LATEST FROM THE FRONT.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IV, Issue 53, 5 March 1869, Page 2

LATEST FROM THE FRONT.

We take the following from the Colonist of this morning :-— Wellington", Thursday. The Government received telegrams from Napier yesterday, which caused considerable anxiety. Mr M'Lean states thafc he is informed that Rewi proposes joining Te Kooti with 700 men. A letter from Taupo, bf 26th February, states that Te Kooti. and Nikora had been seen since the fight at Ngatipa; Te Kooti -was not wounded, and he had lost only a few men. Great excitement exists amongst the i Taupo natives. This is»the day fixed for ' the great meeting afc Moerangi, when the King natives will decide finally whether j there will be peace or war. Colonel Whitmore has returned to Wanganui. : - ■ (From the Wellington Evening Post, March 2.) Wereroa, Friday, 4 p.m. Yesterday the scouts, accompanied by some of theArawas, went some distance beyond Papatupu, hoping to catch any rebel party that might be moving about,

— — — — — Miiroa but unfortunately were not successful. On their return* they looted soma horses, that were brought into camp. On arriving there, the Ara was wanted to take possession of all the horses, and a serious quarrel ensued, whicb was nearly ending in blows when Sub-Inspector Gun dry, who com^ mands the Arawas, ended the matter by shooting the horses. It can well be imagined that Captain Gundry's free and easy mode of settling the dispute created no very atflicable feeling amongst the scouts, who only wished to be fairly treated and have a fair division of tbe spoil. The ients of a portiofa of the No. 2 division have been returned into store, and Nos. 1, 6, aud 9 divisions and the Ku papas took the bush this morningj and will no doubt shortly be engaged. Col. Whitmore, with the head-quarters, will remove to Karaka or Papatupu to-morrow or Sunday. He seems determined to push after the natives as rapidly as possible* and appears to be going about it in earnest. He has now actually in the field a force consisting of over 700 A.C.j and between 100 and 200Kupapas; this does not include tbe Wairoa rifles nor those of No. 7 division, who left for Taranaki. A reinforcement of Kupapas, under Aperaniko and Poma, arrived here this morningj and more are expected to the number of about 200.

Tbe Wanganui Times of Feb. 2*> says:— -According to the best and most recent information received by us we may veuture to tell our friends in Taranaki* that although Te 'Weterei of Mokau was selected to lead the party of assassins to the White Cliffs, and although he was immediately afterwards in command of a considerable number of the Ngatimaniopoto, yet be is not the man chosen to lead tbe expedition. The men appointed to that post, as weare told and believe, is Ti Kao Kae with Te Weterei as secondi n command. If rightly informed we may say that more will be heard of Te Weiterei within the next few days. Wai Koko plays an active part well known at Pipiriki and rigbt down to Wanganui although apparently unknown to our friends °in Taranaki. We again say to all— Be nofc deceived : we are upon the eve- of a'conflict — or rather have already entered upon one that must shortly eventuate in a glorious triumph for the people of this colony. We have entered upon a war of races ; it is well for both races it is so. As the savage cannibal can neither be civilised nor christianised, and daily thirsts for the blood of the innocent and unoffending, tbe colonists must join issue and bunt down those wretches, until so reduced in numbers that the remnant will live in peace with tbeir European neighbors, as well as with the loyal natives whom they no\V so thoroughly detest*