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Waka Maori, Volume I, Issue 14, 28 December 1878, Page 1 (Supplement)

The Wairarapa Guardian says : —" A good stoiy is told in connection with Native land purchasing, in which a well-known "Wellington merchant has taken part. Mr. S., say, desired to do a little business, and being a personal aud political friend of the Hon. Mr. Sheehan, obtained a letter from him to a Native Lands Court Judge, couched in those terms which may indicate a request or a direction according to the view the reader takes, and which indicated that the Native Minister would be obliged if Mr. S. could be assisted in the purchase of a certain block containing some twenty or thirty thousand acres. All things happened, and all times elapsed, apparently, in furtherance of the scheme, and Mr. S. paid upwards of £2OOO on account, when it was suddenly discovered that the Natives had sold to some one else, and that Mr. S.'s money had absolutely gone. All the parties are dreadfully sold, but perhaps Mr. Sheehan will make it all right with his friend by laying him on to sometbiug better." The following figures are taken from the Census returns of 1878. The total population of the colony, exclusive of Maories, is given at 414,412, of 230,998 were males, and 183,414 females; the J number of half-castes 968 males and 979 females; of Chinese 4424 males and 9 females. The number of inhabited houses is set down at 79,657, and of tents and other dwellings with canvass roofs at 2931. The population in the several provincial districts (exclusive of Maories) is thus stated —Auckland, 44,800 males, 37,861 females, total 82,661: Taranaki, 5173 males, 4290 females, total 9463; Wellington, 27,877 males, 23,192 females, total 51,069 ; Hawke's Bay, 8509 males, 6506 females, total 15,015; Marlborough, 4283 males, 3274 females, total 7557; Nelson, 14,385 males, 10,743 females, total 25,128 ; Westland, males 10,557 females 6355, total 16,932; Canterbury, 50,424 males, 41,498 females, total 91,922 ; Otago, 64,850 males,. 46,619 females, total 114,469. The chief Karaitiana, -who has been lately suffering from some disorder affecting his brain, became so violent yesterday afternoon ( 222), that measures for his restraint had to be resorted to. He was stopping at the Criterion Hotel at the time, and t e noise he made attracted quite a Bmall crowd outsule the hotel. We understand that other quarters having been provided for him, he was removed to them in the course of last evening.— Satoie's Bay Herald.