{From the Taranaki News,'September 13.)

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 304, 18 September 1860, Page 3

{From the Taranaki News, 'September 13.)

On Friday, the 7th> the Camp at Waireka was broken up torday, and the troops arrived in town abopt 3 p.m. The Tasmanian Maid met with an accident, to her machinery this morning pn leaving the roadstead for Waitara; the Wonga Wonga will take her place for the time. On Saturday, Bth,^ a^ol&t noon the detachment C|f the 12th : Regiment, stationed at the Bell-Blockhouse, arrived in town. This concentration of troops naturally confirms the rumour that active measures on a large scale are about to be taken. Much excitmerit still prevails in town concerning the removal of the women and children. On Sunday, the 9 th, Hhe trenches were manned as usual at half-past three, p.m. and the various posts inspected by Major-Gene-ral Gold and Staff., s. ■ On Monday, the 10th> no brighter day ever dawned on Tatenaki than this as to the weather,>nd the icings of most men were quite in harmony iwithi|B when it was announced to the Militia parade that an expedition in force jwqdld set out to-day against W/Kingi, to consist 6t three divisions, the first under Major Nelson, the second under Major Hutchins, and the third under Colonel Leslie, the whole consisting of more than 1,500 men under the command

of Major-General, £ratt, C.B. At noon the troops left town, appearing quite an army as they extended, with baggage carts, more than a mile in length: 50 or the Volunteer Rifles., were allowed to accompany the expedition. At 4 p.m. the whole of the Militia left in town to the number of 170 was assembled and appointed to various postsin the tranches in case of an attack. The Waitara expedition reached Mahoetahi about 6, o'clock on Monday, and encamped for the night on either .side of the road, the Genera! and Staff occupying the pa. Orders were given to be in readiness to start at 3 in the morning, but it was 4 o'clock before they were in motion. The third. Division struck in across the Waiongana on. the Huirangi road. The friendly ' Natives and Volunteers in advance, the troops following, and halted a short distance from Ngatiparirua pa at daybreak. The 2nd Division crossed the Waiongana on the Devon-rime, and struck in and took up a position with the guns on the Waitara side of the pah, and arrived on the ground later. The guns opened fire upon the pah, and after a few shots it was rushed and destroyed, having been deserted by the enemy. The Volunteers and 3rd division aided in the work of demolition. *The Ist division, consisting of 40th and Blue Jackets, under Major Nelson, had taken up a' portion inlanji of the pah, upon which the division advanced, while the Volunteers were thrown out,in. extended order on the opposite side. The pah vvas quickly taken', a: few friendly Maoris and the Blue Jackets being the first to enter. The pah was of great strength and of complicated construction, arid had; been very recently deserted. The whole was pulled down and given to the fire, and the ground-works destroyed. The guns from Waitara by this time arrived on the ground, and the Ist and 2nd divisions and some friendly Maoris from Waitara then advanced on the Huirangi pah, the Volunteers being held in reserve. The advance guard of the Ist division and some friendly natives advanced and examined the pah, and were proceeding inland through an opening in the bush, when a heavy fire was opened on them from either side by the enemy concealed in the bush, upon which the advancing party returned the fire and retired. A sharp fire from the guns was then opened upon the bush, and rockets thrown in with rapidity and admirable precision. The pah was then set on fire, and the Volunteers were detached to destroy another pah in the neighborhood. While this was going on, it was observable that the enemy were receiving a considerable accession of numbers, and a party was seen to move as if for the purpose of cutting off the Volunteers, upon which a gun was turned in that direction, and their advance checked. A general advance was now made in skirmishing order to the bush, the enemy keeping up a heavy and sustained fire from the cover of the bush, and our fire in reply, was kept up,—the guns at the game time throwing shot and shell into the bush wherever smoke was to be seen. The firing was kept up till noon, when the troops returned to town. The number of the rebels engaged is not known, nor their casualties, but from tb?- accounts of eyef witnesses they must have been heavy, especially from the fire of the large guns. The loss on our side is one man missing and three slightly wounded. Time does not allow of our making any observations upon, this expedition at present. Whatever its object may have been, public expectation has not been perfectly realised in what has been done, although we have no doubt the enemy has received considerable damage.