INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

Grey River Argus, Issue 58, 26 May 1866, Page 3

INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

- A coronor's inquiry into the origin of the- destructive Ere on the premises of the " New Zealancler "has been held in Auckland. The inquiry terminated in the return of an open verdict. In addressing the jury, Mr Wynn observed : — " Although there was no evidence to criminate any person, it would appear that some one got into the building from the back and set fire to it. Then they had the evidence of the first witness to show that she heard footsteps runningpast her house before the alarm of fire was. given, which looked very suspicious, to say the least. He was sure, therefore, looking at all the facts of the evidence, they would agree with him in the belief that it was not accidontal, but how it. was done there is no evidence to show." Ths Coronor then briefly explained the object of the inquiry, which was to .show -whether the fire had been accidental or wilful ; and the jury, after a brief deliberation, returned the following- verdict :— " The jury are of opinion that the fire at the "NewZealander" office, on Monday night, the 7th inst., originated in the 'somposing-room ; but how it occurred, or- by whose act, there is no. evidence to show." The St. Kilda, from the Chatham Islands, returned to Napier on the 12th inst., having landed her cargo of prisoners at Waitangi in safety. The second batch of rebels were welcomed with the same warmth as the first, and a feast prepared for them. The F,irst Cannon in New Zealand. ■*-The " Marlborough News " gives a long account of one of the first (if not the first) cannon that were introduced into New Zealand. "In the year 1834, Captain Blenkinaop, of the whaler Caroline, sold the cannon, a twelve-pounder, to the natives for the whole of the Waiau Plains, the natives wanting the gun to protect them from an anticipated attack from the North Island. This land was .after-wards sold to Mr Unwin, who took a partner named Wilton, who 'appears to. have endeavored to carry things with a high hand with the natives, who in consequence fell upon the party, killed, cooked, and eat them. In course of time, the Maoris, finding no use for the gun, wanted the party to take it back. Nobody felt inclined to do so, and it has been allowed to lie undisturbed at Port tfundorwood ever since, until his Honor the Superintendent caused it to be removed and placed on ' Massacre Hill, near the monument erected to the Jt memory of the 22 Englishman who lost lives there, and which event is commonly known as the Wairau massacre." ; Discovery of Stolen Property. — It Avill be in the recollection of our readers that two men, named Connell and Clarge, were committed in May, 1865, for garrotting on the Haven road, and sentenced to - two years' imprisonment. Their victim, Mr Hynes, had about him at the time L 47 I in gold, which it appears the garrotters succeeded in concealing beneath a culvert | near the Odd Fellows' Hall. It has since transpired that the money has for some time been recovered, and has been handed ever to the Registrar to be returned to the owner. The officers of the gaol discovered that Connell had made arrangements with some of the ex-prisoners to "spring the ; plant," as it is technically termed, and to buy tools with part of the money, in order to effect an entrance into the gaol and release him. The wardens, however, , managed to indi\ce him to show them where the money was concealed, which has since all been found in the place indicated.—"Nelson Examsner, " May 17. * Wakamarina Diggings. — A correspondent of the." Marlborough Press," writing from Deep Creek, on the 2nd May, thus describes the present state of the Wakamarina gold fields : — " A little mining news from the once famous Wakamarina will, I have no doubt, be read with interest by many of your subscribers. These diggings, winch once counted its population by thousands, but owing to the breaking out of the West Coast gold fields, and the greater attractions held oiit there, our population has been reduced considerably there not being over one hundred miners now left, the majority of whom are doing very little. At the Forks, the population, which at one time was from 400 to 500, has now dwindled down to 14., . A great amount of work is being done in this part of the district by Green and party, who, after sinking to a depth of seventy feet, and obtaining payable gold, commenced a large cut or tunnel into their claim, a distance of about 300 feet, blasting away some twenty feet of rock on purpose to drain their claim, which they expect to pay them handsomely. Bartle and Co are anxiously waiting water to wash up ; they have about one hundred loads of washdirt in their paddock, which they fancy will yield from half an ounce to an ounce to the load. At Maori Gully, Turner and Co have been busily engaged in bringing in a large race of water on to their claim, which they intend to work on the hydraulic principle. They having j>roved their ground payable, expect to have at least two years'. work before them. Lower down the river, on the same terrace, the Nelson. party have been busily engaged prospecting for some time past, and in the event of them striking payable gold, there will be work for several other parties. At the Big Beach there are two parties working—one in the river, and the other on the terrace. The former party, the All Nations Company, after shepherding their ground for nearly two years, have been enabled by the late fine weather to test their ground properly ; but 1 am sorry to say that the expectations they had formed of it being a pile claim have not been realized, Walker and party, on the terrace, are busily engaged in sluicing the old workings, which, I believe will pay them handsomely for their labor. Tliey have flumed, at an'elevation of nearly 100 feet, a large race of water over the Waika^ marina on ta their claim, which will give them a. constant supply of water all the year round. At Deep Creek, everything wears a very dull appearance. The only parties in full working order are Messrs Mebray and Co., M'Shelland and Co;, and the veteran Charley Morgan, who are all working adjoining claims on the wellknown 'Peg Leg' lead. Good wages, I I believe, are being made by the above parties. On Wilson's Beach there is only ■■jUJMfcj^^twork ; but, owing .to the noQre, able to