Local Summary.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 6, Issue 332, 8 November 1862, Page 5

Local Summary.

Beyond the incidents of "local intelligence" which will be found below, there is little worthy of record since last summary. The Civil Commissioner is at present on a visit to the Wairoa district, the inhabitants of which are expected to accept the institutions of Sir George Grey. North and South, the natives are quiet in the district.

There is now a large balance in the Provincial Treasury, and it is the intention of the Government to prosecute with vigour the public works during the summer months. A good deal of money will thus be put in circulation, and as the wool season is now rapidly approaching, a decided improvement in business may shortly be expected.

Choeal Society.— On Thursday last, just before his departure in the Queen, His Honor Judge Johnston gave a " reading " for the benefit of the -Choral Society. The evening, as the event proved, was an unfortunate one, many being engaged ia preparing for the English mail ; and the attendance was not so good as otherwise it might have been; nevertheless a few pounds were added to the funds of the Sneiety. The "reading" consisted of Shakespeare's King John, or, rather, of the more striking passages in the several acts ; and although His Honor was evidently suffering from fatigue, the rendering of this fine play was well received. The thanks of the community are certainly due to His Honor for the anxiety he uniformly evinces to forward any good work that may be in progress at the time of his periodical visits. — Herald, October 14.

New Zealand Magazine. — We have to acknowledge the receipt of the third number of this periodical, which continues to present a very creditable appearance. We regret that we cannot speak so favorably of the business arrangements, which are so defective as to have left the Napier subscribers to this day, without the second number ! The "Eolling Stone" increases in interest ; ■while we have some good articles on general subjects, including an excellent one by Mr. Joseph. May on the cultivation and management of the potato. The printing is first class, although we notice some strange typographical errors, such as, citoMng its readers, for slwching &c. : for which, however, the printer is probably not responsible. We are glad to perceive that the Magazine is beginning to be appreciated as an advertising medium, and we trust that it is also appreciated on account of its interesting contents and low price. The public should encourage to the utmost so enterprising an attempt as that of Mr. Chapman.—lb id.

Netane Te Htjiki. the native lately tried for the murder of his wife and acquitted, was forwarded to Otago by last trip of the Queen — subscriptions in aid having been collected throughout the town. The more immediate object of sanding him away is the fear, well grounded we believe, that the connections of his late wife would not hesitate to kill him if they had the opportunity ; while, by forwarding him to so thriving a place as Dunedin, it is supposed that he will find it easy to support himself by the labour of his hands. A report of the trial, printed in the Maori language by order of the Civil Commissioner, was forwarded by yesterday's mails to the Wairoa and other inland districts —

a copy having been addressed to every native of note. — Ibid.

/SCAB. — Mr. Tiffin, Inspector of Sheep, arrived from the Wairoa district on Sunday.. "We regret to learn that this virulent disease is spi'eading — the Inspector having condemned two more flocks. One is that of Mr. G. Walker ; the other that of Messrs. Fannin, which numbers about a thousand — Ibid.

POKAWA.— From a letter, dated Pokawa, Oct. 16, we have been kindly furnished with the following piece of intelligence : — " The natives held a runanga at Hapuku's pa, yesterday, on an old man of 60 years, who it seems had illicit intercourse with a young girl, and sentenced him to fcehung. The old fellow, after committing the offence, took to the bush and cannot be found. They have been searching for him for two days, armed with tomahawks, knives, &c, and it is the belief of everyone that if he his caught they will ■carry the decision of the runanga into effect." — Herald, October 18.

The Land Sale yesterday was a very sorry affair. Seven sections at Hampden were sold at the upset price of £5 each, and one in the Pohui Bush at £40 \— Herald, October 21.

The New Post Office was yesterday commenced by the contractor, Mr. Vaiitier. — Ibid.

