The Sun.
London, England, 1864-09-15 00:00:00

THE N

D WAR

(From the Argus.)
There is still no appearance of a speedy termina.

tion to the New Zealand war. This month, however,
we have to record a success which goes far to com-
pensate for the reverse our army sustained at Gate
Pa. After that engagement the Maories were im-
measurably elated. The leader of the East Coast
tribes, Rawiri, sent a written challenge to the cora•
mander of the troops at Taurange, a chivalrous
production, of which the following is a literal
translation :—" Now hear what we have to say.
We have been waiting for you to come and attack
us for a whole month, but you have not come ;
and now we are coming to you. We give you
warning, therefore, that you may expect to see
me within the month, and not to let any of your
soldiers out, for our young men will certainly shoot
them. We give you warning that you may not
say it is murder, for it won't be murder." The
Maorics, so eager for the fray, did not have to wait
long. On June 21, Colonel Greer, the officer in
charge of the forces at Tauranga, received informa-
that the enemy were entrenching themselves at a
spot four miles inland from the scene of the late
engagement. Col. Greer marched out to the place

with an Armstong gun, a 6 pounder, and 600 men o
the 43d and 68th, and let Waikato Militia (Victorian
Volunteers) Regiments, and found that the enemy
had commenced the erection of a new pa on a nar-
row neck of land, surrounded on three sides by deep
gullies, and completely commanding the Tauranga-
road. All that had been done, however, was to con-
struct a single line of rifle pits. The Maories assumed
the offensive themselves, their skirmishers firing
briskly on the troops as they advanced across the
plain. Tne skirmishers were, however, soon driven
in, and Colonel Greer extended his men, placed his
guns in position 600 yards from the pits, and main-
tained a sharp fire for two hours, while he sent for
reinforcements. As soon as the reinforcements were
sufficiently near to give support the advance was
sounded, and with a cheer which made the hills
ring again, the 43d, 68th, and the Waikato Militia,
rushed forward to the position. The Maories re-
ceived them with a heavy volley, and stood their
ground well. The troops dashed into the pits, and
a hand-to-hand encounter took place. It was not
of long duration. The soldiers, determined to
remove the stain the Gate Pa repulse had cast upon
them, used the bayonet with effect, and three
or four minutes saw the Maories flying to the
gullies, pursued by both cavalry and infantry,
The former followed them for a distance of 10
miles, and with their breech-loading carbines did
good service, though owing to the swamps and
gullies with which the district abounds they could
not prevent the escape of the main body of the
enemy. Sixty-eight Maories were killed in the rifle
pits, and altogether 107 bodies were collected.
Twents-seven wounded men were also brought in,
and 10 other prisoners. Among the killed were
Rawiri, the leader of the Maories at the Gate Pa,
and Henare Taratoa, the writer of Ra egri's challenge
to the troops, a man much respected for his ability
and education. Many more Maories must have been
killed in the ravines, where it was not possible for the
troops to find them. The English loss was compa-
ratively tt ifling-9 men were killed and 39 wounded.
Amongst the wounded are Captain F. A. Smith
and Captain H. Berners, of the 43 ; and Captain R.
W. T. Trent, Captain T. Casement, Lieut. H. I. R.
V. Stuart, and Ensign W. H. F. Palmer, of the 68th.
The engagement will be severely felt by the East
Coast tribes, but it has far from broken their spirit.
The latest advices report that they are erecting
another pa in a strong position farther back. It
was said that Colonel Greer would attempt also to
storm this work. Rewi and William Thompson,
the leading rebel chiefs, were in the neighbourhood
of Tauranga during the fight, intending to attack
the place should the soldiers be repulsed. The guns
of the corvette Esk were trained on the camp, and
every preparation made to give the enemy a warm
reception. As matters turned out, however, the
wily Thompson declined testing the issue.
The firm and vigorous, but conciliatory, policy of
the New Zealand Government is already producing
good fruits. Mr. Fox, the colonial secretary, has
jest received the allegiance of Wi Tako, a powerful
chieftain of the Wellington district, who had reified
the King flag, trained men, and threatened to
destroy the peace Cie southern part of the island is
now enjoying.
The New Zealand authorities are taking active
steps to place the military settlers on the conquered
soil. The Ist Waikato Militia are to be located at
Tauranga, and the 2d, 3d, and 4th Regiments in
the heart of the Waikato country. This plan will
effectually cut the rebels off from their accustomed
source of supplies.
By the very latest accounts 204 of the enemy's
killed and wounded had been found. Our own list
is as follows :-
43D REGIMENT, LIGHT INFANTRY.
Killed—Corporal J. Wheeler, Privates Robert Johnston,
William Yialou, Jeremiah Bieber, H. Wilkinson, and T.
Meagher.
Wounded—Captains F. A. Smith and H. Berners, Ser
geant Cane, Privates Daniel Felton, William Warner, John
M‘Guire, Robert Longley, Reuben Long, George Martin,
John Payne, John M'Conliffe, Robert Brown, John Druiy,
Charles Morris, and David Casey.
68TH REGIMENT.

Killed—Privates J. Taylor, P. Shanahan, and J. Simms,
Wounded—Captains H. Trent and T. Casement, Lieu-
tenant H. J. H. V. Stuart, Ensign W. Palmer, Sergeants
T. Stafford and H. Marschner, Corporals J. Kearney an
L. Beattie, Privates J. Derricott, P. Crawley, J. Hammill,
H. Wade, P. M'Gregor, J. Bramble. J. Purdy, J. Sargent,
Abbot Thrift, J. Manion, G. Smith, J. Smith, S. Smith, L.
Manion, H. Martin, S. Mullen, and D. Cufferey.