Untitled

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5497, 30 June 1879, Page 4

Baring Saturday and yesterday His Excellency Sir Hercules Kobiuson, being comparatively free from public life, enjoyed a quiet unostentatious stroll through the city. There is no special business programme arranged, bnt His Excellency will probably await the arrival of the mail steamer, which should arrive to-morrow night. Should the weather be favourable, His Excellency and suite will leave for Wellington on Wednesday. Rumours of a most warlike and exciting character were current in town on Saturday and yesterday, in regard to the state of affairs on the West Coast. If they shew nothing else, they shew the exciting public interest which is being manifested in the presont state of affairs. One rumour was to the effect that two Europeans had been shot by the Maories, another to the effect that 15 Maoriea had been shot by Europeans. Neither report had any foundation in fact. We trust they axe not prophetic, or that the Europeans are not becoming impregnated with the belief that, like Te Whiti, they can foretell the future. Mr. J. B. Stoney, who has been clerk of the Resident Magistrate's Court at the Thame3 for many years, is about to be removed to Danedin. ' At the Court on Friday,. Mr. J.:A. Miller, solicitor, expressed the appreciation of the profession of the kind and obliging -manner -iD which Mr. Stoney had at all times discharged the duties of his office. Mr. J. E. Dodd endorsed the remarks made by Mr. Miller, and Colonel Fraser, fLM., concurred in what had been said, and expressed his regret, at the removal of Mr. Stoney.

.Our telegram from Chriatchnrch mentionsthat the town is- once again the scene of a heavy flood. Last year it suffered greatly from the same cau,e, and the legislature voted a considerable sum by.. way otloau for the purpose of obviating and mitigating the evil. So far the present; flood has not reached the dimensions of the feat, but'the river Waimakariri has attained a height which has rendered it impassable, floocUd some of the streets, and imperilled some of the places of business. Up to the time of the deapatoh of the telegram, traffic had not bepn interrupted on the railway, and the utmost vigilence was being used to detect the approaoh of danger. It is probable that the flood has been caused by the concurrent action of the_ warm rains which have fallen and the melting of the snow on the mountains. The telegraph line 3 were down last night south of Kaikoura, no doubt from the storm and floods. The Waikato Times has the following explanation of the origin of the Tauranga native scare :—" Te Puna is a district situated to the westward of the township o£ Tauranga, and-is occupied by a determined tribe o£ formerly hostile natives, known as the Pirirakaus. The chief of this small section is known by the name of Rawir 3 Tangitu, who held a high command at the famous Gate Pa. Alter peace was declared, . these hapus refused to recognise the authority of the Queen, and did not hesitate to assert that they had never beoa conquered, which was, indeed, to a certain extent the case, inasmuch as the last shots exchanged in the lats Waikato war were fired t,t a military snr7cy party on the land claimed by them. In ISM the territory lying en th 3 north-east slope of the mountain, popularly known as the A roha range, was confiscated and subsequently returned to the natives, with the exception of . fifty thousand acres on which the military 3ettlers were located. Almost immediately thereafter the then Governor (Sir George Grey) and Lis Ministers purchased a large portion of the returned country from the Ngaiterangi tribe, which purchase was thenceforward known as the Katikati-Te Puna purchase. The boundary of this purchase was never defined until quite recently, and has been a source of constant grievance to the Pirirakau hapus, who declare that Ngaiterangi had no claim over the land within it. The trigonmetrical station at Minden Peak, which commands the whole country side, has been repeatedly pulled down, and although standing at the present time, owes its foothold to private b.rrangemeata with the natives. Concurrently with the defining of the KatikatiPuna purchase boundary and the establishment of the *rig. station at Minden Peak, the Tauranga confiscated line to the westward was defined, and the Pirirakaus came into Tauranga, attended the Court, and to all intents and purposes abandoned their former lawless course of living. Tangitu himself went over to the King country on a visit, and was present at the Kopua meeting, returning to Tauranga about three weeks ago. Three-fourths of his people are present in Cambridge, attending the sittiag of the Native Lands Court, and have not the slightest disposition to take part in any lawless demonstration. The real trouble is, that Ngaiterangi sold land to the Government, which was partly the property of the Pirirakau, and these latter want compensation. The whole matter con Id have been settled for £1000, some three or four months ago. There are certainly now not twenty of the disputants who have not come in and made peace with the Europeans. Yet, through some gross ignorance of the real position, this trilling diffiouly is magnified into an affair of colonial importance, and meetings are to be called, and Volunteer corps raised, and settlers armed, as if Te Whiti and his ploughmen were knocking at the door. There is no more danger to be apprehended in Tanranga that in Queen-street, Auckland, and this has been the case for twelve months at least. We have no patience with such alarmists." It is gratifying