RETURN OF THE STURT FROM THE EAST COAST.

Auckland Star, Volume I, Issue 84, 16 April 1870, Page 2

RETURN OF THE STURT FROM THE EAST COAST.

DEPARTURE OF THE PRISONERS EOR WELLINGTON.

SEIZURE OE BEBEL GUN-

POWDER.

NATIVE ALLIES RETURN TO

j THEIR HOMES. (The Colonial gunboat Sturt, Captain I Fairchild, arrived in harbour from the East Coast yesterday evening. We are courteously placed in possession of the following account of the Defence Minister's tour :— The Honorable Donald McLean, Native and Defence Minister, accompanied by Mr. H. E. Clarke, left Auckland on the night of the 6th instant, on board the Colonial Government p.s. Sturt, for Opotiki. She arrived off the river at 4 o'clock on the morning of the Bth, and anchored the.c, having to wait for the flood tide to take her over the bor. The Star of the South had anchored a short time before, bringing letters for Mr. McLean from Mr. Fox and the General Government agent at INapier. At 9 a.m. the Sturt entered the river, and Mr. McLean was received at the landing place by a large number of natives, principally Ngatiporou and Wanganui, under their leaders, Majors Ropata and Kemp, who had been for some days anxiously awaiting his arrival. Mr. iVi cLean visited il,__ _>_____u_i_ nf the Wanganui and Ngatiporou, and complimcnfecT mem on mti. _..-^ success. The question of another expedition into the Uriwera country was discussed, but the natives—especially those of Major Ropata's divisionwere so very footsore—^boils and sores having broken cut on the legs and feet of many of them, and the season having become excessively cold in the mountain regions of the Urewera country—it was decided to send the natives back to their homes. The Star of the South, after discharging her cattle and sheep in Auckland, was engaged to convey to Wellington the ■ prisoners taken at Waioeka, who are known to be either immediate followers of Te Kooti, or men v>ho have rendered him active assi-tanee. In addition to these, she was to take the Wanganui Contingent back to their homes. Tho total number of prisoners taken, including the Whakatohea, who went out from Opape, was 325. Eightyfive of these, including women, wei-e said to bo Te Kooti's immediate followers. Thirty-five men were confined to the Redoubt, and closely guarded, A preliminary examination of witnesses against them was conducted before Mr. Clarke, Civil Commissioner, and Colonel St. John, the commanding officer at Opotiki; the result being that thirtytwo of them were committed for trial under the Disturbed Districts Act, 1869. A question arose about forty-five women who had been taken, and were in charge of tlie chief Topia. Mr. McLean informed the chief that the Government did not regard women and children as prisoners, and that they should elect where they should go to, understanding that they should not return to Te Kooti. To this arrangement Topia agreed, and the women .went to their respective friends. The Star of the South returned from Auckland on the morning of the 11th, aud embarked three hundred and sixty-two Native Contingent, seventeen women, and thirty-one prisoners—the Sturt taking^ them out of the river to her. After the embarkation of the Wanganui, Mr. McLean met the Whakatohea, against whom charges of complicity with Te Kooti had been made, although, not fully substantiated: The Whakatohea were given to understand that the Government was in possession of information tending to implicate their tribe, and that it had been a matter of consideration whether they should not be disarmed or removed to some other place. They admitted that there were some grounds for suspicion against certain individuals, but said that the tribe generally were innocent. They instanced the active assistance they had lately rendered Major Kemp : —they said that

many of Te Kooti's followers (Chatham Island prisoners) had met then-death at tbeir hands ; and that when the attack was made on Opape, the chief Ranapia succeeded in escaping with all the Government arms and ammunition entrusted to him. The Whakatoheu were given to understand that they would be narrowly watched: and Major Rapata and the chiefs Willim King, Te Hata, and le Tatana were desired to keep an eye upon them. Eapata went so far as to say that if he found any more double dealing on their part, he would treat them as enemies and punish them accordingly. On the following day the Ngatiporous, with Mr. McLean and Mr- Clarke, embarked on board the Sturt for the East Coast, the Bangatira having opportunely arrived in the morning to assist. The Stnrt and the Kangatira proceeded to Hick's Bay, where both arrived same Bight- . . .i Karly on the following morning the Native Minister had a meeting with the chiefs Houkamau,TeMokeua,and Kopata. He expressed his satisfaction with the conduct of the Ngatiporou tribe and the willingness with which they had afforded assistbnee to the Government on every occasion. Mr. McLean also said he hoped the good feeling which now existed would always continue, and on the part ot the Government he formally relinquished, with certain exceptions, all claims to land within the Ngatiporou territory. This declaration appeared to give much satisfaction to the chief, and has removed all anxiety of irritation connected with an old vexed question. The Sturt then proceeded to Open Bay to land Major Bopata and his immediate followers. The Bangatira, with Mr. Lock, who had come from Napier, to offer any assistance, called at the different places on the coast to land the rest of the jNgatiporou. After landing Bopata, the Sturt'returned, calling on the way at Ohiwa, and the Defence Minister visited the post held by Captain Wiremu Maihi, which is a well-constructed redoubt, in a very important position, and is kept in excellent order. Mr. McLean next visited Whakatane to see the position which tlie Constabulary are to occupy; after which the Sturt proceeded for Auckland, calling at.Mercury Bay. It is worthy of remark, that although there were thirteen hundred natives, most of them from opposite sides of the island, camped at Opotiki for a considerable time, they are reported by the Commanding Officer r, of the district to have behaved in a most orderly, temperate, and becoming manner, which reflects great credit upon the chiefs under whose directions they were serving. The last affair at VVaioeka, is one of the most effective blows yet given to Te Kooti and his followers. Several notorious characters are ■ amongst the prisoners— Tamati Tarahu, who is deeply implicated in the Poverty Bay massacre ; Te Tauaro, a near relative of Hakaraia, and the principal in the murder of a Tauranga military settler, named Campbell, in January, 1867 ; Eru Nopenope, and some Chatham Islands prisoners (the number of whom now at large is said to be reduced to seven), are men who have taken part_in —- —---.. 7 -__.i_.c_.n_lfi and fight since the affair at Whakatane. Th py have also lost _U kegs of ammunition and a bag of bullets, which had been concealed in the mountains at the back of Opotiki, for Te Kooti's use, and upon which supply he placed great reliance.