THE OPEPE RAID.

Evening Post, Volume VI, Issue 33, 23 March 1870, Page 2

THE OPEPE RAID.

Tlie following particulars of TeKooti's late attack on tlie native settlement at Opspe, are given by the correspondents of the Auckland papeis :—: — (From, the Herald). Opotiki, 7th March. This morning the cutter Woodstock ararived, after a rapid run from Auckland of chirty hours. Shortly after her arrival some of the Whakatoheas came into camp, looking frantic, and almost naked. They reported that the Hau Haus, headed by Te Kooti, had attacked their settlement, and made prisoners of what men, women, and children, they could la} r their hands on, and begged for assistance. Captain Walker, commanding the district, immediately sent a despatch to Ohiwa for the Arawas to come and assist, with as many men as they could muster. He also sent for the Wanganui natives that were stationed at Ohiwa. The Arawas arrived the same day ; the Wanganui natives, under their officer Topia, arriving next morning (Tuesday). Captain Walker on. Tuesday morning took about twenty Europeans and thirty Arawas, aud proceeded to the place where the Hau Haus were supposed to have been the day before. On arriving at the Waiau river, Capt. Walker proposed going up the river to ascertain what damage had been done to the cultivations, and to endeavour to get in any of the Whakatoheas that had concealed themselves in the scrub from the Hau Haus. The Arawas took up their position on the sand hills, at the river, aud declined to go up the river. Captain Walker went with the few Europeans he had. and when within a mile or so of the supposed position, a little Maori boy came out of the scrub, and called out to them uot to tire L that he had made his escape from the Hau Haus ; that he saw them tomahawk., his father and mother, and that they were quite close at hand. Captain Walker ordered his small force to retire — and a fortunate thing it was for him that he did so, as they (the Hau Haus) were attempting to cut off his retreat. He remained with the Arawas on the sand hills some time, and then ordered them to retire to the camp ; this they said they would do when some of their men, who had gone scouting, returned. Captain Walker then returned to Opotiki, as it was uncertain that the main body might not be meditating an attack on she township. {Shortly after his return, the Arawas returned and reported that two of cfaeir men, Heteraka Main, son of the wellkn.:_.\vn Wni Marsh, a young man highly respejtedby all Europeans who were acquainted with him, and Awaawa, had been shot. This was shortly after veriried by the arrival in camp of the two bodies — Marsh shot and tomahawked, and Awaawa shot in three places. It appears that the unfortunate men advanced up to the j>a, and seeing natives there thought them, to be Whakatohea?. They were quickly undeceived. They then opened a brisk lire on the pa,, when the Hau Haus retired, and they were enabled to recover the bodies. I*h.ey express great grief xt their loss, and have taken the bodies to Ohiwa for transit to-M£££etu. It is difficult '

to describe the sorrowful aspect which is shown at this sad calamity — the Arawa at the loss of their chief, the Whakatoheasi at the loss ' of their wives and children. The "umber of the Whakatohea women &c. , taken prisoners, "is estimated at about fifty. When their husbands and relations return from the front, where they now are with Major Kemp, indignation I fear will be greatly felt at no attempt at rescue having been made. A bad policy this somehow. Some person must be to blame in the matter. (From the Southern Cross. ) Wednesday, 9th March. This morning a report was circulated amongst some of the. Whakatoheas that yesterday the Arawa had /discovered an i old man, "one of the Whakatoheas in a whare by himself, he being so old that he could not escape the enemy, and that they (the Arawa) had unmercifully put him to death. The cavalry had left for Opepe on a reconnoitring expedition, and the bodies of- the two Arawa,. who were killed were taken to Ohiwa iv a/ boat this morning. A native came into camp this evening, and stated that on Sunday evening, when the place (Oinaramutu) was attacked 1 , he and five others managed to crawl away- through the standing corn and ix'uXe — managing to take their arms with them. They, by some circuitous route, man* aged to get on the top. of a. large hill at the, back of Oiuaramutu, and saw the enemy in force in the bed of the Waiana river and " cultivations below. They were very busy hurrying about catching horses, and securi ing prisoners. He calculated they are about 1 00 strong, and that Te Kooti is amongst them. They left and went up the valley about throe o'clock this af ternoon, ' f orniiug an open square, with their prisoners in the centre, consisting of men, women, and children of all ages. The cavalry returned, *f^~ porting nothing particular. " iOtE March. Topia and his men marched this morning to the Waiana, to see if they could ascertain the movements of tho enemy. They proceeded some distance up the river on the trail of the enemy, and fouud that, after proceeding some nine miles up the Waiana, the enemy had struck up a spur leading towards Torere, William King's settlement. Topia seeniy to think, from a conversation I have had with him, that only a small party canto down to the beach to attack Omaraihutu, for the further they went up the valley the stronger seemed the force of the enemy, that is, judging from tracks, fires. &c. Topia has taken up his quarters at Oinaramutu. The general opinion of the Whakatohea is that the Hau Haus intend paying them another visit, otherwise they would have burned the whares and destroyed the crops, which they have left untouched. 13th Marulx. Kemp and his force occupy the large house ab Peria, known as Mr. Volkuer's house. Kemp informs me that it is his intention to send a party of the Whakatoheas up the Waiana, and some of Wi Kingi's Tatanas, and the other people up the streams and ri'lges which lead from the different settlements along the coast to the line of march Te Kooti would probably take, were he to move in the direction of Wairoa. (Poverty Bay). Great alarm exists along the coast, even so , far as Te Kaha, where the groater part of the w^men and children arc congregated. Nearly all the men are taken from .the- settlenfeuts, lo strengthen Kemp's force, and the few who remain keep a very sharp look-out, posting sentries day and night. v The - prevalent opinion amongst the natives generally ia that Te Kooti has no intention of moving his position, otherwise ho would have destroyed the Whakatohea cultivations and whares at Waiana and Opape ; he will want these for food aud shelter, and when he makes another raid no place would suit him so well. He; has the most impregnable part of the Ure-~ wera country at his back, which has proved unequal to the efforts of our Tsest commanding officers to penetrate. 17th March. The news from Opotiki since my last is very indefinite and unsatisfactory, so much so that our worthy Commissioner, Mr. Clarke, instructed Colonel M'Donneli to proceed overland to that place on Tuesday, in order that the Government may be put in possession of the real state of affairs in that quarter. 'Native letters from Opotiki have been received, but they are so contradictory in themselves that a person can neither make head nor tail of them. One of them is a very ridiciilous one, which is that Major Kemp .has been up the Uriwera country, and. accepted the submission of some of the arch-savages who have killed and feasted upon innocent civilians for some time past. Amongst their victims were poor Bennett White and Pitcairn. These inea are said by report to have given themselves up, and been pardoned on condition that they will." assist in capturing Te Kooti; and it is said that they are off in pursuit in, company with Major Kemp. If such should be a fact, I would suggest to Government to select some isolated spot for these characters to live in, for so sure as they are recognised as3ociatiug where Europeans are mingling,' will their lives be in danger j but I don't believe this story, though many do, for there is something beyond the ridiculous about it.