The Sun.
London, England, 1861-04-10 00:00:00

TILE IVAR IN NEW ZEALAND.

(From the Gazette of last Evening.)
WAR- OFFICE, APRIL 9.
A despatch and its enclosures, of which the following are
copies, have been received at the War-office from Major-
General Pratt, C.B. :
Head Quarters, Camp Waitara, New Zealand,
31st December, 1860.
SlR,—Referring to my despatch of the 10th inst., I have
the honour to report, for the information of his Royal High-
ness the General Commanding-in-Chief, that the excessive
rains which had swollen the rivers, and rendered move-
ments impossible, having ceased, I was enabled to move out
from New Plymouth on the 28th instant, for the purpose
of attacking a large body of the enemy whi had occupied a
very strong position at Matarikoriko, on the left bank of the
Waitara, and not far from Huirangi.
My force, after being joined by parties from the Waitara
Camp and the other posts, amounted to 900 rank and file
of all arms (as per accompanying detail), which was all I
could collect. After leaving the town and other posts in a
degree of security, and further required somo assistance
from H.M.'s S. Cordelia, and H.M.'s Colonial S. Victoria,
and I think it due to myself to mention this, in consequence
of the great misstatements which are circulated in this
colony as to the amount of force at my disposal for ag-
gressive movements.
Having halted at the Waitara Camp, now my base of
operation, I marched from thence at half-past three o'clock
in the morning of the 29th inst., and reached liairau, oppo-
site the Matarikoriko Mound and Pah, and about 900 yards
distant from it, at half-past six a.m., and proceeded to
throw up an entrenched camp for the security of the
troops during the subsequent operations/ this was
being done without moles ation until nine o'clock,
and the troops were netting well under cover, when a
very heavy fire was suddenly opened upon us from aline of
skilfully-constructed rifle-pits, extending for about 690
yards, and not more than 190 yards from us, and running
along the edge of a deep ravine between us and the Pah,
having very precipitous banks, and at the bottom of which
was a dense forest of high trees, and a deep swamp ; firing
was also opened upon us front skirmishers in the high fern,
on three sides of the entrenchment. This was promptly re-
turned by our skirmishers, the main body of the troops, and
with shells from the 24-pounder howitzers; and a- parti-
cularly heavy fire was kept up incessantly on both sides
until six o'clock in the evening; by which time our redoubt,
which was constructing the whole time, having been' com-
pleted, it was garrisoned by 460 men, and the remainder of
the troops returned to the Camp.
Next morning (30th inst.), at daylight, on my troops,
reaching the redoubt, I found that the enemy had kept up,
a continued fire during the whole night, which had been as
promptly returned ; but firing had ceased, and they had
hoisted a white flag on the pah and rifle-pits, and I em-
ployed the troops in heightening and strengthening the
redoubt during the day.
On the 31st inst., at 31 a.m., I again marched out ; but,
from information which reached me on the road, that the.
enemy were leaving the Pah and long line of rifle• pits, and
that, if not immediately occupied, they might be takenpos-
session of by a party of the enemy known to be moving up
from the North, I at once sent an order to Colonel Wyatt,
65th Regiment, commanding the entrenchment, to ascer-
tain the fact, and to take possession without a moment's
delay. This was done by a party of 200 men of the 65th
Pvziment, and Naval Brigade, under Colonel Wyatt
and Commodore Seymour, and on my force sighting the
I Pah, I had the satisfaction of seeing the British flag float-
ing where the Marriking flag had previously been.
The result of these three days has been, that the proud
Waikatos, who had boasted that they would drive us into
the sea, have instead been themselves driven from one of
I the most formidable positions I ever saw, chosen by them-
selves, and that too with singular sagacity, into the dense,
bush; and we occupy positions to keep them there in this
portion of the line of forest.
Our casualties have been 3 killed and 22 wounded '(re-
turns appended), which is small, considering the perfect
shower of bullets which was poured upon us for such a
I length of time, and it will be observed that most of them
belong to the 40th Regiment, who took a very prominent
part in the action ; and to that corps, with a detachment of
the one-twelfth Regiment Royal Artillery, under Lieu-
tenant Macnaghten, and Royal Engineers, also fell the
honour of holding the new position during the night, and
under continuous fire.
I cannot as yet ascertain the exact loss of the enemy, but it
must have been very great to induce them to suffer the loss
of prestige, and the mortification of abandoning their Pah
and strong position without another struggle. It is known
that at least five chiefs have been killed, and the graves and
appearances in the rifle-pits show that our fire must have
been very destructive.
I have now to bring to the notice of his Royal Highness
the conduct of the Naval Brigade and troops of all arms;
their duties have been prolonged, laborious and incessant ;
skirmishing through fern higher than their heads, fired at
by unseen foes, and carrying on the work of entrenchment •
under heavy fire, too much cannot be said in their praise ;
and, indeed, little is known of the difficulties of carrying on
war in such a province as this.
I have also to bring to his Royal Highness's notice the
conduct of the officers, and to name for his approbation those
in command and at the head of departments. Commodore
Seymour, assisted by Lieut. Battiscombe, H. M.'s S. Pe-
lorus, and Lieut. Woods, Chief Officer, H..M.'s Colonial
S. Victoria, performed their duties in their usual gallant
manner. The Artillery also, under Capt. Strover and Lieut.
Macnaghten, threw their shells and case shot with the
greatest precision into the line of rifle-pits. Colonel Mould,
assisted by Captain Mould, Royal Engineers, conducted
their department in the most efficient manner, whilst the
detachment of the 1-12th Regiment, under Capt. Miller„
the 40th Regiment, under Lieutenant-Colonel Leslie, as-
sisted by Major Nelson and Captain Messenger, and Ow'
65th Regiment, under Colonel Wyatt, were all handlea iik
the most excellent manner.
I am also much indebted to the officers of th°
Lieut.-Col. Carey, Deputy Adjutant-General,,,ltiency,
he
always is, most conspicuous for his bravery allutl, Paul,
Royal.
and I also received much assistance from
65th Regiment, Brigade-Major, and Lieut.
Artillery, my Aide-de-Camp. The servir !King, militia
uitaniefu, 'Dr. Mouat,
Fo;rsCteapriain Do,
Voeux, Mounted Corps, and Lieutensin whilst those
Aide-de-Camp, were also most
gas Smiley Jones, were
Deputy Inspector-General of IT P
all and Deputy Commissary-General
that could be wished. of th
ore intelligible, but 1
a tt4cing e ground, Which
It; • itwill be forwards,' d here-
I had hoped to have sent
opbataitc%r. have
nwootuasld
yreetnbdeeerntahbisledteee
% acling.
after.—l have, &C., (Signed) G. S. PRAT
Major-General Conant' • •
Secretary, Horse Guards,
To the Military London.

nig PLAGUE (P) AT LIVERPOOL.—Tht 3 Medical
---- __-,-
Trines and Gazette says :—" It seems quite clear that a
contagious fever lias spread frum a ship a' rriving in an
English port, to inhabitants of that port who, have gone on
board the ship, and also to others on s'nore. This is
exactly the danger against which Quarantine regulations
are framed to protect our people. But it is left to the
pilot (1) who brings a
ship into port to report Vhether a
ship is in a healthy state. In this case ho did not t report;
but he died himself of the fever. It is quite clear that in
all our large ports there should be a Medical Poli ice—or a
Quarantine Board, if the old term must be used-1 ,o secure
the public safety, by taking the necessary meal aires for
preventing the extension of
in harbol Li. to the
contagious. disease : from the
crews or passengers of ships arriving
healthy inhabitants ashore."