NORTHERN NEWS.

Southland Times, Issue 942, 29 April 1868, Page 3

NORTHERN NEWS.

« THE EAST COAST CAMPAIGN. By the Ahuriri, we (" Daily Times ") have Auckland papers up to the 4th inst. They contain particulars of a movement against a rebel party in the neighborhood of Opotiki. Information had been received that the rebel natives had attacked the friendly natives at Punawai, and brutally murdered one of them. A force was despatched, under Major St John, to the place, and the murdered native was found lying ouiside his whare. The deed had been evidently the work of no novice at the art. The breast was cut down and then across in quite a systematic manner, and the heart taken out, leaving the other parts unmutflated. The force went in pursuit of the rebels, and on the 11th came in sight of the pah, which, being in an unfinished state, the rebels abandoned. Books belonging to Mr Volkner, and other property belonging to poor Moore and the surveyors who were driven in some time ago, were found. A scouting party of the Arawas had been attacked, but on the Constabulary coming up the enemy disappeared. A rebel was shot by the Arawas. He had no less than seven bullet wounds in him. A spectator of the skirmish says : — "About one o'clock on the morning of the 10th March we held a council of war, and the Arawas told Major St. John that they would take the lead next time. About 3 o'clock we started, and two miles from the first pah we came upon Pongakarau, another pah. They began to fire from the top of the hill upon us, a very heavy fire. "When we got half way, one of our poepe, named Hopapa, was wounded. "When the Arawas saw this man wounded', they were very angry, and charged upon the pah, which they found to be deserted. They went about a quarter of a mile beyond, firing into the bush, without seeing any more ot the Hauhaus. The Major then came up and wanted us to go right on to Mau^gapohatu, the principal pah of the Uriwera, said to contain about 400 men. The Aarawas did not like this, so the chief ordered them to come back. Just after we left, the Hau-haus came on and fired at the Militia, who were about seventy or eighty, the Uriweras doing a war dance. After stopping there a quarter of an hour we saw a Hau-hau coming, so about twenty of us went down to meet him, and called to him to come on. He said I am one of Kereopa's men, and Kereopa is bring up the forces. He said he was frightened to advance, because he had got the war paint. We said " Don't be frightened, we belong to the Uriwera." But he knew we belonged to Arawa, fired at us, threw his gun away, and bolted. We followed him; he jumped the cliff down to the river ; then we fired af him in the river, and killed him ; brought him to the camp ; and our guide, belonging to the Uriwera, told ua he was Hoani Koratanga, a great chief of the Uriwera, belonging to Euatahunga. So then we had a war dance, in consequence of this man that we had shot. About five minutes after Major St. John and the Constablary came up. If the Arawas had their own way, they would soon clear out the Uriwera. Let the Europeans take one road, and us take anothe", because the Arawas cannot do anything with the Europeans, for they have too much order, and the Arawas do not like that. And then the Arawas get very little pay. The price ought to be raised." It is. added by the " Tauranga Eecord" that the Opitiki campaign is at an end for this season, owing to the weather, and the almost impassable state of the country. After a passage of much hardship for many miles, during which the commissariat was at a very low ebb, the party were obliged to slaughtertwo horses, which they found excellent food. It was in this condition that the force came in sight of the pah. The desertion from the Europeans numbered about 30. The Mounted Constabulary were very intractable, as many as twelve out of the eighty being in the guardroom at one time through intoxication.