BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2166, 16 April 1870, Page 2

BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

The Rangatira has returned from the East Coast. She has been of great service in enabling Mr M'Lean to wind up the Opotiki business, and to take the Ngatiporou and prisoners to the Ngatiporou settlements, &c. Mr Locke, who returned by the Rangatira, says that the effect of the late success on the Cast Coast has been very great; that our allies look upon Te Kooti’s influence as gone, while the doubtful natives, like the Whakatoheas, are thoroughly crushed. Maraetai, the pa taken by Ropata, was Te Kooti’s chosen resting-place he had large cultivations there as well as great native houses, and a church. A few days before he was attacked he told the people that the place could never be reached by our forces. There arc only six of the Chatham Island prisoners left; 14 were killed at Maraetai. The number of men who escaped with Te Kooti is 19. The report of the killing of Kereopa at Ohinemuri was not correct. Kereopa is with Te Kooti. It was Te Warn, the prisoners say, that was shot at Ohinerauri. He and Kereopa were dressed alike. Te Warn had his leg broken, and crawled into the bush, where he is supposed to have died. The Whakatoheas (the 140 whom Te Kooti was said to have taken prisoners) were certainly willing prisoners of Te Kooti’s. They gave him twenty casks of powder and a lot of bullets, which he removed from Opepe, and hid near Maraetai. After Ropata’s success, the Whakatoheas gave information regarding the hidden powder, all of which was found, and taken to Auckland by the Sturt. Ropata has Taken the Uriweras captured by him at Pukeroa (Maungapowhatu), as well as Te Kooti’s women and children, to his own settlement. Some of the Whakatoheas were taken in charge by Ropata, and some by William King. Mr Locke says they are thoroughly crushed, and curse Te Kooti as the cause. Ropata’s men are described as having suffered much from their march through the Uriwera country. Their feet are swollen and cut, and they are quite unfit to march back through the same country. Ropata is now organising a fresh expedition, taking new men from his tribe, and leaving the tired ones to rest. He is to leave the Ngatiporou settlement on Monday for Poverty Bay, with about 300 men. He will take his force mounted. He makes in from Poverty Bay to a place near Lake Waikaremoana, where the prisoners inform him the rest of the Uriweras are. He intends to call upon the Uriweras to surrender themselves and expects they will do so, in which case he will bring them to Poverty Bay as prisoners. If they do not submit, he will attack them at once. | It is believed that Te Kooti wdl be with

the Uriweras,. but this is not certain. Ropata has recommended the Uriweras to kill Te Kooti, and bring in his head, as the best way of saving themselves. The prisoners report that all the Uriweras’ powder is exhausted, and I gather that there is every probability of their submitting, or, if not, of Ropata finishing them, lam sending to Wairoa, to advise the natives there of Ropata’s movements, which will spur them on to act in concert.

Mr M ‘Lean met the Ngatiporou chiefs near the East Cape, and formally gave up all claims on the part of the Government to the confiscated land in the Ngatiporou district. 1 refer to the old confiscation. This has been done in acknowledgment of the great services rendered by the tribe, and, I think, is a most wise proceeding. There is now no East Coast land question to settle, for which I am thankful, for I saw grave difficulties in the way. Some necessary reserves have, with the consent of the tribe, been made, including 5000 acres of fine rich land at Tologa Bay, fit for settlement. That gives you a summary of the news from the East Coast. I received very favorable news yesterday from Poihipi, at Taupo. He says he knows for a certainty that the Waikato wants peace. He is full of the proposed meeting, aud Mr M ‘Lean agrees to it. He has not yet fixed the time. The trial of the prisoners at Wellington must wait till llopata’s return from his present expedition, as Porter and other necessary witnesses go with him. Hakaraia’s death is thought more of at the Waikato and Taurauga than if we had got Te Kooti,

Bluff, April 15. Melbourne, April 9. The names of the new Ministry were announced in the Assembly yesterday. They are as. follows:—Mr M'Culloch, Premier; Mr Francis, Treasurer ; Mr Mitchie, Attor-ney-General ; Mr Wrixon, Minister of Justice ; Mr M'Pherson, Minister of Lands; Mr Mackay, Minster of Mines ; Mr Wilson, Commissioner of Railways ; Mr Bites, Commissioner of Public Works ; Mr A’Becket, Commissioner of Customs. Mr M ‘Pherson’s appointment has given rise to great dissatisfaction, but the Press otherwise generally support the new Ministry, The Assembly is adjourned for a month. Mr Lyster’s opera season has closed. He took his benefit last night, and had a bumper house. Mr Charles Mathews appears for the first time to-night. Sir James Fergusson, Governor of South Australia, is on a visit to Melbourne. The English pedestrians have gone to Sydney. Schools of Design are rapidly extending over the colony. The charges against Mr Montefiore, of mismanaging the affairs of the Australasian Insurance Company, have been negatived. The drought has ended, ram having fallen throughout the colony. Commercial. Flour is dull at Lll 10s, and wheat is scarce at 4s lid to 5s Id. Maize is at 4s Id to 4s Ud, and oats at 3s 6<l to 3s 64d. Best hops are at Is lOd. Bulk beer is inquired for. Woolpacks are at 3s sd. Speculation exists in kerosene, and large transactions have taken place at 2s fid. Sugars are firm ; quotations are as follows : —Rations, 29s to 30s; fine browns to low yellows, 30s ; good to fine yellows, 35s ; finest yellows, 36s 3d. Trade generally is dull, and money scarce. The wool sales have been spirited. Greasy fetched 4Jd to BAd, scoured, 8d to Is 3d; fleece, B|d to Is 2d,