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Wellington Independent, Volume XVIII, Issue 1915, 1 September 1863, Page 3

(from a correspondent.) Augu3t 27tb, 186 S. j Am* is quiet here, only a few reports flying about. The Rangitikei and Turakina| settlers have received during the past week, both verbal and written warnings that 170 Waikatos were on their way down, in fact, one letter stated, that 103 were already on the Rangitikei river, and 67 more were at Otaki trying to incite Wi Tako and the other chiefs to rise. It may be true, but here the general impression is, that the Ngatiapas and Ngatiraukawas are going to fight each other concerning a disputed land ownership, and that the Ngatiapas (from whom the warnings have come) wish to alarm the settlers to build stockades, so thatthey (Ngaliapas) may be able to flee to them in case the Ngatiraukawas should worst them ; I may be wrong, but Heaven grant I am not. Our cattle trade has suffered rather a serious blow (though only temporary I hope) in tbe loss of tb? Prince Alfred. The whole cause of her loss was her attempting to take the bar when there was not enough water, she struck so beavily, that in the concussion the connecting rods of the air pump went, one broke in two and the other bent double; had she been able to get over the bar all would have been right ; but losing her motive power, of course she was unmanageable and drifted to her present position, about a mile south of the bar. She lies now stem on, which is high and dry at low water- You will.no doubt, see the semi-official account of her loss in the Chronicle. They saved 49 head of cattle and a few pigs. It must not.be laid against tbe Wanganui bar, although there are plenty of persons in other settlements, who hold the bar up as a bugbear to frighten people from coming here. The pilot should not have allowed her to go out ; it is his fault alone. The Lady Bird created quite a sensation yesterday morning. Everbody thought she was from the North with important despatches. All day yesterday the town was iv holiday clothes. Scores visited her. It was quite a treat to see her, and she must have given good satisfaction to those shareholders who had not seen her before — Her departure this morning was quite a flash affair, what with her guns, and one at Taylor and Watt's, the. noise was deafening. I think she towed the Scotia out, and the Storm Bird for Taranaki the Heron, both'cattle vessels. The Scotia takes 31 head of cattle for Picton ; the Heron, 36 head for the South ; and the Storm Bird, 24 head cattle, 2 horses, and 300 sheep for Taranaki. She had a very rough trip from Wellington up here— was obliged to lay -to under Kapiti part of the time. The Tyne got in yesterday, K. V, Z.