MANUHERIKIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 626, 28 November 1863, Page 6

MANUHERIKIA.

In reply to a communication to' the Government respecting the Manuherikia district being without the serves of a Wanton, Mr Jamea Davis, the sJetar? ?ii mT 1 Committee, received the f6llowing iSs?- Sk6> Esq ' aeont « f y for 'Gold JS*? 1 * am dirco i e< j b y , lli9 H °nor the Sup 3 rmdated 31st ult relative to the temporary absence of MrWavde^Hickson.frpm the . Manuherikia disfcrHi o£d kesident reply I beg td Inform ybu that 'aotion' has already been taken therein by the Provhicittt I*4 it w ejected fh*t M r Warden Hiokaea will be

enabled to return to Alexandra in the oourae of a fe# weeks. His Honor is fully aware of the importance of the district, and equally with the committee regret 3 the delay which has taken place— a delay caused by the operation of the Goll Fields Act, 1862, which reserves to his Excellency the Governor the sole power of appointing Ward ns and Magistrates on th -• gold fields, thereby rendering it necessary to refer to Auckland for every new appointment. (Signed) Vincent PrKE, . Secretary. The committee hare also received an answer to their application respecting the early delivery and late closing of the mails, from the Chief Postmaster, who says that the matter shall receive his attention while adjusting some arrangements he has in content plation for this neighborhood. An inquest was held at the Koyal Mail Hotel on the 18th instant by the Coroner, H. W. Robinson, Esq., on (he body of Edwin Nihil, who expired suddenly the previous Saturday at Campbells diggings. A verdict of death from apoplexy was returned Tlio great article of deman i on the Manuherikia just now is tin cases and kerosene tins. A marriage being on the tapis between a wel-kuown hotelkeeper and a joung lady of this town. The Aldinea Tneatre has been specially engaged in which to celecrate the auspicious event. Two rather extraordinary jumping oases were heard at the Warden's Court during the last week respecting the ownership of a piece of ground, having about twenty feet frontage to Brond street, between tho store of Messrs Wolfe and Levinge and the boot mart of Southam and Co. The ground only being occupied by a small tent. A lady named Colin, being possessed of a business license, marked oil the ground with the intention of erecting a building thereon ; a day afterwards another lady named Morris, did tha same, with probably the like intentions, consequently a dispute of priority of marking out took place, and the second lady brought au action acainst the first. After a rather lengthy examination, in which a Mr Southern gays evidence that the ground was pnrlly his property, but failed to substanthte it, a verdiot was given for tho plaintiff', who took possession of the ground by direction of the Warden, She also erected a building thereon at the time. Mr Southern then brings an aotion against Miss Morris, and olainii six feet of this piece of ground as a part of the 20 feet which he was entitled to hold by virtue of his business license. This second ca«e was heard on Saturday last, when^ the plaintiff substantiated his claim, though giving evidence in v very contradictory and unsatisfactory manner. The result of the ver.lict was, that Mi«s Morris removed her building off tho four feet of the disputed six on which her building stood, and gave the plaintiff possession. Hfs Worship awarded LlO cost to the defendant as her case w.is a very hard one, and her loss might have been prevented by the plaintiff, who should have made hi 3 claim when he gave evidence as a witness on its previous hearing.

