BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume III, Issue 229, 26 September 1868, Page 2

BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

FRUITLESS ATTACK ON THE KEBELS. ALL THE COUNTRY BEYOND THE TANGAHOI ABANDONED. DANGEROUS POSITION OF PATEA. MAJORITY OF ONE FOR MINISTERS ON MR M'LEAN'S MOTION. Wellington, September 26, 9.47 a.m. An attack was made upon the rebels in their new entrenchment near Turo Turo Mokai, on Sunday last. They made no fight, but retreated into the bush, where they find themselves more at home. No attempt was made to follow them, and there were no casualties. ThePatea .correspondent 'of *the Wanganui Times says : — Before this reaches you, Waihi, Turo Turo Mokai, Middlemas's Redoubt, and all the country be-

yond the Taagahoi River will be in the hands of the enemy. The whole of the Wanganui Natives start for home tomorrow, and declare they will never again fight for the Government. Reduced as our force now is, it is impossible for us to bold Alanuapou aud Patea. The soouer the settlers at Patea burn down their houses and seek shelter iu Wanganui or elsewhere, the better. I have just been informed by a veryintelligent native that Titokowaru's next move is to occupy Wharematana, a village at a place called Taranaki (do not be deceived by the name) a strong post between the Patea and Whenuakura Rivers, thus placing Patea between two fires. On the north of Patea he will have all the country north of Maauapou that we have now abandoned, aud on the south the whole tract of country lying between the Patea and Whenuakura Bivers, thus surrounding Patea on the north and south, and compeling the Waitotara natives in the vicinity of the Whenuakura lliver either to join them or leave the district. It is for this reason that I assert that, as the township of Patea has- been surrounded in the manner I have described, or at all events will be in a few days' time, that the lives and properties of the iuhabitants can only be protected by a very strong force, and are liable to be attacked at any moment from the north and from the south. Colonel Haultain, Colonel Whitmore, Captains St George and Dives, with 40 men of Page's Company, whose term of service had expired, returned here (Wellington) at 1 o'clock this morniug from the Front. The debate on Mr M'Leau's resolution, ; with reference to the Native policy of the Governmenton the East Coast, was brought to an end last night, and resulted iu a majority of one (being the casting vote of the Speaker) for the Ministry.