THE EAST COAST.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 7, Issue 348, 8 February 1866, Page 1

THE EAST COAST.

(From tlio 2vcw Zealand Herald, February 2.)

Yesterday we had quite a fleet of arrivals from the East Coast, bringing news of great importance from Opotiki and elsewhere. The first to arrive was the schooner Fortune, from Opotiki and Tauranga. She had intelligence of a rumored outbreak at Opotiki, and the immediate removal of the prisoners to Auckland. She having brought no mail, or despatches, we refrained from publishing any second edition, but merely announced the information as usual on our telegram board. A few hoars later the Hope arrived from Turanga, bringing the mail and confirming the report; cad last evening later intelligence came to hand ty the schooner Kauri, from the Bay of Plenty. The following is an abstract of the whole ; —The Fortune was chartered to proceed from Tauranga to Opotiki with despatches, and upon arrival there they found that the p.s. Sturt, Captain Fairchild, had just come in from Wellington with despatches from his Excellency the Governor. The arrival of the Sturt was most opportune, as the natives in the surrounding neighborhood were beginning to show signs of disaffection, and it was conjectured that probably an attempt would be made made to rescue the prisoners lying under sentence of death. This was thought the more probable in consequence of a party of rebels who had not long since surrendered themselves and taken the oath of allegiance, as also those acquitted at the court martial, having suddenly disappeared into the bush. To prevent surprise or other emergencies the Sturt was immediately despatched to Tauranga and Maketu for further reinforcements and she left Tauranga on Wednesday last with 120 men of the Ist Waikato Regiment, namely, 50 from Tauranga and 70 from Maketu. Site would arrive at Opotiki that night, and then leave yesterday for Auckland with the murderers (35 ia number) on board, in accordance with the despatches from Wellington. The Sturt may be expected to arrive to-day, hut what is to ba done with these court-martial-doomed prisoners no one knows,

Ono day last week, three of the mounted troopers stationed at Opotiki went out in the bush to search for some horses that had strayed away, when they were suddenly tired upon by a party of Hau-haus. One of the troopers was shot dead bat the other two managed to escape, and upon the officer commanding sending out an expedition the next day, the body of the unfortunate man was found horribly mutilated, the eyes, entrails, &c., having been taken out.

The friendly natives who have been assisting us of late complain greatly of theactionsof the Governor. They say that at risk of life and everything, they went into the very hot-bed of Hau-hauism to capture the murderers of Fulloon and others, and having done so, after they are tried and found guilty, why not hang or shoot them as they deserve, and hot keep them to allow of the chance of escape.

Several influential settlors, who arrived yesterday, inform us that the friendly natives are complaining loudly about this dilatory proceeding.