INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF A JOURNALIST.

Observer, Volume 7, Issue 228, 24 January 1885, Page 8

INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF A JOURNALIST.

By Nemo (C. O. Moxtrose.)

Chapter LXXIV. — The Notices Showing Signs of Distress — Feeliny among the Ngapuhis — General Cameron's Despatch on the blnqtujement at Rangiaolda — Colonel Nixon. — .1 Foraging JC.rpedition to Kihikihi — Strength, of the Colonial Forces — Removal of the Seat of Government- — Operations on the West (.'oast — Kuitaki Reconnoit red — Capture of Aa-au Pa.

Kevertinu to the war in the Waikato, the vigour of General Cameron's operations was beginning to tell against the enemy, who were showing signs of exhaustion and holding out signals of distress. The Waikatos and their immediate allies had been pushed backwards, step by step, to the boundary of the Xt>-<ati-maniapoto tribe, who, however deeply they sympathised with their countrymen in arms, and liked fighting at a distance from their own territory, began to lose stomach for the Avar as soon as their own possessions were endangered. Moreover, the operations at Tauranga and Raglan had established new lines of attack which threatened the enemy's flanks aud rear, and it was thought to form part of the scheme of the campaign that the war should be carried into Kawhia. Harbour, which would have menaced the Xgatimaniapotos". By this time the Maoris mast have been convinced of the helplessness of the struggle against the numbers, resources, aid skill of the British, and perceived that whatever prospects of success they may have had at the beginning, they were lessened almost daily by the strong reinforcements of men and enormous supplies of material that continued to pour into the country, in an official report of January 14th, Mr R. C. Barstow. who held the appointment of Civil Commissioner at Waimate, Bay of Islands, and was eminently qualified by education and experience to accurately guage the feeling of the natives, stated that he had observed a marked improvement in the behaviour of the Ngapuhis, an absence of disloyalty, and a more civil tone towards Europeans in comparison with their former behaviour. He attributed this change to the favourable impression created by the bravery of the British troops, which' had given Englishmen a higher position in the eyes of the Maoris, whose idea of respect was co-relative with armed strength. ~\iv E. M. "Williams, reporting from the same quarter on January 25th, said : "Humours have been in circulation of disaffection existing in the minds of some of the chiefs. That there arc some in the district who would be ready to take advantage of any circumstances which might favour a disturbance 1 have little doubt, but these stand so far in a minority that their sentiments would not be responded to by the Xgapulri tribes. The decisive steps taken by the Government to suppress the rebellion and the success which has already attended the British arms cannot but have a salutary effect on tiie minds of the natives." However, the people who were capable of estimating the feeling existing among the Xorthern tribes knew that they had been anxiously watching the progress of the war, and that a serious succession of disasters to our arms would have led to a general rising and extended the war throughout the North Island. On February 1 9th the ship Empress arrived from Woolwick with Colonel O'Brien, 288 of the 4th Battalion of the Military Train a small detachment of the Army Hospital Corps, and 100 tons of gunpowder. In his despatches to the War Office reporting the operations at Rangiaohia, Sir Duncan Cameron spoke in eulogistic terms of the services rendered by the Mounted Royal Artillery under Lieut. Rait, the Colonial Defence Force under Colonel Nixon, who was subsequently succeeded by Captain Walmsley, and the 50th under Colonel Weare. Speaking of the Defence Force, the General said: "The highest state of discipline and the efficiency of the Colonial Defence Eorce, and the eagerness which they invariably manifest to come into contact with the enemy are chiefly due to the example and exertions of that able and zealous officer, Colonel Nixon. I deeply regret that a severe wound received by Lieut. -Colonel Nixon has deprived me, I trust for only a short time, of his valuable services." Colonel Nixon, however, died of his wound, and a monument was erected to his memory at the cross roads near Onehunga, which was unveiled with much ceremony, the various Masonic Lodges, of which the Colonel was a very zealous and highlyrespected member, taking a prominent part in the proceedings. The loss of Colonel Nixon was not only deeply regretted by the regular and Colonial Forces but by the settlers who knew him, and who had learned to respect him for his high qualities as a colonist. He was one of the many who at the call of duty had responded cheerfully to the summons to arms, and found an honourable soldier's grave in the defence of their hearths and homes. On. the 23rd of February an expeditionary force rjroceeded to the native settlement of Kihikihi to reconnoitre the adjacent country. The force consisted of detachments of the 18th, 40th, and 70th Regiments, with Cavalry, Forest Rangers, Naval Brigade, and a 6pr. gun. We got into the village without opposition from the enemy, and then began some of the most lively foraging I ever witnessed during the war. There was a large area of cultivations, and very rich, soil, with, enormous croios of wheat, maize, potatoes, and large numbers of pigs

