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Waka Maori, Volume 10, Issue 22, 3 November 1874, Page 276

It has been found that at full tide the water in the artesian well, lately sunk at Napier, will rise about 3 feet above what it will do at low water, thus furnishing further evidence to show that the artesian wells sunk on the Ahuriri plains tap underground streams flowing into the sea. The schooner " Pearl," from Fiji, has arrived. She brings a special despatch announcing that the cession of the island is effected.' The British flag is to be hoisted on the 10th October. It is an indication of the briskness of trade that native stores are being multiplied on the East Coast. Within the last three months five or six new ones have been established. At the Waiapu, where three already exist, an additional store is about to be erected by a Spaniard who resides at Awanui. The late gales were felt severely at Meanee, in this Province. That of the 15th instant (October) was the worst. The Presbyterian Church steeple was

blown off, numbers of • out-buildings were thrown down, and in all directions evidence of the force of the gale present themselves. The roof of the Hastings Railway Station was stripped of its . covering, the sheets of corrugated iron of which it was formed being blown a considerable distance. In fields and gardens great damage was done. Hawke's Bay Herald. At a recent fire in New York (a city in America), 100 horses were burned to death. The Duchess of Edinburgh has been delivered of a son. The Chinese are erecting their first telegraph wire line. In Ceylon (an island on the coast of India) tho marriage ceremony is performed by tying the couple together by the thumbs. On the 2Sth August, one sheep was sold in Melbourne at the very handsome price of £7l-1. The Native whaling industry was attended with greater success last season than it has been for years past on the East Coast, and this encouragement is likely to stimulate those engaged therein to put forth greater efforts in this direction next winter. One boat—the owner of which is Mr. Henare Potae, of Tokomaru—secured four fish, each of which was of good size. The largest of these was one of a species of whale not seen on this coast for eight or nine years past. It yielded about seven tuns of oil, and a large quantity of whalebone. Some of the oil was burnt in the process of boiling, and this defect depreciated the article in the market, and it had consequently to be disposed of at a price far below its usual value. The loss is keenly felt by the Natives, who are determined to take proper precaution for securing a better commodity next season.— Hawke's Bay Herald. The break-up of the Ashantee monarchy is quickly following on the English victory. (See Waka Maori, No. 10.) The Kings of Djuabin and Beequa having declined to renew their homage to King Coffee, he has appealed to the British administration at Cape Coast Castle for assistance, and the situation is further complicated by a report that the hostile kings have been promised support by the chiefs of Akim and Denkara. Captain Lees, having gone to Coomassie to mediate, has been well received.

Cuke foe Soees on Hoeses.—Fomentations from boiled gum leaves is now an established cure for sores on horses. It is found that these applications effect a very speedy and sound cure. Since our last notice, in WaJca No. 18, of arrivals of immigrants, twelve other ships have arrived in the colony, bringing a total of four thousand souls. Raniera Erihana, of Otago, has sent us the following, clipped by him from a Pakeha paper, with a request that it be inserted in the Waka Maori, as he and his friends are curious to know what it says about " Old Williams :" Old "Williams, of Doncaster, had in the year 1700 two daughters by his first wife, the eldest of whom was married to John Willey, the son, and the youngest was married to John Willey, the father. This Willey had a daughter by his first wife, whom old Williams married, and by her had a son ; therefore Willey-fche-iather's second wife could say, "My father is my son

(that is to say, a son-in-law; he having married her husband's daughter, who was her daughter-in-law) I am my mother's mother (that is to say, she was the mother-in-law of her father's wife, who was also her mother-in-law) ; and my sister is my daughter (that is to say, her daughter-in-law; her eldest sister having married John "Willey, the son of her husband) ; and I am grandmother to my brother " (that is to say, the son of her father by the daughter of her husband, John Willey, the father, was her grandchild). These people must form quite a nice family party when they are all at home.

Auckland newspapers report that temperance principles are gaming ground amongst the Natives in that Province. The Good Templars and Rechabites should, says the Herald, take comfort in " the action of "Wepiha Te Poono, who lately discovered a case of spirits m a Native settlement at Whakatane, and declared it forfeited 'by breaking each bottle.' " An awful typhoon was experienced at Hongkon°(in China), in September last. Eight ships foun* dered, or were wrecked. Many vessels are missing. The damage done to property is immense. It is estimated that a thousand persons have lost their lives. Some years ago a number of carp were placed in Lake Taupo. Nothing was afterwards seen of them till the other day, when large numbers of them were observed in a swamp communicating with the lake on its western side. They seem to have increased greatly, and firmly established themselves in their new home. The Maoris have also observed " Pakeha fish "—supposed to be trout—in the Waihou or Thames River. These are supposed to be the descendants of some placed in a branch of the Thames some years ago.— New Zealand Times. A very remarkable marriage was consummated at Jevingtcn, Sussex, the other day, the peculiarity of the circumstances consisting in the bride having no arms. The ring consequently had to be placed on the third toe of her left foot. She also signed the register with her foot "in a very decent 'hand.'" She is said to be a good needlewoman, despite her deformity. The ceremony was performed by Archdeacon Philpott in the presence of a large congregation. The almost exhausted stock of potatoes in Wellington received an addition yesterday (November 2) by the arrival of the " Alhambra." Over a thousand bags of Victorian potatoes were landed from her.