BOASTING A MAORI.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 126, 27 May 1880, Page 2

BOASTING A MAORI.

Napier, Thursday. A curious case of one Maori roasting another came before the Magistrates' Court to-day. Herika, a follower of Te Whiti and sort of minor prophet and missionary corabioed, was charged with assaulting one Heriona, an old, blind, and weak-minded man. The evidence showed that the old man was ill, and the prisoner . who was conBulted was a kind of medical man. Ho declared that the patient was possessed of a

jr~MrV'r'.?~avffv > iT,ft~*s*^ft l ip^,i. J tf'7'^^.iiiS»tfjj>""ai* : .iL-'*'\j J^r*iljXL-ii ~LI~ ~ij--£jl^j* devil, and to curd him he had a Maori oven made and heated, and lined with green leaves in the most appropriate fashion, and then laid Heriona in the copper. The old gentleman tried to wriggle away, and then Herika tied his hands and feet, and as this was not satisfactory he sat on the poor man to keep him well down on the Btones. Naturally, the old fellow cried out, when Herika declared that it was the devil crying to get out of his body. At last the bystanders interfered and rescued Heriona, but not before he had been dreadfully burned, in fact a certain part of his body was described as thoroughly cooked. The case was remanded to allow the old man to be examined by a medical man. Ddnedin, Wednesday. Robert Patterson has been appointed a member of the Harbor Board, vice Henry Houghton resigned. The missing man M'Donald turned up last night in an exhausted state. He said he lost his way on Silver Peaks. The body of the man run over yesterday has been identified as that of William Jamieson, a laborer. He was going out to his work at Anderson's Bay when the train overtook hitn. Thursday. Mr Driver, M.H.R., addressed the Roslyn constituents last nigut. He blamed Sir G. Grey for going round the country speaking without having any remedy to suggest for the present state of affairs. He thought the railways would never pay unless farmed to some large American or English company. A vote of confidence was passed. Auckland, Thursday. A man named Robert Thompson fell through a glass verandah at the Albert Hotel this morning, sustaining severe injuries. Frederick Oram, charged with forging and uttering a cheque for £7, was committed for trial. At the Police Court Mr Bloom, a respectable shopkeeper, was charged with.obstructing the police in the execution of their duty. Inspector Pardy aaid that the constables had used unnecessary violence, and withdrew the charge. Mr Bloom had laid a charge of assault againat Constables Ross and Igoe, hut withdrew it on the promise that the men should be punished under the Police Regulations and pay £11 expenses. The particulars are these : — Bloom was standing in front of his own shop door, when he was told to move on, and refused. The two constables then knocked him down, knelt on him, and handcuffed and dragged him to the station, and put him into a cell with two drunkards, and refused bail until Mr Cosgrave, J.P., procured his release. The case has caused much public indignation. Ross is a young member of the force. The City Council last evening decided to send to England for twelve sets of electric fire alarms with telephone. The City Council last night resolved to co-operate with the other municipal bodies to bring pressure to bear on the Government to secure the continuance of the subsidies. The Auckland members intend to make a combined attack on the Government early in the session regarding the stoppage of the railway reclamation. A notice of motion will be tabled this day week. The Waimate Council have been notified by Mr Whitaker that £4000 will be appropriated out of the £65,000 voted for the North of Auckland on the undertaking by the Chairman that the money will bo expended only on the works contemplated by the vote. The reported discovery of coal at Mahurangi proves to be very valuable and a deep deposit. Christchckcii, Thursday. Mr Andrews, M.H.R., addressed his constituents last night. He strongly condemned the property tax. A vote of confidence was passed, also a motion calling for the repeal of the property tax in favor of an increased land tax. Mr Montgomery, speaking at the meeting, declared emphatically that Mr Macandrew was the leader of the Opposition and bis leader. Tjmaru, Thursday. Sir G. Grey addressed a large meeting last night, and was enthusiastically received. The speech was similar to those at the other places. A vote of thanks was pasaed. Mr Edward Wakefield, M.H R. for Geraldine, has issued an address to the electors which occupies two columns of the Herald. He pleads inability to meet his constituents owiog to the shortness of the recess, and the demand made on his lime by public and private business. He claims to have carried out his promise to assist in substituting an honest, steady, and economical Government for a reckless and profligate administration, and he contends that Mr Hall and his colleagues have succeeded in their difficult and thankless labor, and contrasts the fiuancial chaos that prevailed when they took office with the pesce and trauquility which the public mind now enjoys. He says the Ministry may be going slowly, but the colony wanted to put on the brake after running at a headlong speed for ten reckless years. The Electoral and Triennial Parliaments Bills bad, be says, to be forced down the throats of the Liberals. The Registration of Electors Bill would pnrify the rolls and disfranchise the dead rneu and Maori women and children who, fe* year?, had been polled at the Ncrthsrn electors. In conclusion, Le defends the Royal Commissions on the ground ih t they were appointed with the sanction of Parliament. Marton, Thursday. The enquiry re Charles Williams who waa recently found lying dead and who was suspected of having swallowed poison was held to-day at the R.M. Court before Mr Ward. Fresh evidence was produced to show that the deceased could write a little and that he had borrowed a pencil in Marton and was seen by the witness writing something on a piece of paper before leaving the township. There was pencil writing discovered attached to a letter to Mrs Shaw showing that the deceased intended to commit suicide. Proof was wanting to showing that deceased was the writer and the police were unable to trace the poison to his possession. The Magistrate decided to leave the enquiry open in case any further evidence should be forthcoming. New Plymouth, Thursday. Mr Thomas Kelly, M.H.R for New Plymouth, addressed his constituents last night and was well received. A vote of thanks for his past services and confidence in him for the future was carried unanimously. The usual ploughing match came ofi: yesterday notwithstanding the wet weather, Wellington, Thursday. At the Magistrates' Court Gleech alias Fisher was brought up on six charges of sly grog-selling, and on two charges was fined £20 each. The others were dismissed. The rain of the last two days has caused another slip on the Wellington Greytown line, and this morning direct communication was interrupted, but the trains ran as far as the slip, and then exchanged passengers. 1