EARLIER NELSON.

Colonist, Volume LIV, Issue 13396, 20 April 1912, Page 6

EARLIER NELSON.

(By Old Timer.)

No. 6

A sensation occurred in Nelson on January 26th, 1861,.. when, it became known that thoro had boon a robbery of t-on thousand pounds. Tho money was in two boxes, which had disappeared from tho steamer Airedale on her arrival at tho port. All sorts of surmises arose as to where tho treasure' had boon planted. Air. Thomas Cawthroii, the agent for tiie Intercolonial .Royal Mail Company, felt confident that the boxes had not been removed to town. Ho had a very careful search made in tho vicinity of the wharf, which was rewarded with success. The boxes bad been sunk close to tho wharf, and pieces of lead had been attached to tho ends of both. A small fishing line with a float was also attached to each box. At first four members of the crew were brought before the Magistrate's Court on suspicion of being concerned in tho robbery, but the information was dismissed after some evidence was given by tho captain of the steamer Airedale. Shortly afterwards the captain was arrested and charged with tho robbery, while the second mate was charged with being; an accomplice. They were brought up at tho Resident Magistrate's Court before Mr. Poyntor, R.M., and Messrs: William Wells, R. K. Nowcombe, and Donald Sinclair, Justices. The proceedings lasted three days, and at the beginning of the third day the charge against tho second mate was abandoned. The Courthouse was crowded each day. Tho Bench dismissed the information, remarking ''•'that there bad evidently been gross and culpable nogligence on the part of the captain, bu,t nothing olso." The gold specie was forwarded to Tara.na.ki, where it was required for payments to the soldiers. The captain referred to afterwards < WGU t to London, whore ho Ca-ed some years afterwards.

Serious trouble arose with the Maoris in Tarr.naki in 1860, and towards the eloso of that year fighting commenosd, somo Waikato natives coming to the assistance of their kinsmen. News from Taranaki was eagerly looked for in Nelson, and a "special" was engaged by the proprietary of "The Colonist," who sent very interesting letters, a sort of journal of daily events. On December 28th Colonel Carey, with a force of 1200 men, left New Plymouth, with a, view to capture the Matarikoriko pah. The force comprised men from the 40th and 65th regiments, with a few members of the Royal Artillery and the Naval Brigade. The Maoris were found to bo numerous, and were strongly entrenched in rifle pits. Colonel Carey at half-past eight on the following morning (December 29th) gave orders for the pah to 1)0 attacked. Firing was kept up almost continuously for twenty hours before the Maoris withdrew from their position. They lost heavily, but the exact number was not ascertained, as they carried off a number of the dead and wounded. The British loss amounted to three killed, and twenty-one wounded. Some of the pfficers had narrow escapes, Colonel Caroy having a button shot off his coat.

At four o'clock on tho morning of January 23rd, 1861, a largo body o f Maoris, including some Waikatop;,. crept vh.rQ.dgh the high fern find, t^ado a fierce attack on the redoubt at Kairau. The Maoris lost heavily, as forty-one dead and hvo wounded were found on tho field, but the enemy removed a number before retiring. The British loss was five killed and eleven wounded. Several men who afterwards became residents of Nelson took part in the engagements in Taranaki, and of these no one prized his war medal moro than the late Mr. John Glover.

About this time cases of rifles and barrels of ammunition were sent to Nelson for the volunteers. A spirit of uneasiness prevailed, and a strict watch was kept on any native strangers.

In 1861 an election of a new Parliament took place in New Zealand, and owing to tho Maori troubles a keen interest was evoked in the contests. In those days the Nelson electorate returned two members. The candidates were- Messrs. Alfred Dome-it, Edward William Stafford, and J. Perry Robinsoii. Mr.'Stafford came second on the poll, beating Mr. Robinson by thirtysix votes. Mr. Wemyss was returned unopposed for the Suburbs of Nelson seat. For the "Waimeas seat, Messrs. Fedor Kelling, Charles Elliott, and Alfred Saunders were nominated. Mr. Elliott did not go to the poll, and Mr. Saunders gained a majority of sixtyfive over Mr. Kelling. For tho Motuoka seat, Mr. Herbert E. Curtis defeated Mr. Charles Parker by nineteen votes. For the Gollingwood seat three candidates went to tho poll, namely, Messrs. A. J. Richmond, William Lock Travers, and W. Long Wrey. Mr. Richmond won, defeating Mr. Travei-s by fifty-four votes, Mr. Wrey only securing ton votes. Mr. John Sharp .was the returning officar for the Nelson, Suburbs, and Wainica doctorates, the polling taking place on different dates. Mr. A. Le> Grand Campbell was the returning officer ,for the Motueka and Collingwood electorates. Mr. Sharp is still living.

In ' the last article r. typographical' error occurred in the n;::ao of ono of the Provincial Councillor!-;. It was Mr. Joseph Simmonds who was -sleeted, and not John Simmonds.