THE KING NATIVES AND TE KOOTI. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.)

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVI, Issue 3888, 7 February 1870, Page 4

THE KING NATIVES AND TE KOOTI. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.)

Alexandra, Sunday, 5 p.m. The King natives are all arming, ,and many of them are not easily restrained from -joining Te Kooti. ° They await, the orders of King Tawhiao as to whether they shall do so or not. Tawhjao, J believe on good authority, sympathises with Te Kooti, who is in daily communication with Tokangamutu. The natives only await Tawhiao's word. Cambridge, February 6, 9.15 p.m. Native messengers have come into Tapapa -with important news. They report that Colonel Fraser fell m with a 'body of the enemy, believed to be under the head of Te Kooti, who fired upon Colonel McDonnells men from a thick bush. Ho, however, gallantly led his men into the biibh, and the natives decamped. We lost one European and two natives. Colonel Fraser is in pursuit. The following is the official report of the late skirmish at the Front :— " Camp Tapapa, January 25, 1870— On the evening of the 24th, I sent Kemp and 200 Whanganui natives on, to have a nearer view oi the enemy's position, and arranged to attack it at daybreak, Kemp remaining out all nioftt. The rest of the forces were to start early and meet him. This morning, just as we were about to start, I was attacked from a busli close to the village, and a smart fire ensued. Of course, we drove them off, /flit not till we had one native killed and six wounded, and one European dangerously wounded. The enemy left three bodies behind them, and must have suffered, as we Were firing at each other within 30 yards. Kemp, hearing the firing, crept up fco Te Kooti s position, and, when clo^e to. he was fired on, but soon drove the enemy (only some ten m?i\) out of it, they taking to the bush. He burned the villaoe (it was not a pa), took and brought in" 100 horses, and repents having shot 20 moie This I consuler a severe loss to the enemy. I have spent to-day in making this place defensible, and will mount as many men as we can to-morrow (about 130) at daylight, and vide to Hoiohoio, or m that dnectton, sending a stiong party thiough the bush, and see u 1 can come upon the enemy. 1 learnt irom the pusoners that Hakaraia and Te \\ «mi are with him. — McDoxnlll."