THE NORTH.

Evening Star, Issue 2998, 27 September 1872, Page 3

THE NORTH.

Referring to Mr Mackay’a (jualifications for acting as a Native administrator, the Taranaki News says: —“Mr Stafford has found a political piece of putty tha f - will not bo worth much to him. Mr Mackay’s eonduct in 1868, in turning his official position to use against Mr Stafford’s then Ministry, does not entitle Hm to that respect which a Minister should possess in the ©stilust on of the country.” An Auckland correspondent adds to the foregoing “ The idea of Mr J. Mackay, junior, administering Native affairs is treated here with derision.” A recent issue of the Timaru Herald gives the following account of a rattening case Which took place in Fthat district a few days ago We had supposed that outrages of this description were confined to the old country until a few days ago, when we were disagreeably surprised by hearing of a case occurmg in our midst, and which for obvious reasons we have abstained from mentioning before. The short facts of the case are as follows :-Mr P. D. M'Rae, contractor for the .Saltwater Creek bridge, finding a difficulty to get a sufficient number of skilled workmen to carry out the masonry work of the bridge abutments, was under the necessity of getting two mere men from outside the district. This, it appears, gave umbrage to some of the local men, and one of them waited upon the new arrival and offered him L 5 and the cost of his passage if he would go away. This h© declined to do, and the result was that on Saturday night some person or persons got possession of bis working tools, valued at L 3, and made away with them so effectually that although a strict search has been made, no trace of the articles had been found. But the scoundrel or scoundrels did not end here, Mr M Rae also shared their displeasure, which they wreaked by splitting a large worked stone worth at least L 5, which Mr M‘Rae will bo at the cost of replacing. No clue baa as yet boon discovered as to the perpetrators of this dastardly outrage, but we hope that they will be brought to justice, and receive the punishment they merit.

fFor continuation of Nem ve fourth page.)