Local and General News.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XV, Issue 759, 16 February 1867, Page 3

Local and General News.

Waiv/akaiho Buidge Bill. — We bog to draw the attention of our readers to this Bill which has passed its third reading in Council. It will bo found printed in full In another column. Band of^Hopb. — The annual festival in con- % nection with this society was held at Woodioigh on Tuesday last, and was attended by a large number of persons, in addition to the members. The Volunteer Band was in attendance, which tended greatly to enliven the proceedings. The d<iy was fine, and the amusements got up for the occasion seemed to give general satisfaction. \ A Caution to Children* Bathing in the Se v . — In another column will be seen particular* of an inquest held on the body of Eobert KobertBon, a little boy aged 9 years, who was drowned on Tuesday last. It appears that he went to , bathe with" another little boy contrary to the express order of their parents", and that Robert ■Robertson, who went out a little too far, was carried off his feet by tho receding wares and drowned in tho sight of his younger brother, who was not bathing, aud who picked up his brother's clothes and took them to his mother with intelligence of the occurrence. The feelings -of the bereaved parents when they heard the child's simple story of tho death of choir boy under such circumstances, can be better imagined than described. The townspeople witnessed a most painful sight when the father carried the nakod body of his child through the streets, having found it " washing about in the snrf." Tbo police might very well spflrs a little of their time in preventing the children of this place bathing in the manner they clv, alike reckless of sharks, surf, or tho buroiug $an, and it is to be }£|jjaj^ all little boys will taka -warning from the £^&end of Robert Robertson. . S^ . „.- Military. — The detachment? of the COth Q. 0., at Opuuake and Warea have Leon relieved this week. Captain Doran's comiany comes into To »v from Opunake where they have been since March, 18GC, and are relieved bf Captain Fylor's company from Warea. Captatn.Clarke's company occupies the Warea outpoßt. These changes have been made overland and in, daylight, the rebels having adopted a " lefc alone" policy. Captain Doran and his men, will, no doubt, be glad of the change after their long banishment at a distant and isolated outpost. jfr yßt'i;aj,AKY. — On Monday night last a thief oj* thieve? got into the Post Office by breaking a pane of glass and lifting the catch of the window in the Postmaster's room at the back of the premises. The iron safe (a small one) in this room was found moved from its placa, but the burglar had failed to effect an entrance. The only property missed was about £4 worth of stamps. We hope that some clue may be got which will lead to the conviotion of the robberJ Land Sales. — Mr. F. U. Gledhiil reports having sold, during the pastfreek, tho late Mr. Robert Law's farm at Omata, containing about 49 acres, for £000. lj*i"^erry 3s3 s piece of land, of siboufc 15 acres, <*Knowt» as "Penrose Farm," near Mr. Elliot's, for £100 ; and "Apiece of land of about 6 acres, the property' of 'Mr. E. W. Stockman, nepr -Mr. Arthur Hpskin's farm at lfeU Block, for £42. _T The ATTon^Ei-GsNEItAL. — It appears that the Hon. J. Prendergast has resigned', and that Mr. Whi taker, Superintendent of Auckland, has been appointed permanent Attorney-General for New ' Zealand, at a salary of £1,200 a year. The Evening Tost s&yfi :—": — " This sum together with the large practice which the Attorney-General is cure to commund, will be preferable to his position as Superintendent of Auckland. Mr. Thomas Russell, his partner, is disposing of his property in the North with a view of settling in the South. It would be rather a difficult matter at present to conjecture who will be Auckland's new Superint -ndent." As Mr. Whitaker will not have a seat in either Honses of Parliament, he will escape the unpleasant task of being called npon to interfere one way or the other in Auckland politics. Thns Mr. Stafford, by able diplomicy, has quietly disposed of Mr. Fitzgerald and Mr. Whiiakcr, the two leading men of Canterbury and Auckland. Mr; Crosbie Ward, another of onr old politicians, returns to England and Las been appointed agent Lop'don, for the Province <Jf Canterbury. V M ?hk Natives have hone with the ]&A>'AWA?C PURCHASE SIONEY.-^The following letter on this subject appeared irt the Wanganui Times of January 29: — " Sir,—^ -Several people liave asked me what the natives have done with the Mauawata purchase money. I can tell yon how they have icvested some of ifc. I have sold tbe following natires bridge debentures :—Hemara, £400 ; Utiku,-, £100 ; Keupara, £200 ; Tiper«^loo ; Hunia Hski Ke, £1000 ; invested by Dr. jßatherston and Mr. Buller. — I am, &c, Edwin T. Woos, Secretary W.B, Committee." The General Assembly. — The- Canterbury Times says :—": — " Two vacancies in the representation of the Province in the General Assembly have occurred, the one by the resignation of Mr. FitzGerald, the other the resignation of Mr. Crosbie Waul. For ChriEtohurch two candidates are in the field, namely, Mr. Travers and Mr. H. J. Tancreed. For the Avon district there are also two candidates, Mr. H. L. Hose, and Mr. W. Reeves." The Enkoljukst o* Militia.-— The time for enrolment of the militia of the Wanganni and Rangitikei districts has closed. The total number of names enrolled for the district of Wanganui is 606 ; for the Rangitikei district somewhere about 210. These numbers, of course, do not chow the total number of effectives or those liable to serve. Effoits, we understand, will be made to enforce enrolment according to tho Act. It is computed in round numbers that there are r 200 in the Wanganui distent liable to servo in the militia who are not as vet on Use muster roll ; the number of defaulters in the Ranftjtikei district is muon less even in proportion. — wmmide. . lijfciT Distillation.— A XcvoZcnlnnv Gazette contains tho following notice from the Commissioner of Customs : — " It is hereby, notified that rewards, varyuvg in amount from £5 to £50, ■will be given for such information as may lead to the detection and conviction of persons en-gaged-in illicit distillation. The rewards will va»-y in amount in proportion to tho importance of the seizure, will be payable immediately upon conviction being obtained, and will be in addif'on to the portion of the fino or of ihe proceeds of the seizure which by lav.- is to bo paid to the person affording the information. Information Dirty be given to any colkctor of customs, or oflicer of police, throughout the colony. The came of tbe person giving the information will not be divjdged, except with his ow,n consent." f JjSAi^B Swelldom.— Since the payment of the Jfanawatu purchase, a number of our Maori friends have come out strong so. the way of swelldom. One chief, who has invested in a iine trap, was seen the other day with a silvermounted whip getting into his vehicle and driving « little bit, then getting ont and walking — not sure which was the most correct; card, but as one or both were equally material oi^immaterial, he appeared evideutly determined- to do both, j £ He was arrayed in a suit of clothes^which would | have done no discredit to Beau Brommel, with a pair of slippers tipped with fur, and (there is always some incongruity abont a Mlorie's dress, tiv it as he may) a enp braided wirh tarnished wold lace. A larce amount of money l;as been ojjeut in rings, chains, ho., much &f them, we Cue merest Brumnag*™. — Chvotfioe.

