LATEST FROM THE EAST COAST.

Auckland Star, Volume I, Issue 76, 6 April 1870, Page 2

LATEST FROM THE EAST COAST.

PAIiTICULABS ;OF THE LATE ENGAGEMENT.

The cutter Woodstock arrived in harbour from Opotiki yesterdaj afternoon, baring left there on Sunday last. The master of the cutter confirms the intelligence previously received of the engagement between Kemp and Te Kooti. When the Woodstock jleft the whole of the prisoners were in the redoubt, with a strict guard over them. Provisions were becoming scarce, owing to the non-arrival of a steamer. The following letter is from our own correspondent:—

Opotiki, April 2. Events have been rather stirring since my last letter, and Opotiki has become almost aMaori prison. We have 1300 moutlis to feed in the place, and provisions, I am sorry to say, arc very scarce. A steamer with supplies is looked for rather anxiously, and at present all the available cattle are being killed for provisions.

Some days ago Major Kemp started off on an expedition against the rebels with the wholo of his force, and went up the Opotiki Gorge. There he found two pas, which lie surrounded and captured with their defenders (not very numerous). Shortly afterwards Hopata made a foray with his following, being unaware of the whereabouts of Kemp. He went up the Waiaweka Gorge and came upon a pa held by Te Kooti. An action ensued, in which two or three rebels were killed, and the rest bolted, followed by Ropata. Their retreat was, however, cut off by the positian of Kemp, into whose hands they fell. Te Kooti was recognised and fired at, but escaped into the bush. Kereopa was also seeiii but not recognised until too late. All who laid down their arms were made prisoners and secured, and those who refused to submit were tomahawked. Amongst the latter was the vagabond Hakaraia, who was cut down by some of the Wanganui natives. Some of the natives cut off his head, and wished to bring it into camp, but this Kemp would not allow. In consequence of this large capture, we have now 303 prisoners in the settlement, a largo proportion of whom are women and children ; but amongst the lot are 32 young fighting men, and two men whom I recognise as former Chatham Island convicts. The fifty men captured by Ropata some time since are also in durance vile, and ull the fricndlies in the neighbourhood are hillected in the township. Te Kooti is believeSFw b° still in the neighbourhood of the spbft where the action took place. I write in haste, having been uuablo to fijid time for n detailed narrative.