Latest Telegrams.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 262, 16 March 1869, Page 3

Latest Telegrams.

[by electuic telegeaph.] Wellington, March 15, 7.19 p.m. The persona who brought the first news to Wanganui of the attack on Lieut. Hunter's escort party fled on the first shot being fired, and greatly magnified the danger. A party of the enemy fired on the escort when crossing the river, but did no more harm than wounding one horse and smashing a tin of coffee. Our men returned the fire, and pushed' on ; the enemy bolted, and the escort reached Wairoa without further molestation. Captain Swinley has discovered that Titokowaru is encamped in force near Okutuku, having been driven by floods from his former position. From the size of the new camp, Colonel Whitmore estimates that Tito must have nearly 1000 men, women, and children with him, the camp being at least four times as large as any former one. A good track has now been cut right through the bush and into the open country. Kemp and his men seem very anxious to distinguish themselves, and are actively becoming acquainted with the surrounding country. The mortars from head-quarters have been moved on to Wairoa. There is a great deal of sickness in camp, there being about sixty cases, principally camp fever, some very severe. The arrangements for the care The Melbourne Chamber of Com-

of the sick are said to be very complete. The worst cases are sent on to Patea. A carter named Johnson had £185 stolen from him while asleep in camp. The money was found on one of Captain Foster's men. The Government has received despatches from Major Mair, dated Opotiki, March 3rd. The people there were perfectly aware of Te Kooti's movements, and on their guard. Te Kooti has only some 130 or 140 men with him, and the garrison was quite strong enough to resist any attack. The Waikato party said to have joined Te Kooti consists of only 16 wandering Ngatiporous. He failed to induce the Uriweras to join in an attack on Opotiki. About 50 of his men are escaped Chatham Island prisoners. The Advertiser of this morning has an article strongly censuring Mr McLean's conduct in preventing Eopata and his men leaving Napier for Wanganui, and declaring their retention to be unnecessary and selfish. The article concludes by saying: — "Ultra- provincialism is intelligible, and colonialism is intelligible, but the notion of drawing ad libitum on the pockets of the colony for war, in and defence of a district, whilst at the same time its authorities, by intrigue and force and persuasion prevent its overflowing resources in fighting men from being used in other places is a novelty which startles us out of our propriety. Either Hawke's Bay is a part of the colony, or it is not. If it is, the- colony is bound to come forth to its support, and this view the Governments, one and all, have taken so far, but then it must share risks, with other places, and submit to the Government which controls the colonial expenditure, and which has information from all sides, and is cognisant of the risks everywhere. If it is not part of the colony, and pretends to independent alliances, Hawke's Bay will have to pay those allies out of its own funds, and bear its own risks single-handed as best it may." The Challenger sailed for Sydney via Taranaki to-day. xThe tender of B. P. Pearce, Dunedin, for* the Nuggets Lighthouse, £2577, is accepted. Dunedes, March 15, 4.55 p.m. Mr Robertson, member of the General Assembly for Taieri. has resigned. Mr Henningham, proprietor of the Evening Star, and. part proprietor of the Sun, has called a meeting of hta creditors. ( This Day, 2.15. Mr John Jones, the well-known merchant, died at seven o'clock this | morning, aged sixty, after a long illness. Mr Jones has been about forty years in New Zealand. Flags have been hoisted half-mast, in token of respect for the deceased. The E. P. Bouverie, from Glasgow, brings 126 passengers.