LATER FROM OPOTIKI. SUCCESSFUL ENGAGEMENT WITH THE HAUHAUS. TWENTY-FIVE NATIVES KILLED. CASUALTIES ON OUR SIDE: THREE KILLED AND TWO WOUNDED. THREE NATIVES TAKEN PRISONERS. CAPTURE OF ONE OF THE MURDERERS OF FULLOON.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXI, Issue 2572, 16 October 1865, Page 5

LATER FROM OPOTIKI. SUCCESSFUL ENGAGEMENT WITH THE HAUHAUS. TWENTY-FIVE NATIVES KILLED. CASUALTIES ON OUR SIDE: THREE KILLED AND TWO WOUNDED. THREE NATIVES TAKEN PRISONERS.

CAPTURE OF ONE OF THE MURDERERS OF FULLOON.

By the anival, j'esterday, of the schooner 'Jano,' Captain Faulkner, wo have three days' later news tlnu thatcontiined in the own conespmident's letter of the iWsoii Colonist, ■ttlnch avill be found re-piinted in another column The ' J.xua' put into OpotiLi on Sunday, the Ist instant, but in taking the bar narrowly escaped grounding ab the place where the as. 'Huntiess' went ashore. 'I he natives were ohseivedin laige numbeis on the neighbouring hill, and in onler to avoid the possibility of being fired upon whilst lying off the bar Captain .Faulkner pub out t 0 sea for the night 1 , and anchored in the liver on the following morning, the 2nd instant. Dining the night, nn expeditionniy foice of 330 men — being 200 Volunteers and Foie«t Rangers, and 150 of tha Native Contingent, in command of M.ijor Macdonnell—inarched fiom Opotiki in the duection of the enemy's pas, at "Waiapu, where it was believed Kere opa or some of the nnglcadeis of tJie O[uitilu and Whakatane rnuideis were to be found. 'J he force inarched in good style across several swamps, and ciossed a l n'er in canoes, but had not proceeded much fuither when it was discovered that several lagoons stood in the way of an cvtended march, with any hope of sui pijsing the enemy. The foice letinned to Opotiki, in order to await a inoie favourable opportunity. Several parties of men went out dining the day, and brought in large quantities of loot and piovisioii9, and destioyed much more. Two pas weio set fire to and burnt to the gionnd dining these leconnoitres. laige quantities of provisions were found in one pa after its descition by the natives. On Wednesday, the 4tU instant, other parties went out lo scour the place, but had to return in consequence of meeting with an overwhelming force »f rebels, who gave chace, but our men succeeded in escaping. The troops and Native Contingent men tinned oub iv search of the pursueis, the latter in the meantime senc 1 ! < reinforcements. Our forces thm maiche 1 in Uio direction of the pa in which the majouty of tho enemy weio statioued. Tho Forest Rangers were the fijit to eh-Mgo it, and weie repulsed. Much tact was exhibited by our men under these circumstances, and the Kangeis had no sooner dr.iwu out a considerable body of the rebels in pursuit of them than they very gallantly faced about, and killed nine natives, wounding another. The natives still held possession of the pa, bnt later in the day another and more successful charge was made, which resulted in tho low of sixteen on the side of tho enemy, .and three of our men killed and one wounded. The men killed were militia volunteers. The pa, with two others, was set firo to iv the night, but the natives effected their escape, under cover of night. It is some satisfaction to know that amongst those killed one of the ringleaders in tho Volkner tragedy has been identified Tkieo natives wounded were taken prisoners. Koreopa is known to have been in the pa at the time of the attack, and after its capture several book*, which formerly belonged to tho unfortunate Mr Volkner, together with two or three chairs and a table, wero found. One of the murderers of James Fulloon Lad been identified and captured at Matata, and sent on to Opotiki in the schooner ' Mavis, ' which armed the day before tho 'Jane' left for this port. There was likewise another prisoner in the ' Mavii/ sent down from Matata. Owing to th« proclamation of martial law in the Opotiki district, the men accused of these murders can bo tried by court martial, aud, if tho charge is clearly m&de out against them, thot. It was stated to bo the intention of the military authorities there to adopt that course. The schooner 'Mavis' picked up a boat with six men in it off Whakatnne, twoof whom were soldiersin the act of desertion. The boat was discovered pulling towaids tho coast, aud when captured was found to have been stolon from Mr. Strong, at Mercury Bay. The six men were made priuoneig. Dr. .Agnisiz was a pasienger by the 'Jane' for Opotiki, where he has been employed as interpreter to the forces. Dr. Agatsiz was at Opotiki when Mr. Volkner was murdered, and would therefore be able to identify those native* who took a prominent part n tho murder.