THE EVENING POST. FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 1865.

Evening Post, Issue 21, 3 March 1865, Page 2

THE EVENING POST. FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 1865.

The Maori prisoners captured by the friendly natives the other day, have been permitted, through gross negligence to escape, and the inhabitants of Rangitiki are sorely afraid they will take dire retribution on their goods and chattels. We would have imagined that the escape of the prisoners from the Eawau would have taught the authorities a lesson to he mor c guarded ; apparently it is not so, and the effect of the late engagement in which General Mete Kingi so gallantly distinguished himself it rendered null and void. Taking a hundred and fifty prisoners for the mere pleasure of letting them escape is not the way to terminate this wretched apology for a war. The proceedings of the Town Board

hnve long been a matter of public animadversion, and indeed the last few meetings require some explanation. The only real benefit as far as we can see that they have conferred on the city is the giving of a trifling sum of money in aid o( the Volunteer^Fire Brigade, so gallantly got up and carried out by a very small portion of the community. As to the market, we are not a whit further advanied than we were a fortnight ago ; and, as regards other certainly minor matters, there is a great apparent injustice shown. Why Messrs. Tonks and Co. are permitted to erect a verandah, and why Mr. Osgood is not, except cubject to absurd conditions, "are perfect mysteries ? On the one hand, Tonks and Co.*run up a fragile affair that might tumble about our ears the first |gale of wind we have, r .and are graciously permitted; on the other, Mr. Osgood, who is willing to go to great expense in erecting a very handsome substantial one, is not. Now, Mr. Osgood 's proposed verandah would not only be a benefit, but a "great credit to the town, and the veto passed against it is absurd. In the place of forbidding him to erect one, every storekeeper on the beach ought not only to be authorised, but commanded,' to put up strong substantial ones running the ¦whole length. This would greatly increase the comfort of pedestrians, and add to the beauty of the town. Mr. Masters has informed his constituents that it never was his intention to oppose Mr, Borlase, and that his motives in coming forward have been grossly misrepresented or misunderstood. More will be heard on the subject at a future date. Mr. J. H. Wallace^ sold for Messrs. A. P. Stuart and Co., at their stores, on Thursday, the 22nd inst., an extensive assortment of drapery and miscellaneous goods, at fair prices. We notice the arrival of two distinguished foreigners, an American ox, boasting five legs and five horns. This monster has passed through the hands of " Barnum," who exhibited him with much success in the United States. His unique companion is a performing goat, ambitious of l.ecoming"a biped. The owner of these animals intends exhibiting them for a short time ere they are taken to London, to grace the Zoological Gardens. Immediately after the s.s. Claude Hamilton left her berth at the Queen's Wharf this morning, she fouled the ship Wild Duck, and carried away that vessel's jibboom. The Wild Duck is lying too close to the wharf, being exactly in the way of vessels passing to and fro. When the two prisoners, Eliza Hamlin and Mary Ann Griffiths (alias Nodder), were removed from the bar to the cell at the police-station, previoua to being escorted to the gaol in the evening, they fell to and attacked each other. Kecriraination waxed high on both sides, till at last the younger prisoner (Hamlin) expressed a wish to see the Resident Magistrate, and, on doing so, made confession, admitting the justice of the verdict, by acknowledging to the birth of a child' and from what she said, the woman Griffiths apparently led her into the fault from the commencement. No statement was taken down, and we are unable, even were we inclined, to give publicity to the lull particulars. It is well to know, however, that there is now no doubt as to the entire justice of the verdict.