The Sun. — 1869-07-13 (London, England)

THE WAR IN NEW ZEALAND. The complete details of the last massacre in New Zealand —that at Mohaka, on the east coast—unfortunatelyprovo that the earlier accounts of this catastrophe were not exaggerated. It appears that Te Kooti—the leader who is so often made out to be dead, and so often rising again—came down the Mohaka river on the 9th of April with about 300 men and massacred most of the friendly natives of the only two little villages in their route— eight men and twelve women in one, four men and six women in the other. Some of those who escaped made their way to two pahs, Jerusalem and Huki, and the rebels then divided into three parties. The main party attacked the pahs, more especially Huki, which was the smaller ; the second prepared to intercept any aid that might be attracted by the noise of the firing ; and the third crossed the river shortly after sunrise on the 10th to where the Europeans were living, killing such of them as had not taken the alarm and fled, and burning the houses of those who had. The friendlies in the Jerusalem and Huki pahs held out, however, fought well, and made To Kooti so uncomfortable that he proposed to treat. The firing ceased, and negotiations opened. According to the account given by the Times correspondent, there was much suspicion that treachery was intended ; and even the rubbing of noses and other pacific demonstrations did not reassure the friendlies. 'l'e Kooti demanded that the maul should be given up. This was refused, high words ensued, and finally the leaders opened fire upon each other. Amongst those who fell was, it is said, Te Kooti himself, who has thus once more been put out of harm's way. Up to the last adviccs Government was still assured that he was dead ; but nobody, says the Times correspondent, believes it. After wreaking vengeance on the inhabitants of the pah, and securing three kegs of ammunition, the rebels drew off, assistance having meanwhile come to the larger pah, Jerusalem. The total loss of the friendlies by this raid is reported to be eighteen men and twenty-five women and children killed, besides wounded ; the Hauhaus leaving • six of their number killed in fair fight. As to the English settlers who lost their lives, they were murdered on the opposite' ide of the Mohaka river. Of this melancholy affair little is known save that some time during the morning of April 10 Ensign Lavin, wife, and three children, together with Messrs. Cooper and Wilkinson, all settlers there, were attacked and murdered. Their houses, as well as those of several other settlers, were destroyed. A band of Militia, 800 strong, set out for Mohaka on the 11th, but they could accomplish nothing. This massacre has incited the authorities to greater exer. • tions, and a very bold campaign has been opened on the east coast and from thence to the interior. Colonel Whitmore's force has been removed from the west coast, and by this reinforcement the total force in the east has been augmented to three divisions of 450 men each. The object of the leaders is to carry the war into the enemy's territory, instead of confining it to the coast, whither the natives can come and retire at will. But the difficulties of the enterprise will be very great, for the country is inhospitable, rugged, and unknown. A great meeting of natives has been held at the residence of the Maori King in Waikato, and the result appears to be that the Sovereign will nut join in the war, but the Times correspondent hopes nothing from this determination. The loss hitherto has been almost all on the side of the settlers, and it is not to be expected that the natives who are in the field will rs"nekaish hostilities on account of their few defeats.  ritE