LATEST PROVINCIAL NEWS.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 562, 2 October 1869, Page 2

LATEST PROVINCIAL NEWS.

TEIAL OF MAORI PRISONERS. THE 3.5. TARANAKI AFLOAT. THE THAMES GOLDFIELDS. TE KOOTI'S LAST DEFEAT. (BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.) (feoji our ow.\ correspondent.) WEiMSTGIoar, Friday. Eight Maoris, late prisoners on board ship in this harbor, were tried yesterday for high treason. The jury retired at seven o'clock, and at two in the morning came to the decision that they were guilty. Their sentences have been deferred. The steamer Taranaki has been completely raised.' She is now entering Wellington harbor. (from the nelson papers.) Wellington, September 21 News has been received from Auckland to the 20th.

Flour has advanced to £l6 a ton. The Prince Alfred steamer brought clown 4000 ounces of gold from the Thames. O'Connor reports favorably from the Upper Thames. He threatens to prosecute for libel the parties who accused him of Fenianism. The Virginia claim at Coromandel has yielded nugget specimens surpassing anything at the Thames. A mining: journal has been published at the Thames. The coming election for the Superintendent is causing great excitement throughnut the Province of Auckland. In Poverty Bay, fires have been seen on the ranges, supposed to be Hauhau signals. Napier, Monday. Te Kooti with a force from 250 to 300 strong, attacked Takano, one of the positions occupied by our force, on Saturday. Severe fighting took place, which resulted in our force (which' consisted of 249 Natives and two or three European officers) defeating the enemy with considerable loss, estimated et thirty. Seven dead bodies fell into our hands. The enemv fled.

Col. M'Donnell says the enemy has plenty of ammunition, that he fired 2000 rounds, and there were found 30 and 40 rounds of Enfield ammunition in some of the pouches taken. Seven of our forces (natives) were wounded, which were all our casualties. All appear to have behaved well.

The Wanganuis, under Kemp, had not yet reached McDonnell's position,, and apportion of his force at Eotoaira, including the Armed Constabulary, was not engaged. Eotoaira is eight miles from Takauo. i No. 2 Division of the Constabulary had also not arrived at the time of the engagement, but was close up. A general attack was to be made on the enemy to-day (Monday.) Dunedist, Monday. Mr Macandrew's meeting with his constituents was largely attended. He elaborately explained the Hundreds Bill. After severe questioning, a vote of confidence was carried. The returns as yet in show Mr Browne elected to the General Assembly for Wallace.