The New Zealand Chieftains at the AshVtt Down Orphan Asylum, Bristol. -On Thursday afternoon, six of the New Zealand chiefs, accompanied by Mr W. Jenkins, Mr Lloyd, and Mr Light, band (interpreters), paid a visit to one of Mr Muller's Orphan Houses (No, 3), that being the usual visitin"day for that particular house. The whole of ttie extensive range of buildings was traversed, the arrange, ments drawing forth demonstrations of approval from the distinguished visitors. Especially did they ad. mire the children's toy ship, an apartment appropriated for the sale ot toys and other useful art'olea of a cheap description, the children not being allowed to go into town to make purchases. Tbe play-room, kitchen, store-room, and lavatory also proved attractions, but the chieftans would not be satisfied, and were exceedingly restless until they were brought face to face with 450 orphan giilswhoarethe inmates of the ho"«e. As usual they were to be found in their schoolrooms, on entering the first of which the countenances of the children beamed with joy. It should be stated that the New Zealanders generally are passionately fond of their children, and w can say for the chiefs now visiting Bristol that they are worthy representatives of their race in this respect. On the arrival of the long train of visitors in the schoolroom the chll.lren were put through their exer. c- ses and " signs" by one of their instructresses, and then sang a number of lively pieces, which delighted tho chieftains beyond measure. In obedience to the wishes oftnejuvenU s they did not hesitate for a moment to address them in their native tongue. Wnarepapa first stepped forward, and, through Mr Jenkins, said he felt great outgoings of love towards them. He had heard that they were all orphans and had no parents, but, notwithstanding this, God loved them, and he had put it into the hearts of others to love them. When he came into the house that afternoon he began to read within himself, and he telfc that he passe* sed nothing of true religion in comparison to those who had founded that establishment. The children in hia country, among their own tribes, were almost entirely neglected. There were no schools of that description in New Zealan'. If they could all see his haart and read what was there they would perhaps understand what he felt, but it was quite impossible for him to tell them all he felt that afternoon, aud therefore they must take the will for the deed. Reihand, another chief, satf he wanted to tell them how he had received some of the same benefits that they had received. He spoke with reference to the things of God as written in His Holy Word. He ha 1 Kceived tome good although he lived in a distant laud. 1 heir tribes were formerly strangers to God and to religion, but now, through the blood-shedding of Christ, they were become one, through Christ Jesus, and theylookel upon them (the children) as sisters in J I esus The chieftains then, at the request of Mr Jenkins, sang a verse of thi 42i d hymn if. the native Collection, in excellent time, and with much feeling to the tune of the Old Hundredth.' They afterwards repeated the Lord*, Prayer in their own language, iv a manner so fervent and tmotional that many of the party were deeply moved. Mr Jenkins then offered a few remarks, and, after expressing- the pleasure the chieftains and himself had experienced in their visit said he had no doubt the visit of the New Zealanders WO m b e productive of great benefit after their return to New Zealand. He had been conversing with some of the chieftains, and he was sure from the observations they had made to him that henceforth they would behave more kindly towards tha children of their own pople, and open some sohools such as that. Hitherto they had rat' er neglected their education. Ihey were so excessively fond of their children that they did not like them to go out of their sight, and they kept them at home in preference to sending them to schoal. But he hai every rex«on to believe that such could not be the case after they returned home. On entering the second schoolroom the children were addressed by an aged chief— Paratene - who was frequently affected to tears, in language somewhat similar to that used by his companions. Ihe tour of flu premises was at length completed-, but not till some half hour had elapsed bfyoud the usual time. The delay was caused by the urgent demands of the teaahers and visitor i for the autijrraphs of the chieftains, which they obligingly supplied so f.ir as they were able. The chieftains proved great favorites with the ladie^, who pressed sb eagerly hrouud them and were sa importunate in their entpeaties, that the chiefs could not be ungallaut enough to refuse them. Their fortes fy visile were alsij eagerly bought up, the purchasers being principally young ladies.— Western Daily Press. A Duei, between Ladies.— On Monday several ladies, while on a visit to a friend's Louse, a short distance from Gray 'a Ferry, were amusing themselves by singing and dancing, when onj of them a resident of Baltimore, sang a verse of the •' Bonny Blue Flag ;" one of the other ladies jestingly said, " You're a lebel," at which another commenced the Southern Marseillais's ; when it was finished* the lady who had been callpi a rebel said} " I wish wj Ijad pistols, I'd fight a 'duel with you lor calling in3"a rebel,?' At this; a daughter of the 'gentleman 'at whose housa they were, said, "We have pistols in the house, but they are not loaded," They were brought, and i<i order to give it the form of a duel, distances were measured in the room, the ladies took their places word was given, one, two, three*, when the lady who had' called the other "rebel," said "X will sit ia this chair, ao I wish to die ea*y.V Word was again given, and the Baltimore lady, who had a self-cookiDg pistol, pulled the trigger, and banjr went'the'pistol, a piercing scream was heard, aud iv an instant the room was filled with the members of the family, when it was discovered that two of the bdlea had swooned j the Baltimore lady wasstandin/r motionless, aud the one who wished to "die easY ft sittiDg pale with terror in her chair; one ball had passed through her dress on the left side, grazing the skm, wlule in the leaf of a tible on Whiolishe rested uli 1 ? yy 6 ,* 6 «g!»t'distlifot shotholes, and one bullet embedded Iv the wood The pistol had been I«> cd. £jf SOS Oy j <m S e lft. of Jily » buMh^ohargehaTnoJ heetl Ured. The aadies we ra soon restored to cohsoiousness, and commenced to realise the danger of meddhng with firearnu, a warning, it is needlees to say, they will not diiregard for the fu'uxe A Baronet's Dauohtbr and Grandchild ik the Polios Cbli.B.— On Monday, the Glasgow police apprehended a woman, named Margaret lind« sar, or Cowan, oa a charge o? uttering base coin. When she was brought to the police office on this .Charge, two defective °$ oera went tp her lodginga in Alison strce|;,'wlth the'viewof making further in* quirles regarding her. In the coarse of their investigation they discovered, in the possession of her mother, who occupied the same lodgings, 1 two pawntickets—one for a table-cloth and the other for a sheet pledged by her, while they were the property of their landlady. The owner, unaware of this transaction until this discovery, at once committed her to the officers. Her name is Phillis fPettes, or Lindsay daughter of the late Sir William Pettes» Bart.,-.wjhd) Jt is said, omitted to make a suitable provision former, in bis will, when arranging for the endowment of an I hospital at Comely Bank. The trustees on Sic William's estate, however, gave her «ii aHowwi©} from | the funds under theuvcontrbl ; but It is said That after I the decease of the late Lord Rutturibrd; thia [ waa | dwcontinued At engtlt, after enduring $>Ve«U'pri, nations and deposing of all h*rmarkes3b&propaity, I >Ws>&£J&&*;* uttes destitution, pteftgwiUft articles for a few copper*. She pleaded Stilty .ofAfte charge, and was sentenced to fhir^raaWimprHou. mm.*-Wsrth Brit is h McdU.