FIGHTING AT THE FIJIS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXII, Issue 2658, 7 April 1868, Page 2 (Supplement)

FIGHTING AT THE FIJIS.

It will be remembered that on the last occasion when the Eagle visited Auckland from the Fiji Islands, she. brought intelligence of the murder of the Eev Mr Baker, Weßleyao Missionary, and his teachers at Vita Levu, and of the fact that the King of the Fijis had avowed his determination to follow up the murderers and avenge the death of that devoted missionary. By the arrival at Auckland of the Eagle on the 19th, we learn that the heathen aboriginals residing in the mountains, having been apprised of the King's intended attack, collected a large force and descended during the|night upon an important settlement inhabited by the Christian natives and killed and wounded some thirty or forty of the latter. Eatu JLineru, the leading chief among the coast natives, being justly indignant at this, assembled a body ot : 2000 men, and proceeded to attack the settlement of the hostile party. Just before the departure of the Eagle, a report reached Ngdronga, that Eatu Kineru's army had destroyed three villages by fire, and killed a large number of the enemy, the casualties on their side being limited to some half-dozen killed.

Presentation. — At six o'clock on Tuesday March 31, the Volunteers paraded on the reclaimed land in order to witness the presentation of a baritone to Mr D. Bell, conductor of the band of No. 1 Kifles. The different corpa, having been proved by their officers, were wheeled into line and the flank companies moved up ao as to form three Bides of a square. Lieut.-Colonel Header then, in the presence of a large body of spectators, amongst whom we noticed the Hon. Major Bicb> ardaon, Major Cargill, Lieut. Pierson, 18th 8.1., Mr Powell, 18th B».L, Dr Carson, and Beveral other gentlemen, presented Mr Bell with the handsome instrument which had been procured by the members of the band as a mark of .their appreciation of his valuable services and the care and attention he had bestowed in the instruction and general superintendence of their practices. The ceremony over, line was again formed and the battalion put through a few manoeuvres, which being performed with highly creditable skill and precision, elicited the praise of the com-manding-officer. The men 'were then marohed down to Thorndon and baok to the reolaimed land where the parado was dismissed. New Zealand Institute. — James Heotor, Esq., M.D.F.8.5., has been appointed a Governor of the Now Zealand Institute, in place of Mr Mantell who has resigned. New Zealand Insurance Company. — At a meeting of the shareholders of the New Zealand Insurance Company, held at Auckland on the 10th ult., certain additions and alterations in the deed of settlement lately resolved upon were confirmed. The effect of these alterations is to enable tho Directors to invest their surplus capital in various existing companies, instead of being tied up as before, to invest it solely on mortgage, or by purchasing shareo. in the Bank of New Zealand. Skcond-Hand Arms.— The Invercargill Rifle Volunteers have not scored a sufficient number of points to qualify them to send a member to compote at the Colonial Prize Firing. Tho Weekly. Netos attributes the bad firing to the condition of the arms served out by tho Government and says : — " Great complaints are made about the rifles in use being second-hand, every one showing signs of active service ; in fact, a pieoo of bone has been discovered embedded in the stock of one, supposed to be from the skull of some unfortunate Maori J" Skirmish at Opotiki. — We believe that in« formation has been received by the Government from the East Coast, to the effect that a skirmish had taken place near Opotiki, between the Colonial Forces and the natives. Major Fraser had been out for some time, with a small force, scouring the country, when he euddenly came upon a body of rebels. A sharp skirmish ensued, which resulted in the defeat of the rebels, who rapidly dispersed. The news, which does not appear in the Hawke's Bay papers, had been received there just before steamer left, and consequently no details are given. The amount of loss sustained by the rebels is not stated. Debt. — It is not generally known that imprisonment for debt for sums under £10 is now abolished throughout New Zealand, the Act effecting this change in the law having come into force.