to find that the affair arises out of such a dispute, which is quite within the limits of arrangement, but the natives having threatened to turn the settlers off their farms, we do not think it any wonder that an alarm arose. In reference to the discussion whioh has been raised relative to the £18 collected to aid Mrß. Littlechild, Mr. Jeffrey C. Hart writes a lengthy letter. Mr. Hart was ia company with Littlechild at the time the latter was drowned, aad both were in the employ of Dr. Wood. He, therefore, naturally takes a deep interest in tho subject. He says that having taken an active interest in the endeavour to have Mrs. Littlechild sent home, he was surpriied that the sum collected was not forwarded in time, as if; was urgently wanted. He made all possible inquiries, and when the time for Mrs. Littlechild's departure for England arrived, hethought all the money collected had been sent in, and the poor woman had to pay a portion of the passage-money herself ont of the limited amount in her possession. The money, our correspondent insists, was collected for Mrs. Littlechild and her children, and tho money could not be devoted to a better purpose. She had two children at the time of her husband's death, and would probably have a third about the time of hec arrival in England. In the event of her not being received kindly by her relations, she would be left to battle with the world, and the money, which it was now proposed, to withhold for a purpose other than that for which it was collected, would be to her very important. We understand that a meeting of directors interested in the principal mines on the Thames will meet this morning, in the Moanataiari Company's office, Shortland-street, for the purpose of trying to come to a final understanding with regard to the resumption of pumping by the Association. We sincerely trust that the result will be successful, and that the long spell of idleness which has characterised many of the mines through the stoppage of these pumps may now cease, and that a season of prosperity may again dawn on the goldmining industry. The matter is of the greatest importance to the future of the Thames, and we hope that no foolish jealousy will arise to prevent a final understanding being arrived at. Dr. Thornelly, who for some months past has been medical officer to the Whan Lunatio Asylum, and has had to resign the position on account of ill-health, proceeds home in the barque Alastor to-morrow, and is accompanied by Mrs. Thornelly. The first half of the 1879 session, of St. James's Discussion Class terminates tonight, when three original tales will be read. Mr. J. Blackman will narrate the circumstances connected with "Miss Stainley's Marriage;" Mr. G. A. King will tell themystenous story of "The Apparition;" and Mr. W. Brigham will relate " Old Praotical's Story." Before the delivery of these novellettes, the report of the committee on i the proposed alliance of the Auckland lite- ' rary=and debating societies will be considered. As there is a considerable difference of opinion on this matter, the members will do well to attend numerously, and punctually at 7.30. The meeting will be held in Su. James's Hall, Wellington-street, and visitors,, of both sexes, are cordially invited to ba present. The second monthly meeting of the session will be held this evening, in the Mnseum Building. The papers to be read-are rather important. The first will be by Mr. Justice Gillies, " On the Growth of Pines and other Trees on Scoria Soil at Mount Eden." The second will be by Mr.. T. F. Cheeseman, "On the Botany of the Pirongia Mountain."' The third will be by Mr. J. Adams, " Onthe Mound-builders of North America."

s.s„ brought ap on Satur- j day I'oc: tho 'Isaac/** 2 boxes of g-Md for the Bank <-f Sew ftealand. cantainuig 22490z5. Ths p.t* Enterprise »lso brc-..v apth«>i>»ne da? ISu'Sozi. for the Union, o!A.» : ::rt-j Saturday "aoing Coronatir>i Day, E.M.s, Emerald fhau a salute of 21 gnu?, ar. aiid- . day.. Her Majesty wm crowded on the 28th of June, 1838, and Saturday -ksi the <ilst anniversary of thai event. The attendance at the bazaar of the United Methodist S'ree Chirch, at Mrs. Butterworth'H shop, in Queen-c reet, on Saturday afternoon and evening was largely .'intended. The reeeipta must hive boei the largest of the three dr. 73, ;>nt the ixr-"-\i h».f<i not yet Denn made up. We ar:, iu.fnnne7, howovtr, \ thai tho oommi'ien iias e«vry r . son ii b* j satkileJ with the success of th.s bazaar. I James McGrath. who was brought up to town on Friday from Whangarei, suffering from a severe accident, received s few days previously by the falling of a tree, is, we are glad to learn, progressing us favourably as could be expectsd. It wilj be remembered that McGrath wa3 assisting a neighbour, named Hawkins, in felling a ti-£e, and, in its descent, one of the branches struck McGrath on the legs, injuring both severely. When the tree was shaking, Hawkins cried out to his mate to get away, and was under the impression that he wa3 clear, until he saw McGrath on the ground, stunned by the blow. A young woman named Lucy Drumgool, daughter o£ a respectable settler at Waiuku, ■was charged "at the Auckland Police Court on Saturday, with forging a receipt to a telegraph money order. The receipt was for a sum of £4 10s. No evidence was adduced, nor was any statement of the case made by the prosecution, but the whole proceedings were remanded until to-morrow, in order to allew the police time to procure tho attendance of witnesses. Bail was allowed to defendant in £50, and two sureties of £25 each. The diorama of the Russio-Turkish War