OPUNAKE.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3542, 3 May 1880, Page 2

OPUNAKE.

• Saturday. THE WAIMATE PLAINS.

The Armed Constabulary, after staying an hour.at Opunake, left that place for the advance camp at 2.30. The camp is about sixty chains to. the north of Te Umuroa, at a place called Upua, and thus will be on to Te Whiti's sacred portion. The short march from Opunake was soon completed. On arriving at Opua, a Maori settlement on a branch of Muuroa creek, the men went to work with a will, and in a very short space of time the tents were pitched on the ground already cleared by a part of men under Captain Morrison. Mr Cheal has about sixty mains already laid off, and reports no difficulty as regards swamp or other obstacles of any importance, between the camp and Ngariki, a distance of seven miles, along the edge of the bush; This line leaves the old road TJmuiou and strikes inland. The natives at present at Opua consist of Datives of Wiremu Kingi's men now in prison, and also of a number of Whangarei natives aow at Purihaka, who have come to Opua to plough land for growing wheat. There is nut the slightest sign of any opposition. Captain Fortescue has received orders to move on to the new camp at Opua with all his men, Constabulary and unemployed and is now on the march. This will make the number at Opua about 350 men. The camp is rapidly advancing to the usual orderly appearance which has characterised the previous encampments. The natives have not interfered by protest or otherwise, although the camp is on the "sacred portion," which Te Whiti says shall not be trespassed on. There can be no doubt that Te Whiti will be able to explain away his assertion, as he has his previous one, but the determined advance must have a great and good moral effect on the natives.