Military Settlers.

Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 119, 28 June 1866, Page 3

Military Settlers.

—The Wanganui Clironicle states that a party of Military Settlers, numbering upwards of 100, arrived at Wanganui in the Sturt, on the 19th inst., under the charge of Captain Wilson. It appears that a misunderstanding arose, the circumstances of which the Chronicle descrii es as folio as ; — " There was an anxiety to j>ct the men to their location at the Patea, with the loss of as little time as possible, and accordingly the Sturt, as we stated on Wednesday, after coaling in Wangnnui, sailed for the Patea. The bar, however, wjh impassable, and the steamer returned to Wanuanui in the evening, The order to march overland next morning was then issued, hut the men grumbled ; they wished, not unnaturally, to have a holiday, after their lonjj campaign; and we submit that it would have been but a fitting concession to have made to them. Most likely some of them might have got drunk, and some of them might have misbehaved themselves in other ways : still they were entitled to a day's rest and relaxation, and we cannot help regarding it as unfortunate that a boon so small was not granted. There was no necessity, as far as we are aware, for an immediate march to the Patea ; and it will be found that the same strict discipline as is enforced in the british army cannot be carried out amongst our five lances. Be this as it may, a number of the men—probably about one-half of than — positively refused to march on Thursday morning, and rather than do so laid down tlnir arm*, and these men are just now going about Wiinganui, vith a feeling of hardship and injustice rankling at their hearts.' 1 K.VTR StUCIUK IN MELBOURNE. — The Argus, of the 23rd of May, has the following: — "An extraordinary case of suicide took place between twelve and onp o'clock yesterday, at the General Post Ofßi-e. A man of about fifty years of age, poorly dressed, was observed to go to the 11 Q" division of the delivery department of the Post Officr, nnd there enquire for letters for " George Quick." Not obtaining any, he walked up to the end of the corridor, and there drew from his pocket a pistol, which he placed to his right temple, and fired. Constable John Connolly, who was on duty close by at the time, hearing the reoort, ran to tiie place, when he found the man in a sitting position, Iciining against the boarding. As life did not appear to be quite extinct, the constable hastened to convey the man to the hospital, but be was dead before arriving flu re." The deceased was afterwards rctJo.'.'iiisotl by two young men wbo were his sons. His name was George Quick, by calling a bottle dealer. A well-known old pensioner, named John Maxtor, died at Focbabcra a few days since, at tin; advanced age of 94. lie was one of those enlisted in 1793 by the celebrated Jane Maxwell, Ducncss of Gordon, into the 92nd Regiment of Gordon Highlanders. The r^i-'.vat,. which was under

the command of the Marqui* of Huntly, having formed part of tlie expedition to Holland in 17P9 under General Abercrnmby, was ; rifent ai U elder, in the attack on which J'.ixter «ns wounded. lie continued in tie npaciiv of drummer in his regiment till July, 1802, when, on account of his wound, he was admitted an out-pensioner in Chelsea Hospital. He Mibstquently joined the 6th Veteran Battalion at Fort-George, where he served as corpoi al for 10 j'ears, and was finally discharged from the army in 1814. From thi« date to thr time of his death, a period of upwards of 50 years he was in receipt of a pension of Is per day, thus drawing from Government, in the shape ol pension the sum of about .£950. Since 1814 he res did in Forchiibcrs, the place of his birth and held for upwards of 40 years the office of town -drummer. Out of respect to the veteran soldier, the Forchahers company of volunteers resolved to inter him with military honors. The total number of hous-s destroyed by the troopi and special constables during ma tiiil law in Jamaica was exactly 1000. Mr. Parry, the Government engineer and surveyor, estimates the total value of tno property at =£44:36.