REPORTED GATHERING OF REBEL NATIVES AT ROTORUA.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIII, Issue 3118, 15 July 1867, Page 4

REPORTED GATHERING OF REBEL NATIVES AT ROTORUA.

By the arrival on Saturday evening of the steamer ' Tauranga from Tauranga, the very startling news "was brought that a large body of Waikato rebels had gathered in the Eotorua district, and had stopped communication on the road between jßotorua andMaketu. It was said that the rebels numbered some hundreds, and that they were determined on sparing no persons who fell in their way. They had, it is said, received their commission to fight direct from the King. On inquiry as to how the above news reached Tauranga, we learn that it was brought there on the day the steamer sailed, from Maketu, by Betreat Tapsell, who had got it from the Botorua mailman. So far as we oan learn, no official cbmmunication. has been received from Mr. Clarke, at Tauranga, or Mr. Mackay, who is at present at Maketu. We may say at once that we quite disbelieve .that part of the story about the shutting' up of the Waikato and Eotorua road. The track through the forest from Patatere, over which the rebels would have travelled, enter* the Eotorua district behind the old .pa of Puralm, and from that place to the , neareit point of the Maketu road is twelve or fifteen miles, passing close to the loyal settlement of Kaikaitahnna and the pa of the ISTgatipikiao at the ftofcoiti. As to the fact of the gathering, we have little doubt that at all events the numbers are greatly exaggerated. We have no news from Waikato tending to confirm the statement; indeed, what we have heard it rather of an opposite character. Perhaps the report originates 'from the ETgatitengakaus and Ngatirangiwewehis having come back to Hotorua from Patatere, with not the most distant idea of fighting. At all events, the friendly Arawas in that district arequite able to take care of themselves. We have no doubt that in a very few days we shall learn the real faots of tho matter from Maketu.