and poultry. We scattered ourselves over the settlement, and in a very short time the men had loaded themselves with spoil. I had a comical adventure on this occasion. While seated on a log, smoking and chatting with Forstor of the Forest Rangers a huge barrow pig ran through the fern, and my friend and I gave chase. Forster stumbled over the poaka, but I was more fortunate, having contrived to stick my bayonet into the animal, without, however, bringing 'him down. As the pig scampered off with my bayonet sticking in his back, visions of a court martial for losing my arms rose up before my minds-e ye iv all its terrors, and I determined to malte a desperate effort to recover the weapon. After a hard run I managed to get astride of the pig, from which position I was several times ignominiously thrown, but contrived to recover my seat and to drive the bayonet further in, until I had the satisfaction of bringing my game to earth and carrying him back to the camp in triumph. We presented a comical spectacle sis we inarched back to camp — a long string of men laden with shrieking fowls, quacking ducks, and squeaking pigs, with feathers flying in the wind, and the sailors, who are always splendid hands at looting, and on this occasion did not belie their reputation, were in high glee at the abundance oi the xpoliu opium. On^tlie panic day a chief named Wiremu Toitoi came into camp with a flag of truce and proposed terms of peace, which, I believe, were rejected, though the precise nature of his proposals did not transpire. The strain of the war had been so far relaxed at the front that it was deemed advisable to relieve the Auckland Militia and Volunteers stationed at Otahuhu, many of whom had been withdrawn from business or trade at great sacrifice. For this purpose the Military Train was sent forward. The strength of the colonial forces at this time, as shown by an official return, was 411 cavalry and three regiments of infantry numbering 3617, making a total of 402H, with 31 G officers. About this time the question of the removal of the Seat of Government from Auckland began to create some stir, though it was not a matter of much interest to the military. In the last session of the General Assembly held in Auckland in 1803 a resolution was passed by the House of Representatives in favour of removing the political capital to a site "somewhere in Cook's Straights." Many of the Otago members opposed the change and about half the Canterbury members, and at a meeting 1 held in Wellington the proposal was strongly condemned by Mi* Harris, the Superintendent of the Province, by Mr James Prendergast, the Hon. T. B. Gi.lios, and Mr Julius Yogel, but it was finally decided to refer the selection of a site to three independent Commissioners chosen from the neighbouring colonies. These gentlemen made an extensive tour of the country, were feted and entertained in all the chief centres of population, and finally selected Wellington as the future Seat of Government. The chief argument in favour of the removal was founded on geographical convenience and rapidity of communication, but there is little doubt that had the same facilities of communication existed then as now, no such change would have been thought necessary. While events had been rapidly drawing to a climax in the Waikato, valuable successes had also been won by the troops on the West Coast. On the 11th of March Colonel Warre despatched a force consisting of between 30 and 40 of the Taranaki Rifle Volunteers under Captain Atkinson to reconnoitre the enemy's position at Kaitaki. Sinrultaneously Capt. McKellar proceeded from Omata with 30 men and placed them in ambush on Burton's Hill, while Capt. Corbett, who is now a resident in Auckland, led a party of men to intercept the rebels at the upper ford of the Oakura River. Major Butler also proceeded to Oakura with a 24pr. howitzer and some rockets, and all the available men of the o7th under Captain Lloyd, leaving the redoubt in charge of Captain Page. The 57th under Major Butler approached to within 800 yards of the palisading and opened fire on the enemy's work with the gun, but the natives were strongly reinforced and opened a heavy fire, against which it was not considered expedient to make an assault on the position. However, some casualties were sustained in the skirmish, Lieut. Chas. Larcom, of the R.A. being wounded severely; Privates Michael Kennedy, James Adley, and Martin Stagpole, of the. 57th, severely wounded; John Chamberlin, William Henry, and Charles Kean wounded slightly. The Maori stronghold of Kaitaki was situated on the edge of one of the main spurs of the Poakai Range, to the southward of the Oakuri river. On the side of the spur on which the two stockades were built the ground sloped downwards so abruptly as to form an almost perpendicular cliff, and on the front, where the slope was more gentle, the approach was defended by a line of riflepits. Higher up the range was a dense bush, affording the natives a convenient retreat in the event of their being driven out of their works by an assault in front. The country below the spurs was covered with fern, but on the proper right flank of the position, between it and the Oakura river, the gTOund was broken by precipitous ravines, high fern, and dense scrub. - Having reconnoitred the position as described above, Colonel Warre formed a plan of operations which was intended to clear the whole of the country on the north side of the