Narrow. Escape from Fire. — On Wednesday night about 11 o'clock, as the Sergeant Major of Police was passing the premises now in course of erection for Messrs. Barraud and Bridge, he discovered the shavings left in the building by the carpenters to be in a burning state. Had the discovery not been made so opportunely, nothing could have saved the premises and those adjoining from being a second time destroyed. It is ■believed that some person had taken advantage of the shelter the empty building afforded to light Iris pipe, and had, in so doing, dropped a spark into the combustible material beneath. Such practices are dangerous in the extreme, and it is to be regretted that the person who is supposed to have committed this very culpable act cannot

be -recognised. It is a fortunate thing for Napier in all respects that so active and vigilant a man as Sergeant Scully is at the head of the police. — Herald, October 25.

The Pokawa Case referred to in our last, has elicited the following from a gentleman whose means of information are the best : — " I see a paragraph in last week's Herald from a correspondent at Pokawa, who states that an old man had been sentenced to be hung by the Runanga, that he had bolted to the bush, and that the natives had been after him with tomahawks, &c. I knew that an old fellow named Wera had been tried for the offence described by your correspondent, with a granddaughter of Hapuku's, named Arihi ; and seeing the paragraph in your paper I asked some natives in this neighbourhood who had been at the Runanga if the story were true, as the paragraph was the first I had heard of so serious a matter, which I thought odd. Their reply was, that old Wera's gxiilt had been proved, and that some of the old men wanted to kill him, but the majority had over-ruled them, and the sentence of the Runanga was that he should be outlawed, and if found at any pah or village, the persons sheltering him should be heavily fined. It is true that he ran to the bush, but not that he was followed with tomahawks, &c. Another native was found guilty of a similar offence with the same person ; he was fined £50, and the girl £10, but the latter sentence was afterwards reversed, as the lad} r was of higher rank than anybody there; and they thought they had not ths right to fine her 1 " — Ibid.

The Provincial Engineer returned from Mohaka on Monday last, and proceeds to the Pohui Bush on the morning of Monday next. — Ibid.

Public Works. — It will be seen from our advertising columns that public works are about to be prosecuted with vigour — tenders to some extent being invited by the Provincial Government. — Ibid.

Bank of New Zealand. — The site formerly occupied by the Golden Fleece hotel has, we understand, been purchased for the erection of the new bank building. — Herald, Nov. 1.

Old Friends.— We learn by the last mail that the " Orwell " arrived in England on the 18th August. Our old fellow-settlere Messrs. J. and W. Tucker and Mr. M. Hill were passengers by this vessel. They had a stormy passage of 54 days from Melbourne to the Horn, and light winds and calms for the remainder of the passage, which occupied 110 days in all. Mr. Gill, late Provincial Engineer, left Melbourne in the "Lillies" a fortnight after the Orwell — the same ship that had previously put back to Melbourne in a disabled state, when the gentlemen above named thought it prudent to forfeit their passages and secure berths in a more seaworthy vessel. — Ibid.

Church of England.— We are informed that the late committee of the Church of England met on Saturday evening last, when a resolution was unanimously adopted for resigning their functions into the hands of the recently elected vestry, and dissolving the committee from the 31st Oct. ult. After payment of various small sums, the sum of £60 was appropriated in reduction of the debt on the Church land, and as the Bazaar trustees had applied a further sum of £40 to the same object, the debt is now reduced to the small sum of £40 — the Bishop of Wellington having advanced the remaining £300, upon which interest is to be paid for ten years at ten per cent., when His Lordship undertakes to forego the principal. In accordance with the arrangement entered into with the Bishop, the Church and Parsonage have "been conveyed to five trustees appointed by the General Synod for that purpose. — Ibid.

Napier Athenaeum. — We understand that in accordance with a resolutiou lately passed by the Provincial Council His Honor the Superintendent has applied to the trustees of the Napier Atheuaeum to refund the sum of £300 paid to them by the Provincial Government towards the erection of that Institution. In consequence of this application the committee of management was convened by circular to meet on Tuesday last and take the subject into consideration, but in consequence of only three members being present no business could be proceeded with. As it appeared that nearly half the members named when the committee was appointed some two years ago, had left Napier, it was considered desirable to convene a public meeting to elect a new committee, and we presume at the same time to consider what course it is proper to adopt in reference to the erection of the building,' and the application for a refund made by the Provincial Government. "We hope that all who are interested in the establishment of an Athenaeum will attend the meeting and that an active committee of management will be selected.— lbid.

