LATEST FROM THE FRONT.

Marlborough Express, Volume IV, Issue 209, 25 December 1869, Page 1 (Supplement)

LATEST FROM THE FRONT.

(From the Hawke’s Bay Herald of the 10th.) Advices received from Taupo are quite confirmatory of the information received via Wanganui. Te Kooti is still at Tahau (situated at the source of one of the principal branches of the Wanganui River,) and has not been in any other direction. Measures have been taken for moving the Colonial forces—from Tekano, on the one side of the Lake, and Tapuehararu, on the

other—towards Talma, so as to act in concert with the Wanganui friendlies, and, if it be possible, to hem in the miscreant and his people. On Wednesday, the Bth, a messenger arrived with letters from the Mohaka natives to the following effect. They saw fires up the Mohaka river, in the direction where their cultivations were, considerably nearer Mohaka than Putere ; and, on getting there, saw traces of strange natives, believed by them to be Mauhaus. One of the party went ahead of the others in the desire to obtain further information, and did not return ; nor had he returned up to noon of the following day. They did not know what had become of him, but feared he had been caught and killed. It is supposed that the party of whom traces were thus seen, wore a small band of IJriweras, and the same whose fires were seen last Sunday at Haroto. The Mohaka natives were to start next day in force, in quest of Kereopa (the name of the missing man), but nothing has been heard of the result. Latest telegrams in Independent say: We learn by telegrams from Napier, received yesterday, that Topini, who was supposed to be looking after Te Kooti with a view to securing him and handing him a prisoner to the friendly natives, has sent messages of defiance to Topia on hearing that the latter had become a Government man, and declares that he will himself protect To Kooti. This opposition of Topini has had the effect of making Topia more determined than ever to capture Te Kooti. Six hundred friendly natives paraded under Kemp, Pohi and Topia, on Monday last previous to setting out from Korinitini. Kemp and Pehi placed themselves under the direction of Topia w r ho thus assumes the command of the expedition. It is said that Topini was on his way to the Upper Waitara to obtain assistance for Te Kooti from Tito Kowaru, when ho heard of Topia’s declaration of his adhesion to the Government, which caused him to change his plans. A collision between the two bodlesTd' natives is daily expected.