LOCAL INTELLIGENCE

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume III, Issue 174, 13 May 1864, Page 3

LOCAL INTELLIGENCE

We have it from good authority that there is a great deal of excellent land comprised within the boundaries of the much-abused Military Settlement at Puketitiri. If this be true, and we see no reason why it should not, the determined opposition of Major Whitmore, to whom the run belongs, is easily accounted for. No doubt that distinguished gentleman objects to rich, good land being given away for nothing to aliens, while he, the lordly runholder, is not able to effect purchases thereof at ss. an acre. It is to be hoped that the patriotism of the Militia and Volunteers of this Province will shew itself in the shape of a contribution of their pay to a fund for the purpose of supporting, or assisting to support, the widows and orphans of those slain in battle with the Maoris, or those so severely injured in the same cause as to be rendered for life incapable of assisting themselves. We need not impress this good work at any length upon the attention of our readers. Its merits are self-evident, and the cause excellent. No man receiving Militia pay is much benefitted by it. We are not at present at war with the Natives, and therefore, although called upon for occasional drill, we are not much the gainers, in a pecuniary sense at least, from that source. The privates halfcrowns would be a grand sum in total to hand over for the benevolent purpose which we suggest. Captain Vivian’s Company of the 14th are under orders to proceed to Waipawa on Monday or Tuesday next. The Conveyance of the Inland Mails. —The Postmaster has desired us to notify for the information of those interested in the conveyance of the mails between Napier and Waipawa, that tenders for such service, to commence on the Ist July next, and to continue for twelve months, will be called for in an early number of this paper. The mails will have to be conveyed in a two or four-wheeled vehicle, drawn by not less than two horses, with watertight and roomy lockers for the mail-bags. The time of starting from the chief post office, Napier, will be 7 o’clock a.m., on every Tuesday, and time of arrival at Waipawa, 4 p.ra., on same day. The return mail to leave Waipawa at 7 a.m., on Friday, and to reach The post office, Napier, at 4 p.ra. Superintendents to their Friends. — The following choice morceau, from the Skibbereen and West Carbery Eagle, or South Western Advertiser, an Irish journal, has been handed to us for publication: — We are allowed to make the following extract from a letter from a friend in New Zealand to John H. Townsend, Esq., J.P., Dunbeacon. It speaks favorably for that rising colony:— Auckland is now a large town. There are few old faces to be met there. Sulratta is yet alive. Kussenga lias been gathered to his fathers, and so have many others that used to give us a friendly greeting. Old Capt. Porter wears out well. Your nephews, particularly Richard, are fine lads and likely to do well. lam now proprietor of a largo estate with thousands of sheep, and about one hundred horses, besides cattle; being also the chief officer of the Province is not to be despised, as the class of people here are really very good. In fee simple, 1 possess in this Province 17,000 acres, besides a right over about 100,000 —so you can see I have not done so badly. New Zealand is progressing rapidly. You see handsome mansions, good farms, fine stock, and abundance of the luxuries of life without being encumbered with the restraints of home society.