GENERAL NEWS

Wanganui Chronicle, 20 March 1901, Page 1

GENERAL NEWS

The Sydney Morning Herald, referring to tho i'eder,il Commission, says the notion that New Zealand will best attain her natural destiny in isolation is one that time will disprove. Whatever the will of the Commonwealth or of New Zealand, they must find themselves on converging roads. Abstention from the Commonwealth during the earlier period would deprive New Zealand of both the influence and education in the natural government of the highest value.

The death is announced from Napier of Captain Tuke, who took a prominent part in tho Maori War. He arrived in the ship Cornwall in 1351, and when the war broke out was appointed by Sir George Grey as second in command (under Colonel J. Fraser) of the Military Settlers, and raw active service on the East Coast, for which ho' received tho New Zealand War Medal. Ho was also for 18 months in charge of the native prisoners at the Chatham:?, but was not tl ero when they escaped. Deceased was in his 75th year.

An act of bravery which should not go unnoticed occurred during yesterday's intercolonial ipolo match. Two horsemen : were dashing at full speed after the ball, which had been hit to the boundary, when the spectators suddenly became aware that a little child had strayed upon the line, and knowing nothing of its danger, stood directly in the course of the madly gallop--1 ing ponies. It seemed as though the child musli certainly be struck down and either killed or maimed, when Mr Phil Nathan sprang out of the carriage in which he was sitting, and flung himself down by the child and covered its body with his own. The horses were upon the pair almost immediately. Tha first escaped them, and the second passed with its hind legs on either side of them. The child escaped without a swatch; a.nd Mr. Nathan received a slight blow oh the ankle as the> reward of a praiseworthy exhibition of pluck.—Post.