HAWKES' BAY

Press, Volume XXIV, Issue 3076, 2 July 1875, Page 3

HAWKES' BAY

We extract the following items from our Hawkes' Bay files :—

On the Ist of July the provincial account will be removed from the Union Bank of Australia to the Bank of Australasia, the tender of the latter having been accepted. The terms on which the Bank of Australasia will conduct the Provincial Government account are, 7 per cent, on the daily credit balance, and 7. per cent, will be charged on overdraft account. An overdraft will be also allowed to the extent authorised by the Audit Act—one-twentieth part of the ordinary revenue of the province.

We hear that the Maoris intend, if they can get a suitable piece of land centrally situated in town, to erect a commodious twostorey building, with comfortable aDartments for their legal adviser, aud sleeping accommodation for themselves. Here they will meet and " transact business." We hear that many of them are contributing liberally, according to their means, to one general fund to be expended in law, and it is not a very violent presumption to assume that before they get what they, term " their rights " the lawyers will have got all their money.

The following passage occurs in the opening address of his Honor the Superintendent in the Hawke's Bay Provincial Council :— "Ton will have seen with satisfaction the traffic returns for the Napier and Paki Paki Railway ; the monthly receipts are larger, up to the present time, than on any other line in the North Island. This fact is evidence of the wealth of the community ; and, considering that the railway does not yet catch the bulk of the inland traffic, it may confidently be expected that when it is extended to Te Ante, Waipawa, and Waipukurau, most satisfactory returns may be looked for, which will be still further increased when the Seventy Mile Bush is tapped. The timber trade that will then be opened by the railway will afford employment to a large population, and Napier will then draw its timber supplies from its own forests.

The following are particulars of the recent stabbing case mentioned in our telegrams a few days ago :—

On Saturday evening, June 19th, a man of the name of John Thomas was arrested on the charge of stabbing James Cable, a platelayer. The circumstances in connection with this dastardly crime were as follows :— On Saturday evening, at about five o'clock, Cable entered tbe bar of the Star Hotel, and called for a glass of beer; Thomas was standing at the bar at the time, but went outside as soon as Cable entered. Cable drank his beer, and went outside on to the verandah, and, on seeing Thomas, said, " Well, John, and how does this weather suit you ?" Thomas made some reply, and rushed at Cable; the latter called out, " I am stabbed 1" and then staggered into the hotel, where he was at once attended to by Mr and Mrs Dennett and others in the house, who did all they could to relieve his sufferings, Dr Gibbes was promptly sent for. It was discovered that Cable had received a dangerous wound in the lower part of his abdomen—a gash of about five inches in length. This was sewn up, and then Cable, in the presence of J. A. Smith, Esq., and Inspector Scully, made a declaration of the circumstances of the case. Thomas, it appears, after the occurrence, went to his home, and from thence was traced to the Criterion Hotel, where he was arrested. No marks of blood were found on him, and only a small knife, that it is thought could not have inflicted the wound such as Cable received. It is reported that some time back Cable and Thomas were working on the railway, the former being ganger over the latter ; that Cable discharged Thomas, and hence the cause of the ill-feeling that showed itself in the cowardly and dastardly assault. We are glad to report that Cable, though not yet out of danger, is progressing favorably.

A rather amusing story (says the R'amhe's Bay Herald) is being circulated in town about a marriage which was to have taken place a few days ago, but did not. The lady and gentleman, it is said, intended the nuptial knot to be tied by the Registrar, and for that purpose proceeded to his office; but from some mistake as to time, that official was not on the spot to perform the ceremony, so they agreed to dispense with his services until next day. The wedding feast, however, which had been prepared, was duly partaken of by the happy couple and the assembled guests, and next day the gentleman proceeded to the Registrar's office again to meet the affianced bride, but on this occasion she did not put in an appearance, and on inquiries being instituted, it was discovered that she had eloped with one of th_ guests at the wedding feast. The unforluuate swain is said to be out of pocket by the transaction, having presented the lady with sundry articles of wearing apparel aud jewellery, and this loss, added to the shock to his feelings by the lady's abrupt departure, has rendered him very disconsolate. He has also been "chaffed" by his friends, who look look only upon the amusing side of the picture*

The Herald of the 22nd ult gives the following account of the recent floods:—Tbe heavy rains of Saturday have flooded the Meanee flats and the low lying portion of the town. At Mr McMurray's the water, we hear, at one time rose to the height of about three feet above the roadway, but was rapidly subsiding yesterday. At Waipawa on Saturday morning Mr Peters' overland coach was just able to get through. About half an hour after the driver got his vehicle and passengers safely across it would not have been safe to have made the attempt. . . .

Tie rivers traversing the Ahuriri Plains rose with more than usual rapidity. The Tutaekuri overflowed its banks at a point near Mr Willan's paddocks, Meanee, and again made its way through the old breach in tbe Papakura embankment. The water surrounded and entered the houses situated in the low portion of the Meanee township, rendering it necessary to remove the furniture in some of tbem as quickly as possible, and compelling one or twe families to seek a temporary home at the Meanee Hotel. The road between Meanee and Taradale was covered to a depth of tbree feet at the deepest from a point near Mr Kpeedy's store to the high land near the Mission Station. The fresh was at its highest about 10 pun. on Saturday

night, the water then being flush with the verandah of the Shamrock Hotel, and extending along the road to Meanee for upwards of three-quarters of a mile. . . . The large body of water flowing through tbe breach in the Papakura embankment prevented any communication from the Meanee with the settlers residing higher up rhe river; the only attempt that was made yesterday resulted in a failure; the full extent of the damage, therefore, cannot be ascertained at present. From Clive we hear that a portion of that township was inundated to a considerable extent, the inhabitants of one house having to be removed by means of a boat.