LOCAL INTELLIGENCE

Wellington Independent, Volume I, Issue 15, 21 May 1845, Page 1

LOCAL INTELLIGENCE

The Whaling Stations. — By the schooner Mana, from Akaroa, we learn that the whaling season has commenced, in right good earnest, and that whales are setting in fast and numerous. At the Kai Kora's, Bell's party have captured two right whales and two humpbacks; and Fyfe's party have caught two right whales. At Port Cooper, Haimc' party have been also successful, and likewise captured two right -whales; and Mr. John Jones' party have taken to the extent of sixteen tuns of i oil, since the commencement of the season. Numerous monsters of the deep have been seen and chased in Cloudy Bay, and the season thus commenced auspiciously, we believe will turn out an exceedingly favourable one. The only fear is about a sufficient supply of casks, and we see that our coopers are working early and late, manufacturing casks from

New Zealand staves, so that we have reasonable grounds to suppose, that the scarcity of casks will not form any serious impediment to the progress of the season.

New Zealand Jack Shepheed.—A few months back, the store of Mrs. Robson, on Lambton Quay, was plundered of a variety of articles, and a party was subsequently apprehended on suspicion, and lodged in the brick gaol, to take his trial for the theft. It seems, however, that confinement did not suit his health, and he gave* his friends the constables the slip in a very off-hand manner. A reward was issued for his apprehension, giving also a description of the runaway, which was forwarded to the Police Magistrate at Taranaki. The party arrived at New Plymouth a short time after the receipt of bis description, and he was again secured by the officers of the law, and placed in the lock-up of that town. No doubt to keep the gentleman quiet, bracelets were placed on his wrists, and he was visited daily by two of the constabulary, to see that he wanted for nothing; a kindness which, as the sequel will show, he did not appreciate. On one of the visits to the lock-up, the constables entered as usual, and my lord serenely awaited the inspection outside the door, and taking advantage of a moment when the officers backs were turned towards him, he quickly brought the door to, the iron bar fell across, and to secure it, he dropt a nail into the asp, which he had picked up in the yard. He then cavalierly walked off, while the constables were kicking their shins, and hollowing for three hoars in the cell-of the gentleman, before they were released by some passers by. On his second absence without leave being made known to the authorities, they issued a notice, offering a reward for his apprehension. My gentleman was captured by the natives, but not liking their society, he quitted them in disgust, privately we admit, which made his third essay on the benefit of being at large. . After a short time, the Maories caught him again, and re-conveyed him to New Plymouth, and he was again placed in confinement, hanJcuffed, and always watched. He was allowed to walk in the yard during the day, where a carpenter was at work ; unperceived, this colonial bird contrived to cover a gimblet over with dirt. The gimblet was missed; the prisouer was searched; but it could not be found. A day or two afterwards, the prisoner picked up the gimblet, and that night liberated himself for the fourth time, with the aid of that article and his pocket knife. With the gimblet he bored holes in a line, and as close as possible, through a two and a half-inch plank, and then cut the ends with his knife—handcuffed all the time. By this means he made a passage for his head, forced his body through, and again gave the law the slip. When in prison, he had acquainted a man placed in there for being, drunk, that he had buried £14 in a certain place, and meant to fetch it on the next night following his escape. The man told the constables, and at night they departed well armed, and sure enough captured the gentleman on the spot. He was now heavily ironed, and placed on board the schooner Lady of the Lake, under the charge of a Mr,, Spencer, who was to receive £3 for bringing him safe to Wellington. On the passage, he complained much of the irons hurting his legs ; when to relieve him, they endeavoured to file one.of his legs loose. They however desisted, as the prisoner remarked they hurt him too much. Suspecting nothing, they put into Queen Charlotte Sound. The crew and passengers went ashore, with the exception of one man. The man heard the prisoner filing, but never dreamt of an escape. The prisoner worked one of his legs free, wrapped the iions round the other, put a pair of trowsers and a jacket on belonging to the crew, and dropped quickly into a canoe which had then come alongside, telling the native in the canoe that he wanted to go ashore to get some food for the goat. The prisoner reached, the shore safely, having thus effected his fifth escape, and has not since been seen or heard of. Verily, as the Yankees would say, hs was a tarnation industrious fellow..