ROPATA STILL IN PURSUIT OF TE KOOTI.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVI, Issue 3961, 3 May 1870, Page 6

ROPATA STILL IN PURSUIT OF TE KOOTI.

By thearrivalof the schooner 'Tawera,'Captvin J. Kennedy, we learn that the survey; of Und at Mohanga, for the defence force, which bad recently been stopped, had again been resumed, in expectation of the arrival of the men from Napier to occupy the land j the persons at present located on the la_nd bejng only substitutes. The surveying parses. ar* bein<* protected by a number of the Armed Constabulary and mounted Volunteers. The several vessels leaving for Napier took * lar<>e number of passengers to Napier to ftt* tend the sale of General Government land, to be held at that place. , < . \ *ir At the present there aw , about _ fifteen settlera at Mohanga, who are busily emptoytd. building • blook-howtfor nh^lter, m th«

event of tiny disturbance's arising in that ctis trict. Ropata, it i 3 said, is determined to earn the £5,000 offered by the Government for the capture of Te Kooti, and to this end has split his forces lip into small parties, any of which ■ will, it ia auppnsed, be strong enough to take him in his present weakened condition, should they be fortunate enough to find him. By the arrival of the regular-trading cutter 'Woodstock,' Captain Bakei-, we are put in possession of later news from Opotiki. ; Captain Baker informs us that two of Te j Kooti's band came into Opotiki on April last, and surrendered themselves to the Government. They report Te Kooti, with about 20 followers, to be still in the Waioeka Gorge, and that it is his intention to remain there quietly unless molested by our peoplo. We also learn that everything else is quiet at Opotiki, and that patrolling parties are regularly sent out to reconnoitre day and night, and every precaution is being taken against any sudden attack. From a private letter, reoeived in town, we learn that a party were preparing to proceed to the place where Te Kooti is reported by the two natives to be hidden, _____