The Sun.
London, England, 1861-01-12 00:00:00

to the 65th and militia and volunteers, Major Her-
bert commanding, the latter being the first to enter
the pah. Under a heavy fire on both sides, the
inside of the pah was contested inch by inch, and
the Waikatos driven cut after a severe struggle.
At this time, Major Nelsen arrived from Waitara,
and attacked the natives on his side with his habi-
tual gallantry. The attack was continued until the
natives were in full retreat for Huirangi. The
following are their casualties, as far as can yet be
ascertained :

Killed (including the head chief, Tai

Porutu)
Wounded (since dead, 4)

Prisoner

Killed (found in the high fern this
morning) .. 11
forming a total of forty-three killed on the 6th,
three wounded, and one prisoner.
The three chiefs of the party were brought into
town for burial, the rest were buried on the field.
Our own casualties were trifling as compared
with the enemy's, considering the desperation
with which he fought. _ _

The funerals have just taken place, and the youth
of the volunteers gave additional gloom to the occa-
sion. Mr. Brown's son was only fifteen, but has
been several times under fire. He was fairly in the
pah, and was crossing over the open space, when he
was shot by a native concealed in a house. Edgecombe,
who was twenty, was approaching a native he had
shot, to seize his gun as.a trophy, when he was shot
by him in return. By arrangements of the military
authorities, the 65th bore them to the grave; the
volunteers and militia performing this last office
for their fallen.

It is rumoured that General Pratt intends to
erect another blockhouse at Mahoetahi, a position
which commands the Devon Line near the Waion-
gona, and which has been frequently made use of
by the rebels.

Next to the Commander-in-Chief, Major Nelson
greatly distinguished himself. His orders are
always cheerfully obeyed, and his presence is equal
to fifty men in times of danger.
The brave Waikatos (for it is ascertained that
none of Kingi's men were there) areas plucky a set
of fellows as ever held a gun, and prove to our com-
manders that they have no mean foe to contend
with.

(From the New Zealand Gazette, of Nov. 7, 1860.)
" Colonial Secretary's Office, Auckland,
Nov. 7, 1860.
" His Excellency the Governor has been pleased
to direct the following despatch, with enclosures,
from the Major-General Commanding at New Ply-
mouth, and an extract of a letter from Mr. Parris,
to be published for general information.
" E. W. STAFFORD."

" Head-quarters, New Plymouth, Taranaki,
Nov. 6, 1860.

" Sir,—l have the honour to state, for the information of
your Excellency and the members of the Government, that
yesterday afternoon information reached me that the Wai-
katos had crossed the Waitara river that morning in force,
to join William Kingi, and that they would possibly next
morning be in the neighbourhood of Mahoetahi. lat once
arranged that a force from this, and another from the camp
at the Waitara should march so as to join early in the
morning at that place ; we did so, and met the Waikatos,
and after an action. which lasted about two hours they were
defeated and fled, with very considerable loss. I write
these hurried lines and send them by the Victoria, to enable
you to communicate with the Home Government by the
present mail, and will send full details hereafter.
" Among the killed are three very influential chiefs. The
first, I am told, was the leading chief in the Maori King
movement ; the two others were powerful and leading men.
There are also many other chiefs killed of minor import-
ance. I enclose lists of those already known up to this
hour.

" Or loss was two officers and 14 men wounded, and four
men killed ; nothing could exceed the behaviour of the
troops of all arms, as I shall detail at length in my despatch.
The loss of the enemy is not yet ascertained, but from the
number killed and buried I should say they must have had
between 80 and 100 killed and wounded.

" I enclose an insulting letter sent by the Waikato chiefs
a few days ago, and it is a curious fact that the two chiefs
who signed it were both killed the very day after they
crossed the Waitara.

" In communication with the gentlemen of the Native
Department, T br0.&.4 he Domes or the tnree
principal chiefs for proper interment ; the other Waikatos
killed were interred in a pit on the field. We have taken
six prisoners and a considerable number of very fine arms,
rifles, and double-barrelled guns.