was exhibited at the Lome-street Hall on Saturday—mid-day and evening. Both exhibitions were well-attended, and the distribution of prizes afforded every satisfaction. In the afternoon, among those present were the childreu attending the St. Stephen's Orphanage.. Farnell, each of whom got a prize. The annual Conference of teachers of the Diocesan Sunday-school Association will be held this evening at the Young Men's Christian Association Rooms. Prior to the Conference a skortjservice willibe held at St. Matthew's Church, to which all Sunday, school teachers are invited. Amongst other business to be transacted by the Conference ■will be a paper by Mr. Neil Heath, on " Facts about Sunday-schools ; or, experiences in England, Scotland and America." TVe have no doubt the experiences of a gentleman of such varied and practical knowledge as Mr. Heath will prove instructive and interesting to his hearers. On Thursday last the collection of articles ■which are to be forwarded to the Sydney Exhibition from the Thames district were exhibited in the Court-house, Grahamstown. The collection comprises specimens of mineral ores, golden qncrtz, clays, <fcc, from various parts of the goldfield, several very fine pictures by local artists, a large number of beautiful ferns, several photographic views'of tho district by Messrs. Foy Bros., articles of consumption by local manufacturers, &e. Among the exhibitors we notice the names ef Messrs. Ehrecfried Bros., and Brown, Campbell and Co. (beer and ale), Mennie and Dey (biscuits and confectionery), Mr. Koefold (tomato sauce), Mr. Gough (wines and cider), Tnames Produce Company (kauri gum), Fraser and Kelly (Puriri water), Mr. Wilker, C.E. (tomato sauce), Bagnail Bift'-ers (specimen of timber), Mr. Eav-^rd. 3 (specimens of clay, etc.), Messrs. "jitT/ilen and Climo foollection of Tniuerab"). '.I---3fs. McLaren Jl. R. Jones, find J. C '>' r uiiams (coll,.:.sio£ of mineral ort-i), Mr 3. i. : .~»rd and Ms-. Regan (ferns), E-. v. Mr. LaUiiley, Messrs. Calder and Driver Mr. Fisher exhibits a useful oven and fire-grate coTabined. Several other gentlemen are intending to send articles of locs-', manufacture, but they have not got them cox-pleted yet. On the whole, the collection will give strangers a good idea of the resources of the district, but the specimens of golden quartz and mineral ores are not what they should hare been, considering wha; tb" foldiield has produced. I<"one of the specimen!; give any idea of the sizs of miay of cur gold-bearing reefs. Th.- Stioan.t.-'.iiaj-i d-Mnpa&v have in their pcwjssioa, a-'i the pnaieat time, a specimen of copper ore which far surpasses any of *hoßi7 scut for exhibit ion, Bad which would give a vary good idea- of the size and value of the reef from which it was taken. It ia a stone broken out of the No, 9 Kfcf, t>a She dfjve ?/ai approaching tho rich patch of gold on the. 80-fest level.—["Thsmeti dest.] At about half-pass i 2 a'elock on Sunday mornl'-sg, the fire-bell at the junction of Grey and Queen-streets, was toiled as a signal that a fire had broken out somewhere in the city, and the alarm was speedily taken up by the Karagahape Road and Kyber Pass bells. The result was, that people who had retired for the night, turned out hurriedly from all directions, but many of them, who could observe no indications of glare in the nky, returned to their rest. Others howerer, were n.ore persistent, remembering perhaps, that when the fire raged ia H. B. Morton's store, Custom-house-street, the alarm was supposed to be a false one, as no indication of flames could be perceived. The result was that the Fire Brigade and Salvage Corps mustered in full strength, and a large crowd collected in the street, and diligent search •was made for the scene of the conflagration, but none could be discovered. Having failed "to diacover the fire, people began to search for the individual who had given the alarm, hat with a modesty which was perhaps excusable, under the circumstances, he did not come forward to claim the reward due to his action. It is now supposed that the bell was rung by some half-intoxicated larrikin, who thought this outrage a safer one than the ordinary acts of geniuses of this class—wringing off door knockers, or knocking down policemen. The Tiiames Advertiser, in its notice of the death of Riwai te Kiore, says —" The most immediate cause of dsath was the rupture of a blood-vessel a few montbn ago. He was returning from a tangi at Coromandel •with some of his people, when they were not ' using the paddles to Mb entire satisfaction, and he went to show them how they ought to be used. He displayed so much energy in the use of the implement that he strained himself, and burst a blood-vesoel internally. He lay for weeks afterwards in a precarious condition, and of course refused medical skill. He was at this time visited by the Hon. the Native Minister when-he caiine down, and upon his recovery he was to receive a pension of £25 per annum from the Government, but he had only received one quarter's allowance up to the time of his death. A tangi will be held over the remains, at which natives from Ohinemuri, Coromandel, Whakatiwai, Manaia, Piako, and other places will attend, and the remains will afterwards be interred at the Hanraki native cemetery, near to his own house, and on his own lands. Be leaves an only son, Nikorimo Poutotara, who is an intelligent young man, and heir to hie large estate.' , The bazaar which has been in progress for several days on behalf of the United Methodist Free Church, in Mrs. Bntterworth'B late premises, is to be continued to-day, opening at 2 o'clock. «•