WAIKATO.

Wanganui Herald, Volume III, Issue 642, 2 September 1869, Page 2

WAIKATO.

TE KOOTI ATTACKS THE FRIEND-

LV NATIVES NEAR TAUPO.

Tnformation was received from Te Kooti by the King at Tokangamutu on Thursday last that he, Te Kooti, who was then near Taupo, had fallen upon the friendly natives and defeated them, killing full one hundred. Te Kooti did not state what was his own loss, but it is supposed to have been between twent3 r and thiriv.

Though said to be near Taupo, he may at any moment be again at Tokangamutu, since ho was not, when at the lake, more than two and ahalf days journey froai Alexandra. Louis Hettit, who seems to be strangely in Te Kooti's and Rewi's confidence, sends word to Mr Sear-

ancke, that Te Kboti is near Taupe,, and as a consequence the armed constabulary are ordered, down from Te Awamutu—where there presence is a safeguard to tfi« setrlers—to Ngaruawabia, where, for all purposes of active defence, they are little more useful than they would be in Auckland. If the country is to be saddled with the expense of an armed constabularjr—and we do not see how this can be avoided—let us at any rate, keep them where their services will be of value, and not follow the Imperial regulation of keeping them stationed in the centres of population. If they are to keep back the horrors of war from the Waikato, to prevent war, in fact, they must be stationed at Alexandra, Kikikihi, and Te Awamutu. If it is merely intended that they shall drive Te Kooti out of [tjjjjg_ "Vyaikato after he has ravaged artff-plundered it, why then Ngaruawahia will be the place for them. If Te r Kooti makes Taupo and the East Coast too hot for him, he will doubtless return to Tokaugamutu, and if when there he finds no force ready to prevent an attack, who can say that te may not make a raid upon the settlements ? v That he did not do so when near Tokang-amutu lately is owing, we believe, entirely to our preparedness to resist him. He did not deem it advisable to join issue with an armed force of three hundred constabulary, then stationed on pur frontier. Such a force posted at the stations we have mentioned would, so long as there is no general war, preserve the peace in Waikato ; and if that force is to be maintained in the district we may as weU retain it where it will best serve to make sure the end aimed at—security to life and property. —N. Z. Herald August 30.