Local Intelligence.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVIII, Issue 1901, 30 July 1863, Page 2

Local Intelligence.

Mb. Baker, B.M. — Waiapit. — In a previous issue we stated that the Caroline gun. bout had been sent to remove this gentleman to Auckland, a party of armed natives of the East Cape having ordered him to leave. The removal by the Caroliue would appear to be an error, as he was conveyed to Napier by the Won pa Wonga on her last trip. We regret to state that Mr Baker left at ii few Lours notice, and was therefore necessarily compelled to' leave his property behind him, with, we fear, a very small chance of recovery. He is on his way Vj Auckland, and wili probably proceed thither by the Claud Hamilton. Mr Baker has been in the colony for a period of 36 years having been brought here as an infant, is a first-rate maori-linguist ; and had very considerable influence with the Ngatiporou and Rongowhakaata tribes on the East Coast, who have hitherto been considered favorably disposed to the Government.

The Volunteers.—^The members of this Company aie to meet at the Athenaeum tomorrow night at 8 p.m. The Shephebds Bush Murder. — The Meredith's, father and son recently murdered at Drury, we regret to learn, have relatives residing; here. Dr. Meredith, who lately arrived from Auckland, is a son of the deceased, and the younger victim was his brother. We understand also that the deceased was fatherin law to Mr Richards the photographer. Book Sale. — We have much pleasure in directing attention to Messrs Duncan and Vennell's book sale, which takes place to-day at their stores, Custom-house-street, rt 12 o'clock. The books to be submitted to the hammer, are a very choice selection, and many of them, especially the illustrated ones are beautifully bound. Sacred Concert.— M.M. Poussard and Donay's " Last Grand Sacred Concert" is advertised to take place on Friday evening, when we wtrnld recommend all lovers of sacred music to secure tickets, as an excelleut selection from works of the great masters has been made. The New Gunboat.— The Neiv Zealander, says,- — "The steamer for navigating the Waikato—a stem-wheel propellor— which has been constructing in Sydney, is now nearly ready, and may shortly be looked for. She will be of very ligjit draught, very flat in the bottom with fine ends, above a hundred feet in length, and thirty feet beam, Lieutenant Breton (formerly of H.M.S. Iris), proceeded to Sydnej by the Novelty to take command of her. The Killed and Wounded. — The following is the return of the killed and wounded in the action at Kohiroa heights, Waikato, on the 17th July, 1863, viz :— Second Battalion, 14th Regiment. — Lieutenant-Colonel C. H. Austin, wounded aevereiy : Privates Moses Burton, slightly ; John Ingram, severely ; Jas. Gilligan, killed ; Patrick Markey, dangerously wounded ; Jas. Fenered, dangerously wounded ; William Murphy, dangerously wounded; Wm. Cavanagh, dangerously wounded ; Henry Clarke, severely wounded ; Robert Williamson, seherely wounded ; Alfred Picton, slightly wounded ,• William Smith, mortally wouuded, since dead. Col. Murray. — The New Zealander of the 17th inst, has the following: — "Col. Murray, with a large number of men of the 65th and 18th regiments, left Drury at 4 o'clock, a.m., on this (Thursday) morning, and marched to Papakura, where he was met by fifty mounted men of Colonel Nixon's force ; the party then proceeded to Kirikiri, where they surprised the Natives, and captured some eighteen men, amongst them the chief Ihaka, and Pepini his father, with others of some rank; the force returned to Drury at noon. Some volunteeis also made prisoners of three Natives, one man and two women, the man wa& armed only with a sptiir," — It is understood that those who are in custody, will be detained, for the present at! least; remembering, as we do, the effect which the capture of Te lluuparaha had upon the Native operations in the disturbances at the South in 1846, the fact of these men being iii our hands may just now, prevent the commis* j sion of cowardly murders by straggling parties * of Maories. Waikato Heads.— The Crots of 23rd inst, says:--" It is reported that the natives are building a pa at the heads, at the entrance to the Waikato rivev. The Avon has not been able to get out of the Mauakauyet, on account of the roughness of the water at the bar. New Zealand Insurance Company. — The same journal says:—" It is notified in our advertising columns, that a dividend of 10 per cent for the half-year ending M:y 31, will be pai i at the Company's offiue, on and after the 20th iDstant." Bank of New ZEALAND--The New Zealander of the 23rd iust, says : — " At the special general meeting of the proprietors oi this Company, held on Monday last, it was determined that the sixth call »f one pound shall be payable on Thursday, the 2lst day of January next." Professor Bushell. — This gentleman was a passenger by the Claud Hamiltou. It was his intention to have given an entertainment here previous to proceeding to Auckland ; but the time of sailing- of the steamer prevented him doing so. We understand, however, .that it is the intention of the Professor to call at Wellington, oo his return from Auckland, when,jno doubt, he will take up bis residence amongst us for a short time, and afford tbe citizens an opportunity of witnessing his clever feats with electricity and electro-biology. Captain Wilson. — We have at present residing in Canterbury, a gentleman who we believe has lately been practising the art of mesmerism as a curative agent in Wellington. He has achieved a great success here, and has effected the cure of some very painful maladies, chronic and other cases which have hitherto baffled the efforts of the medical practioners of the province. He has <_>iven a series of lectures here, wiih practical illustrations; these lectures have been well attended, and were of a highly interesting character. He proves in his public exhibitions of this potent and mysterious agency, that he prossesses, the most perfect, the, most absolute control over the physical and intellectual faculties of those subject to bis influence. The faculties of sight, hearing, speech, motion, and even of memory, seem absolutely mastered by him. It is a most amusing sighl to witness his experiments. He succeeds in making his " subjects" totally unconscious of what they are doing, whilst at the same time their powers of volition are entirely surrendered to his will. In our presence he persuaded some young lads that they were eating and enjoying the flavor of apples, oranges, and pears, whilst in reality they were devouring onions, lemons, and potatoes. The blank look of wonderment, which they assumed, when released from the shell, was amusing in the highest degree. But the gn>ut feature in all Captain Wilson's lectures is this— the total absence ->f any CkaHatanarie or deception. He does not, like too many professors, sink the man of science in the mountebank — heopenly oourtsthestrictest scrutiny, and the most rigid enquiry into the truth of what be alleges. To employ his own expression, he considers mesmerism as a most beneficent discovery, and looks upon himself as the depositary of an almost sacred trust, which it would be culpable, if not crimiual to abuse. — (Communicated.)