Tareha’s Inactivity at Makaretu.—

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 13, Issue 693, 21 June 1869, Page 2

Tareha’s Inactivity at Makaretu.—

In the House of Representatives, on the loth June, Mr Graham a=-ked ihe Minister of Defence " Under what circumstances the native chief Tareha, with a force of nearly 1,300 men under his command, ie mained in a state of total inactivity at Makaretu, while Te Kooti, with a force of scarcely one-fifth that number, was within easy reach, and in the open ?" The Defence Minister replied that the real circumstances of the case were these. On the 20th November last, Tareha, with a force —not of 1,300, but of 450 men-lef Poverty Bay and advanced to where Te Kooti was supposed to be encamped. On the 24th, after a slight preliminary skirmish, Tareha and his party overtook Te Ko>>ti and drove him from his position which he occupied to some distance back. Tareha remained in that position and in front of Te Kooti until the 2nd December, when Ropata, with 376 men, arrived fiom Poverty Bay. Ihe next morning the whole party attacked Te Kooti and compelled him to retreat, leaving 29 killed—that was the number, which he (Colonel Haultain) had now ascertained wasaefuall) killed on the occasion—and also having 10 wounded. Tareha wished to follow Tt Kooti up, but Ropata, dissati-fied with Tareha having spared the lives of two pri soners, refused to pursue. The next morn ing Kopata wished to go on hut then Ta reha would not j.o. Bopata then went u| to Ngatapa, but not being sufficiently sup ported, had to retire. The hon. gentle man had probably misapprehended the number of men nnder the command of Tareha, by including the whole numbsr o< Europeans and natives in the pay of the Government in the Poverty Bay district at the time.—lndependent. Ropata's Visit to Wellington.—ln the House of Representatives, on the 15th June, Mr Graham asked the Minister of Defence" Under what circumstancesthe no tivechief Ropata came to Wellington, seeing that his men, now drawing colonial pay, n fuse to act without his presence ?" The Defence Minister s.-iid he did not know exactly what brought Ropata to Wellington Ropata had come down against the ex press wishes of the Government; and upon his arrival made some trivial excuse for his visit. Ropata had, however, stated to Captain Fail-child, of the Hurt, and to Mr Routledge, of Napier, tint he had received a telegram from Mr M'Lean, asking him to come down to Wellington ; and when reminded that his acting against the wishes of the Government might cause him the lrss of his office, said he did not care about that us his friend Mr M'Lean would be in office in a week. [Laughter.]—Mr M'Lean eaid he had sent no telegram to Ropata of the kind alluded to.—Mr Dillon Bell thought the Defence Minister, before making euch a statement, should havo ascer taincd from Mr M'Lean whether he had sent the telegram. [Hear, hear.]—lndependent. [Query— What, then, did Mr M'Lean telegraph to Kopata?—or to ■whom did he send the telegram in question?— Kb. H.B.T.] Shipping Telegrams.—Tn the House of Representatives on the 10th June, Mr Stafford, in reply to Mr Harrison, said he would endeavour to secure greater accu-j racy in the shipping telegrams.