LATEST NEWS.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 13, Issue 1033, 23 March 1869, Page 3

LATEST NEWS.

(From the " Independent," March 20.) By Cobb's coach last night -we have received Wanganui papers to the 18th insfc. The following extracts are abridged from the Chronicle : — THE FIGHT AT OTOIA. Even now little additional to what we have already published is known of the fight at Otoia. Ifc is certainly very singular that up to the date of the latest accounts from the Front there is not a particle of intelligence of Kemp and his men, who, it may be remembered, started in pursuit of the enemy on Sunday forenoon. Fires have been seen several miles inland of Manutahi, but whether these are Eemp's or the enemy's, no. one has been able to make out. The woman prisoner, but she is a most unreliable informant, states that Titoko was not in the fight at Otoia — that he had gone to Taranaki with some, sixty men a few days previously. She also states what had been rumoured before, and seems likely enough, that the Waitotara natives have not left their own ground — that they express themselves as having only joined Titoko under compulsion and when he was in their territory — but that they declined to follow him across the river, and are right glad that he is gone. Their remaining in the Waitotara is quilo probable, but their professions of past unwilling fighting and present pacific intentions should be accepted with large allowance. In connection with the above intelligence we havo been requested to give publicity to the following warning : — TRokowaru's force having been broken up by Col. Whit more, a portion thereof has returned to the Waitotara, — that district is therefore considered unsafe and I am instructed by Col. Whitmoro to warn settlers of the danger attending journeys in that district in too small parties aud unarmed. Ma job Noake, Major Com. "W.M.D.