Interprovincial Items.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 15, Issue 797, 20 June 1870, Page 2

Interprovincial Items.

Mr David Curie, proprietor of the Ross Guardian (a West Coast paper), ha 3 been committed for trial for libel on the County Chairman (Mr Hoos.) During the month of March last a quarter of a million of bushels of grain passed over the Christchurch railway for ship ment to England. The chief Taipari has written a letter to the Thames Advertiser, strongly denying the statement recently made, that the money paid by the Shortland leaseholders went to purchase guns and ammunition for Te KootL Taipari says the author of the statement ought to bear in mind the Ninth CompaaDdrflenk

The last number of the Auckland Morning Advertiser appeared on the 30th ult. Boyswho arein the habit of putting coins into their mouths, should take warning by the fate of atad named Greenfield at Gauiaru. It seems that the lad swallowed a halfcrown in this manner, and though he is re* covering, it was at first feared ihat death would ensue. Eumors are rife at Timaru of the discovery of alluvial diggings in that neigh* borhood, capable of giving employment to 10,000 men. The gold is alleged to be evenly dispersed, and to every pan of earth, there was a proportionable quantity of gold, sufficient to yield handsome wages tp the diggers. The locality is kept a secret at present.,

In noticing the appointment of the hon. Henry Sewell as Minister of Justice for the Colony of New Zealand, the Wellington Independent says : —We would commend to his earliest consideration the case of the half-caste Henry Hamilton, who, by tho verdict of a Special Commission, stands attainted of wilful perjury, and if guilty of that perjury is self-convicted as particeps crimi)iis } if not as principal, in one of the foulest murders that ever helped to blot the foul pages of the annals of capital crime. According to the Otago Provincial Council Order Paper, notioe has been given by Mr Ashcroft of his intention to move that a sum of money should be placed on tho estimates " sufficient to purchase 50 acres of land at Martin's Bay as an endowment to Martina M'lntosh, the first child born at Martin's Buy." Pive gentlemen, who accidentally met in Trafalgar-street, Nelson, on being weighed and measured, gave an average height of 6ft. lin., and an average weight of I7st. 111 b. The tallest man was 6ft. 2|in., and the shortest sft. llin. j the weight of the heaviest was 24st. 31b., and tho lightest weighed list. 111 b. Two were Scotchmen born j the remaining three were JS T ew Zealand bred, hut of Scotch descent.

A stationer named Dale has been committed for trial at Grreymouth for a libel on the Mayor of tbat town. The libel arose out of a letter which was refused publication in one of the looal papers.

A young servant girl Margaret Urquahart, at Wellington, apparently in perfect health, recently went out for a walk. Returning, two hours afterwards, she sat down and suddenly expired. An inquest havin* been held on the boiy, the jury returned a verdict of "Death from natural causes."

The following is from the Wellington Daily Advertiser, 13th June ; —-In the harbor on Saturday the cutter Glimpse presented a rather novel appearance, having been hove-down for the purpose of having her keel examined, as it is not long since she struck on a rock in attempting to get into Napier—the pilot being on board at the time. It has been ascertained, however, that the only damage sustained from the bump was that of having a small pieco of her false keel carried away. The process of hauling her down was effected by having a lighter alongside with about 30 tons of ballast. A rope being fastened to the mast head of the cutter, was passed under the lighter, and, with the aid of tackle-blocks, rigged luff upon-luff, the mast was hauled down towards the deck of the lighter, which brought her keel uppermost. We understand that it is the intention of Capt. Oroucher to alter her rig, as well as to give her a thorough overhaul. An amusing incident, characteristic (of the precocity of young Nohf Zealand, occurred at a recent meeting of creditors, held at the Royal Hotel, Oamaru. The meeting was largely attended by the chief business men of the town. The two local lawyers were at their post, and the war of words between debtor and creditor was about to commence, when one of the legal gentleman discovered that there was an intruder, in the shape of a small boy of eleven or twelve years old in the room, whom he politely requested to retire. The boy did not appreciate the gentle, request, but, with bristling hair and defiant demeanor, boldly took possession of the floor, and declared that he had as much right there as " any other man." He came as an opposing creditor. The bankrupt owed him $s 6d, and he was not going to accept a compromise, no, not he, he knew better than that. A benevolent gentleman endeavored to show the youngster that according to English law he had no right to be there, being under age. With ready wir, however, he stood and cheekily aaid " SQ wu,oU the worse, for,

