WELLINGTON.

Otago Witness, Issue 746, 17 March 1866, Page 5

WELLINGTON.

(SROM THE RAIL? TIKBB CO&RESBMTOBHT.

9th March, 1866. Beyond what the catch heading indicates, "there is not much exciting news to communicate. The elections having terminated as you were led to expect they would do, there is not even the semblance of novelty about them ; and scarcely any event but that of the elections has transpired which is of more than local interest. At the Wairarapa, Mr Bunny hasfnothada walk over, being opposed at the last moment by Mr Revans of Grey town, a gentleman of strong political views, and great experience, and formerly in the Assembly for the Hutt. The poll was for Bunny, 91 ; Revans, • 27. For Porirua, Mr Brandon has been returned without opposition ; there were only three electors present, and he had a narrow escape of being shelved. If no return had been made to the writ, the second would certainly have been contested, although I do not think any successful opposition could be_ brought forward,' Mr Brandon being privately and professionally much liked by almost ail the old residents in that district. At Wanganui, Mr Bryce was returned by 102 against the late member Mr Harrison, who polled only 51 ; there was a third candidate named Garner, who polled 7. The Rangitikei election was to come off yesterday, and it is the exciting election of this Province. All the others have been settled without doubt beforehand; there have been no two opinions scarcely as to who mas to be the losing candidate in any of them ; but as regards Rangitikei th^re is professedly very much uncertainty prevailing, although I do not think that either Mr Pharazyn (the late member) or Mr Jordan has any chance against Mr Watt. Had Mr Pharazyn remained in the district during the canvass, perhaps his chances would have been very much better. There is really no difference now between the views of Mr Watt and Mr Pharazyn, and to keep Mr Jordan, the Separation candidate, out, many electors will vote for either one or the other, whoever of the two they individually think stands the best chance of defeating him.

Yesterday the news reached us of Mr Sewell's defeat at Lyttelton. Ke immediately made up his mind to carry out his original intention of returning to England. He had previously arranged with a family for the transfer of his cabin, if the result of the election wag favorable. Immediately on the arrival of the Southern steamer yesterday he cancelled the arrangement, and will sail in the ship Wild Duck in three or four days. Mr Sewell's absence will be a public loss ; for irrespective of his political views, he is a ready debater and of undoubted ability.

I was told yesterday that Major Richardson had accepted the offer of a seat for New Plymouth. Ido not know whether it is true, but almost everyone in Wellington, hopes that it is so.

It is understood that the Government have resolved to continue the present postal subsidies to the N.ZS.N". Company, until June. They are bound to continue those of the Panama Company to that date, but if the subsidies are continued in its favor only, there is some probability that the monopoly would so injure the local company, as to render it advisable to wind up. In June the services will be thrown open to competition, arid then not only will each company have a lair chance, but the advantages of a healthy competi tion will be realized in the amount of the future contracts. All things being equal, a local company ought to work more cheaply than one with a home office and directory, and latterly the affairs of the N.Z S.N. Company have been looking up considerably. Captain Vine Hall is expected from Sydney by fir.-t beat. A Hau-hau murder has been commitfed at Horowhcnua, near Otaki, or rather an attempt to murder, for the old Maori ■woman still lives, and appears likely to do so, notwithstanding the native (Turton) i 3 a powerful fellow of 24, and inflicted five or six severe blows on the head with a meri, each blow being enough to fracture the skull of any ordinary mortal. Turton is a half-caste, and a noted local professor of Hau-hauism. From what transpired before the Magistrate, it appears he was under the delusion that the god who resided in his watch had directed him to sacrifice a Native woman, a hor?e, and a couple of Pakehae, one at Otaki and the other at Manawatu. Last Sunday he proceeded to carry out this delusion, and Archdeacon Hadfield in all probability owes his life to the nece>sity of offering the sacrifice in the order stated. The Archdeacon happened to be at Horowhenu on Sunday afternoon (it is a place halfway between Waikanae and Otaki), and being alone in a whirre, Turton walked in, meri in hand, held a flight conversation, and then -walked off to where his own grandmother lived, and delibera'ely hacked at her head with his meri until he thought Bbc was entirely done for. Shortly afterwards he killed a horse with the same instrument. The , native policemen, in the neighborhood

