THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 161

position appeared deserted; so I detached
Captain Atkinson's Rifle Volunteers, sup-
ported by 50 of the 57th Regiment, under
Captain Lloyd, to feel their way by the
track, while the guns remained within easy
range (about 1200 yards) outside the bush.
The pa was unoccupied, or occupied only by
a few women and children, who ran away as
soon as the troops appeared. The Stockade
was pulled down and burnt, as also were
several whares, not only near the pa, but at
some distance from it. Some cattle were
taken and driven in, and many acres of
cultivation destroyed.

As we observed in our advance that the
Chapel on the Tataraimaka Block had been
pulled down and packed ready for carrying
away, many of the side-boards being found
lying on the road leading to Tutu Pa,-I
thought it would distract the attention of
the natives from my further operations if I
sent to bring away the remaining portions
of the Chapel, which, making eight cart
loads, were successfully brought to Oakura
by Captain Russell, 57th Regiment, with
100 of the 57th and Militia, on Wednesday,
23rd instant.

On Thursday the 24th inst., I again organ-
ised a force, as shown in Table B, to attack
the rebel position at Ahu-Ahu, and explore the
road on the north side of the Timaru River
to ascertain where the native track crossed
by which the natives on the ranges obtain
their supplies and keep up communication
with the south, which track we failed to find
on Tuesday. The guns at Kaitake and the
constant movement of troops had apparently
lulled the natives at Ahu-Ahu into security, as
they allowed the troops to approach within
about half a mile of the foot of the ranges
(where the track coming from the south
crosses the river), before any apparent notice
was taken of our advance, when by the
hurried discharge of muskets at different
points it became evident that only a few
natives occupied this very formidable position,
which crowns the top of a spur about twice
the height of that upon which Kaitake is
situated. Dividing the 57th into two parties,
I sent one under Captain Russell up a very
steep incline (covered with rifle-pits) to the
left, and the other under Captain Schomberg
to the right, by the road which leads round
the spur on which the stockade is situated,
supported by the Militia under Captains
Carthew and McKellar, T.M. The guns,
under a covering party, being left on a small
knoll from which they could have shelled the
pa and kept down the fire of the rifle pits
had it been necessary. The twenty or
thirty Maoris, by whom this place was very
gallantly held, gave way on the advance of
the men of the 57th, who, without any cover,
pushed up the very steep hill, the Maoris
retiring in front of them until the two parties
joined. The Maoris, for a short time, made
a determined stand, firing very sharply from
a small bush-covered hillock on the right
from the; but although only a few feet
from their opponents, only two men were
wounded and Captain Mace's horse shot,
while the troops were tearing down the
Stockade and forcing a passage into the
interior. The Maoris made a rapid retreat
up the steep hills, densely covered with bush,
rear, through which the men could
not follow them. The pa was ours, with
great quantities of vegetable produce of
every description, all of which, including
corn, tobacco, taro, &c., was destroyed,
after filling two empty carts which I had
brought with the column for the purpose.
Having burnt and destroyed everything we
could, we returned by the same route to
Oakura.

Thinking it very probable that many of
the rebels from Kaitake would go to Ahu-Ahu
to ascertain their loss, and as Mr. Parris had
informed me that Tamati One, the Kaitake
Chief, had gone South to seek reinforce-
ments from the Ngatiruanuis, who were
expected, I decided to attack the
position the next day. Having
arranged that Captain Atkinson, with 150
Taranaki Rifle Volunteers, should proceed
Page, T.M., with fifty men each, should
advance up an intermediate spur of the ranges from the left,
I so divided the remainder of my force that
Captain Schomberg, 57th Regt., and Captain
T.M., with fifty men each, should threaten the centre;
while Captain Lloyd, 57th, with fifty men,
and Captains Wright, 70th, and McKellar,
T.M., with twenty-five men each, in sup-
port of Captain Lloyd, should proceed up
several small spurs on our left to take
in reverse the rifle pits which are constructed
half way up the steep incline towards the
two pahs which crown the crest of the hill.
To enable the bush parties to accomplish
their long and fatiguing marches, and to
arrive simultaneously at a given time, I had
arranged that guns should continue firing
until 10 o'clock. The three Armstrongs,
under Captain Martin, R.A., were placed on
the right bank of the Oakura River, to breach
the upper pas, and the 24 lbs. howitzer, and
the rocket tube, which, owing to Mr. Lar-
com's recent wound, and a severe accident
which disabled Sergeant-Major Arthur, I
entrusted to a junior non-commissioned
officer, were placed within about 800 yards
of the front of the lower stockade, which they
were to endeavour to knock down.

The beautiful practice of the Armstrong
guns, under Captain Martin, set fire to a
whare within the stockade of the lower of
the two upper pas, at the very hour I had
named, 10 o'clock A.M., for the simultaneous
advance of all the parties, and of this fortu-
nate accident immediate advantage was taken
by Captain Corbett's party, who rushed at
once upon the pa, and under cover of the
smoke, climbed over the stockades, and got
into it by a zig-zag entrance between the two
lines of palisades, followed very closely by the
assaulting parties under Captain Lloyd, who
climbed the spurs and rushed the rifle pits,