THE NATIVE WAR

CAPTURE OF OTAPAWA PAH. LIEUT.-COL. HASSARD KILLED. THIRTY HAU-HAUS KILLED AND MANY WOUNDED. (From the Wellington Independent, Jan. lfi ; From the main road between Manawapo and Waingongora, there stretches northward an extensive level of grassy plain, bordered by bush inland, where gentle undulations gradually rise into drills, and further on. into abrupt forest ranges. Valleys and gullies running in all directions detach here and there forest clad and isolated hills and ridges, forming a perfect labyrinth of accessible and inaccessible positions. In the former the Hau-hau villages are scattered plentifully, and in the latter you may look for their pahs. Otap&wa pah in one of the most formidable positions in this neighbourhood, and oae of the most difficult to find. The approach to it leads up and down forest ridges across a fertile valley, where the slopes are covered with plantations ; you see everywhere the evidence of Maori proximity, yet the pah is nowhere visible. A sudden turn in a road leading through bush up a steep hill at last brings you face to face with it at 200 yards distance. At that point the field force under General Chute saw it this morning for the first time, and at that short range the engage ment began. The field force had left Futahi on the 10th } arrived at Kakaramea the same day; made Tangohoe (beyond Manawapo) on the 11th; Puketarata on the 12th, within five miles of Otapawa pah ; the latter was attacked and demolished this day, Jan l->. At two a.m. detachments of the 57th. umter Colonels Hassard and Butler; of the 14 th. under Colonel Trevor ; Hangers, under Mapr Yon Tempsky ; Natives and Native Contin gent, under their Chiefs and Ensign Mac donnell, marched towards Otapawa ; three Armstrong six pounders, under Lieutenant Carey, accompanied the expedition. The pah had been somewhat reconnoitred the day previous by Ensign Macdonneli and h:s Natives, on which occasion a ltuye villas with a magnificent council-house (equal ; ■ Ngarruawatua palace) was burnod; also it was ascertained that from a neighbouring ridge artillery might play upon the pah ; tin* was put into execution to-day, when the force was about half-a-mile from the pah. aui thanks to Lieut. Carey's skill, with some erteet, u wc had occasion to see afterwards. 