The Weekly Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. MONDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1868. THE FRONT.

Hawke's Bay Weekly Times, Volume 2, Issue 102, 14 December 1868, Page 301

The Weekly Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. MONDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1868. THE FRONT.

[The.following article appeared in the Times of Thursday. ' The arrival of the «Ahuriri ’ has siuce furnished us with later-intelligence, which will be found in detail the letter of our own correspondent.] .

iN Our last we Chronicled the'arViVal at Poverty‘Bay of CoToneirWMtirLbre and the'Armed Constabulary, the disembarkation of the corps, and their march towards the head*-quar-ters of Te Kooti,—the very latest news being' 'iMat brought, by the < Rangatira ’ on iVTonday morning, which was that the forces had passed the camp at Whakahu, and gone oil towards PuketapA" It was," however,' considered' somewhat doubtful whether the Native Contingent would make, any ’further advance, ■ —Tareha and his party having distinctly refused, .aid the Wairoa natives' as' well, owing to a" quarrel respecting the disposal of some prisoners that had been taken.

Yesterday, the arrival of the Colonial Government pad dle steamer ‘Sturt*' placed us "in possession of a few further items of intelligence, to the effect that Major Fraser and his troop had fallen back upon the camp at Whakahu, and that Colonel Whitmore had returned to Turanganui: . The ‘Sturt* also brought away the Wairoa contingent (110), and landed - them safely' at their own place. During to-day and to-morrow we may expect to see the whole of the. Heretaunga natives return to port in the steamers ‘Ahwriri* and ‘Sturt.’ ' The only party of natives then left in Poverty Bay will be those belonging to that portion "of the East Coast lying between the East Cape and Tologa Bay, the Ngatiporou tribe, to. whom we are indebted for much of' what has been effected in Poverty Bay, and which might have been much' more if their efforts had ouly been" seconded by the others who have now left the

place. Whether that* party will work with; '.Colonel Whitmore or not remains 'to be' seen - but from what-we can learn- we believe they will march Kohie overland.

If that' be the case the task of

conquering Te Kooti will devolve almost entirely upon Colonel Whit: more and his European force ," and, even sh, it 'does' not seeiri too much to hope for from‘their hands. ! . The enemy is known to "be ihiich dispirited byhis recent heavy losses, amounting in the aggregate to from 120 to 150 menin. liis camp must also, be a large idimber bf wounded ; He’is likewise Jinown .to"' be°short of supplies,, both of food and' ammunition, and * hampered" by" the presence of mad^'womeh - And*Hiildi : em • On the other our forces—biiough haps to ascertain .extent ignorant of the icotintry, ’ which it must 'be cop.fessed "preseiits ‘ehorinbus ' difficulties in'the‘ ; why- bf .th^ !J 'qper : atious of bT seige—-.are' well supplied .irithe matter of those essentials; and are besides inspidted by the - recent defeat of ' remnantCof' ‘the' rebels ~ Wexhaust .conffiss, we do not understand—perhaps" it is not expected we should do so—-the late movement

of ■ the" forces,—why Major.. Fraser should Have fallen back:- upon- the camp at after having' passed il towards the - .headrquarters of the rebels. It may be that Col. Whitmore intends to push on over(coastydse) as far' as Wairoa; from thence take an inland -route and meet the enemy in. front, while Major Fraser and his party take them in their rear 1 but we do not that such is his intention. Whatever be done must be done quickly, for a delay will afford opportunity .to the rebels to recruit their spirits and their resources. It is.' expected 'that the steamer ‘ Ahuriri’ will,"some time this day, ijrkig down the, hpdy of Karauria, the .loyal chief, who sustained, his death wounds when the rebels were first attacked at Te Karetu." The Napier Militia Rifle Y olunteers will be .. brought out to do honor to his remains, and'escort the funeral cortege from the Spit, where the body will be landed,, to the Maori Club-house, a distance of two. miles.

The news from the West Coast is also very bad. ■ It will he found in the telegraphic . despatch' published on our fourth page, and which was issued as an Extra early yesterday morning. It does not appear certain that tHe rebels had established themselves at the' spot where the European was fired on between the two redoubts. It is quite possible that it is not so, but that this attack- might have been made by an advanced party. It is to be hoped that communication had not been cut off between the militia outpost and the town. In any case the news is sufficiently serious—indicating, as it. does, the jirobability of an attack upon the Town of Wanganui itself, —the only place, by the way, which we were quite recently assured was to be saved from attack; or, in the words of the curious proclamation issued to “ all the tribes” by the arch-rebel, “ open as a window.”