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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume XIII, Issue 556, 2 March 1868, Page 2

THE STATE OF AFFAIRS AT OPOTIKI. The state of affairs at Opotiki wonld "appear to be very unsatisfactory at the present time. On Saturday afternoon last the Colonial Government gun-boat Stnrt, Captain Fairchild, arrived from Opotiki, bringing anything but good news. Elsewhere in our columns this morning will be found a letter from the Opotiki correspondent of the New Zealand Herald, containing the account of a skirmish between the rebel natives and a party of Opotiki Forest Rangers, in which it would appear the Hauhau loss was three killed and seven wounded, while two wounded constituted the casualties on the European side. We have not heard that there has been any fighting since the date of that communication ; but it would appear that affairs are in a very critical state, —verifying the oft-repeated as seriious of persons w T ell versed in live affairs, in reference to the “war’' in New Zealand, that the end is not yet. When the Sturt left, the Hannans, with the scoundrel Kereopa at their head, were believed to be mustering in great force on the borders of the settlement, and further hostilities were imminent. The settlers had also all been driven in from their farms.

At an early hour yesterday (Sunday) morning, the Armed Constabulary Force, stationed at Waipuna, received orders to “ pack up,” aud prepare to proceed to Napier, en route to Opotiki. Accordingly, about 7.30 a.m., some 33 men, in command of Captain Tuke, set off for Poraite on foot, there not being time to look for their horses ; the remainder, about 27 in number, left for Napier on horseback. The foot party, after a very fatiguing march over hill and dale, and through dense fern, arrived at Poraite about 7 o’clock last evening. Two or three boats were there in waiting for them, aud conveyed the men to port, arriving alongside the Government Wharf about 9 o’clock. The force immediately went on board the Sturt; and preparations were made to partake of some refreshment, which, we should imagine, they much needed, having walked over a rough country from Waipuna to Poraite (about 40 miles distance) without having had anything to eat. The men (the majority of whom were minus boots) looked very tired and jaded as they stepped on to the wharf, and complaints of sore feet were numerous. To-day, we believe, the Sturt will coal, and the Armed Constabulary i’ orce will have at- least a portion of the day on shore to purchase any articles which they stand in need of, bid friends good-bye, &c. This at an end, the Sturt will leave for the scene of Maori depredations either to-night or to-morrow morning. The best washes of the people of Hawke’s Bay will, we feel assured, attend the brave fellows who are now going to defend the hearths and homes of our unfortunate fellow-settlers on the East Coast against the encroachments of a wily and unscrupulous foe. We understand that that gallant officer, Major Fraser, will accompanv the Armed Constabulary Force, the men

composing which we trust will give a good account of themselves. The men all seem in the best of spirits, and eager for the fray. We hud not heard, up to a late hour last evening, whether the men who left the Waipuna Stockade on norseback had arrived in town.