EXPEDITION TO WAIWHATAWHATA.

Tauranga Argus and Opotiki Reporter, Volume 1, Issue 1, 24 November 1866, Page 3

EXPEDITION TO WAIWHATAWHATA.

The intelligence having been brought into town that the HauhauS, who musterect 111 force, had ihreatened that they wonld shoot the surveyors if they attempted to cut the boundary line of the land adjoining tl.e Waiwhatawhota village. Mr. Mackay, the Civil I'otninissioner, before going to extremes with the fanatics paid thein^ v. Visit in order to'ascertain the truth ot tnis statement, when tliev lieid out the same threats to himself. Ue left aiid- came back

to Te Papa and took wiae and proper precautions that if they made tlie aiteinpt tliev would nieet with a warm teCeption from tlie i 2th. . ] Vague reports wcre spreading in all quarters of the llaithan's attacking 'j'y tiranga, and on Mr. Mackay laying niatters befofe Colonel Hamilton and Mr. Ciarke steps were at once taken by the gallaut Colonel that if they attempted to rnolest the sut-veyors in cilttiug tlie boundary line that he- would " siate. their hides. He irnmediately gave orders for 200 men to be in readiness to niarch Wliaiwhatawhata the next mot'iung' at 2 a.m.

Mr. Mackay, accompanied by Mr. Warbreck, Mr. T'urner, the surveyor, and a few friendliee left town by boat and pro-1 ceeded np the Wairoa the evening before, in order to make the necetsary arrangements for tlie troaps.to cross that river, wlnch was ahly and effectively carried out uadei 1 1 is sup rvisioa np acciaenis iiaving occut red. Colonel Hamilton, with his usual zeal, at once took precautions to iiave suppiies sent : up to the forcling place at tlie Wairoa, so i that there would he no delav ocPasioaeJ ; when the tr'oops arrived of at once marChing them to .Minden Peak (named after the I battle of Minden in which the tried men of , the 12 th wero engaged, and named by Captain Marcom). '

At 2 a.m precisely thc bugle sotirnled thc assemblv, and the 2n0 men in command of Captain Marco n with the Mlmving offi.ce.-s' fell in on tlie parade ground Captain O'Shaugtiassy, Lieu'eiiants Doooer and Woodward, 'linsigns Gibh iloiton. and Dr. [ Manley: They niarched from 'Ie Papa at ! half-past two and crossed the swamp wliich { at, the time was khee deep with mud and 1 water, and in some places up to the waist I which made it very unpleasant travelli g They arrived at tl.e Wairoa about halfi past'four a.m , where they, ivere joined by Mr. Mackay i au:i tne following Jriendly | natives — Enoka,' Htannora, Mateivai, j Huimora, Tu Parera, Hor. Ngatai, Ramira, | Nga Manu. Wiremu Patene, Hopepa, Hirimi, Matiu, Taupe, Kaka, Tarere, > : Ifc.iath Huka. II n to, Vlau.i, and herekaij paki, Tlie troops having partaloa of « , .-r.iis.-d the river, fell in, and

| „ , adj niiee guord liaving lincu tohi off, j to nau'ch xvbs* given Mr. Mackay acting as j guide. Tl.e n.en had to mareh iu single ■ file tllGl'e being o i y a traek to tb« top o tl.e lnouutain, and a mere leuioua 'advance ! as been seklom jieriormed .hau that to Minden Peak from thc VV airoa ; but the men pushed on loaded as tltey .vere in lieavv niarcliing order with unflagging energy and reacbed the top of Ihe mountnin, eiol.t I miies from tl.e Wairoa, at twe.ity minutes : past nine a m. wbere they took up a position I for encampment. Wl^en -M r, Mackay and j the troops arrived at ihe top of the peak the Haul.au fiag was visible in the Waihatawhata settleinent., but ij; was taken (io'.Mi about an hour aherivards. About oue p.m. the paclt ho.ses i.i cl.arge o Sereea.it Sniith (wlio deserves the greates pvaise, as aho tl.e nteii who assistecl bim arrived with a portion of tl.'e stores and tents for ihe use of the officers and men. About, oue o'clock two natives chme into the camp from Wai whatawhata in order to

have a korero with Mr. Mackay. They told l.im that the Hauhaus did not wislt to fi.,ht or interfere with the surveyors cutting the boundary line ColoneT Harington, accompanied by Captain Moo.som, paid a visit to the Jlount and stopped for several hours, returning in tl.e afternoon to Te Papa so that in case 1 his mer, sl.ould be reqpired he would l.ave them ' in readiness to be on the marcli at a momeuts notice. Colonel Hamilton, .iccompanied by Adjt. Forster and Lieut. Triphook paid a visit to Minden Peak in tl.e afternoon and remained [here for some time, aml, after giving the necessary orders to the oflicer if. co.nmai.d took his departure for town. The tents havH.g been piiched, in-lying and out-lying pickets told ofi, and everv precaution taken agaiust a surpri'se tlie men lurned in for the night. 'J'lie second day, (Salurday) rttin having set in tlie survey could not be proeeeded with, and nothiug particular occurred during the day at Minden Peak. A portion of tl.e lst Waikato Regiment conslsting of 200 men under the command. of Adjuta.it Hunter au.l the following officers : Captain's Smilh and Broi.n, Lieutenant Hurell, ;Eusigns Coates and Hopcraft, left

