Local Intelligence.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVI, Issue 1698, 7 February 1862, Page 5

Local Intelligence.

ifAT^i. , Accident.-- A considerable gloom has been over the neighbourhood of M;»s- : tei'tbu by the deiith 6f young Mr. Gilbertsoh, ef T.e.Ore Ore, from the effects of a pistol. shot in the abdomen. 1 1 ; appears that the deceased and Mr. B. Collins, ; J. P., were out; on the! evening of;, Saturday, the. Ist iustant, endeavouring jo shoot a. fowl with revojverpistol, and that af^er they had .been fit ing a bout a bout hal f i an, hour, Mr-. Cpllins' "pistol, " which; .bad pre-' vfcfusly hung fire,- suddenly "'went- off, and de(jeased " exclaimed "Oh !" at 'tbe'-'.-qaine-' time hdldfiig his band -to his ieft- side," although 5 Mr. ; Collins was at the time, standing- on his right, thus leading to the cunclusiou that -the ball must .have struck some "orject, and -hit _,the deceased as : it rebounded. . Before his death, deceased repeatedly said in the hearing of his attendants that no blame whatever was attached to Mr. Collins,' itvw'as entirely ah accident Mr. ; Gilbertsoh was nephew to Mr. North wood; of Wellington; and also 1 to Mis, ColKnsVcln the absence of -a regularly appointed .Coroner, an inquest upon the, body was, held,,^before V. Smitb.Esq., J.P.^.Ttie jury, "of which ,W..H. Donald, Esq, was foreman, after a full enquiry, returned the unanimous verdict of M accidental death."' * <■'••••-■ . <•<■<■■■;■ • ■■:■ ,;^;; I r/,.m> i The late attempt to • Mo'kderl— An in formation was, tiled. by private Lyster, A.P.,,0n Wednesday last, at the Resident Magistrates Court, Upper Hutt, H. S. Wardell, JEsq., R.M., and It. Barton^ Esq., J.P., on the Bench,, against Hemi Whiriwake, an aboriginal of New Zealand, foe having on the 28th day, of January last, shot and ; wounded Biwsi, also an aboriginal native, with intent to '-murder :him.luspector Atchison thereupon mate application for, a warrant, to apprehend the said Hemi, who was residing in the district. The Inspector succeeded , yesterday in .capturipghirn at the. Upper Hutt, and brought him into' town. On being taken before H. St. Hill, Esq, EM., Wellington, he was remanded for'furthev evidence, being committed meanwhile to Gaol. ' Treasube Trove.— Last Sunday afternoon a boy named Arthur Muir, while walking with others on the beach at Te Aro, picked up in the saurt what he at. first thought to be. a halfpenny, but on cleauihg.it proved .to.be a florin. The other lads immediately made search and they, together with some soldiers and others, picked up a great many, ; one party getting as many as fifteen. Search was again made next day, but only a solitary shilling was discovered The water closet of the premises formerly occu' pied by the Oriental Bank had been emptied on this spot a few. days before, and it is probable that these florins are part of a bagful which was abstracted by one of the establish inept some time since. V C dbativb Mesmerism.— lt will be, seen by an advertisement in another column that Capt. Wilson has returned to Wellington, and may. be consulted at his residence, Mulgrave Street. We are glad to observe that Captain Wilson does not restrict himself iv his good works to Mulgrave Street, but that he intends to go whereever required to relieve human suf--feririg. We can only' wish him the same success that has hitherto attended his efforts. We have seen testimonials of a highly satisfactory character, of . cure effected by him during him visit to Olago. : . Odd Fellows, M.U. — The Officers and Brethren of the various Lodges in the District intend celebrating the Nineteenth Anniversary of the Loyal Britannia Lodge by a Dinner, at the Odd Fellows' Hall, on Tuesday next, the 11th inst,, and we have no doubt, 'from the fact that it is not an exclusive affair, hut that members may invite friends, that it will be nuraer ously attended. ; ; . ' THE ROBBER GARR ATT. A STRANGE HISTORY. It. will bo recollected that in October last, six men, all of whom were masked or otherwise disguised, throughout tho whole of one day •• stuck up" all the | passengers travelling along the West i Taeiri Road, Otago, supposed to be worth the trouble. Sixteen victims were on that occasion robbed, carried to an enclosure hard by, and there lied, hand and foot. Some of the gang kept watch on a hill, and signalled the coming of travellers to their confederates below. They acted in the most gentlemanly manner possible, using no more violence than was necessary, treating