WAIKATO.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 14, Issue 708, 12 August 1869, Page 3

WAIKATO.

The following letter is from the Alexandra correspondent of the New Zealand Herald, who writes under date August 2 :

I was not prepared by last mail to give you an opinion as to the native affairs oi this district; I therefore refrained from writing, and concented myself with sending you a telegram. I now give you the latest intelligence, together with my opinion as to the result of Te Kooli's visit to this district. Uf course lam open to correction, but from my intimate acquaintance with the natives of this and other diet'ids for many years, I believe that the Waikatos are playing a double game at the present time, and for this reason —the VVaikatos invited Te Kooti to the district; they are allowing him to build a pa ; thev did not interfere whh him when he burnt down a house belonging to them atHangitaki; they suoply liim with food ; and still they fay, if report is to be believed, that they want him out of the district. 1 caiim t see it, and will not believe it at present, 'lime will prove it. It is an ascertained fact that Te Kooti, with 2UU m< n, is building a pa about,seen miles from Tokangamutu, for what purpose is not at present known. Rewi has joined '■te Kooti, and is said to be porangi with excitement. Te Heuheu, Horoi uhu, and people, aie known to be with TV; Kooti, an.'! his cavalry consists of forty mounted 2Jen, well armed witli swords, revolvers, carbines, &c. Out ot 2(.'0 men who landed with Te Kooti from the Chathams, he has only 60 leit, the remainder having fallen in battle. One hundred and fifty Uriweras are with Te Kooti, and the remainder is composed of Te Heuheu's and Horonuku's peup e.

'i'e Kooti knows well that in this distiict there is plenty of loot in the shape of cattle, &.c, not mentioning the amount ol clothing to be obtained from Louis Hettit's and otlier stores By the bye 1 believe he '* still indebted to Mr Hettit to the amount of £l4 for goods sold and delivered. The following is from the JSgaruawahia correspondent of the New Zealand Herald, the letter bearing date 3rd August; — I hear it is in contemplation to petition the Government to disband the Waikato Qiilitia. JNo doubt this will be a fine t .ing 'or employers, but it must be remembered we nave the Wairoa and Kazorback Militia and volunteers on duty in the Waj-|

kato, and should the above ptvjoet be car ried out, most likelj they will demand to be sunt to their homes, with the idea that if the Waikato can do without its own militia, it can well spare them also. Our force should not be weakenod at any point while that bloodthirsty hound, To Kooti is hovering round oar frontiers. We know that lie is building a pa a few miles from us, and daily ex ecting Titokowaru to join him ; and, if we can rely on information, Rewi has j »ined bin. Then why weaken our force by the diabandment of some 'lO J men. If so, probably we shall have to chronicle a rehearsal of the Poverty Bay massacre. B sides, where is the use of disbanding the militia this week on the pretence of "everything quiet at the front," when next neek, if there is not a real alarm, some one will raise an itnagiuary one, and have them on pay again? i'he promoters of the above scheme only about ten days ago were in the greatest flight.imaginable when appearances were not. so bud as at present; they must have taken a pattern from the weathercock. The ILuv.pipi correspondent of the New Zealand Herald, writing on August 3, has the following:—

The latest news that we get of Te Kojti is that ho has left Tukangimutu with his followers. It is also said that he is perfectly disgusted with tho treatment that he nut with from the King party. It is to be sincerely hoped that tho scoundrel's irovementa may soon be put a stop to, as while lie is at large there will be but little peace or comfort in any of the frontier settlements. Sinco the above was heard, people about here are getting a little more confidence, and the families that were sleeping in the block house have re turned to their homes again. Ten men of the militia are still doing duty in the block house, which is now in a much more complete state than if was, so that should it ever be waned there will be Borne chance of making a stand. The following telegram from Alexandra, dated August 5, 2.45 p.m., appears in the New Zealand Herald :

Te Kooti, with 207 men, still in his pa at Wharearata. Part of his force lias returned to Taupo. Rewi is with Te Kooti. VVetere and Keihatia a>e living within 3 miles of Te Kooti's pa. Waikatos. anxious fur Te Kooti to return to Taupo, but Kooti says he will go to Taranaki. He is said to be very dispirited at findirg all the roads elosed to him. Tawhiao says the Europeans must be on their guard until Te Kooti leaves for Taupo.