The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1869-07-31
prom New ZcnInnd.

We arc indebted to the Commander of the
GaLatea for n file of Auckland papers to June ],
ON which day the ship left Tor Tahiti and this
place. HRs Royal Highness the Duke, during
his stay there, visited several ports OF New Tea
land, though Auckland, the residence Of the
Governor, was the principal stopping place. His
stay was prolonged several days owing to an
effort to bring about n meeting between the
chiefs Of the Nlaories and the Duke and Governor.
But from some cause, the chiefs would not come
in up to the latest, owing, il was supposed, to
fear Of treaehery. The Herald has the following
item relating to this proposed meeting and the
departure or the Duke:
The Ist June has now arrived, and IL appears by
the ~telegrums received from Ng~aruawahia, that Taw-
hiao has not yet decided whether or not he shall nc
cept the invitation partly, il appears, on the ground
that his sister Commonly called the Princess Sophia)
aud others Of his most trusted advisers. are tempo
rarily absent from bis headquarters Under these
circumstances, the Duke Of Edinburgh cannot, Of
course, delay any longer his departure, and We IN
dCrstand that His Royal Highness will go on board
the Galatea privately, and sail at 0 A. VI. this
corning. His visit to New Zealand has been very
successful, and has passed oil without q single eoH-
hetsmps-
The war with the mountain natives still con-
tinued as active rs ever, and the papers contain
reports or frequent skirmishcs and encounters.
The Maories do not come out and offer open
fight, but carry on q kind OF guerilla warfare,
rarely leaving their mountain Businesses. The
following from tie Herald is n fair sample of the
weekly reports Of the New Zealand war:
TAuRASGA, May 24th.-COL. st. John, commanding
left wing. with Col. Fraser, and about 600 Armed Con-
stabulary, 20 Opotiki Ride Rangers under Lieut.. White,
TO act rs scouts, and 100 Ngatipukeko, Ngatai, Ngati-
AVA and whakatohea. with the chiefs Wepiha, Holaia,
Hori Kawakura, Wi King, Tiwai TIE Meilans, under
Major Mair, left Opomiao (about IS miles up the
whakatane) ON Monday, May Sd reached Ruatoki,
q large deserted Hauhau village ut the mouth Of the
gorge, then marched 70 Tunanui the next day ; then
on over q fearful road to Waikare Whenua- The
following day commenced the ascent Of the great
wharau mountain, the highest point Of which Is
about 1000 feet above the level Of the sea, and the
road goes right over the summit (; the ascent occu-
pied about eight hours, and the descent about three
and-a-halE Continued 10 March next morning, and
attacked the first village IN the Ruatahuna the sur
prise was complete, but owing to the rough nature
Of the ground most OF the people, including n large
number Of women and children, made their escape.
OF the rebels killed here one was shot by Captain
Gundry, another by Lieut. White, who was himself
slightly wounded in the thigh. The next day (7th,)
marched on up the valley through large cultiyations,
old clearings in the dense bush, the Hauhaus in
number about sixty, disputing every inch Of the
way. About noon whilst leading his men across the
river, the gallant White was shot dead by a volley
fired from the high bank on the right, ut a distance
Of about 70 yards, he was struck in the neck, the
ball passing Gown in n slanting direction, and COM
ing out at the left shoulder. Sergeant Reid and
other comrades behaved well in carrying of the
body Of their beloved officer under heavy fire, one of
them being wounded in doing So a { this time the
enemy showed himself in force on the big fern hill
(Hukanui) in front. and on 4 spur on the right, at
distances Of $50 yards and 600 yards. and even from
the furthest of the distances he fired well, sending
the bullets amongst our men every time A halt
was now called White, poor White, was buried
The service was read by Colonel st. John.
The next day, 9Th, Te Tahora, q strong pah on q
fern ridge was attacked After attempting to sur
round il without success, Major Mair with o small
mixed force Of Europeans and Maoris entered il and
chased the enemy away beyond Came on to Omaru
tie Ami, the most sacred place in the Urwera coun-
try, being the resting place Of the bones OF the great
ancestor Of the UrIwera, TIE Mura Kareke ; his
tomb, though 300 or 400 years old, Is still tended
with great care, and kept fenced round by two rows
OF small totara splinters, and as soon rs one Of those
sticks decay IL Is carefully replaced by another.
The Ngatipukeko, to offer the greatest insult to
their enemies, cooked their food on this spot with
these sacred sticks The following day (9th) the
column came on mp the valley to Tafahoatn where
there Is q strong pah called whakari. The Hauhaus
who, no doubt, had received achievements, de-
Tended this place with great determination, and il
was here our greatest loss occurred. A force Of
about so men was sent under Captain Travers to
take and occupy n small spur on the left, which
commanded the enemy's position. Our men got
possession Of this without suffering any loss, but,
unfortunately, instead Of going into the edge OF the
bush the men were ordered 10 lie down behind n lit
tie fence about 3 feet high n few yards from the
dense hash Just n Col st. John. Major Hfair, anil