to nobblers, and joking in the most friendly way. No traoe could be discovered of the gang in Otago, and it was supposed they had left for Melbourne next day with their booty, which only amounted to £185, and some watches, A man named Garralt was arrested in i Sydney on the 13th December, being ! supposed to be the ringleader. This Dl au waa -well kubwu as the robber of the Ballarat Bank, for which he was apprehended ia England, and sentenced in Melbourne to nine years' imprisonment, which, 5 as it has not yet expired, we s'up- | pose he must be out on a " ticket of leave!" He waa sent down to Olago. by the Lord Worsley, and while in the lock-up, during that vessels stay here last week^ Inspector J Atcheson discovered a letter carefully sown in the crown of his hat, underneath the lining. The following is a copy' of it, and, as the prisoner admitted, was written by himself. The 'bbjectUs "■■ap? parent. -It is addressed to the editor of the Dunedin Witness, . alr/d is pretepded to be written by a ,. fellow passenger j by its publication therein, XUe. prisoner evidently hoped so to terrify rthe publio as ta induce his Jwiuig let go on «ooiidilion of never returning. Whether he has

Iheeh^^ngag^d -hi r al.L the villani^s .]ko,_ j.m&ke.s himseirpjut-to.bjivetkeeDjiiß^^ f.notknow;: but we believe he'-wasjicon-i/ nec'ed with the nsurflei* of -M'rv Price^atiWiiliamsfowirby 'the convicts' inhere- iafid^ „ is, al { toget.fieivorie of 'the worst clafacfefs^ ill these seas, "*" ; ' • ; f ' : ' r -;:/, Sir, — You will learn that a person^okihen uanae of G'ahnjtf,:. has been brought down from i Sydney- in-tbet Inaail ■: steamer/ charged .witb7£ being one oP the men who: committed the rpb*| . beiy at' West Teira^an account of? whjch»ni'c believe, appeared •; in 'your ipapeiv which: ii 7 an^ organ * always ■ found- advocating? the ipubjie> interests, of 'that paiticujar part of the Colony! i called, Otago. And I feel sure you^wilKgiv©-;* the public, through the columns -of your.4«ip«rj% the benefit of your opinions': dn ? this fubj^tf? ' , under nolioK* But, whether. orjno,lydTti;#a|criv agree with : '--me ib my opiuiocs on Mtoe/Vami** • subject is perhaps doubtful.; The question Mp> 'would moot,.'is this, ■frbmf-'-ihf well known desi)* perate character of? ,this,'man, ' ancT'hki indpii^ mitable. persev^erance r irj of no ordinary v character, and which 3eeffis=, Aalmtost to- hayer-V originated with, anyd -to 'Have -been committe&T by; himself; it were got better 'for the> Colony that, this man should be forwarded* back tonhe * • Victorians", to .whom he at "present* by irightfr belongs* than that he should be tried and coa-V; victed here r and- we become- 'the! unen viable--: possessors 'of this notorious bandit, fctfd fie biad«l. by onr own act, the victims of his '-future depre^q- - dationß. Thia I. am aware raight-at first seem like winking /at crime; or compromising: a-: felony. -Batj^ii a calm ?ie\v of the case irFallf? * its bearings 'on the interests of our young colony^! 1 thiak' it wo«h;otfr bdstcon&ideritioffi : ;Forj.^ this man has got a large portion of the sentence"' given for the Balla^rat Bank robbety^ito fulfil^ r» which, would keep him .years away ; from"? ua?;were be inclined to honor us with his presence ;.-£ but which, frcm conversation: with, him, I find" he is aot inclined to :dp ; ; Besides, to do awiy with the idea of conSprpmisi bg^a;^ feloriyj oeyallowing crime to' escape": its just puhishrneij^r have we not the precedence of the Vi^itoHans^ them selves?: who,' to secure themselves: fcbec: * evidence of the scarcely less notorious Quin,!. of Garratt's accoihplices 'in) the BaUaarattBank robbery),; refused toi* prosecute -Quijr for<" I another robbery, 'but on the contrary,iindemni-fv fied thtf victim out of the public parse. rAttUt am the. more inclined thus to rid ourselves of. i this puhlicpest^ this dangerous brigand^ that yr& should by so doing but repay? back to> otir kind 1 ? neighbours, the Victorians, the kindness, ttfet' unenviable honor and : distinction j they have-> ever conferred upon^ us,: fey sending;* us theirmost dangerous . criminals, their Quins andJt Franceses of Bank and Escort notoriety:*; andU ; further, this man if left to us may became the ?' neuclusof a nest of hornets^ which would *zfr some future i day sting . us ': most severely. .- Fs have;been a -passenger fVom Sydney "iutfie- '• same vessel, and tookeVery opportunity of con- ' versing with him; and find he is indeed**' man of the most dangerous and determined*" character, as hia many exploits testify.