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Waikato Times, Volume II, Issue 94, 5 December 1872, Page 2

Jlr Diddams, the City Rate Collector of Auckland, committed suicide on Monday last. It appears that the Secretary of the Mechanic's Institute, on opening the hall door, found the deceased in a chair, and leaning, as if aslo-jp,. on a table on the platform. On the tfoor was a large pool of blood, and a razar, with which the unfortunate man committed the rash act. It appears that the deceased felt very-keenly the agitation that was taking place in reference to the irregular manner in which the old City Hoard had transacted its affairs ; and although there was nothing in any way reflecting on him, it seems to have afleotcd liiai sutliciently B to cause him ( to j commit the crime of self-murder. The crops around hero, writes our ro; respondent, generally spaaking, a-o looking w< ;'. in fact, than they have done for some yc-iii u, !•:>!.- " liila since we have had such .<• n; I.Le ; .. jnes, and I luipo thattb.. tir.u»i*«'r „.-iu >.(' •. .• The bridges I'wiU*. by ; over the Kaniwhaniwha mi-! 5 ! '"'y'ai.'> -reeks arc now finished; and the roads are now open from Ngarurtwahia to this place, on th'.s side of the river, for travellers by foot or horse. I aiu sorry to hear that the present mail contractor (Andrew Barton) has not the contract for the next year, as all tho time lie has had it he has carricd it out well—in fact it could not have been done better, when the state of the roads in winter are taken into consideration. This side of

the river, it seems, id not to have a working parly of tlie Armed Constabulary-this year; I do not; know the reason, i but: I cevtiualy tliitik tluifc one tl.'(strict is as much entitled Itoit as another. But in any of these Government affairs there is a great deal too much red tape and routine work, -so that nob half the good is done that might be. Last ! season a small party came over at the latter end of the summer, ami were called in before the work they were at was complete. | Our Aotea correspondent writes The King paid ■ Kawhia a visit last week, remaining about a week, and leav- ! ing again on 1-riday, the 15th nit. One purpose of i lus coming was to make arrangements for the opening of i the harbour, but ho found several of the resident chiefs against it. The vessel which a company of Raglan and W aipa (knpapas) are purchasing to run on this coast, is to commence her trips in March. It is believed she will bo | allowed to go into Aoic:i, but not into Kawhia. Hone to | One saw the King in Xawliui. On being spoken to about I i lie probability ot peace, JLawhmo said, '* Xo! There will be | no peace until tiie Waitcato, as tar (.town as Alaungatawhiri, | is given back.' Hone told him that even the Queen had not j tuc power to return the land, because parts had been sold Ito private individuals. ' I hear the kuuapas are buving i vessels ?' queried the King. ' Yes,' said Hone. ' 1 shall ; have one myself in Ivawhiu soon.' 'If you do,' said Te | Tapihana (Tapsell), who was present, ' I will bum her.' | The Iving asked why it was intended to elcet a native mem. j ber for W aikato. ' Xne Vv akatos,' said he, ' don't want anyj thing to do with the Government until tho land is given

back.' Tapihana expressed a wish to stop counnmunication between the King people and the Europeans. Hone pleaded that tlio Ilauhans wanted to buy tools, &o. 'That,' said Tapihana, 'is all correct; but what I object to is our people going to get property from the Government, and then coming back to us laughing at their official friends. If they like the Government sops (whakapafci), let them stop aw By altogethsr. (X.] 3 was had no sops himself.) "Wiremu Kumetiand Harua arc two of those who have raised Tapihana's bile. I hear, by the by, that the taiaha (carved spear) which the latter gare to Hr ilcLean was not his propertv ; and that Tawhiao lias writen, or intends to write, to request that it may b3 returned. It was a valued heirloom, Hone te One's opinion of native a!lairs is the Hauhau3 will either re-commence the war aguinst the Europeans or begin lighting among themselves. Tiic Ilauhaus of this part find great fault with Tawhiao. for hav.ng met Jlr ilaekv.—-Cross. HiO'Deieuce Oilieers arc issuing new rules for the dieeetion of comjiianding officers.. . One rale allows commanding oiScors to strike oir t-ac K>II all unattending member* of Volunteer Corps.—Scar,