To the Editor of the Wellington Spectator.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume II, Issue 117, 12 September 1846, Page 3

To the Editor of the Wellington Spectator.

Porirua, 21st August, 1846. Sir,—l beg leave to forward the enclosed letters from Mr. Servantes, Interpreter to the forces, ami Major Durie, Inspector of police, for the information of his Excellency the Governor, by which it will appear our native allies continued to follow up the rebels, and had pursued them to Pouawha, opposite Wainui; and that on the 19th instant they had a skirmish with them, when our native allies, I regret to learn, had three killed and three

wounded ; the latter were transported to Wainui, where they are under medical care of Dr. Turnbull. The rebels acknowledge to have lost only two killed, one of whom is Epau the murderer of Gillespie at the Hutt. Finding from every information that the country where the rebels had taken up their position was inaccessible for troops, I deemed it necessary to defer making any movement for the present of the force under my command, but, in accordance with the wish of the Port Nicholson natives, I have been induced to older Capt. M'Donogh with the 50 militia under his command to proceed immediately to their position, as a support, and have taken every possible means to have supplies furnished for them and our native allies. Cap'aiu Stanley of H.M.S. Calliope is on the coast) anchoied off Kapiti, and is using his best exertions to give confidence to the friendly chiefs, and render them every assistance in his power. I trust, that though the rebels are reported to be fortifying themselves again, that our native allies, being now augmented by a number from Waikanae under Wiremu Kingi, will be successful in soon cutting off their means of subsistence, in which case they must be destroyed or dispersed so as not to rally again. — I have the \ onor to be, Sir, your most obedient humble servant,

Edward Last, Major 98th Regt, Commanding the troops, Southern District, His Honor, Major Richmond, Superintendent, &c, &c, &c, Wellington.

Pouau-ka, oft osite Wainui, August 20th, 1846. Sir, — I have the honor to inform you that on Monday morning the natives of Porirua and Port Nicholson left their late encampment to follow up the rebels. On Tuesday we arrived at another pa of theirs, which was fortified with an entrenchment, but we found it deserted, and the general opinion was, that they had retreated on the capture of the prisoners at Te Paripari, and were well on their way to Wanganui. However, having followed their track to the top of this range of hills, the Ngatiawa. natives branched off in order to reach the sea shore, when they accidentally fell in with them in ambush on either side ot the rosd. The Ngatitoa natives immediately came to their assistance, and both parties skirmished with the rebels till dark. The loss on our side has been three of the Port Nicholson natives killed, one wounded in the face, and one in the back of the neck, and one of the Porirua natives wounded in the hip. The whole of the Wellington natives, except the one struck in the neck, were by the first volley of the rebels. They are still in their position, which is but a short distance from here, and the frequent felling of trees yesterday, induces us to believe that they are fortifying themselves. Occasional shots were interchanged yesterday but no person struck. The Waikanae natives are at Wainui, which is but a short distance, and they are expected to arrive here to-day. — I have the houor to be, Sir, your most obedient humble servant, W. F. G. Seryantes. Major Ltst, 99th Regt., Commanding tioops, Poiirua.,

Wainui, Thursday evening, 20th August. Sir, — I have the honor to acquaint you that Mr. Scott's party of natives arrived here this evening for provisions, leaving the Ngatitoas and a party of Ngatiawas under Etako to watch the rebels, who are now building a pa about five miles from here on the ridge of a hill. Mr. Power is using his endeavours to procure prov sions, so that the native allies may be enabled to return to-morrow. Mr. Scott is very anxious that you should allow the Hutt militia to join him ; they can easily be returned fiom here. William King has returned to Waikanae to strengthen his pa, but we are going to persuade him to-morrow, if possible, to take the field. Captain Stanley has joined us with 3 officers and 38 men. — I have the honor to be, Sir, your most obedient servant, D. S. Dumb, Inspector of police. Major Last, Commanding the troops, Porirua. P. S. — The road to the enemy's pa is perfectly inaccessible for troops. The exact loss of the allies on Tuesday last was three killed and three wounded. The enemy lost two including Epau the murderer of Gillespie.

Porirua, 24th August, 1846. Sir, — The enclosed letter of Mr. Servantes I have the honor to forward, {or the information of his Excellency the Governor, giving a detailed account of the proceedings -of the native allies since the rebels evacuated their position in the Horokiwi valley on the 13th instant, as well as intelligence tbat Rangihaeata and his followers hid fled frota the

Pouawha mountain, a very strong point he had taken up, and that it is believed he is no\r in full retreat towards Rangitikei. —l have the honor to be, Sir, your most obedient «er-

vant, Edward Last, Major 99th regt.. Commanding the troops, Southern District. To his Honor Major Richmond, Superintendent, &c, &c, &c, Wellington.