-' I got * him, through takinga seeming interest id his ''■ affairs, to give me a. partial history >t>f lv^ past r life. Left in childhood td (he care^of a dfutikenj -f* and brutal father, whd he feared a ud hated, he^ at sixteen entered the army. For] strikioM-an-ofßcer he-was, transported to* Norfolk." islandr was thereat thte time .of? Jacky Jacky-s 3 affair.' * Escaped early from Van Di eman's LttMi ' Was ■* one of the earliest on the Viotdria;ti : 'dWihg»-" and very sticcessful, determined to 'square iti Is h becalls itj (that'is to be honest) ; but'^ear bf| being ajpjjrehen'ded-and : sebt back as an abscon- - der, and meeting with others situate'dMikf biin^ r self, they committed a series Of (he most daring - I robberies,' one of' which was thepira'tiiig the sliip .Nelson, in Hobson's -Bay. With 1 the p& l ceeds of tbjs robbery, he*i with ati other of Ifa ? mates, visited England. Returned to, the colonies, planned ! and executed i the Armed - Escort Vohbery, next ihe Herald Office," v aml " : scarcely. less daring than the Bank robbery ,'ur! Ballamt; and though lie would not admit, yet : he left me n& room to doubt but that he was- the j leader of tße'ioui men, : Jwhd; in the open day, iis^ ' the midst of tlie City of Sydney, entered the Banlfcl of New South Wales, 'and only 'frp,rn r tn^ cowarilice of one of the party, must.ha>e*suc^*ceeded in entirely stripping the Bank of .all If I contained., .pie spedks* most' confideptiy of yet^ succeedJDg mi his determinationHoTaise Mmself *" above want !or the irecess)ty;jto la,bon ' 4 -Her believes himself to be' an ! : injured' man' and* speaks of his^ proceedings as a mere business affair, and considers his profession, as he calls it, as honest as thousands of others.* He appears a man strong in ,liis affections^ and. most implacable in his hatred; of those Whora he thinks has -injured him, : andi breathes ar^ spirit of' deep Vengeance against^' society 'at* large, the Victorian portion of it in. particular;- * His mind, naturally a strong one,- is. fearfuljyrv prejudiced and, warped in his views on ,rapst" ordinary , things. , He cprapafes ; hia i owq apts; and. dealings with society, 'to " those .6/ Government, and the contrast, he thititW, 1 is much in' his own favour. 5 Soldiers^ fromi the General down to the Private, he styles^ red' Coated hired ; assassins, who, .for tbeir pay, will cQuimit wholesale murders, .tin-? volving men, women j .and children in .ones general massacre. Thpse menj ,he says, arjfc»wreathed round the brows with laurels, eurlogized in the. papers, are sung of by poets, and . •"r---their names and deeds inscribed in histoiry for posterity to ' admire and 'emulate. Whii§f him, as be calls* himself, their humble imitator^ who does what he does from necessity, whenever kills. or burns, 01 destroys what he canuojL^ v make use of,— hiipj'he says, t^ey call a thief, a „. robber, a brigand, vvhoes trifling acts are cxcv - crated as something monstrous, and instead of " wreathing his brow with -the laurel,- would! wreath his neck with the hangman's l halter/ Religion he repudiates altogether, and look* upon it as a State machine, , useful only to Govern,ments in coercing;, and- govern^ ing the weak-minded an<f superstitious^ and bendiog ' them' to" their purposes. " - he takes evevy ; Opportunity ."' 6p ! propagating his dangerous dortvines of everything" bein* lawful to him and his class. He :adv6cat|l - even resorting to poisoning the nwßkpan^&spj;^—^ ) carry, and, I believe, he had on him at the tiin# . of his apprehension two packets of. the most dftni- - ;. gerous and active' poisons. No wonder Js\6 i- . . Victorians were unwilling to receive ;fiim ta6t v from Sydney.' >It is well known tbat"th^|^^k| fered him his liberty on condition of hi^leiaviifgc: ?^ S J the colony of Victoria, ; which he refused to^doj ;^ saying he had an outstanding debtagainsjttheiii i i which^he premised to call in .withiintf>e^o|ly :^ the hist opportunity. r '-' r ./' '\'*}'fy~%J:^^Tpf?sf' Yod Will, perhaps, give the ' public may l%ierj ? add yo"^''©^^!©^ of I the step T f wptiltl^i^^|?^s :& to their-fidti^e. /iThal W wbul(4M ' ; atio^^mS^s most safeand economical' onW^to^lagoj^^^|s^g^ certain,^ap*/enhefc-:object& : -af:^mßa^^^p3 worth, co^sjderingl;

