaimed land, and many of them were carriend into the basin. The gale was likewise felt in other parts of the province, '

Tabanae:t Attsmpted Murder of a Married Woman- by her former Pahamotjk.—A man named George M'Carm, of the Bushranging Corps, was brought before the Resident Magistrate at New Plymouth on the 29th December, charged with haying fired a gun at Margaret Gib* bins, wife of James G-ibbins, a private in the 18th Regt., with intent to kill. Mrs G-ibbins, previous to her marriage, bad lived with M'Cann as his wife, and had a considered sufficient, prisoner was committed for trial.

Fire at Maketu.—Three Houses and £SOO in Notes Destroyed.—A corres« pondent of the New Zealand Herald sends that journal the following:—On the evening of Christmas day a most destructive fire occurred at Maketu, by which dwelling house and two stores, the property of Mr Rogers, were completely destroyed. Some portion of the stock-in-trade was rescued from the flames, not so with a large amount of money, viz., about £3OO in specie and £SOO in bank notes, the former was all molted and most of it recoverd from the debris after the fire, but the notes, I regret to state, were all consumed except a few corners, on which some of the numbers could be made out. It is unaccountable that Mr Rogers should keep so large an amount of money by him in a place like Maketu, and at so critical a period. His loss cannot be less than £I4OO. I have not heard how the fire originated. I should have stated that Mr Rogers, in endeavoring to save his cash box, was seriously burnt about the face and arms.

OniNEMUTU.—A CniEE FALLS INTO A Hot spring- and is Boiled to Death.--The correspondent of the New Zealand Herald relates the following occurrence :-- On Sunday, the 23th December, early m the morning, Tararoa, an old chief of the jtfgatiwhakaue hapu of this tribe, fell by accident into one of the ngawhas, or boiling springs, in which the natives cook their, food. His cries for help attracted the attention of Taupoa, a resident in the same pa, who dragged him out without loss ot time but the injury he had received was ot coarse fatal, and it was considered necessary to bury him immediately afterwards. Places of interment are not wanting m this volcanie region, for in all directions there are cavities in which the water has at one time boiled, and from which steam is stilt rising, and, in these, traces of decomposition soon disappears. One consequence ot. the oatastropha was very feelingly deplored, viz, that the ngawha could never again be used for cooking food, as by such an accident it became tapu -tapu for ever after; and there would be some show of reason in setting aside a culinary receptacle in which a rangatira had been boiled. Otherwise the tapued places are very inconvenient to an ignorant Pakeha, who finds it hard to believe that hia food would be less digestible if carried over one of the many paths which have no external marks to distinguish them, or cooked with timber that looks to him like very good firewood. and burns as well as any other. Tararoa was a rangatira of some consequence amongst the tribe, and though, owing to the fact of most of his relatives being at a distance, no great demonstration was made at the time, yet on the following and two successive mornings numerous parties arrived in canoes from Mokoia to hold a tangi over the calamity, announcing theis approach by discharges of musketry, width were answered by volleys from the village. The sound of volley-firing at daybreak startled your correspondent, who, on look* ing out, saw several canoes approaching.

The Wh&xatasb <{ Fkiendlies" am>Te Kooti's GtA.ua.— The Tauranga Correspondent of tho Mew Zealand Herald, under date 30th December, writes as follows: —From a communication I have just received from Whakatane, I am enabled, upon undoubted authority, to state that the natives of that place and Eangitaike are in constaut communication with the Poverty Bay murderers. Two or three weeks ago, tho natives became suddenly possessed of a sum of money which is now believed to be a portion of that which was taken by the escapees from the exchequer at the Chatham Islands. This money has been spent in the stores of tho Bay of Plenty, in purchasing supplies for the Hauhaus. Soon afterwards a number of horses, heavily laden, started in charge of Whakatane natives, and probably ere this have reached their destination in the fastnessesof the Uriweras. It is also said that a quantity of arras and ammunition have been supplied from the same source. Another story mentions that a friendly chief at Whakatane has a relation (a brother I believe) who was sent to the Chatham Is« lands, and is now with Te Kooti, that a letter has been received from this rebel by his relatives, informing them that if the murderers aro driven from Poverty Bay ana the Uriwera country, they intend seeking shelter in the neighborhood o£ Whakatane. Should such be the case, how necessary it is that the frontier on tho south leading to Taupo should be strictly guarded by the Arawas. To Pohipi's party —who have always beon faithful and loyal through all the disturbances in the Taupo portion of the frontier —will do what is necessary for the defence of that quarter: besides, Captain St. Greorgo is on the borders of that country, and will most assuredly do all that he can to assist the expeditionary force in turning the enemy should he dare to show his face in that disttict. The natives who were imprisoned for the murder of Fulioon and afterwards liberated, are living at Whakatane, and are spreading it abroad that they received tha worst of treatment while at Mount Eden, and consider themselves very hardly dealt with by the Government, possibly because they weie not hanged, which they so rich* ly deserved,