having meanwhile been informed of what was going on, made up to him and took him forthwith, handcuffed, to Otaki. The Resident Magistrate, Major Edwards, waa in Wellington, and his interpreter was under the impression that the native could not be imprisoned without a warrant. As Turton wouldn't go into the lock-up, and the native policemen were not directed to put him in, he was left under the surveillance of Martin Te Whi Whi, the assessor; and durinar the night managed to get oft his handcuffs. Early on Monday morning he began shouting and leaping in Martin's verandah, and shortly afterwards threw the settlers in Otaki into the greatest state of alarm by his outrageous conduct, running to and fro much excited, and shouting that half the sacrifice directed had been offered ; he had killed a woman and a horse, and soon would kill two Pakehas. The native policemen having caught from, the interpreter the idea that trouble would follow if apprehension took place without* warrant, waited for Major Edwards' arrival, and most of the settlers, fea ful ot the ultimate consequences that might ensue if an affray took place, remained quietly at home, taking care to be prepared should any attempt be made on them. Archdeacon Hadfield closely kept his family within doors, and evidently thinking that he would be the most acceptable sacrifice that Hau-hauism could find amongst the Pakehas of Otaki, prepared himself to give Turton a warm reception, should he trouble him at night. On Tuesday morning, however, Turton had disappeared, and Major Edward's having arrived from Wellington, bringing mih him a couple o£ native policeman from Wsikanae, sent them off with others in pursuit. It waa supposed his delusion wonld lead him toManawatu, and there they found him, an excited spectator of the horse races then running. While being brought back to Otaki he gave out that when the handcuffs were tried on him agnin, they would refuse to bite, and there -was no little sensation excited at the thought of the forthcoming miracle. The miracle, hhoweverr r did not take place, and tbe lock-up beingf unsafe, he was a second time placed under surveillance (but handcuffed) for the nigbt, He was loose, however, next morning,, for about half-past sis he put in a bodily appearance at Major Edwards's house, ixt the same state of excitement. The Major hurried out of bed, and, armed with & leaded hunting crop, went out to meet him, when Turton immediately submitted, and in due time appeared at the Court House for examination. As soon as the proceedings commenced, he began shoufcingly to rehearse what he had done, and was only stopped by Major Edwards tell* ins: him that he was to be at once sent to Wellington; that if he refused to go quietly, he would not be sent in a cart but tied on to a horse's back, and that if he carried on his noisy practices at Wellington he would be tamed by a diet of bread, and water. His excitement instantly cooled down, and he came into Wellington quietly enough, reaching here this morning. He is a fine tall young man, and when these fits are not on him is more than usually quiet and well behaved — a circumstance by no means uncommon witit the Hau-haus in friendly districts, rendering them all the more dangerous.

Eight of the escaped prisoners were at" Manawater on Tuesday, making their way towards the Wanganui river. There is noconcealment with them, and they call at their pahs on their route, and, in return for food and shelter, " fight their battles o'er again," i.e., give a full, true, and particular account of how they outwitted the Pakeha. A month or so ago, Mr Buller* E.M., and a posse of armed police, were scouring that very country for them ; now they walk through unmolested. The natives, after the lapse of a couple of months,, very naturally sympathise with them, and won't attempt, a capture unless frequently and specially urged to do so. Jt is doubtless very shocking and false of them to act in that way ; but, after all, they are made of something very near the fame material as the neighboring Otaki settlers, who, ont the escape being reported, refused to carry on the Magistrate's letter with the news; without a payment of LlO, their reason, for demanding so large a sum being naively expressed — "If the Government don't know how to keep them when they've got them, they ought to be made to pay now they've lost them."

Describing the effects of the flood at Hokltika on the 24th February, the ' West Coast Times' says :—": — " The Albion Hotel is doomed^, the bank having slipped away from under & large corner of the building, whilst the London Pie House, at the opposite corner, isr almost as badly situated, there being barely room for a pedestrian to pa«s betweei it and the river. Lower down, the ironmongery store of flayworth and Co. is in imminent jeopardy, the bank having washed away close' up to the front, and from under one corner of it, leaving not a vestige of that which or Saturday morning was a broad footpath ; andT although there is a bit of sand yet remaining between the intermediate houses and the river, their fate may be considered as settled*, aud their removal at once commenced."