News of the Day.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XXIV, Issue 115, 23 September 1865, Page 2

News of the Day.

The Weathee.— During the last week or ten days we have had most unusual weather, the wind blowing strongly with but little intermision from the southwest. Such a spell of wind from that quarter we never remember having seen, and at this period of the year it is most unusual. The effect of it has been to render intercourse with the West Coast almost impossible. Of all the vessels which have left Nelson for the Hokitika and the Grey during the past week, we question whether one of them is south of Cape Farewell, and we believe they are all lying within the Sandspit. Had they managed to get down the coast, not one of them could take either of the bars in such weather, or tranship their passengers and cargo, so that they are better off at anchor than knocking about at sea. The Gothenburg, which was met below Cape Farewell on Sunday last, had to run back for shelter. The Wallaby possibly made Hokitika before the sea got up, and, if so, her detention need excite no surprise.

Tbatfio by the Isthmus of Panama.— We have printed to-day an article copied from a New York paper, on the construction of a second railway between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans ; and we have seen a private letter speaking of a gentleman who has lately returned to this colony from Europe by way of Panama and San Francisco, who states that the traffic is enormous, and daily increasing. There can be no doubt but that the opening of the Panama route will direct a large amount of American capital and enterprise to New Zealand and the Australian colonies.

Nelson Building, Land, and Investment Society. — The sixth annual meeting of this society is to take place on Monday evening next, at the Fleece Hotel, to receive the balance sheet and report, to elect five members of committee, and to appoint auditors.

DISTBEBSIHG ACCIDENT TO ONE OV COBB AND Co's Coaches ih Southland. — The following account ol a. distressing and fatal accident is extracted Irom the Southland Times of September Ist j — " It is seldom our duty to chronicle a more distressing accident than that happened on Sunday last to Cobb and Co's coach, on its route from Lake Wakatip to lnvereargill. The coach, drawn by three horses, driven by an experienced hand, reached Fyer'e Creek in safety, and in attempting to crosß it, the disaster occurred. The vehicle carried the mails, and two iemale passengers, viz., Margaret Baffin and Margaret Smith, both, we understand, servant girls. When near the middle ol the stream, the coach was capsized, and along with it its occupants rolled down the river. The driver, extricating himself, swam about endeavouring to find the passengers, and the leading horse having broken the pole, escaped to shore, but the two wheelers were drowned. Meanwhile, Margaret Baffin was rescued by a bullock driver, whose name is not known, and carried to the bank, where she prematurely gave birth to a child. Ab we are informed, she was on her way to lnvereargill, to be confined, and her serious position was attended to most promptly by the residents in the neighbourhood. The driver, as we have said, bwam about a considerable time, but, getting exhausted, he was glad to reach the bank ; the next day, the waters subsiding as rapidly as they had risen, the Lake mail bags were iound, then the coach, with the two horses, and inside the vehicle the body of Margaret Smith, the other passenger. The news of the catastrophe spreading, reached Sergeant Morton, who rode to the scene at once, and an inquest was to be held on Wednesday, but whether it took place or cot we have been unable to aicertaini

Mr. Hewitt's Murder.— The Wanganui Chronicle states that three natives belonging to Kai Iwi, named Reihana, Peina, and Muka Reihana have come forward and have given information regarding the perpetrators of tho murder of Mr. Hewitt. They have given their testimony before Mr. Buller, District Magistrate, and it is to this effect : — They were at Areiahi, a village on the Waitotara, when the head was brought in by Hori, a Waitotara native, who picked it up at Mr. Hewitt's when dropped by the native who cut it off, named Kohi, of Waikato. They say that the party at Mr. Hewitt's house numbered sixty-four, among whom, besides the actors, they name Rio and Riniatario, tho latter one of Mr. White's assessors, and said now to be a prisoner at, Wellington. The first shot was fired by Te Kruki, a Waikato ; the second shot was fired by Peter, a Patea native, who with Rio had been shearing sheep at Mr. Hewitt's and guided the party to the place ; and Kuti, another Waikato native, struck Mr. Hewitt on the head with the butt end of a gun. Koatrea, a prophet, induced the natives to leave the house, after they had pillaged it. This is the substance of the information given, and it is added that the head is buried on the banks of the Patea.

Stbangb, but True.— The Wellington Independent, of Saturday last, has the following : — " On Tuesday evening, Mr. Jollie moved, ' That as the Provincial Government of Nelson has failed to fence in the graves of the colonists who fell at the masacre of the Wairau, and as the place where those persons were interred remains to the present day totally unprotected and unmarked, this House is of opinion that the General Government should take immediate steps to erect a suitable fence and monument, and thus remove from the colony reproach of leaving in a state of utter neglect the graves of men ■who lost their lives in its service.' As ho did bo, the the gallery door opened, and the man that entered was one of the murderers concerned in tbafc atrocious scene of blood. The man is known as ' Charlie,' a friendly chief, the brother of Puaha, but in those days he was an unmitigated barbarian. He was the man who killed Mr. Patchett, and on whom was found the coat of his victim. Finding him now the enfant cheri of certain respectable settlers, and with an entre into the strangers gallery of the House of Representatives, we may truly say, "we are a forgiving people."

What can be done for Southland? — This says the Southland Times, is a question as yet unanswered. The Lyttelton Times has proposed that the province should be re-annexed to Otago, but to this the local journal strongly demurs. What it asks is for an alteration of the land law, to enable the province to sell land at less than £2 an acre, and thus pay off its debts.