Returning from Otago. — We are happy to learn that a considerable number of those who lately left Napier to try their fortunes in the newly discovered El Dorado of the South, are on their way back — several being on board the Sea Serpent. — Ibid.

POKAWA. — The old man Wera, to whose case we have already adverted, has not been seen since he ran away, and the natives believe that he lias committed suicide. Should however he be found, we learn that, with the concurrence of all the other parties concerned, the case will be brought before the Court of the Resident Magistrate for the district. — Ibid.

Waipukurau. — Two cases of cattle shooting have lately occurred in this neighbourhood. The animals had broken into cultivations, and were fired at by the native owners. We understand that they were not Killed or permanently injured, but "peppered" with small shot. These cases will also be brought before the Eesident Magistrate's Court. — Ibid.

Escape pbom Gaol and eb-captuee op the prisoner.— -On Sunday at J-past 2 a prisoner named Anderson, under sentence of the Supreme Court, made his escape from Gaol under the following circumstances. Fortunately, he was speedily re-captured. About the hour named the Gaoler saw the prisoner lift a bucket and go round to the tank at the end of the gaol, as if for water. Not re-appearing in two or three

minutes a search was instituted, and the prisoner could nowhere be seen. Information was immediately sent to the Sergeant- Major of police, who instituted a strict search, and started himself for Clive — Corporal Evans at the same time proceeding to the neighbourhood of Awapuni. About nine in the evening the turnkey (Davern) also started — he having meanwhile received information from a person who had seen the prisoner and who suspected that he was making for the Big Bush. On getting to the ferry, Davern ascertained that the boat had been taken to the other side by some person unknown, which strengthened the suspicion that the prisoner had taken this direction. He then went to Clive, and thence to the Big Bush, where, after searching several of the huts, he found Anderson in one of them, lying in bed. Davern then took him into custody, and brought him to town — reaching the gaol at six o'clock yesterday morning. — Herald, November 4.

Immigration. — The Provincial Government has received advice of assisted passages to the Province, amounting in all to £460, having been secured in the ship Constance, now expected shortly at Wellington. This sum represents, we believe, 23 statute adults ; but, as the immigrants consist of persons of all ages, the actual number is probably from 30 to 40. As these have all been sent for by persons already settled in the province, we may infer that they are likely to be of a good class and to become permanent residents — Ibid.

The Peovincial Engineer, during his recent visit to the Mangaone, examined the bed of the river for a considerable distance, although time did not permit of his making so thorough a survey as he would have desired. "We learn, however, that no time will be lost in expending the sum voted (£150) towards removing the obstructions so long complained of ; the work, indeed, has already been given out to a resident European and ten natives — this course being rendered necessary by the impossibility under the circumstances of preparing specifications. We learn that Mr. Weber, whose movements are so rapid as to render him almost übiquitous, is now in the Porangahau district.

D. McLean, Esq., Chief Land Purchase Commissioner, arrived in this province on Tuesday morning by the schooner Victoria.

Education. — Among the passengers by the Zillah from Auckland on Monday morning was Mr. Thomson, who has lately arrived from England by the Indian Empire to take charge of the Presbyterian school, Napier.

The Anniversary Regatta came off on Monday last. The da}' was delightfully fine, and a goodly number of spectators mustered on the occasion. The programme consisted of four races. The first was for whaleboats pulling four and five oars ; prize £10. entrance £1, distance 2 miles. Brodie's Waverley won, beating Stewart's Nuggett. The second was for boats pulling two oars ; prize £5, entrance £1, 2 miles. As in the former case the entries were but two — Warnes' Vibelia and Brodie's The Arrow. The former was the winner. The third was a sailing match, open to all boats ; prize £10. entrance £1. There were three competitors — the Vibelia, Mr. Murray's The Pilot, and Mr. Beuker's Ocean Child. They ran for the rock on the western side of the harbour, with a fine sea breeze, and had to work back. Vibelia was the winner. The fourth and last was for boats pulling a pair of sculls. Prize £10, entrance 10s.. course round Gough Island. The gig known as Capt. Curling's wou, beating Rolf c's Witch of Napier.