LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XX, Issue 2240, 3 August 1865, Page 5

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

I Parlliamentahy REPOitrs.— Owing to the I very full report of the debate on the reply to the address, we are obliged to hold over till I Saturday the report of the proceedings of 1 the Provincial and Legislative Councils. ' The Member for Omata. — Mr Glcdhill has been elected to the Assembly for Oraata I by a majority of one vote over Mr Atkinson. I He recently took his seat in the House. i The New Member forth e Waibarapa. — Mr Henry Bunny, the recently elected member for the Wairarapa, took the oath, and his seat in the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday He was introduced to the Speaker by tlieHon William Eitzherbert, Colonial Treasurer, and , W. Waring Taylor, Esq., the Speaker of the Provincial Council. Crowded Out. — Despite the enlarged size of this journal, the space devoted in tho present issue to Assembly proceedings renders j it necessary to hold over police reports, several local notices, and other mattor. The Wereroa Pa. — Tho Chronicle says : — " In our last issue we mentioned the fact of this pa being in our j hands, and the steps that led to this result. I A few further particulars have come to our i notice which we now give. His Excellency the Governeor had learned by enquiry from the friendly natives, that part of the Wereroa pa was commanded from a place ' about a mile distant, further up the river, called the ICtiraka. It is a high level plateau of grouud about 1009 acres in extent, from which is seen the lear of the Wereroa, divided from it by a deep gully, along part of which runs a low connecting ridge. Along this ridge and the small gullias adjacent, the Maoris might be expected to retreat if driven out of the pa by an attack in the front. His Excelleuey the Governor, late on Wedhesday night, or rather early on Thursday morning, resolved to take possession of this plateau, and about 2 a.m. had a meeting with some of the friendly chiefs, who approved of his plan ; and in pursuance of it, the Native Contingent under Captain McDonnell, the .Bushrangers under Lieut. Westrupp, and some of the Colonial Yeomanry under Major Rookes, set out on the same day to occupy this position. After a long detour of many miles, with wet weather which kept the enemy at home, they gained the place, from which is to be seen, not only the rear of the Weroroa pa, but also the villages of Pcrekama and Areiahi. On Thursday fires were observed m the latter village, and early on Friday morning, the native contingent having previously surrounded it, a message was sent to its occupants, telling them of their position, and that they must surrender, or be cut in pieces. They then moved on the huts, and took about ninety prisoners. There was no blood shed. But a shot was fired at Haimona, by a native named Erioro, who rushed out and escaped. Another man aimed at Kemp, but the piece missed lire, on which Xemp, who was close to him, flourished his sword over his head, and said, " Escape you dog, I will not degrade nij'self by killing you," and he escaped. Erioro went to Wereroa pa and informed its inmates of the capture, which accounts for a flag of truce being hoisted at the pa on the Priday. Communication was also opened through the medium of Tiopira Hukiki, a captured chief, who by letter urged the garrison to surrender. On Friday night, Heleraha came from the pa with the tidings that the enemy had evacuated it. On the following morning, at break of day, the native contingent and the friendly natives entered the pa and found it empty, save that one of the huts was occupied by a decrepit old woman. Wanganui Mails — A correspondent at Wanganui sends us the following indignant telegraphic letter: — Overland Mail to Wellington just closing and Wellington mail r not arrived — steamer signalled — beautiful , postal arrangements — are they not ? Who s j to blame ? ! The Wanganui Times.— To quote the | words of Major llookes about the Wereroa ' iPaj the JVarKfanui Times i 3 at length wn t fait accompli, and the first number reached us on Saturday. It is rather larger than the ( hronicte is well printed in clear type, and presents a goodly show of advertisements for a beginning. In a literary point of view the journal is creditably got up, there being several leading articles comprising " an address to our readers" " the duty of the press" a disquisition on " Finance" and another on " the Separation Question and Sir^GeorgeGrey." The local columns are well filled and there is besides a good selection of general new 3. Altogether, we are much pleased with the first appearance of our new confemporary which ■will supply a want hitherto much felt in the Wanganui and surroundingdistricts,that of a well conducted and independent local journal. Once fairly launched, we trust it will receive a warm and general support from all classes of the community. Professor Parker. — We would remind our readers that this evening Professor Pari ker and Miss Annie Beaumont will give their first interesting entertainment at the Odd Fellow's Hall, when several new feats of skill with the broadsword will be exhibited by the Professor, and an excellent musical treat given by Miss Beaumont. Thb Maori Prisoners. — On Tuesday the greater part of the Maori Prisoners brought down from Wanganui were removed from the Mount Cook Barracks to the schooner Manukau. The prisoners were received on board the Gun boat Sandfly at the Queen's wharf, and were taken on board their floating peni tentiary where a strong guard of the 60th Regt., will keep a strict watch over them nntil some decision is arrived at regarding their ultimate disposal. Thk Survey Department. — This evening, at the Provincial Council, will come on the adjourned debate on Mr. Wallace's resolution, that there should be a Chief Surveyor appointed to the Province, whose duties should not only include the supervision of the office duties, but also the duties of surveyors in the field. Mr Halcombe had previously stated that it was the intention of the Government to appoint two Dstrict Surveyors, the one for the East Coast, the other for tho West ; and that both these officers should be under the direction of the Crown Lands Commissioner; and Mr Wallace's proposed amendment is, that they should be under the control of a Chief Surveyor for tho Province.