TOKOMAIRIRO.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 419, 24 April 1863, Page 5

TOKOMAIRIRO.

(from ouk own correspondent.)

In my last letter I stated that a wellknown settler in this neighborhood had been arrested on a very serious- charge, that of inciting and counselling another to commit arson. The settler alluded to was Mr Frederick Twiss, of Loveil's Flat, and I am happy to say that after a thorough investigation, the charge was proved groundless, and Mr1 Twiss has been liberated. The particulars of the ease are these. Mr T viss has for some years kept an accommodation house at Lovell's Flat, being the only settler there. Since the Wakatip rush, however, Mr George Cameron has erected an accommodation house within about half a mile of Swiss. Last Tuesday Cameron's tenant, Wm. Rae, took possession of the new house. In the evening, Twiss rode up to the door rather the worse of drink, and had some conversation with Rae, in the course of which he made use of some threats agajnst Cameron for having b"ilt the house, saying that he would soon throw him out of that, &c. He also said that he would erect a new house on the opposite side of the road, and asked Rae if he would take it from him. After some further conversation Twiss went away, parting from Rae in a most friendly way. The next afternoon, a roadman named Robertson, came to Rae's rather the worse of drink. He stayed the evening, and in the course of it repeatedly asked Rae to go up and see Twiss, but without giving any reason for the requett. Rae refused to go. Robertson had a row with another man who was in Rae's, and Rae tried to induce Robertsdn to go to bed, taking him to the bedroom, and beginning to undress him. Robertson said that it was no use going to bed, as he had come there to burn the place, and that he must do it. Kae asked him why he was going to do so; and he replied that he had been employed and paid by Tmss to do it. Rae put him to bed, and went iuto his own room to go to bed, but just as he got there, h« heard the noise of a window breaking in Robertson's room. He ran there and found it on fire. Robertson had put on his boots again, and was standing with his back to the door, striking a match, when he opened it. He tried to nisi 1 past Rae, but the latter knocked him dmvii. and then tried to extinguish the fire, and Robertson escaped. Rae's wife and child were in bed at the time; and the fire was got under aftttr burning the lining ot three rooms. Robertson has been fully committed for trial, but Twiss was discharged.

A man natnei.l James Webb, was sentenced yesterday to three months' imprisonment wiih hard labour, lor stealing some harness from a dra-v at Waihola.

To the intense astonishment of many of the spectators in Court yesterday, VV. 11. Mansford, Esq., of this district, appeared at the conclusion of the above ca^es in the custotty cA' the police, on a warrant from the Queeustown Bench, for having neglected to obey a summons. He applied to bo admitted to bail, and was imuieiiately liberated on his own recognisance, conditioned to appear at Queenstown on the 28th ia^t. The particulars of the cksc are as follows: —Some time ago Mr Mnnsford was at Queenstown, where he has a place of business, and vvhiie staying at »n hotel in that town, his gold watch was stolen from his bedroom. He gave information of the robbery to the police, plating that his manager could identify the watch. After Mr Mansford had left, the police arrested a man on the charge, and found a watch, answering to the description of Mr MansWd's, on him. The watch was sworn to by Mr Brown, Mr Mansford's manager, and by a watchmaker named Christensun, who was formerly in business here, and knew the watch. Mr Mansford was served with a summons to attend at Wakatip. Circumstances prevented his obeying this, and the Bench there, instead ot committing the prisoner on the evidence already before it, or remanding him for further examination to Tokomairiro, issued a warrant for Mr Mansford's apprehension.