ARRIVAL OF THE FORCES AT TARANAKI.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XIII, Issue 1016, 20 April 1869, Page 2

ARRIVAL OF THE FORCES AT TARANAKI.

Our advices from Taranaki are to the 10th inst.

How the’] forces have arrived at their destination [at Taranaki] whether by land land or by sea —by night or by day—few, other than those who happened to know their movements, were aware ; for those in town have not caught a sign of them, although it is known that the men were then stationed at the other side of the Waitara. Part of the force were brought up by the Sturt from Opunake, on Wednesday morning ; and on Friday morning more were taken to their destination by the same vessel and the St. Kilda. The remainder of the force came overland through the bush at the back of the mountain, and arrived at Mataitawa on Thursday last, where they camped for the night. Next day they started for the Waitara, reaching there at about 5 p.m. They then crossed the river at the ferry, to join the Armed Constabulary brought from Opunake by the Sturt, who were camped on the east bank. They report no incident worthy of special notice, with the exception of finding on the road the body of a dead Maori. It was in a sitting posture, with the back leaning against a tree, and there were a few apples lying by the side of it. On examining the body a gunshot wound was found in the back, and that the blade-bones of the shoulder were nearly penetrating through the skin, showing that the native must have been starving as well as wounded when he died. The body was not in a state of decomposition. It is supposed that there are numbers of natives in the bush similar to this one, either dead, or dying from their wounds and want of food. The Hon. Native Minister, his Honor the Superintendent, Mr Parris, Colonel Whitmore and staff left town on Friday morning, 9th April, at 8 a.m., arriving at the Waitara about noon. The party then embarked in the St. Kilda, which was outside the river, to reconnoitre the coast as far as the Mokau. —Taranaki Herald.