EXTRACTS FROM LATE EXCHANGES.

Colonist, Volume XV, Issue 1500, 9 February 1872, Page 3

EXTRACTS FROM LATE EXCHANGES.

Death by Poison —On February sth, an inquest was held at Farnell, Auokland, on the body of John

William Harris, who had died from the effects of

morphia. After a deliberation of a few minutes, a verdict was returned that the deceased had died by

taking poison ; but whether with intent to kill himself the jury could not say. The verdict was virtually

an open one. Deceased was 64 years of age, aud was an old and respected settler.

Newspapeb Kindness.—On January 18th, the third page of the Southern Cross (seven columns) was broken, or knocked into " pye." The Herald kindly came to their aid on the occasion, and lent them matter.

The Thames Hospital has 22 indoor and 26 outdoor patients.

Dubing last year the Bank of New Zealand at Auckland refined 300,0000z5. of gold, from which they obtained 100,000ozs. silver, thereby saving the duty of 2s. 6d. per ounce on the latter amount—a very considerable saving.— Soutliern Cross.

A new church (St. George's), was opened by the Bishop of Auckland at Grahamstown, on Jan. 28.

The Advantage of Instance.—The late Mr. Allan Erskine, a few months back, insured his life with the Government in the sum of £100. He has

left behind him a wife and two children, who will thus reap the benefit of his providence. A few instances of this kind, afford the best arguments in favour of life insurance.— TaranaJci Herald. At Auckland, a Volunteer Gazette and Colonial Forces Record is now published. Foubteen sharebrokers have taken out licenses at Auckland, under the Sharebrokers Act. The licenses amounted to £350. Three enterprising Auckland farmers, namely, Messrs J. Bainbridge, H. Vercoe, and Robert Bradley, have suffered severe losses by having haystacks (valued fronj £50 to £100 each) burned down. The Wanganui riflemen have beaten the Taranaki men in a match. Maosi Trial at Ohinemttki.—A correspondent at Ohinemuri informs us that the natives have been beguiling the time by upholding the majesty of justice in their own peculiar way. One Maori was accused of the heinous crime of rape upon a little girl. The indictment was not framed in any delicate way, but at all events the accused was solemnly arraigned before Mere Kuru and Te Hira, and a prolonged examination of witnesses took place, with a view to a , summary conviction. Not having details ,we are unable to say that they are " unfit for publication." The judgement was in favor of a full acquittal, with a proviso that accused be ordered to " shout" for all round—court, jury, counsel, witnesses, and spectators. This order was fulfilled forthwith. Another Maori was charged with assaulting a woman by seizing her by the throat. This case occupied the Ohinemuri Supreme Court for a considerable time, the defence being that the prosecutrix was abusive, and that the assault only " served her right." Prisoner, however, was found guilty, and was ordered to purchase Mere Kuru a pair of boots ! How the Court came to the conclusion that Mere Kuru should have a pair of boots because another woman had been assaulted we cannot tell; but we suppose the chieftain stood in i the place of the Government, to which, with us, the fines go. It might be agreeable and convenient sometimes to resort to the same procedure in our Resident Magistrate's Courts, but of course dignity must be kept up. This sudden accession of crime in Ohinemuri is owing to the fact that a few days ago the native 3 had some £70 or £80 (how obtained we cannot says), which, of course, they proceeded to ; " knock down "in the orthodox Maori fashion. How gratifying it is to reflect upon the onward march of civilization! — Thames Advertiser, Jan. 19.

Melbourne is witnessing at the present time some startling innovations upon ordinary church practice. The pulpit has been converted for the nonce, at one place of public worship into a revolving lecture platform, each side presenting to the congregation a new creed. Thus for instance at the Unitarian church, in the absence of the regular pastor on leave, the congregation have had successfully before them a Universalist, a Darwinian, and a Spiritist. How far this experiment of rotary services meets the spirit of the times is best manifested in the crowded state of tlie church since the ordinary ministration was discontinued. Of the character of the discourses it need only be said that they are higher flights, intellectually, than are attempted at the ordinary places of religious worship ; and as lofty ascents exite the imagination of the people, they are listened to with greater earnestness than is given to the discourses of men who limit pulpit instruction, to hard, dry theological discussion.— Southern Cross.

