OMATA.

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 294, 14 August 1860, Page 3

OMATA.

[From our oion Correspondent.] Omata Stockade, August 10,1860. It is now some time since I last sent you any news from our stockade, and this has been chiefly owing to a dearth of matter that would in any shape be considered as interestingly connected with the pending war. But late events have been of such a stirring nature that this week 1 send you a few extracts from my journal. On Thursday, August 2nd, John Hurford, a farmer in the Omata district and attached as a militiaman to our stockade, wishing to visit his farm to see some potatoes that had been pitted left this without permission about 2 o'clock for the soldiers' camp on the top of the Waireka hill where he was joined by four artillerymen, and from thence proceeded by the^ bush road to his farm where they commenced pig hunting, and it was not until they had continued for upwards of half-an-hour that the natives appeared and fired on them, when one of the artillerymen ran across the bush and succeeded iv making the stockade from Honeyfield's farm uninjured. The other two'escaped into the bush and reached their own camp in the middle of the night. The next day Captain Burton rode up and made arrangements with Major Hutchins to send a party of men in search of the two missing men. On the return of Captain Burton to the stockade twelve men were told off and started fov the soldiers' camp, under the command of Lieut. Armstrong, where they were joined by forty soldiers, under Lieut. Mair, and at once proceeded in search of the absent. The volunteers after sometime found the body of the artilleryman Gaffney, but could see nothing of poor Hurford, the party consequently returned to their respective quarters. On Saturday an endeavor, was made through the friendly natives to learn the whereabouts of Hurford's remains; the descriptions given pointed only to the spot where Gaffney had been found. The natives did not seerff to # imagine that more than one white man had been killed. It appears from this that Hurford must have come by his death from an accidental shot, and that the savages were not aware of his having fallen; this may account for the body not having been tomahawked iv the usual way. On Sunday another expedition was organised to make further search for our missing comrade, consisting of eighteen men, under Lieut. Armstrong, and forty regulars, under Lieut. Mair. This time success crowned their efforts, for they found Hurford lying on his back on the grass land, the bullet having struck him in.the back by the shoulder blade passing diagonally through the body and coming out of the lower rib by the left side. The body was conveyed to an outhouse near the stockade, when, so soon as the coffin was prepared, it was borne to the burial ground, attached to the Primitive Methodist chapel, where a grave had been prepared next to one of his children. The Rev. H. H. Brown read the funeral service. The funeral was attended by Capt. Burton and all who could be spared from the stockade. Hurford leaves a widow and eight children to struggle their way alone through the world. With us at the stockade the Sabbath, generally speaking, is a delightful quiet day: some read, others write, whilst some commune with their own thoughts and are still; but this Sunday the sacred quiet has been broken by the unwonted sound of the carpenter's hammer, every blow of which seemed to convey to the thoughtful the idea that it might be his turn next. It was but a few days before this when our comrade, for whom we are now fulfilling the last offices repuired by his earthly body, was full of health and comparative happiness, and even buoyant with joy for the future. Tuesday, August 7. —The new signal staff which has been erected at the Waireka hill, by our Sergeant-Major Stevens, was used for the first time and found to work very well. The natives are reported to be on their way for Ratapihipihi, where they intend to erect a pah. Captain Burton is taking every precaution for the safety of the stockade and the men under his charge. Wednesday, August B.—-This morning several natives were seen and shots heard in the direction of Ratapihipihi, after a short time they again disappeared in all probability towards their camp at, Tapuai. Thursday, August 9.—The firing heard this morning at the soldiers camp proved to be a slight affair between the natives and soldiers. Early in the morning three soldiers, one only armed, accompanied James Autridge to his father's farm to assist him in milking the cows, they had barely commenced operations when some fifteen or twenty natives rushed from Autridge's house and fired on the party, the soldier with the rifle received a flesh wound in the thigh and another in the knee. Immediately on the alarm being given, fifty men started from the camp to the rescue, and commenced firing on the already retreating natives; after the skirmish was over, a native mat was found near a pool of blood. The wounded man was removed to the camp where, I am happy to hear, he is doing well. W. I. G.