Tasmania.— By tho brig Jano, we havo Hobart Town papers to tlte 25th ult., bnt they contain no news of importance.

«» Chinese at the Wes,t Coast.— Tho Wext Coast Tt.ne* of tho 2nd says:—" The first instalment _of Chint.se, fourteen in number, arrived last night from Sydney, in the schooner Atlantic, and their presence caused quito an excitement, the wharf being lined by a large crowd of prisons, who shorifed and yelled vociferously, and so frightened tho unfortunate ' celestials,' that they dived andor hatches, and, notwithstanding the most affectionate invitation on the part of tho Wcstland ' barbarians,' per?istently kept oat. 01 sight, and postponed their landing until au opportunity ofdoing so unobserved should present itsolf. Wo understand that they aro pioueers, j sent oat to inspect tho West Coast* and, should ! their report be favourable, will be followed by a much larger number of their interesting countjtrymen." ? 'J \ The Murderer SlluvJs?— Sullivan, the Maungatapu murderer, returned from Hokifcika on Sunday, Murray, or Wilson, escaped conviction on the charge of Dobson'3 murder, because the Jury would not credit, the statement of tho perjurer Sullivan for tho murder of Dobson, but it was departed from on some legal grounds. Sullivan was port aud " cheeky" while at Hokitika. On one occasion, it is said, while undor examination, he pulled out his watch and said. "It is one o'clock, and time for lunch." j He^as told it was not yet one, but ho said, " It j is one by my watch," aud declined to give I further evidence ! He was nice in his tastes, too, and refused to partake of colonial bottled porter for lunch, and ordered English porter, which, we aro told, was given him! If all this is true, the villain is too well treated, and Warit-J a sound lesson in short commons, hard work, and harder fare. — Nelson Colowid, Feb. 8. 4lLAJ«'Dsr.ip in WEr.r.iNGTON^iffhe heavy rains Tvnich have fallen lately appear to bave Jo'osened the made earth arouud the Government Building^ and on Wednesday night a considerable/Jnantitj^ of ifc on tbe south-eastern side of the building 1 slipped from its position, and carried .away about 30 feet of the fence by which the domain is enclosed. A number of gaol prisoners wore employed yesterday in removing that portion of the fallen oarth which had obstructed the adjacent rqadw^-. — Independent. ->]j)BPARTUUE OP A. SaUNDEUS, ESQ., LATE So^eki.ntende.nt or Njb'LSo;?, — Tho Examinsr of tho 7th inst., says ;— " AmoDg the passengers who left iasfc evening in the steamer Nelson for Port Underwood, to take their passages for England in the Countess of Kintore, was the late Superintendent of this proviuce, A. Raundcrs, Esq., and his family. Mr. Saunders wa*s ono of the earliest settlers in Nelson, having arrived here in the Fifeshire, on the Ist of February, 1842, bnt when the settlement fell into distress through the discharge of all tho men employed by the New Zualand Company, Mr, Saunders left the settlement and proceeded to Adelaide where he resided several yoars. Mr. Saunders retnrned to New Zealand about the time a constitution was bestowed upon tho colony, and he soon began to take an active part ia public affairs. It was not until tho third session of the Provincial Couucil, however, that Mr. Saunders sat as oue of our local legislators, and he continued to represent the district of Wairaea South, until he was elected as Superintendent on the death of Mr. Robinsou, in the early part of 1865. Mr. Satraders also sat for the distriot of.Waimea in two Parliaments, but was defeated by Mr. Oliver for the same district in the election for the present Parliament. Mr. Saunders has always beon au advocate of extreme views in publio affairs, which lie supported with considerable ability."