A Tbbkible Death,—The Sydney Evening News gives the following account of the terrible death of a man who fell over the cliffs at Bondi:—" Mr. ¥. Cornelius, lessee of the Haymarket, was fishing under the cliffs, about half a mile north of the north head of Bondi, in the afternoon, between 4 and 5 o'clock, when he heard a noise overhead, as if stones were falling, which caused him to look up and rush from his position. He saw only a couple of small stones come from the top, whioh was a honey-combed shelf. After listening for a short time and seeing nothing more, he turned round, and saw in the water, about 20 yards from where he had been fishing, a man struggling with the waves and apparently drowning. This was the first intimation he had that any other person than himself was in the vicinity. It was flood tide, and, although the weather was calm, the waves were rolling in heavily, and the struggling man was kept afloat, although he did not appear able to swim. Mr. Cornelius called out to him to keep his courage up until he went for his fishing line. At this moment the drowning man seemed quite sensible, and although he never spoke, he showed by his looks that he was quite aware Mr. Cornelius was endeavoring to save him. His movements gave the idea that he was disabled in the legs. Mr. Cornelius, after two or three ineffectual attempts to throw the line close enough, succeeded in throwing it round the drowning man, who unfortunately was too far gone then to grasp it, having the moment before vomitted, as if in a last effort of nature. When Mr. Cornelius commenced to haul on the line, a tremendous wave coming in washed it from its hold on the man's body, uud the back-water dragged the poor fellow to seaward. The tide was young flood, and the poor follow, who during all this time never sank, was seen by our informant; for full half-an-hour rising and falling with the waves, and being carried towards the North Head, On ascending to the top of tho cliff', which is here nearly perpendioular and at least 200 feet high, Mr. Cornelius found nothing but a piece of old bagging lying near the spot from which he supposed the man had fallen. There waa no hat, clothirg, or anything to indicate who he was. It appeared as if he had fallen from the extreme top on to a projecting ledgo, and then bounded over into the sea. He was apparently between fifty and sixty years of age ; and wore a black cloth coat and twill shirt. He had dark eyes, high forehead, grey hair, and was bald on the top of his head. The circumstances attending this mysterious and melancholy affair were, as related by Mr. Cornelius, of a most intensely distressing kind. In his attempts to rescue the drowning man they were more than once within a few feet of each other ; and although the poor fellow, could not, or, at least, did not, attempt to speak, his mute but agonized appeals, by his looke, i foj help, wer,a of the moat distressing kind,"

Cubiotjs Freak op Lig-htening.—A correspon dent informs the Western Post that on a recent date, a violent storm passed over Terembone, Castlereagh River. A number of young cattle were in the stockyard. The lightening, which was very vivid, struck them, knocking the horns off seven, striking one dead, and many blind ; it also broke in half one of the caps

of the yard. Only one horn was knocked off each

beast, bufc in every case ifc was the near side, or left horn. It is supposed that the animals were crouched along the fence with their heads against a rail.

Incendiarisji at Auckland,—A roward of £500 is offered to any person or persons who shall give such information as wili lead to the apprehension and conviction of any person or persons who set fire to the kerosene store in Mechanic's Bay on the 26th January, 1871, and the Music Hall, in Symondsslreet, Auckland, the day following. T. W. Lewis on the part of the General Government notifies that

his Excellency the Governor will be advised to grant a free pardon to any person concerned in the fires, not being the principal offender.—On January 30th, a cottage was burned down in Wakefield-street, Auckland. A man named John Cartwright has been apprehended on the charge of wilfully setting fire to the building.

Some remarkable facts are disclosed in the Fiji estimates. Immediately after the grant of sQodol. por annum to a messenger, come several votes of 250d01. each to a number of lieutenant-governors, each of whom appears to receive only half the salary of the menial. This sum, small as it is, was only passed on its being pointed out to the Assembly that the lieutenant-governors, who are all chiefs, had just imposed a large tax upon the natives ; the bargain being that they in return should receive a proportion of the proceeds. It is quite clear that civilisation is rapidly progressing down in Fiji. The next institu-

tion will be a branch Tammany Ring at Lsvuka. From cannibalism to jobbery in a single generation is highly creditable to the Anglo-Saxon colonists who have condescended to teach the noble savages.— Southern Cross.

One Way of Teeating a Debtok.—At the Eeaident Magistrate's Court at Camptown, Nelson South West Q-oldfields, on Friday, 26th January, a case of extremely summary jurisdiction, with immediately threatened execution, came before the Court. A man named Shanahan waa charged with assaulting one O'Connor by ducking him in the pellucid waters of Nelson Creek. The complainant was leaving the district without bidding a friendly adieu to his creditors, and the defendant, who was one of them, got on his tracks and overtook him. When they met a conversation took place on the general state of the country, and the complainant expressed an opinion the operation of white-washing was the newest way of paying old debts, whereupon the defendent seized him and carrying him to a waterbole in the creek, threw him bodily into it. When the plaintiff was in the water the defendent imparted the consolatory intelligence to him that he would " drown him if he didn't settle his account," and as tho defendant looked like a man of his word, he (the plaintiff) paid the money, and went his way to the Court for redress. The case afforded a deal of amusement, and, at its conclusion, the Magistrate said that although the defendant had received some provocation, he was not justified in taking the law into his own hands, and fined him 20s. and costs. — Araiis.

The Latest Dodge.—lt would seem that specimen stealing is not confined to the Thames, but is practised in other districts in the most elaborate manner. The latest dodge at Ballarat, as we learn from an Australian exchange, is for the men to " retire up the shaft for prayers." The manager of one mine pounced upon one of these pious parties, and found some of their pockets lined with specimens. Ten thousand children under the age of 14 years, are adrift in the streets of New York.

A Caiifoenian paper divides women into three classes—angels, thieves, and devils.

A Connecticut criminal lately issued cards of invitution to his execution.