Local and General News

Taranaki Herald, Volume XV, Issue 738, 22 September 1866, Page 3

Local and General News

* » Discovery op a Human Skeleton.— On Friday week, a man named Jordan, whilo engaged in clearing bush at the German Settlement, discovered a human skeleton lying at the foot of a hollow rata tree. The skeleton" was not perfect, some of the bones having been removed, probably by wild pigs. One foot was covei'ed by a boot, the heel of which had been eaten off. % This was tho only vestige of clothing remaining. ' Hard by lay a rifle, loaded and capped, and covered with moss. Jordan at once gave information to the authorities of what he had seen, and the bones were brought into town and buried, having been previously examined by the Colonial Surgeon, who considered them to be the bones of a European, above 30 years of age. There is lifctio doubt that the remains are those of a mau named William Pratley, a discharged soldier of the 65th Regt., who mysteriously disappeared in the beginning of May, 18G3. Ho was one of a party of men who were engaged at that timo in clearing the bush at the German Settlement: One Saturday evening the whole party, with the exception of Pratley, went to town, leaving him in charge oi the camp. On their return the following Monday morning they could find no traces of their comrade. A strict search of the bush was instituted, parties of Europeans and natives being sent out in all directions at the expense of tho Provincial Government, but no traces /)f the missing man could be discovered, and the search was at length abandoned as hopeless. Strange to say, the skeleton found was lying only about 200 3'ards from the site of the camp, so that, if it be that of Pratley, the search parties must have committed the common error of looking at too great a distance from the spot where jthe man was last seen. An examination of the riflo showed it to be that of one of Pratley's comrades, but as Pratley had given up his arms a few days before he disappeared, he would be necessarily compelled to take one of the guns lying in the tents. The mode in which he met his deatn.\ v ill probably remain for ever involved in mystery. 3 Death by Drowning. — A sad accident occurred on Thursday last. Lyons, formerly a military settler, rode from town to Waitara accompanied by his brother- When they reached the river the ferryboat was not at hand, and being impatient to cross, Lyons dismounted and, in spite of the remonstrances of his brother, plunged into tho river with the intention of swimming across, but the force of the current was too much for his strength, and he was carried away and drowned. Up to the hour of our going to press, no tidings have reached town of the body having been found. Deceased only lately sold his land for a high price, and intended to leave by the Raugatira yesterday, on his way to England. U, Seizure of a Vessel by the Natives. — From the Southern Cross we learn that the natives at Taupo, Firth of Thames, have seized a European vessel, on account of the persons ou board having taken two pigs, which the Maoris allege belonged to them. About two months ago the cutter Albert, belonging to Mr. J. W. Carr, of Auckland, sailed for the Thames with a party of four Europeans on board. George Rolton acted as master of the vessel. From what we can learn, it would seem that when the vessel reaohed Taupo some of the party went ashore, and caught two pigs, which they assert wore running wild. Immediately afterwards the natives came upon them, boarded the cutter, and took tho rudder and jibsail out of her so as to prevent the vessel gettiug to sea. The Europeans tried hard to induce the natives to allow them to again get possession of the vessel, but in vaiu ; and at length they were compelled to walk the whole distance to Auckland. The natives have kept possession of the cutter, and yesterday a Maori policeman came to .town with a warraut,' signed by Mr. Mackay, under which Rolton was apprehended, and he will be taken to Taupo to answer the charge of stealing the pig 3. The vessel was, we believe, chartered at so much per day for the trip, so that the taking tho pigs will be a serious matter for the parties concerned. CSale of Arms to the Natives. — It will be seen Trom our Coromandel correspondent's letter that the Civil Commissioner, Mr. James Mackay, jun., has succeeded in checking the illegal sale of arms and athm unition to the Thsimes natives . We have no doubt whatever, that, if equal vigilance were exercised throughout this Province and the neighbouring Provinces, the convictions under the Arms Act would bo large. We congratulate Mr. Mackay on putting a stop to the illegal trafic in arms in the Thames. — Southern Crofs. Mineral. — The following appears in the "correspondence columns of the Southern, Gross of the 19th instant : — " To the Editor of the Daily Southern Cross. Sir, — I have much pleasure in acknowledging the receipt from E. B. Dickson, Esq., of New Plymouth, of three interesting geological specimens : — No. 1, a specimen of granite from the Sugar Loaves, showing the formation of the newly described miueral, ' Tarauakite ;' No. 2, a larger one from an outlying reef ; aad No. 3, a smaller specimen of the Taranakite by itself. It is probable that this substance will prove to be of some commercial value, as it evidently contains much phosphate of lime, which, for agricultural pui'poses, is highly esteemed. I take this opportunity to assure Mr. Dickson that his kind contribution to our local museum is duly appreciated. — I am, &c, TaoJUS F. Winstanley, Hon. Curator."

Colonel HaultAin. — A letter from Colonel Haultain has, we understand, been received by Mr Wallace, the chairman of the meeting of Colonel Haultain's constituents Held recently at Otahuhu, when that gentleman was called upon to resign his soat in tho Assembly, in conseqnence of his having violated the pledges on the strength of which ho had been returned to tho Assembly as a member for Franklyn. The purport of the letter has not yet been made public, bat it requires no prophet to announce what it will be — a refusal to resign, an excuse that tho only difference between himself and his constituents is one of opinion. Colonel Hanltain knows, as well as any man, that he has broken his word as a man and a gentleman, aud that the fact of his having done so enables him to enjoy an income of a thousand a-year lays him open to the charge that ho has bartered principle for ths emoluments of office. No man of spirifc or honorable principle would hold office an hour on such tenure as that enjoyed by Colonel Haultain, the"fauseMonteith"ofthe Province cf Auckland. — New Zealand Herald, Sept. Jo.