Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. MONDAY, MARCH 15, 1860. CURRENT EVENTS.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 13, Issue 664, 15 March 1869, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. MONDAY, MARCH 15, 1860. CURRENT EVENTS.

A considerable degree of excitement has prevailed throughout the community since our publication of Thursday last, owing to various reports which have been in circulation concerning the doings of the East Coast rebels and the consequent danger to the outlying settlers of this Province.

The arrival of the s.s. Star of the South on Thursday afternoon placed us in possession of Auckland papers up to Tuesday evening. These contain what appear to be a well-au-thenticated account of a raid on one of the Opotiki settlements, resulting in the murder of Mr Pitcairn, a surveyor. The marauding party appears to have consisted of Te Kooti's band, reinforced by the Hauhau portion of Rakuraku's men from Opotiki, and the Uriweras. They seem to have surrounded Opotiki, and according to one account to have taken Rakuraku and the friendly portion of his tribe prisoners. They were also threatening a descent on the surrounding settlements. Another report, though more vague in its character, had reached the Thames on Sunday evening, to the effect that five settlers had been muidered in the Waikato district, but as there were no details, and the report had originated from what had been heard passing amongst a party of King natives, there is the possibility of its being only another version of the White Cliffs massacre.

Humors, too, have been rife of trouble nearer home—the murder of settlers in the Wairoa district. It is to be hoped these are unfounded; aa up to this time they have not been confirmed.

.From Poverty Bay we learn that summary vengeance had been taken by some of the settlers upon two of those wretches who were engaged in the late horrible masacre there, par ticularly on the murderers of young Wyllie. The s.s. St. Kilda left port for Wellington and the West Coast on the afternoon of Thursday last, but without Ropata, and taking onlv about ten of his men. 11 seems that —acting under the influence of our worthy Superintendent—he distinctrefused to go the West Coast, in consequence of the menacing attitude said to be assumed by the natives on this side of the Island; and the Government, having practically no con-

frol over our " native allies," was forced to give way. He does not appear to have supposed his own district to be .in danger until after his interview with Mr M'Lean; or it is not easy to see why he left it by the St. Kilda for thia place; neither does it seem that even now his fears are very great, or he would not have missed the opportunity of returning by the Star of the South yesterday, which we may suppose would have been engaged ior that purpose if the need had appeared urgent: but he still remains at Karaitiana's place at Pa Whakaho.

We have news from head-quarters camp on Coast to the 7th inst. At that date Col. "Whitmoie was pushing on after Titokowaru, who evidently will not face him, but is trying to bolt—not, it appears, deeper into the bush, for he had moved five miles nearer to the open than he had been on the previous day. The heavy flood had saved him from "Whitmore only a few days before?, The colonel is resolved to follow him up unceasingly until he catches him, The weeding process has greatly improved the European forces at the Front, and the men now show signs of being up to the kind of work, required of them. "We also heai a good account of the Native Contingent, which failed the colonel, and showed such want of discipline on a former occasion. The cowardly of the chiefs have been left behind, and those who nov have command of the natives are brave and dashing. Under them they work with great obedience and willingness. From private telegrams we learn that the Wanganui papers of the 11th inst. report that an escort of 20 men, while proceeding from Patea to Wairoa, were attacked at Whenakura at 2 p.m. on the pre"\ ions day, and that they were fighting when the informant galloped away, The news is probably correct,