LATEST NORTHERN NEWS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 241, 19 February 1869, Page 3

LATEST NORTHERN NEWS.

THE FRONT. The Wanganui Times of Tuesday 'last has the following :— On Saturday morning the Arawas, who had arrived from Auckland on the previous day, by the p.s. Sturt, reached head-quarters at Nukumaru. On their arrival they fraternised with the > Arawas already there, and the Wanganui natives under Kemp. About 11 a.m. the whole joined in a war-dance, after which a considerable amount of salutations and speechifying wound up that part of the business. Titokowaru's main position is still believed to be about four miles up the Waitotara gorge, upon one of the seven hummocks, eight or nine miles inland of the Weraroa redoubt. No. 2 Division, under Lieutenant-Colonel McDonnell, occupies the advanced post on a spur of the Earaka, overlooking the| village of Paputupu, three or four miles from the enemy's position. Some of the men are engaged in constructing a cart road from Weraroa to the village, of Perakama, but the hill is so steep that it is doubtful whether a cart will ever be drawn up it. The road, however, will be useful for other purposes. On Saturday last, as Mr Monrad was on his way from Wairoa to the Weraroa, and when only two miles from the former place, he was fired, on by three Plauhaus, but made good his way without receiving any injury. Yesterday a court-martial was to sit at Nukumaru for the trial of some offenders. Colonel Haultain is in camp, and there is some talk of an onward movement, but those best acquainted with the state of affairs believe that nothing will be done until after the arrival of more reinforcements. There is an evident want of confidence, want of cohesion, want of unanimity of purpose pervading the entire force. Less has recently been seen of Titokowaru's men than usual, but those best able to form an opinion attribute that to the fact that he is employing all hands in strengthening his position and laying in provisions, which he is being allowed to do without molestation. It was a great mistake to proclaim his masterly retreat from his easily surrounded position at Nukumaru as a victory gained by us, and that consequent upon that " the backbone of the rebellion on 'the West Coast was broken." By that announcement Colonel Whltmore has done an injustice to himself : people will now, naturally enough, expect him to do what he cannot do, and as the real facts of the case become daily more apparent, a re-action will set in, which a simple statement of facts at the first would have prevented. Not a single ruined settler in these districts ever looked upon Titokowaru's retreat from Nukumaru as anything but a misfortune, which might have been prevented by simply occupying a post in rear of his position, nor is there a man amongst us foolish enough to beUeve that the " backbone of the rebellion has been broken."