The Late Renata Kawepo.

I Lieufc.-Colonel McDonnell, N.Z.C., writes to us as follows in regard to the late chief Benata Kawepo, whose decease we recorded on Saturday : — ' I regret to notioe in your issue of the 14th instant the death of the Hawke's Bay chief Benata Kawepo. As the telegram contains nothing but the news of his death, except that he led a contingent against Te Kooti, tbe following may bp of interest ;— When Benata wo t a young man, he' was captured by a war party of Ngapuhi during one of the old Maori wars, and taken to the Bay of Islands, where he lived for some years a prisoner at large. This oocurred somo time in the thirties, but he was eventually allowed to return to his own people, and in course of time became one of the leading chiefs among the Ngati Kahnngunn. The great infiuenoe he had over his people prevailed upon them to refrain from joining the King party when war broke out in 1860 and subsequently. As an instance of the benevolence, of his nature and kindliness of heart, the -late Sir Donald M'Lean used to relate the following :— A milkman, who used to supply the town of Napier w ith milk, grazed his oows on land belonging to Benata, but without th>t chief's permission, and though grass rent was repeatedly asked for, none wai ever forthcoming. So after Leyeral months of arguing Benata either impounde4 th§ oowg or stopped their gi-osing. In consequence of this the milkman was put to his wit's end to know how to provide pasture for them. The noble minded ohief, however, on its being pointed out that scores of little ohildren would now be deprived of their morning and evening's milk, withdrew bis objeotion, and let the cows graze on, for the sake of the European families, who otherwise would have gone without milk, and abandoned his claim for back ront, as he was informed that the milkman could not afford to pay it. No gtaunoher friend and ally had the European than Benato Kawepo. He took a prominent part in suppressing the Hanhan disturbances in Hawke's Bay, when Te Hapuku and Bangihiroa were defeated by Sir George Whitmore, and by his services at Tanpo in September and 4th October, 1869, when we defeated Te Kooti at Tokanu, and stormed his pa, after a severo fight, at Te Porere, on the Iwituaroa ranges, on the confines of Tuhna and Waikato, which arushing defeats made the Waikatos, under Bewi, give up the intention they had formed of joining Te Kooti and letting him plan out a raid on the settleis is Waikato similar to the one he had led on Poverty Bay, the results of whioh are still fresh in New Zealand settlers' minds. Benata's personal services on these two occasions again proved what a loyal and brave man he was, and as I had the honour of oommanding the forces at Tanpo on the occasions referred to, I am in a position to bear testimony to the service s of their gallant old ohief. During the action at Te Ponre pa, Benata lost an eye, and was otherwise severely wounded. lam glad to say he was pensioned for his -rounds, and received besides a yearly sum of money for his faithful services, which he continued to draw until he died, and right well he had earned the same. It would be a graceful act now to ereot a monument to the memory of this brave old chief, if only to show the rising generation that faithful and long ser, vice is appreciated.

The 8.8. Marare*, with an English mail, arrived at the Bluff at 1.30 this afternoon fcom Melbourne, iia Hobart. The Wellington portion of her mails should arrive here by the Botorna on Wednesday next. The heat betwetm Rose's and Grey's orews for the Young Fours, Wellington Bowing Club, will be lowed to-ni^ht at 5.20 An announcement appears in our adver, Using columns that Mr. B. K. Jackson* solicitor, of the Lower Hutt, has been appointed agent of the Standard Fire and Marine Insurance Co. for the Hutt district. His offioe will be at the Hutt Bridge. Mr. E. C. Evens' dispensary, Mannersstreet, is the latest addition to the Telephone Exchange. The New Zealand Shipping Company bavin? closed its Blonheim agenoy, Mr. J. E. Bead, who was the company's agent there, has been permanently removed to Oamaru. Mr. Bead passed through Wellington to-day, leaving for the South in the a.g. Te Anau. The Official Assignee leaves on a business visit to the West Coast of the Middle Island in a few days. Mr. Graham will be absent for three or four weeks.