" I shall be obliged by the Victoria being sent back with-
out delay, as I have discharged the Wonga Wonga.—l
have the honour to be, your Excellency's most obedient
servant,

"T. S. PRATT, Major. General Commanding.
To his Excellency Col. Gore Browne, C. 8., Governor
and Commander-in-Chief, New Zealand."

" Pukekohe, Nov. 1. 1860.

" To Mr. Parris :—Friend,—l have heard your word.
Come to fight me, that is very good ; oome inland, aid let
us meet each other. Fish fight at sea—come inland, and
stand on our feet ; make haste, make haste, don't prolong
it. That is all I have to say to you—make haste.
" From WETINI TAIPORUTU,
" From POROKORU,

" From all the Chiefs of Nagatihaua and Waikato.

(True Copy).

IL. Carey, Lt. •Col. D.A.G.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE MELBOURNE ARGUS.
Sir,—ln justice to General Pratt, and those who
are absent on duty in New Zealand, and having

reference to the leading article in your columns on
the 20th inst., and that of this day, I hope you will

have the candour to publish the enclosed correspon-
dence in your issue of next Monday, so that the
people here and at home may have an opportunity
of judging of the real facts of the case.
I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your obedient servant,
W. C. BANCROFT, Capt., A.D.C.
Government Offices, Melbourne, Nov. 24.
" Fairlie House, South Yarra, November 20.

" My dear Bancroft,—Although, as you are aware, I was
unable, in consequence of my wound, to be present at the
engagement which took place at Mahoetahi on the 6th inst.,
I heard such full accounts of it immediately afterwards fron►
officers who were present, that I have no difficulty in reply-
ing to your questions regarding the truth of the statements
contained in the leading article of this day's Argus.
" The facts of the case are simply as follow :—On Mon-
day, the sth inst., General Pratt received information from
the Camp at the Waitara to the effect that Mahoetahi, a
strong position crowned by a deserted pah, had been osioupied
in force by the Waikatos. He immediately wrote to Col.
Mould, R.E., who was then in command of the Waitara
camp, to inform him that he intended to attack the enemy
early on the following morning, and to desire that he would
make a simultaneous attack on the other side with a portion
of his force.

"In pursuance of this plan, the general marched from
New Plymouth with 700 men, at 5 a.m. on the 6th, and,
immediately upon his arrival at Mahoetahi, commenced the
attack without waiting for the troops from the Waitara,
who were not then in sight, and who, having been acciden-
tally delayed, did not arrive until the engagement wa■
nearly over, and the pah had been cleared of the enemy by
the charge of the 65th and the Volunteers.
"The assertion of the _Argus, that the general met tie
enemy by chance, has not only no foundation in fact, but is
directly contradicted by the information from the seat of
war which is published in the same issue of that paper.
"As regards the alleged superiority of numbers on the

part of the troops, although it is true that after the arrival
of the Waitara force there were nearly 1,000 men in the
field, it is no less true that a large portion of them took no
part in the action, their services not being :equired. On
the other hand, a large body of the enemy were observed at
no great distance, their object, of course, being to support
those who occupied Mahoetahi ; but, daunted by the rapid
and total defeat of their friends, they took care to keep at a
respectful distance from the troops.
" It is not true that the Maories have been permitted, as
the Argus says they have, to' remain in almost undisturbed
possession of the district which they had conquered and
occupied.' They have not conquered any district, nor have
they been permitted to remain in possession of a foot of
land outside of the almost impenetrable forest in which
they have been compelled to hide themselves for some
months past. In venturing for once to leave its shelter
they exposed themselves to and received a lesson which
they will probably not soon forget. The statement, that the
few expeditions which have been undertaken were mere
reconnaissances, the issue of which has been almost inva-
riably disastrous, and that the enemy have often seen the
rear of our soldiers, is equally at variance with facts. Most
of the expeditions alluded to were carefully planned
a
attempts to cut off the retreat of the enemy, and thereby to
m
fight,
and although these attempts were
almost pll them
the vigilance of the Maories,
and the rapidity with which they fled, none of them,
compel
ways tofrustrated
by
except the attack on Puketakauere by Major Nelson, in
which his force was greatly outnumbered, has been attended
with anything like disaster ; nor am I aware of a single
iptagce of a collision (end I have myself be proinut at