LATEST FROM OPOTIKI.

Auckland Star, Volume I, Issue 123, 1 June 1870, Page 2

LATEST FROM OPOTIKI.

ABRIVAL OF THR WOODSTOCK

EETUJJN OF COL. ST. JOHN'S

EXPEDITION

The cutter Woodstock arrived in harbour last evening. Tb.9 following particulari of the recent expedition are from the correspondent of the New Zealand Flebald :—

May 24 The native expedition, under Lieut. -Colonel St. John, has just come back. It was orga* nised by orders from Mr. Fox, and started on the 12th. It seems that they followed Kemp'i track, and up to the 15th had fine weather j then it began to rain, and the force split into two. William King's party crossed the Waioweka at Tahoiv, and the Colonel marched down the right bank. All cultivations were

found deserted, and on the 17th they met on oppo-ite sides of the stream, at Mariati. The current was so deep and swift that the only means of communication was by throwing stones and letters attached. William King found tracks at Tahore leading upwards, and the scouting parlies came across a corpse at Manatahi, proving that no one had been there since Eopata's fight. There was no doubt that Te Kooti was higher up, and the force halted at Mariatahi, watching for the fresh to go down in order 4p follow him up. The hopes of fine weather proved unavailing ; it poured night and day ; mea were never dry, and fires could scarce ke kept \ip. Attempts towards a bridge were made by felling large remus and ratas, but they were-swept away like so many straws. The Maoi'is were most anxious to get on, and promised to follow anywhere as long as it w&s thought they were on Te Kooti's track. They all agreed to go up to the head of the Waioweka, and if, as their surmises led them to believe, Te Kooti was on the Motu, to follow kirn, Hying on bush food, and trust to the sun to guide them out into Poverty Bay. However, the rivers rose to such an extent that any such attempt was hopeless, and it was with immense difficulty that a bridge waa thrown across the Waioweka (here fifty yards wide aad about fire 1 feet deep, wilh a current of some five miles cjn hour). Most of the force" then crossed, bu« the Whakatoes had to take a wider and -Suger track on account of some sick men' jSe main body after finding its way throu-; ; Afearful bush, along precipices, and up and^own ranges, arrived here yesterday, having taken three days to do what Ropata's force did in one. The Whakatoes only name in to-day. The result of the attack on Te Meakoha, » month ago, has been that that chief J» so pleased at the Colonel refusing to allow his children to be killed, that he has written to offer to surrender ; his only fear is that he may be killed off hand. I believe, however, that he has been told that on coining in he will be handed over, to be dealt with by the law. Hoani Ngainu almost guarantees the surrender of him and his whole force—about 100 altogether.