Interprovincial News.

Cromwell Argus, Volume I, Issue 16, 2 March 1870, Page 7

Interprovincial News.

Through the dearth of accommodation in Auckland during the recent visit of the Flying 'Squadron, no less than uino peoplo slept under tlie portico of the Fost-oihco on the night (if the 3rd inst. Attention is being directed in Auckland to the probublo failure of the supply of kauri gum. This curious and valuable product is said to bo rapidly getting scarce, and its total exhaustion at no very distant date is predicted. A consignment of true and real English crows has arrived at Auckland by the City ,of Auckland, from Loudon. The English crow is'a well-known enemy and destroyer of the caterpillar, and the introduction of the species into the (Jolony will be hailed with welcome. A blue-jacket belonging to one of the vessels of the Flying fcvpiadron, on leave at the Thames, missed his passage by tha last steamer to Auckland yesterday afternoon. His leave expired at six o'clock last night, and finding he could not possibly report himself on board at that hour, and to avoid being taken up as a deserter, he reported tho circumstance to the Resident Magistrate at once, and obtained a certificate to that elfect.— Thames Times. The Hawke's Bay Herald says:—" We may congratulate the settlers of Poverty Bay upon the dawn of a new era in the chequered history of that fine but unfortunate district. With a new Government township, and with such an addition U> the rural population as that afforded by the fine lot of young fellows comprising the late Defence Force, a fresh impetus will be given to the prosperity of the district, which cannot fail soon to resume its position as the garden of iS'ew Zealand." The Grey River Argus records a fatal mining accident, which occurred at Kosanna Terrace, Maori Creek, on Friday, 4th inst, by which a miner named John Fahey was smothered. It appears that the deceased was working in the face, pui-

ting in a sot of timber and a seven-foot cap. While driving home the laths (the first blow being given to send the next lath up) the main cap on which the latha were driven canted to one side, and, without a moment's warning, down came the laths over head, striking Fahey on the upper part of the body with tremendous force, and covering him up with some tons of dirt and stone from the run of stuff that followed the opening. His mates say he did not live two minutes. A stifled agonising groan or two was all they heard. Th» deceased was about thirty years of age, and was a native of Galway, West of Ireland.

From the following it would seem that ladies are not above making.merry at thu expense of members of their own sex. Aa Auckland paper says :—" There was a little practical joking at the North Shore on Monday, which, as usual, resulted in unpleasant consequences. Three ladies, having proceeded to the bathing shed oit the beach during the afternoon, for tin* purpose of undressing, were looked in thus shed by a number of other young ladies who at that time were indulging in a bath, and kept close prisoners for over an hour.. When liberated, one of the ladies fainted, and some considerable time elapsed before she recovered. In order to prevent a repetition of the affair on a future occasion,

some of the friends of the fair sufferers, made a raid upon the tumble-down shed, tore off the door, and threw it in the tideway, and otherwise seriously damaged the building. Some severe personal recriminations, we believe, have also resulted between male friends of the two parties, and the customary serene peaceful uess of many dwellers at the North Shore has, been, for a time, considerably disturbed by this untoward event." A touching scene, illustrative of the, peculiar instincts of our Maori brethern, was enacted in Pollen-street, Auckland, on Saturday. Trotting along the pathway was a tiny specimen of the rising Maori generation, clothed in a shirt (that, if clean, might have been detected as of check torn), and his head sui'iapunted by one of those funny little straw, hats, of the kind known as "vachtersl" The article was. bran new, audi garnished with gorgeous blue ribbons.. Following the child's footsteps, came-a, strapping Maori woman, who. may have-been . his mother for aught we know, albeit her actions were scarcely, indicative of the relationship.. Suddenly, the child's head-piece caught her,eye„and produced a fascinating effect. She stopped for.-a moment, gazed, and evidently coveted, for the next instant she rushed forward, I seized the little fellow by the arm, and iu a twinkling had dispossessed him of the treasure, and replaced it with a frowsy old hat and veil that had covered her own cranium. The child..aeemed paralysed with astonishment, but at last gave vent to his. feeliugs in a terrific howl of terror and dismay. Back sprung the woman, uttering; an exeliunation. indicative,, it seemed to us, of Btin greater astonishment, and having frozen the wretched urchin into, silence by a long glance of concentrated mesmeric power, she departe'' on, her way rejoicing, the purloined article jauntily stuck, on the end of her nose, according to. : the fashion introduced, by her white Bisters,. ■— Tflutmes Tiiiic.".,