Hawke's Bay Herald TUESDAY. APRIL 12, 1870. NATIVE INTELLIGENCE.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 14, Issue 114, 12 April 1870, Page 2

Hawke' s Bay Herald TUESDAY. APRIL 12, 1870. NATIVE INTELLIGENCE.

There is now some hope for the peace of the country, it being pretty obvious that the race is nearly run of the miscreant who has so long kept the Northern Island in a tumult, and so seriously damaged the prospects of its settlers. The information contained in our last issue of the defeat of Te Kooti by Ropata has been confirmed by intelligence since received from Auckland. Te Kooti had occupied the settlement of Maraitai, and ltopata attacked it, although, from the comparatively feeble resistance offereJ, be doubted whether Te Kooti was actually present. After some firing, during which 19 of the defenders of the pah, including Hakaraia, were killed, the pah was taken, but most of the inmates escaped, who, however, were intercepted and taken by Major Kemp, to the number of over 300, including 20 to 30 ot Te Kooti's fighting men— the rest being chiefly women and children. Ropata wished at once to execute the men, but Topia and Kemp objected, and they were all taken prisoners to Opotiki. Te Kooti, with a following of about 20, including Rakuraku, Kereopa, and Karanatrack leading to the Waimana ranges. The Hon. the Defence Minister left Auckland on the 7th instant, in the p.s. Sturfc, to meet the friendly natives and arrange matters at Opotiki. The Rangatira left Napier on Sunday evening at nine o'clock for Opotiki, with despatches for the Defence Minister. A report has come by way of Taupo that the prisoners taken by Ropata gave information that, on the day after that on which Te Kooti was attacked, he intended making a dash at the Taupo post, he having told off a party for that purpose.