Postal Conpurenck at Melbourne. —We {Nelson Examine*) learn by a telegram from Wellington, that tho Postmaster-Goueral, th» Hon. J. Hall, has left Wellington for jfeloou.-iio. and will pick, up Mr. Crosbie Ward at Lyttelton* who will accompany tho Postmaster-General to Victoria.

Intehi'bovincial Ciucklt Match. — The JS>atniner s;rys : — "The ch<?'!> :i^e given b 7 the Nelson Club to play Woliiu ay 2 lift" bwn «.ieo«pt.«<i, and the match has been' arranged to come off on the 18th instaut. The Nelson plaj-ers will leave by the steamer Wellington on tho 16th instant." His Exccllencx ran Govkhnok. — The following particular of tho movoments of the Governor were forwardod to Wellington, from Christchurch, on the lstinst. : — " His Excellency the Governor, aud suite, returned to Melvjlle House at a late hour last night, from Hokitika, and expresses himself much pleased with his visit. Tho Governor will remain in Christc'uurch for another weuk, as there yet remain many objects of interest to vißit. The Horticultural Exhibition was held to-day, and his Excellency visited the grounds, la addition to other demonstrations, a grand parade and review of the Volunteers is announced to take place before the vice-regal deparawe to Otago."

Maryborough Timuek Trade. — We learn from the Marlb'trmujh Press, that the quantity of timber ■Shipped from tho Mahakipawa and Kaiuma saw mills, near Picton, during the last three months, is reported by the Customs department at Itave•Jock to be 914,000 feet.

The Weather and the Chops in the Paovixce op. Wellington.— -The Wairarapa Mercury states, that this has -been a remarkably rainy season, which has proved highly beneficial to the grazier, aud has not at present been injurious to the wheat grower. A larger breadth of laud is under wheat in tho district thau has ever beon before ; and a second flour mill is much required. The present rainy wcarher, however, is prejudicial to harvesting oats, of which there has also been a large quantity grown this year.

SI'PEMNTENDBNT OP OtaGO. — Mr. Dick, tho present Superintendent of Otagro, has consented to offer himself for re-election, and his friends feel sanguine of securing his return, the only other candidate for office being Mn Macandrew,' whose chances of success aro said to bB small.

Gusat Rush South op Hokitika. — We learn, by a telegram from Hokitika, that a great rush has taken place to the Haast river, near Jackson's Baj- . Four hundred persona -were booked by the Alhumbra.

Flood in the Waikau. ■— The Hartbyrough Express of the 2nd iastant says :—": — " We have to record this week the occurrence of the highest flood, which, according to all accounts, has been experienced in the Wai ran. We are happy to record that no loss of hnman life occurred. The total direct'loss will, if what we hear is near the truth, be about £20,000, and will, we regret to add, fall heavily upon a class ill able to afford it j a circumstance which will, without noubt, much retard the progress aud advancement of the ProTince."

Hobart Town. — Revenue Return. — The Ifercury of the 25th ult., says :• — " Our main reliance for revenue is on the customs, and these for some time past had been on the decline For tbe lost quarter, however, they have shown signs on each of the months of taking a start up war Js. But the land fund has been depressed, owing to indisposition of the government to force the land into the market at reduced pi ices. Tho total ordinary general revenue for the quarter ending December the 31st, lßfio, amounted to £4G,81G 4s. 2d., against £ jG,7 19 4s. 7'L, for the quarter ending December tho 31st, 1865, which, after deduction decreases on sundiy items of revenue, almost exclusively inlaud, exhibits anet increase for the quater of £IO,OGG IDs. 7d., Tho total ordinary territorial revenue for the quarter ending December tbo 31st, 13()G, amounted to £12,290 ] 6s. 6d., against £19,351 2s. 6d., for tho quarter ending December tho 31st, ISGS, which, after allowing for a small lucreaso of £2G 55., on fees, on grant deeds and diagrams, exhibit* a clear decrease for tho quarter of £7,0(50 6s. The land fand has, of late, been heavily drawn upon for public works, authorised under the public works act of 18G3, -which were to hav<j been constructed out of the loan of £103,000 to be raised under the public works loans act of the same year. Bat when the debentun a issued under this act are negotiated in London, that money will be returned to the land fund, and the expenditure on those works will be charged to its proper account."

Why cannot t^o gleaJer porst>os ever bejome jjre.it friends ?— Because they will always bo slight acquaintances.