THE PURSUIT OF TE KOOTI.—HIS LAST ESCAPE.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 160, 13 April 1872, Page 3

THE PURSUIT OF TE KOOTI.—HIS LAST ESCAPE.

The Poverty Bay correspondent of the Hawke’s Bay Herald writes on March 30 : —Captain.’ Porter returned from Nulinka on the 18th inst. He had not seen anything of Te Kooti, although it was known that he was known on the Coast : there were then five parties out after him, one under Sub-Inspector Ferris from Wairoa, one under Inspector Pitt, and one under Sub-Inspector Richardson from this place, and two parties of natives. I believe that a great many people from Wairoa volunteered also for the expedition : in fact, as the mailman stated, there was a cordon of sentries from the Murewai to the Wairoa in sight of each other.—April 2 : We hear that Tc Kooti lias again escaped. He coolly walked across the track between two sentries and got off, and it was not known for some time after that he had done so. Most or the Constabulary have returned here. Inspector Pitt, with a lot of natives, are still out in pursuit, but I think it is a vain quest. Anyone that has even been in the New Zealand bush will understand how easy it is for a party to pass through without being heard or seen. Tin. smaller the party the better. I cannot close my letter without paying a tribute to the pluck and energy evinced by the Constabulary in their late expeditions. Very few people are aware, perhaps, that when out on an expedition no fires arc allowed, lest the smoke should be seen by the enemy. They have to subsist on hard biscuits, with occasionally a piece of o.ocon, and damp earth for their bed, no tent, frequently wet, cold, and hungry. It requires more than ordinary determination for men to face privations such as these. Cross.