Poritua, August 24th, 1846. Sir, — I have the honor to report for your information, the following account of the proceedings of our native allies (whom I accompanied) since the rebels evacuated their pa in the Horokiwi valley on the 13th instant. The extremely bad state of the weather prevented our following in the pursuit, till Monday the 17th, when we moved off; the Port Nicholson natives, by their own request, taking the lead. The track of the rebels lay along the ridge of the hills ; this we followed, and at about half a mile from their late pa, we found a deserted encampment ; having again gone on for about another half mile, the Port Nicholson natives, (who had a distrust of the Ngatitoas) upon hearing two muskets, which were accidentally fired in our rear, and which they thought to be a signal to the rebels that we were advancing, suddenly turned off to the left, with the inteution, as they stated, of proceediug to Te Paripari. This proceeding, which, to Puaha's people was inexplicable, brought them to .a halt, aud all that was done by them this day was to send out a party to reconnoitre, who came back with the information that at a short distance in our front there was another pa fortified with an intrenchment. In the evening one of the Ngatiawa natives returned to tell us they had proceeded as far as the bottom of the gully, and that they had there found the path of the rebels which led to Te Paripari ; that they had encamped below ; that their reason for leaving us was, the shots filed in the rear; but that they would however again advance the next day. The following morning at daylight, Puaha with his people advanced towards the pa which we had seen the previous evening, and which we entered by the front, as the Ngatiawas did by the left, flank ; we found that it had been dpserted some time, as the fires were wet from the rain which had fallen on the 14th aud 15th, and the houses had been pulled down : it was not fortified except by the entreuchment in its front. Still pursuing the native track, the Ngatiawa tribe in ftont, we passed by several encampments of the rebels, and from the circumstance of their having left boxes, pillows, iron-pots, and other unportable articlei behind them, as well as the handles of their axes, we were induced to believe that they were in full retreat. At the bottom of this ridge of hills (along which the path ran from one extremity to the other) we found the place where they had slept two nights before ; the track here branched to the left, and ran up the course of a small river for about a mile, when it suddenly turned to the right and ascended the precipitous side of the Pouawha mountain, along the top of which it ran for near half a mile ; here one path turned to the left, and the other still followed the ridge. The Ngatiawa natives, who were confident that the rebels were by that time well on t eir way to Wanganui, descended the former track, with the intention of proceeding to the coast, when about three hundred yards down it they suddenly fell in with the rebels, who were laying in ambush in a place in which a few determined men m-ght keep at bay a much superior force ; the rebels fired, and in the first voKey killed three and wounded one of tue Ngatiawas ; the Ngatitoa natives who were behind on the top of the hill, upon hearing the firing immediately came to their assistance, and finding them drawn up under shelter of the ridge opened out to the left, in order to protect their rear ; they drove back the enemy a considerable distance and killed Te Pau the murderer ol Mr. Gillespie ; the firing continued on both sides till dark. Our casualties besides those above mentioned, were, one of the Ngatiawa's wounded in the neck, and one of the Ngatitoas wounded in the hip. During the night the rebels robbed one of our dead bodies (which we had not been able to recover) of his musket and two pouches. The ground over which we passed -to-day was such, that it would be impassible to any armed body except natives, -tjiick bush the entire way, the road a mere track, with ajgnost precipices to ascend and descend. On the following day we discovered that the position of the rebels was, on* spur of Pouawha, which wn parallel to that on which we were ; occasionally shots wsre interchanged across the gully which separated us, but nothing else was undertaken against them* *• the friendly natives entertained the idea that the Waikauae tribe would advance in their rear and cut off their retreat, when we would attack them in front. , .^