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"^ {Cimtinued from the third f age.) policy of *he Government of New Zealand Soring tbe last few years, is my curious. In no instance, perhaps, bas this neglect been more «eq*piculously displayed than in the manner in wnichnlie wishes— the prayers even-r-ofthe people of Waikato for the suppression of the trade ip>spirituous liquors, have been treated. Shis trade has gfown to be an enormous evil in ih&ny Native districts. • . : . In Jury, of the year 1852, four petitions firon* Waikato, WHb an aggregate of 450 signatures, praying that a stop might be put to the im vortation and sale of spirits in that district arere presented to the Government. The peti tions were received very graciously ; the Native 3>epartmect pronounced that it was abundantly evident that the sale of spirits was opposed to the wishes of the Natives, and recommended that steps should be taken to remedy an evil, «he blame for the continuance of which would certainly «be charged by the Maories upon the Government The " steps" recommended were, we believe, that a Native district should be defined and proclaimed, in which, under the Authority of the "Native Districts Regulation Act," the needful restrictions upon the sale or of spirits could be imposed. The? Responsible Ministers saw no objection to the proposal of the Native Department, and recommended, with an appearance of Attention to the business in hand — that the district should not be made too large. In August, Governor Browne, approved of the proposal of the Native Office, and oftherecom» »endation of the Ministers.^ J5y H ihe month of SSovetnfeer following, some energetic officer of aeJJative department had actually composed a letter In reply to the petitioners; in- this operation,^ would appear that the force of the -department expended itself. No district was constituted. It was perhaps too much at that time for the Governor, his Ministers and the Native Office, although they were apparently unanimous in believing that it ought to be done. In process of time, seeing that there was not much hope of assistance from the Government, whilst .the "evil" was increasing, the Natives of- Waikato thought that in this, as in other they must begin to help themselves. A short time since William Thompson, we learn, wrote to Governor Grey stating that he, Xbbmpsoß, had seized some spirits, and enquiring whether or not he had acted rightly in sd doing. Thereupon a gentleman, Mr. Gorst, &oown to Tamibana, was appointed Resident Magistrate and despatched to Ngaruawabia to .explain the law to the Natives, and also to tell them what Sir George Grey's plans for the Government of Native Districts were. Numer■ous runangas, we are told, were held to consider the propriety of receiving Mr. Gorst in his judicial capacity. At these meetings there was talk about the evil resulting from spirits, there were loud complaints that their prayers to have lite sale of spirits prohibited had been unheeded, mud they declared that, in this matter, they had !>een ■cheated by the Government — the law promised never having been made. Mr. Gorst, weihear, asked that the letters on this subject might be. shown to him. He was told that he would find them all in Auckland. He asked them to write again ; this they refused at once ; they had been deceived, they said ; pledges had teeo broken, heoi ano. The Magistrate then -undertook to premise that a law should be immediately made; the Natives looked incredulous but consenting. He, with this purpose, at osce started for Auckland, saw Governor Grey, And the results have been an Order in Council defining the Native District, and another Order prohibiting the sale or removal of spirituous liquors within that district, both of which Orders ■ weiave reprinted below from the " Maori Messenger Extraordinary" published on the 1 6th inst. It -will be matter of interest to learn how the law. wall be received at Ngaruawhahia ; whether It svill be accepted or rejected. It may be that for, the sake of a measure which they may still xegard. as a great boon, the objection to the action of the European Magistrate may give way, and a law of the General Assembly be at length peacefully operative iv Waikato. But itsnay be also, that our concession has come too late;Ju which case certainly the Natives will apt be alone to blame for the consequences. The net bas been cast, however ; it was worth 4he while to make the experiment ; whatever may be the . result, we shall all at least have 3>een satisfied that the Government have not Jailed to seize the first opportunity of showing to the Natives a desire to meet their admitted wants.— New Zealander, 18th Dec.