LATEST FROM THE NORTH.

Southland Times, Issue 1057, 16 November 1868, Page 2

LATEST FROM THE NORTH.

♦ (From the ' Daily Times') Wellington, November 9th. The Bishop of Christchurch held a confirmation yesterday. 32 candidates presented themselves. The ' New Zealand Advertiser,' the Grovernment organ, says that Mr Stafford has accepted the offer of a Seat for Timaru afc the next election. Mr Bunny has been made a Major of Militia. Canterbury cases were only heard at the Court of Appeal to-day, and the Judges have since left. The Custom House was broken into yesterday, but nothing was stolen, as all the money had been banked. The Ruahine took 24 passengers. The East Coast rebels are still in the bush, aud no fighting has taken place there. The following is a ' Wanganui Times' extra received this morning, and dated Saturday evening : — " Captain Noake has ridden across from Wairoa with intelligence that Okutuku was attacked at 8.30 this morning by Colonel Whitmore, with a force of 300 Europeans and 80 natives, the majority of the natives not turning out when required. "The encampment was found to be occupied by a strong and well-posted force. "An admirable movement was made by Colonel Whitmore. While his advanceguard was attacking the enemy's encampment, his reserve threw up an earthwork, for the advance to retire behind in case it should be required, and it eventually proved of essential service. "After a fierce contest, finding his casualties very heavy, and there being no prosDect of his gaining any advantage by continuing the attack, Colonel Whitmore retired, carrying away all the wounded that could be seen. " The European forces engaged, including the reinforcements landed in Wanganui on Thursday last, behaved nobly. Kemp, and about 50 or 60 of his natives, also fought well, and elicited well-merited praise from their European comrades. " Major Hunter died whilst being carried off the field. i . " Nearly all our casualties occurred attacking the pah. After a hard contest there, our men were on the point of taking ifc and made certain of doing so, when the enemy received a strong reinforcement, and our men were compelled to retire. " Their retreat was covered by a strong party, who did good execution to such of the enemy as joined in their pursuit. They pursued our men to within a short distance of the Wereroa redoubt, when two rounds from the Armstrong guns made them retire. " Colonel Whitmore was preparing to resume the attack next morning. " The following is the list of the casualties occasioned. It is a heavy one, and will bring sorrow to many homes : — Killed : Major Hunter, shot through the femoral artery ; Sergeant Kir wan, and five constabulary. Wounded : 21, including seven natives. Missing : 12. To-day being the Prince of Wales birthday, was observed as a close holiday. Wellington, November 11th/ The Sturt has conveyed the remains of Major Hunter and Kepo, from Patea to Wanganui, for interment. She also brought six of the wounded to Wanganui, the remainder being at present unable to be removed. The ' Wanganui Times,' of Tuesday, 1 says : — " Colonel Whitmore was obliged to fall back upon Patea instead of renewing the attack as at first contemplated. " ; " Yesterday morning Colonel Whit- 1 more, with the main body of his force, marched from Patea to Nukumaru, via Wairoa. The women and children from ! Wairoa haviug been taken to Patea on I Sunday, came to Wanganui by the Sturt | last night. Ifc is, therefore, supposed' thafc Colonel Whitmore's object in marching by Wairoa was to take the men from that redoubt with him and abandon the place. This is the most probable as the Wairoa redoubt was attacked ou Sunday night, but the assilants were *.! riven off. " Major Fraser and a few r.ion only remain at Patea; and ie is J cared that it must be abandoned." Aperahama writes, saying that the 1 main body of the Native Contingent were ordered by Colonel Whitmore to remainat tbe edge of the bush, and thafc their not assisting in the attack was not their fault. They all appear to be returning to. Wanganui. The report of the N.Z.S.N. Company was carried last night by 40 to 16.

Major Atkinson baa resigned his seat for Taranaki in the Assembly. "WELLi_:GTO]sr, Nov. 12. The Governor left for Wanganui this morning by Cobb's Coach, accompanied by Mr Stafford and suite. Colonel Haultain went there by sea last night. Further telegrams from Napier state that 30 European men, women, .and children were murdered, besides 20 of the Friendlies. Ten houses also were burnt. Lieutenant Grascoyne, who was in command of the neighboring stockade, is waiting for assistance. The St. JB-ilda had gone to Poverty Bay prior to the receipt of the disastrous intelligence. She and the Ahuriri were to take up reinforcements consisting of both Europeans and Natives. The schooner Eagle arrived at Napier this morning, bringing a good many j fugitives from other portions of the i coast. The place attacked was Matewherowhero, about seven miles from the township or village at Turanganui. Firing was heard at Turanganui, and an armed party, which went out to ascertain, -fcko oauao, mot thft fugitives COmillg thither. The search made for the bodies revealed many of them in the flax and scrub, having been shot while in the act of escaping. The few details yet to hand show the surprise to have been complete, several having been murdered in their beds. Major Biggs, Captain Wilson, and several of the others, were long settlers in this Province. The gloom occasioned is very great. Our only consolation is that it must rouse the Colony to energetic action. A public meeting on the subject is in contemplation. A deputation waited on Mr Hall and Mr Richmond to-day, to assure them that it was the desire of the people to strengthen their hands in taking active measures. Napiee, November 12. 46 persons are known to have been massacred at Poverty Bay, and many are still missing. The Eagle arrived to-day with _0 women and children. The Ahuriri has been taken up and despatched with seventy Ahuriri natives under the command of Captains Tuke and Westrupp. Scarcely a house is left standing. The Hauhaus are now entrenched in Mr Bloomfield's house. Oamabtt , November 12. The Agricultural and Pastoral Society's show held here to-day was on the whole a success, especially in the classes of Merinos, of which there were seventytwo pens exhibited, twenty-one being long-woolled. The show of entire horses was very fine, but that of cattle, on the contrary was poor. The prize for the best ram was taken by Messrs Borton and M'Master, and that for the best ewe by Mr HasseU. Most of the other prizes for Merinos were taken by Messrs Teschemaker and HasseU. The prizes for the best four and twotooth Leicester rams were taken by Messrs .Aitcheson and Hunter respectively. Mr Holmes and Mr Lofty took the prizes for the best draught entire ; Mr Harris and Mr Cressy for the best thoroughbred entire; Mr Holmes for the best draught mare; Mr Paterson for the best thoroughbred mare ; and Mr Q-. Gh Eussell for the best hack. The prizes for the best short-horned bull and cow were carried off by Mr Lemon and Mr Fenwick respectively; that for the best dairy cow by Mr M'Master ; and that for the best boar by Mr Hassell. The prize for the best three bushels of barley was taken by Mr Burke; and in agricultural implements, all the prizes fell to Messrs Eeid and Gray, Oamaru.