On the Thursday we anxiously awaited the arrival of William King with tne above-men-tioned party ; but finding that there was no signs of his approach, at three o'clock in the afternoon, all our provisions being expended, and no possibility of getting any supply up to our position, we descended the hill to a potato plantation, and sent to Wainui for rations, •which were found to have been forwarded there for us. Nothing more was done till Saturday morning, when we reascended the hill to the enemy's position, and found that they had left that morning, as the fires were still burning. At one end of the pa we discovered the body of Te Pau, which was immediately recognised ; we also found blood in several places, which led us to believe that they had suffered seveiely in the skirmish which took pla-e on the previous Tuesday. Both bodies of our allies seemed to think that Rangihaeata and his party had retreated along the hills, and that they would continue to do so until their arrival at Rangitikei. The frgatiawa and Ngatitoa tribes were both much disappointed that the Waikanae natives did not come to their assistance; and they state that, now that they have followed them to their vicinity, they think that they ■ought to decide on active measures ; if they should come to this conclusion, they will join them, and assist them in carrying it out ; if not, it is their intention to give up further pursuit. — I have the honor to be, Sir, your most obedient humble servant, W. F. G. Servantes, Ensign 96th Regt., Interpreter to the Forces. Major Last, 99th Regt., Commanding troops, Forirua.

Porirua, 30th August, 1846. , Sir, —l have the honor to state for the information of his Excellency the Governor, the intelligence I have received relative to the rebels since my communication of the 24th instant, enclosing a report of Mr. Servantes. Captain Stanley of H.M.S. Calliope, having landed with 2 officers and 38 men at Wainui for the purpose of encouraging and supporting our native allies should they approach the coast, had remained there some days, using his best exertions in furtherance of the pursuit and capture of Rangihaeata and his followers. The rebels' fires were seen on the hills beyond Waikanae, but the native allies were not disposed to follow them furthers however, in the course of the day (24th inst.) three women and a -cbild came down from the hills by force of hunger from the position of Rangihaeata, who stated that the strength of the rebels had greatly diminished, which induced (as was supposed) W. Xingi and the Waikanae tribe to pursue them; it however turned out that he merely went as far as his cultivations, and finding the rebels had retreated, came back. Captain Stanley moved on to Waikanae with great despatch, with the police and militia, to exert every means in his power to induce the allies to follow up the enemy, and to aid them in doing so ; however, as they could not he found by Kingi's party, and supposed to be dispersed, further pursuit was abandoned, and part of the Port Nicholson natives commenced their return. The rebels have not since been heard of, but our friendly chief Puaha moved on to Otaki, and Captain Stanley in the most praiseworthy manner accompanied Puaha and his people, to hear and be present at the Icoreros of the Otaki chiefs. They expressed their determination not to take any active measures against the rebels. Puaha in consequence, has decided to remain there a few days longer, when be intends to go as far as the river Manawatu, to endeavor to find out the direction the rebels have taken. Should he hear nothing of them, he intends to return back to Taupo. Captain Stanley offered to continue his support, but Puaha said it was not necessary; Captain Stanley in H.M.S. Calliope has therefore returned to Porirua, and the Port Nicholson natives and militia are on the way back. —l have the honor to be, Sir, your most obedient humble servant,

Edward Last, Major 99th regt., Commanding the troops Southern District. His Honor Major Richmond, Superintendent, &c, &c, &c, Wellington. P.S. —Since writing the foregoing I have received the enclosed from Mr. Servantes, the interpreter to the forces, which I beg leave to forward.

Porirua, August 30, 1846. Sir, — I have the honor to inform you that, on Monday last I returned to our friendly allies under Puaha, whom I found still encamped- at Wainui. -> Off- Wednesday morning they moved forward with the intention of proceeding to Waikanae, in order to consult with the chiefs' of that place;- they however did not arrivethere till the following morning, when they-

had a conference with Wm, Kwgy—and. the other resident chiefs ; and ascertained that their feelings were, — that they had performed the promises which they made to his Excellency the Governor, and that they were unwilling to undertake any active measures against Te Rangihaeata, as all they had stipulated was to prevent the passage of any hostile natives along -the beach, or through their country ; but they stated that should, at any future period, any body of natives attempt to pass that way, with the intention of disturbing the peace of the country, they would take up arms to resist their progress. They next proceeded to Otaki in order to learn the feelings of the Ngatiraukawa tribe on the subject of pursuing the retreating rebels ; they discovered that they would not assist them in following up Te Rangihaeata and his party ; but they promised to oppose any body cf natives who might come down with any hostile designs towards the Europeans. When I left Puaha and the Ngatitoa natives yesterday morning, it was their intention to proceed as far as the~ Manawatu river, in order if possible to discover the direction the rebels had taken in their retreat. The general opinion appears to be that they have gone towards the Rangitikei river. Should they ascertain this to be the case, they will return to Taupo, as further pursuit would be impracticable. — I have the honor to be, Sir, your most obedient bumble servant, W. F. G. Serv antes, Ensign 96th regt., Interpreter to the Forces.