ALARMING NATIVE INTELLIGENCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume III, Issue 900, 2 October 1866, Page 4

ALARMING NATIVE INTELLIGENCE.

Yesterday, in our allusion to the rumour prevalent in town on Saturday that the friendly natives resident in "Wnikato had cleared out of the district and had gone over to the rebels, we published the very alarming particulars furnished to us by a gentleman just arrived from the disaffected districts. AVe are to-day in a position to state that the information afforded to us is but too correct in every particular. William Thompson it is wlu> has, through his lieutenant Teira, obstructed tiie survey of the Government lands at Taurauga, and who, having raised the natives into rebellion, is now at the head of the insurrectionary party. There is every reason to believe that Napier, the capital town of the Province of Tlawke's Bay, is the position most iu danger of immediate attack. This is the more likely, as there is not at the ]) resent; time, we believe, any military force stationed in that town. i£ Taihou ; wait till the soldiers are gone," were the warning words used by many a friendly Northern native during the past twelve months, whenever an expression of sanguine belief in the final termination of the war was expressed by a European. It seems that Thompson and his followers are scarcely willing to wait for the departure of the last regiment. \Ve understand that a general return ] of the arms and ammunition which each tribe would bo able to afford, in the ease of a general rising, had been called for and received by Thompson, iind that instead of there being any deficiency in this matter, the stock of warlike implements and ammunition amongst the natives was never greater than at this present moment. Large <uims in money, as compensation for confiscated lands, have been paid over to them during the last year or two by the G-overnmeut, and doubtless the greater portion of this and other monies, have been expended in the purchase of arms and ammunit ion furnished to them by such injprincipled characters as the man Priestley, lately convicted of such oHonco and sentenced to imprisonment for three years. AY'c are glad to see that the efforts of Mr. Commissioner Mackay to bring this man to justice, have not been rendered unavailing by the interposition of legal quibbles. The judge yesterday confirmed the sentence of the Native Court. Suvkemk Court. —His Honor gave judgment yesterday in the case of John Priestley, brought up under writ of habeas t'orpu.i from prison, where ho is undergoing sentence of three years' imprisonment passed upon him iu the Native Circuit Court of Piako, in the district of Harapipi, Mr. Mackay presiding with two native assessors. The validity of the commitment was argued against by Air. McCormick, on Friday last, a report of which argument appeared in our issue of Saturday. His Honor however, in giving judgment, said he did not feel called upon to express any opinion upon the several points raised, but said that the intention of the Isgislature was to be inferred from the language of the Native Circuit Courts Act, together ft-ith the language of the Summary Proceedings Ordinance Act, that the legislature intended to withhold the' tight of appeal from these Courts, and therefore the prisoner must be remanded back to prison. In the case Macf'arlane v. Auckland Insurance Company, tried last week, Mr. Wynu moved for a rule ni.ti for a new trial on the grounds of misI direction, and that the verdict was against the weight of evidence. A rule was granted on the ; first ground. Citv Boaeij.—The fortnightly meeting of the Board was held yesterday. There was not much business on the'paper; Several petitions were received find referred to the Streets Committee. Discussions took place upon the report of the Committee on Sewers Districts, on the propriety of making some sort of use of the old Supreme Court-house, on proposed improvements in Drake-street. Dissolution of PiETNEiiSHir. —The partnership existing between "John Taylor. William Taylor, George Handley, under the firm entitled Taylor and Co., is dissolved. Runaway House.—Yesterday a horse, yoked to a baker's cart, bolted from Mr. Canning's shop in Sliortland-street, and galloped downhill into Queen-street., narrowly escaping the first of the line of hackney carriages. Both shafts of the cart becoming broken, the career of the animal was somewhat checked. A young man, however, named Maxwell, seized the reins and stopped the brute without doing further mischief. Beui« t swick Hall.—The concert so successfully given lately in aid of the St. Stephen's Orphan Home will be repeated this evening in j aid-of the funds of the Ladies' Benevolent I Society* -'•» I <

