EAST COAST. LATER FROM POVERTY BAY. PREPARATIONS FOR A FIGHT. REINFORCEMENT OF HAU HAUS AND NATIVE CONTINGENTS. ARRIVAL OF HENARE POTAI AND 120 MEN.

Evening Post, Issue 222, 24 October 1865, Page 2

EAST COAST. LATER FROM POVERTY BAY. PREPARATIONS FOR A FIGHT. REINFORCEMENT OF HAU HAUS AND NATIVE CONTINGENTS. ARRIVAL OF HENARE POTAI AND 120 MEN.

By theanival of the ketch Sea Shell, Captain Harris, we (New Zealander) have later news from Poverty Bay. The Hau Hans are making great preparations for a fight, that was to take place on the 2nd instant. At night they are seen in great numbers outside their stronghold, dancing their savage war dance. They also have large fires burning from sunset to sunrise, and they have accumulated all their property and provisions at the rear of the pa. They have received reinforcements from the Wairoa, and also from the East Cape district. The Han

Hau chief Lazarus stands a short du^ice off tbe pa they have erected, to see that Pai Marires worship it. And while they are thus engaged there is a great beating of drums. They dance ronnd the pole like horses in a circus, and every time they come opposite their head chief (Lazarus) they cross themselves and jump into the air, and afterwards cry out so loud that they can be heard at some distance off. This is performed morning and evening, and the rest of the day they are busily engaged in making preparations for the fight. The pa is situated about seven miles from Mr. Read's store, Turanga-nui, and is one of the largest that has been built in New Zealand, and is said to contain about 800 of the rebels. Henare Potae arrived at Turanga-nui on the 29th inst., with 120 Native Contingents from Tokomaru, and it was expected that he was to leave for a larger number from the East Cape. The Defence Force are building redoubts in every direction from Turanganui, for the fight that was to take place on the 9th. The settlers are in a very uneasy state, knowing that the rebels have the majority ; and if they had not so much in the bay, they would come to Auckland. The schooner Tawera, Captain Kennedy, was expected to arrive at Poverty Bay on the 9th, and was to return to Auckland about the 13th, and by whose arrival, which may be expected in a few days, we shall most likely have further intelligence from that district. The schooner Lark was loading at the Big River, Poverty Bay, and was to sail for Auckland about the same date.