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Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 4734, 8 October 1886, Page 2

Our Supplement to-morrow will contain a varied assortment of interesting reading matter.

Mr G. A. Preece, in his capacity of Land Purchase Commissioner, mot the natives at Waipawa yesterday, with the object of inducing them to sell the Porangahau and Mangamaeri blocks to the Government. The principal speaker was Paora Tarona, the husband of Rama, who urged the Maoris to retain- the land they had inherited from their ancestors. He warned them that if even one Maori signed an agreement to soil the thin end of the wedge would be inserted, which would be quickly followed by larger wedges, and then the tree would be burst into pieces. Ho told them that though the owners of the country which the Government wanted to deprive them of might have their personal quairels, and family differences, he beseeched them not to let the land suffer, the land that had been handed down to them, and which they should hand down to their children and children's children. Other Maori chiefs spoke in the same strain Mr Preeco stated that the Government did not want nil the land but only some of it, to which the natives replied that they would part with none. Mr Preene then informed the Ma α-is that he had an interest in the Manjra Poaka block on behalf of the Crown. The natives demanded to know the nams of the Maori who had sold his share. Mr Preece said it was Nopera ; whereupon the natives said a Court must bo hold to determine that man's interest in order to cut it off from the rest of the land. The meeting then closed.

Lieut.-Colonel Butts is due in Napier next Tuesday, and on the following evening will inspect the Garrison companies. During his stay here the Board of Examiners, composed of Colonel Butts, Colonel Herrick, and Captain Preeco, will sit for the examination of Lieutenant Smith, of the Naval Brigade, as to his proficiency in infantry drill.

The Omapere left l.yttlcton early this morningfor Wellington, with theKaikoura's English mail.

Suicidal mania is becoming , alarmingly frequent in this colony, and we think medical authorities might do worse than by giving the subject some attention. Within the last day or two five cases of suicide have been reported from different parts of the colony. Considering the comparatively small population of New Zealand the number of the insane forms far too large a per centage. It would be as interesting an enquir} ,, as it might prove ■valuable that could be undertaken to ascertain the causes underlying so painful a state of things. The Napier Rifles mustered strongly last night at their weekly drill, Sergt. Nicholson and Corp. Williams putting the men through the manual exercise. We have received the annual report for this year of the Royal Humane Society of Australasia, which by the dissemination of informations on how to restore the apparently drowned, rules for protection of life at fires, and many kindred subjects, is doing much good work in the colonies. The Te Kapo, which arrived at Lyttleton last night from Sydney, is the bearer of a Brindisi mail. At the annual meeting yesterday of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce the president's address dealt chiefly with the increase in agricultural products. A clause in the report which commented on the high freight charged by the direct steamers, and recommended that foreign vessels be supported with the view of lowering the rates, was taken exception to by Mr Cargill, and that portion relating to encouraging foreign vessels was deleted. The remainder of the report, which among other things expressed the opinion that it was not desirable to lay a new cable as proposed, but that the Government should co.operate with the Australian Governments in securing a reduction of rates, was adopted. Mr G. L. Dennistou was elected president and Mr P. Glendinning vice-president. The Gorge Bridge over the Manawatu at the Gorge Ferry is rapidly approaching completion, and is expected to be finished within three weeks' time. It will then only i rest with the contractor for the approaches to pet his work finished when traffic will be possible.

It is scarcely necessary to remind our readers of the opening of the rowing season to-morrow, when, if the day bo fine, there ought to bo a large attendance of spectators to witness the heats of the scratch fours. Accommodation has been provided for ladies, and as 'busses will run at reasonable fares to the Western Spit, the spectators ought to be numerous. Mr D. Cotton on the second day of the A. and P. Society's Show will run busses from Napier to Hastings, via Taradale and Omahu, returning by way of Clive. There was no business at the R.M. Court this morning. The Canterbury Times is gradually forcing its way everywhere in the North Island, and it promises soon to bo equally well known this side of Cook Straits as on the other, where it has long been recognised as the leading weekly of the colony. The mail edition, which may now be had of our local booksellers, ready to post for Home, contains a large number of illustrations, including ope of j;he Napier Bluff, and the reading matter is crisp, varied, and attractive.

They manage things with expedition in New South Wales. They made Mr F. A. Wright, ex-Minister of Works, and one of the gentlemen committed for trial in connection with the recent railway frauds, a Captain and a Major in six weeks, without examination.

It is announced, says the Australian Ironmonger, that the first contract on the Midland Railway line, New Zealand, has been let to Messrs M'Keone and Robinson, a London firm, who have been engaged for several years past in the construction of railways in Great Britain, Sweden, and Norway. The following are to-day'a mercury readings:—Russell 58, Auckland 61, Thames CO, Tauranga 53, Gisborne 08, Napier 61, Hew Plymouth 53, Wangariui 54, Wellington 53, Blenheim 57, Nelson 55, Christohurch 58, Tiraaru 59, Dunedixi S5, and Invercargjll of. Our Waipawa correspondent wires aa follows:—"Sheariner was to have commenced yesterday at Mr Johnson's Motnotaraia Station, when about twenty men put in their appearance, having been engaged, but without reference ,to rate of payment. On enquiring- the price, they were told I6s 8d per 100, whereupon they refused to work for less than the Maoris, who have combined for 20s per 100. Ultimately they left and returned here. It is said they would have stayed for 17s Gd.

