FROM THE “ STAR ” SIXTY YEARS AGO.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18615, 17 November 1928, Page 4

FROM THE “ STAR ” SIXTY YEARS AGO.

ADVERTISEMENTS AND NEWS OF NOV. 18, 1868.

Assault.—A man named Wilson, of the Seven Mile Peg, was summoned for assulting Joe, a Maori, but prosecutor not appearing, he was dismissed. Lecture.—Last night Dr Ilaast delivered his third lecture on Geology at the Literary Institute, but had scarcely so large an audience as on the previous evenings. The pupils of the High School were strongly represents ed, but there were few members of the institute in attendance, and some astonishment was expressed thereat. •’» •*♦ Dejnueer on Board the Ship Hyda* pes.—The first voyage of this fine vessel to Canterbury was celebrated yesterday by a dejeuner. Invitations were issued by Captain Babot to the merchants and shippers of the province, and although the weather was very unpropitious—a sou’-west gale blowing, accompanied with heavy squalls of rain —•nearly forty gentlemen responded to the invitation. The p.s. Novelty was chartered, and soon after one o'clock the party embarker, and on arriving at the ship they were most warmly welcomed on board by the captain and the purser, David Robb. At 2 p.m., the party sat down to a sumptuous repast in the saloon, which was most tastefully decorated. K ::

From a Nelson Despatch.—The “Colonist” this morning advocates the suspension of the Constitution in the North Island, and placing. it under the direct rule of a Commissioner appointed by the Queen until the Native disturbance is quelled. The article declares the acceptance of Native responsibility to be a mistake, and adds: “The Maoris who formerly venerated the Governor as the real representative of the Queen, have discovered that as things now are, he is only a plastic instrument in the hands of the Ministry, who are again a changeable body resting on the will of’ Parliament. Hence all but the shadow of authority has vanished in the eyes of the Maori, and with it has vanished also all but the shadow of their former respect, and that respect wflU not re-appear until feudal chieftaincy is again assumed on behalf of her Majesty with regard to the Maoris of the North Island. From an inquest on the crew of the ketch Crest, who wene wrecked in a cave on the Peninsula. They tried every means they could to reach the shipwrecked men, but without avail. Having lost all their lines, they returned to Akaroa for fresh appliances, and started again about 1 a.m. on the 28th, reaching the scene of the wreck before daylight. They found the men had rigged slings from the roof of the cave into which they got, but even when there it was seen that the waves knocked them about, and after a subsidence the water was seen to run from their bodies and legs. On this day they managed to get a rope to the men, and Mr Belcher got hold of it, but it became foul, and the men appeared so prostrate that they were incapable of doing anything towards their own rescue. They tried to shoot a ramrod into them with a small line attached, and also tried to get a dog into them with a line, but every endeavour was futile.