Katikara river. He had. applied to Genera Cameron for reinforcements, but the imj)ortance of tne operations in Waikato, where the main strength of the rebellion was concentrated and the most decisive blow had to be struck, rendered it inexpedient to comply with his request. All that General Cameron felt at liberty to do was to despatch a 12pr. Armstrong gun and 30 men under the command of Captain Martin, K.A. On the 21st March, Colonel Warre tested the range of the position at Kaitaki with his Armstrong guns, and finding that he could keep down the enemy's fire sufficiently to enable a storming party to carry the rifle-pits, made his plans accordingly. Leaving two Armstrong guns in position at Oakura to shell the pa, he marched next day to attack the Tutu with 2 field officers, 3 captains, 4 subalterns, and 2G6 non-commissioned officers and men of the 57th, and 3 captains, 4 subalterns, and 285 of the colonial forces, making a total of 567 of all ranks. The force set out at 3 o'clock in the morning, but at daylight the pa was found to have been evacuated by the enemy, and the plan which, had been formed to take the position in reverse had failed. Captain Atkinson's Volunteers, with 50 of the 57, under Captain Lloyd, took possession of the pa, which was occupied b} r a few women and children who ran away. The stockade, with a number of ichares adjacent to it, were pulled down and. burnt, a herd of cattle was ca.ptured, and several acres of cultivations destroyed.

On the 24th March Colonel Warre organised another force, and proceeded to attack the enemy's position afc Au-Au. This force was composed of the staff — Detachments of lioyal Artillery", engineers, and the 57, Taranaki Militia, Mounted Corps, and bullock-drivers, and numbered about 600 of all ranks. A party was also sent forward to explore the road on the north. side of the Timaru Eiver to ascertain the point where the track crossed by which the natives obtained their supplies. The troops had advanced within half-a-mile of the foot of the ranges before their approach was observed by the enemy, and the weakness of their fire showed that they were not in strong force at Kaitaki. Colonel Warre now divided the 57th into two parties — one under Captain Russell attacking the steep incline fortified with rifle-pits, while Captain Schomberg with the other made a simultaneous assault on the right by a road leading round the spur on which the stockade was situated ; Captains Carthew and McKellar being in support with the Taranaki Militia. The guns, with a covering party, were placed on a small knoll to shell the rifle-pits, so as to cover the attack. The enemy retreated before the simultaneous attack of the two divisions, but opened & brisk fire from under cover of a hillock on the right of the pa, when the two attacking parties converged. The enemy were within a short distance of the storming party, but owing to the looseness of their aim only two men were wounded and Captain Mace's horse shot. As the soldiers were tearing down the stockade, in order to force a passage through, the Maoris retreated up the hill under cover of the bush, leaving the Au-au pa in possession of the troops, with large crops of Indian corn, tobacco, and taro. These having been burnt or destroyed, the returned to Oakura. The account of the capture of the Kaitaki Pa I must postpone till my next chapter.

(To he continued.)