The South. British Insurance Company have paid the insurance on the Sovereign of the Seao, beljeying that the policy covered the act of barratry committed by Caffrey.

_ The Gazette notifies that Supreme Court sittings for the trial of criminal and civil cases, and of cases under the Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Act, will be held at the Court-house, Napier, on Monday, the 24th of April, 1887 ; Monday, the "lsi of August; and Monday, the sth of December. Such business in Banco and in Chambers as the Judge shall allow may be disposed of in the course of these sittings on such days and hours as the Judge shall appoint.

Superintendent Eobertson (Dunedin) haa received from the B<ilmain (Sydney) Fire Brigade intimation that they will send over a team to talte part in all the contests at the approaching- firemen's demonstration at Dunedin.

Mr JD. Wright, Eyangelist, who has been conducting services at Auckland recently, will preach at St. PauLs Church on kSunday afternoon to children and parents; and preiiches again in the evening in the same plaoe. During tho following week special services will be" held every evening (except Saturday) in the same church. Mr Wright on Sunday will sing one or two hymns. The Auckland Herald of last Saturday says:— The closing meeting in connection with Mr Duncan. Wright's evangelistic mission was held last evening in St. Peter's Presbyterian Church, Surrey Hills, when the church was again crowded in every part. Mr Wright based his remarks on John iii., 16, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that -whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." The" discourse was most solemn and impressive, yet the. colloquial style of the speaker had" the most happy effect oh his audience. Mr Wright will not soon be forgotten in Auckland. Tho singing has formed an important part of these services. Mr Wright sang two solos, "Anywhere with Jesus " and " She only touched the hem of His garment." The Rev. R. Sommerville, the minister of the church expressed his joy at the abundant success of. the mission. Dr. Kenderdine and Mr Buchanan'wished Mr Wright Godspeed in his excellent work, and after tho singing the meeting closed. In the mission in St. Peter's the after meetings have been very largely attended.

A correspondent at Huntloy writes as follows to the.NYZ. Herald .-—Sir,—Great interest is felt here respecting the alligator or taniwha seen at Hamilton.' Just one year ago a little girl belonging to Tjpene Pungarehu of Waihi, was found dead in the Waihi Creek. The fleeh of the right arm wns completely stripped from the bono. The child had only been absent from its parents twenty minutes. The Maoris were greatly concerned respecting the death of this child, and say the taniwha did the deed. A fortnight ago two gentlemen tourists came by boat to this placs from Hamilton, and stated that_ they saw a monster with a head liko an alligator, making , up tho rivor between, this 'and ■ Ngariuiwuhia. We thought thoy were only joking, "but there may be something-in-it after all. ' '

Jlesara Sargood, Son," and Ewen, of Dunedjn, have signified to t)ie rector of the lii'gh SphopJ. "their "intention to 'provide annually two prizes for gymnastics. Who will set the example here 'i

The secretaries to charitable aid boards will have plenty of work on their hands if many fathers choose to act in the manner related by the Lyttelton Times as follows:

—On Friday morning f. man came to the Charitable Aid office with six small children, all fine rosy-faced little ones, of which he was the father. He said he could not look after them him.°elf, and his wife was in the Lunatic Asylum, and he decided that the best thing he could do was to leave them at the Charitable Aid office for the secretary to the board, Mr Norris, who has a busy time of it dealing with implications, to look after. The two smallest were in a perambulator at the floor of the Charitable Aid office, and the four others, the eldest not more than seven, played round about, all looking happy and quite unconscious of the trouble they were in. The board, Mr Norris says, have made a very reasonable offer to the father, viz., to pay a woman to look after the children, a™d also provide them and her with food if the man's means are not sufficient for the purpose, as he is only a laborer employed at the Sandhills. But. the father appeared to prefer that the children shall be -entirely taken off his hands, and left as before stated.

The police authorities at TVellington yesterday received a cable message from Queensland stating , that a man had been arrested who is supposed to be Perm, the accomplice of Caffery in the Great Barrier murder. Enquiries are made by the Queensland police as to whether Perm has a scar over his eyes, and it is understood that he has a mark over his left eye. No mention is made of the girl Graham, who accompanied Perm in the Sovereign of the Seas. A later telegram says themnn arrested has a mark under one of his eyes, and is believed to have been connected with a certain vessel of which the name is given as the Shah of Persia. The Chief Commissioner of Police at Brisbane has wired here to have the description verified, but sufficient information has not been obtained yet to make it certain whether the man arrested is Perm or not.

It is not generally known (says a contemporary) that a large edible salt- water crab is to be c might on the New Zealand coast, and it has of tea been proposed to make the attempt to acclimatise the species common on the British coast. A gentleman living in Wellington was fishing for crayfish with a net at the point on the Kilburnie side of the Hermit's Cave, and caught two large crabs. The lurgest was of dimensions worthy of those from the Channel Islands to be seen in shops in London. It measured moro'than nins inches across the nhell. The smaller one was about live inches in diameter. Both were caught at dead low water.

A conteinno-ary states that the curtain at tho Princess Theatre, Melbourne, is composed of silk velvet, weighs one ton, and cost the large sum rf £300.

A genuine source of health—Wolfe's SCHXAPPS.