British law, Ibe a foreigner." It is needless to say that the gentlemen present were convulsed with laughter, and the youngster—after many threats of being forcibly ejected if he did not leave peacefully—retired hissing between his teeth " he would oppose, he would send his big brother to do it fur. him." The bankrupt and his legal adviser s'niled complacently, when this youthful but demonstrative ■creditor had been ejected, and the business of the meeting proceeded , Eeferring to attempts made in Wellington and elsewhere to establish a line of eteamors to San Francisco, having Mel bourne for the terminus, and Wellington for the port of call, the Evening Post says:—"ln establishing such a line ol steamers as we propose, we must evidently not look for the slightest help from the present iGrovernment, We must trust to the Legislature and the independent and people of tho Colony, and-go on with our work in defiance of Ministerial hostility. We have not placed this question—one of the very utmost importance to our well-being—on local, but on broad and general grounds ; what we advocate is for tho general good, and if the party now in power obstinately cling to their narrow, and we are forced to say, interested views on the subject, we will be compelled to support that in opposition to them, on other matters."

Mr Richard Slattery, the driver of Cobb's coach, between Greymouth and tho Teramaukau, furnishes the Greymouth Star with particulars of tho fol lowing extraordinary circumstances: — About a month back tho New River, which emptied itself into the saltwater, suddenly, and without givirg any previous indications, cut itself a deep channel into the pea, in a line parallel with the Teremaukau River. Such a change was the cause of much inconvenience, and no,inconsiderable danger at times, when the attempt had to be made to get the coach across it. Yes lerday morning Mr Slattery, whilst attempting to reach the opposite bank ol the river, had his conveyance nearly swamped, the water reaching considorab.y above the floor of the coach ; and about tiie same time Mr Morris Levy, who was on horseback, had to swim his animal for some distance before he succeeded in reaching lhe opposite ba-.k. It was thought ye.-terc'ay unless the Government at once called for tenders for a bridge over the river, where it had cut out a new channel, the overland communication between Greymouth and Hokitika would be virtually stopped. This afternoon Mr Mattery informs us that during last night the sea, by some peculiar action, threw up such au enormous amount of sand and shingle, lhat the mouth of the river was completely stopped, and the water once more diverted to its original channel. To day, when the coach reached the spot the driver found the late river bed quite dry, and his horses crossed without wetting their hoofs. So sudden a diversion of a river from one bed to another is not on record, so far as is known on the West Coast. Had such an extraordinary occurrence not happened so suddenly and so opportunely the County Government, short as it is of funds, must have provided the money for the erection of a bridge. A sad accident hapened to a boy named Biggs, on the 2nd June, in Cuba-street, Wellington, and ono which ought to be a caution to people allowing children to wander about the streets. The boy, it appears, was playing with a whip, and, seeing a. horse in the road, ran over and struck it, upon which the animal kicked the unfor tunate lad in the face, completely smashing his jaw. Dr. Smith was promptly in attendance and had the boy removed to the Hospital, where he now lies in a dangerous state, fears beiug entertained of ids recovery.

The Wairarapa Mercury says :—Our attension has been called to the danger that .travellers encounter by the drivers of many of the Wairarapa wagons being intoxicated when in charge of the teams on the road. This has become lately so great a nuisance that many very narrow eacapes have occurred, and both life and property have been in imminent danger. Hotel-keepers on the road should be cautioned not to supply men when driving with almost unlimited amounts of spi:its, as the roads are quite dangerous enough without having to incur fresh iljlcs ; the roads are sufficiently deep to make the traveller cautious when either driving or riding, and the additional chance of meeting two or three four-horse with the drivers drunk, renders drays travelling between Wairarapa and Wellingtow rather dangerous.