Net;- Musical Society. —• We hail with pleasure the project of a new Musical Society an the principle of tlie English Philharmonic Societies, to be styled the Auckland Choral Society. The enterprise commences tinder very favourable auspices, and a list of very influential names has been announced. Mr. -Penton is to be Permanent Chairman, Kev. S. Edgar ViceChairman, Mr. Joseph Brown Conductor, Mr. T. Connell Secretary, Mr. F. Kissling Treasurer, and Mr. Harker Librarian. The Society will number about 100 members, vocalists, and instrumentalists at the outset. To Mr. Brown we believe the merit belongs of suggesting this new society. We need hardly say that an effective Choral Society has been much needed here. We understand that the first rehearsal is appointed to take place on the 9th of October in Hofimann's Booms. Subject : Handel's Oratorio, Israel in Egypt, magnificent double cliorusses, &c. We look forward with interest to the progress of the new society. We noticed in our issue of yesterday that Mr. Geddes gave information to the police of Ending the dead body of a youth in Cox's Creek. Further examination has proved that the body is that of a Maori boy. The body is much decomposed, one of the legs having severed from the trunk. Tlie body is supposed to have been probably a fortnight or three weeks in the water. Mount Wellington District.—A meeting of electors in the Panmure Inn, will be held this day, for the purpose of levying a rate and appointing trustees. A very curious assault case was brought before his Worship at the Police Court yesterday—Doran v. Brown. A deal of evidence wa; taken which disclosed some very strange proceedings on the side of both parties, and caused much merriment in the Court. The case will be found fully reported elsewhere. His Worship ordered the defendant to pay a fine of £u (to include the costs), or be imprisoned for two months' with hard labour. Warrants have been issued for the apprehension of Kichard Parsons, Mary Parsons, and Sarah Smith, on a charge ot keeping a house ol ill fame in Chapel-street. Fires.—We understand that Major Tight has announced to iSo. 1 Company of Volunteers, that they are to attend all fires during the next month for the protection of property, under command of Captain Howell. The place oi meeting for muster will be the Old Court House, where all members of the Company will assemble on the first alarm of fire. In our last obituary column wo notice wit-h regret the death of an old and well-known and respected colonist, Mr. George McEiwain, whe died on Sunday night. Mr. AlcElwain held foi many years the appointment of Governor of the Auckland Gaol, and arrived iu Auckland originally with Governor Hobson in IS*lO. Tlie funeral will take place to-day, at 4 p.m. Public Notice.—One of those amusing mock trials, which have furnished so much harmles.amusement and entertainment, and in which Sil Timothy Traffic is plaintiff and Mr. Public Good defendant, is announced for to-morrow, al Mr. Dewar's schoolroom, Newton. Departure of Judge Moore.—This learned judge leaves to-day, by the Egmont, for Wellington. Baptist Chapel, Wellesley-street.—The annual soiree, in connection with this chapel, will be held this evening, when the usual report will be presented and addresses will be delivered by several friends. , New Zealand Agricultural Society. — The usual monthly meeting of this society will be held this afternoon, at 3 o'clock, at the Crite rion Hotel, Otaliuhu. Messrs. Jones and Co. will sell to-day, ai their mart, Brunswick Buildings, by order oi the mortgagee, several valuable properties ir land; allotments in the suburbs of Auckland allotments at Maungakaramea, Mangapai, Teimaterau, Wangarei; also the lease oi' a store in Queen-street, iately in the occupation of Mr. W. Ormiston; allotment in Wellington-street I (Collins's estate), with dwelling, stabling ; allotments at Mount St. John. Messrs. Arthur and Sox will sell to-day, s quantity of provisions, groceries, oilmen's stores, weighing machine, tinware, rocking chairs, dou-ble-barreled gun, colonial oven, sundry lots oi drapery. Messrs. Hunter and Co. will hold their usual weekly sale to-day, at Otahuhu, of fat and store and daily stock, horses, sheep, pigs, &c. Mr. Alfred Bucklano will hold to-day, his usual weekly sale of fat, store, and dairy stock, &c., at the Triangle, Otahuhu.