Te Papa about 3 a.m and proeeeded to tl.e Wairoa where they toolj ep a position on tl.e rise of a biil in tlre iinmediate vicinity of tl.e river, ;>nd having n> proteetion rom the rain they were drenched to the skin, but the ouly eoniplaint they made was that they were not allowed to march to Waiwhatawhata to assist the 12th sliould an attack be made A wise. precaution was taken by Colonel Hamilton that in case of (langer a red fl tg si.ottld be lioisted on the j Peak and if ai! tvas peaceable a white oue. i The day, being v e t. and foggy the top of the j mou.itait. was not visible, and ( apt ain J Hunter had his'glass con'stantly in the direc- !

tion of the Moant but coula no. even gtt a . glimpse of tlie encampment, and as he had orders if the assistance of the Waikatos was j not rcquired to retufn to l'e Papa, he left the fording place, at the Wairoa a.ul relurned with the' men'to town, leaving Lieutenant Hurrell with twfenty men at the I'ord. On- gunday 150. men iu comroaud ot Captain Lowry, Eusigns Ward, Winuiqgton, Oosley, and t'ooper, niarched from Te Papa to tlie Wairoa, and stopped there for some cotisiderable time when the order was given to fall in and retu.rt as tl.e danger flng had not been lioisted. They were on their road home when ti.e flag (a rtd bla.iket) was placed on thc pole to warn them to come to ihe Peak tliat there was danger, and they i- traced their steps and arrived at the summit about five p.m., after a heavy day's march. However, viotltmg of any mo.nent occurred I but vague lepbvts of large nunjb«s of Hau | haus beiug io tl.e vicinity who iutended to ' stop the survevors ihe next mor.nng. AU

preparations .were made. for the night, and I for cor.tihiii.fg tl.e cuttnig the next day. i The orders bciug tliat thc men should fall m j at six a.m. 1 On Monday morning at tl.e time api noir.ted the mg» fell in, artd 101 men, 4 se.ieai.ts, 4 cprporals, and 1 dru.nmer under the coifiniaud of Cap-ain p Si.aaghnassy, Lieut. Dooner, Kusiins Bolton and Onsley, accompaniel by Mr Mackay, Mr. 1 urner, and his assista.its, together with the fr.endly natives, marohed to "the busi. situated about two miles from Minden Peak, and close to the villao-e of Waiwhatawhata, to commence cuttin>v "the -line. A reserve consisting of

forty men in command cf Captain iMarcom, '• TyrwV. '.I'prnl .. - Ward, a i i_ Winnington took up a position on ihe rise where they had a fine view of the outlying cru.itry liut the only natives visible were three deprepid old Haui.au women goinp th rough their liiysteriol.s dcvotions round tl.e pole sl.rieki.ig .i;kc fieu.i's.'but tl.ey sooii eeased their howling. Mr. Mackay sent a frie"dly native to tlie settlement with a flag of truce in order to fiud out whether ttice, the envoy of Thompson, had arrived, as it was reported he had the night before ; but it was prove.l on ti.e return of tl.e native that it was entirely false, he I ot having been there, tl.e survey was then proeeeded with. If tbe Hauhau's had any intention of fighting here, iliej had a splendid opportunity of.doiug so, as the troops had to peneiate into a dense bush situated in a gully, | when they .night have opened a murderous fire and ret.reated in.o the bush, where -• would have been madness to have followed them.

Tlie surveyor and liis assistants set to work at the cutting with vight good will assisted by Mr. Mackay who was here, there, and ever y where, and tvas most inde. 'fatioable in pusl.ing the work on. In about four liours the line in the bush was completed as also tl.e rise of the liill, when the advance guard marcl.cd into ca.np lor diuner, the reserve tnking up a position on a liigh hiir near Waiwhatawhata, commanding a fine view of tl.e couritry. Colonel Hamilton • with several officers arrived at the front about eleven a.m., and and joined Mr. Mackay's party on the hill, when the surveying of tlie line down the descent was at once commenced. Lieut. Doonev in command of fifty men took up a position on a knoll nearcst the hill, and as the cutting of the line progressed, moved his party down the gully aud his place was taken by Captain Marcom with another detachment. Lieut. Dooner then placed his men on an etninence to the left, and Captain Lawry, who had relieved Captain Marcom, moved his men to the position Lieut. Dooner had left, when Captain O'Shaughnassy, with another party took tbe the place vacateu by Captain Lowry, so that tlie survey party- were entirely covered by our troops.

On Monday morning, 200 men of tlie lst Waikatos in command of Adjutant Hunter, and the offieers of the lst Waikato Reo-iment left. Te Papa for Minden Peak. ( huf wefe halted half-way. from the Wairua to the Peak as it was deemed that ; their presence would not be required on the hill, and at about half-past three they, leftto Te Paua , , The cutting of the line was finished by eight o'clock on Tnesday morning when the tents were struck and tbe nie.i maiched foi Te Papa. Tbe greatest pra.se is uue to all tui rt.es concerned in this expedition, and,'fu« the prompt and wise precaut ionar.y mt-asuies taken bv both the military and civil authorities. Tbe exertious made by Mr. Mackay and unfiaggipg zeal displayed by him deserve the highest cominendat.oii. Colonel Ha 1 niton, Captains Marcom, 0'Sha.Ughuassy, Lawry, and all tKe r.est of thc officers and men pr&ved themselves in all respects what j British officers aiid soldiers have always done, ! and had the Maoris made their appearance, they would have met with sueh a warm j reception that they would 'have. remcmbered ! foj* years to come. As also the officets and I men of the lst Waikato Militia, vvhose'onlv I regret was, that after two unsuccessful ! marches out, they were denied the boon of of having a crack at tlie Hauhaus; but j should they at any future time, when our miiit iry settlers afe stationed on their land, I attempt to mojest them, they will recriva I a salutary lesson they vri'U not forget for some -time.