380 
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF 
among the natives by Serjeant McKay* and Gunner F. Green, K.A. The 
fuzes were of rather ancient date (1806-7), and great risk was run by the 
above-mentioned men, as the fuzes had to be lighted while the shells were in 
their hands, and then the shells themselves had to be thrown up over a high 
parapet. No accident occurred, and the shells, by setting fire to the huts 
and bursting among the natives, did much damage. 
At about midnight the gunners went back to their guns (which in the 
meanwhile had been guarded by the rest of the artillery and a company of 
infantry) and the following morning, the natives being surrounded and 
having no outlet of escape except into the swamp, surrendered uncon¬ 
ditionally. This was one of the hardest day’s work the artillery ever 
underwent in New Zealand. 
There was no palisading about the Kangiriri entrenchments. The main 
obstacle was a high thick perpendicular parapet, built as all parapets are in 
New Zealand, with layers of fern intermingled with the soil, and thus no 
berm nor exterior slope is required. 
Some of the Armstrong shells were fired to pierce the parapet, as it was 
expected that the natives would fight from behind them, but it was soon 
found that the parapet was only intended as an obstacle, the firing being 
from the ditches in front of it. The fuzes were therefore fixed to burst the 
shells short, by which means the pieces went forwards and downwards into 
the pits, the guns being on high ground. Small mortars or howitzers 
would have been very useful, especially the latter if a breach had been 
required, but the Armstrong's had answered so well at the previous fight at 
Katikara, that it was expected that they would be also sufficient at 
Kangiriri. 
When a long range or great precision is required, the Armstrong shell is 
most effective, but it would fail if used as a substitute for a howitzer shell 
in breaching field parapets, and in ricochet fire at short distances. 
Captain Mercer having died from the effect of his wound, the command 
of the artillery devolved on Brevet-Major Strover, of the 12th Brigade, 
K.A. 
The guns remained at Kangiriri about six weeks after this time, and the 
men were employed in assisting the engineers to make redoubts, landing- 
places, &c., and afterwards in making a road through a swamp on the right 
bank of the Waikato. 
About the end of December four small mortars and another 12-pr. Arm¬ 
strong gun having arrived at Kangiriri, they and the two 12-prs. before 
mentioned were taken to pieces, and embarked on board flat-bottomed boats 
which conveyed them to a station called Kahuipokeka, about eight miles 
further up the river. Here they were disembarked, and afterwards taken 
up in a steamer to Ngaruawahia, about fifteen miles further up the Waikato 
at the junction of that river with the Waipa. Very little damage or loss of 
stores occurred in these constant shiftings, but great care had to be taken 
to avoid it. 
The other three 12-pr. Armstrong's of the battery were given into store in 
October 1863 (by order), and were afterwards served out to the Koyal Navy 
for service in the gun-boats. 
At Ngaruawahia the gunners were employed in building bridges over 
creeks, and in foraging parties. 
