BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH

Evening Star, Issue 3744, 22 February 1875, Page 2

BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH

_T Wellington, February 20. Mr it. G. Hammerton, who Avas recently appointed temporarily to assi t the Secretary of Stamps, has now been appointed permanently. Mr Fox does not resign his seat until the eve of his departure for England, alleging as his reason his unwillingness to be mixed up with the turmoil of a contested election. , *“ e harvest about Wellington turns out to bo the best for many years, aud was mostly all got m in good condition. The ‘Post* publishes a report of the case of suicide of Joseph Patten, chief steward of the Berar. On the voyage out he drank two ounces of laudanum, having got at the medicine chest. The efforts to save his life Avere unavailing, rr j , ~ . , "February 22. „ „ e Supposed Obincmuri Goldfields, Long Tom” Avritcs to tho limes, cautioning working men to be careful before throwing away the substance for the shadow. He speaks with twenty-two years experience of mining, three years Winon tlio Thames Goldfields. He was one of the delegates chosen by the 10,000 miners to ascertain the feeling of Native chiefs upon the question, and whether there was any chance of the speedy opening of Ohinemuri. After that duty Avas performed, he aud two other experienced miners started at midnight from Thorne’s Grossing and prospected the country between 1® Hiras hut ami the Waihee. Fourteen miles of the country Avas terribly rugged, with steep ranges and precipitious rapid creeks, and waterfalls. They discoA'ered quartz reefs of various sizes, but though they drove along them they could not get color/ Some reefs Avere lo and 20 feet through, hut quite flinty and hungry looking. Abo tried numerous leaders, with equally little success. On the ninth day reached Waihee, found many alluvial prospecting holes, sunk alongside them in many places, but only on one occasion were lucky enough to get a single speck of a-old. they brought back about 2-jlbs of mos', likely looking quartz, but which did not vield a (race of gold. Very few of the Berar’s passengers now remain on koames s Island. Grauamstown, February 20. A gieiu tumiier of p.-rsem, proceeded to Auckland to be present at the funeral of the late Superintendent. In answer to a deputation which Availed upon him yesterday, Sir Donald McLean stated that, so far as he could say, the field would b\ opened ui about ten days, as tho regulations had not been completed. Ho said distinctly that the Government Avould not grant concessions to, or recognise any rights acquired by persons before the opening of the field. Ch. pi s Avere given for Sir Donald M‘Lean, Dr Pollen, and Mr Maclcay. Mr Mackay is still at Olmieimiri, preparing a schedule to the agreement. He will come doAvn on Monday. There is some talk of a public dinner by Thames citizr-ns to Mr Mackay ia appreciation of his pm-severance in connection with opening the country. Two bottle-nose whale's, about 30ft long, were caught near the Grahavnstown goods wharf today. The animals were gambolling about, got into shallow water, and fell an easy prey to the crews of three collier schooners with harpoons and lines. 1 at wit . r February 20. Mr W ilhamson s funeral procession aviw. about a mile long, and there were over sixty carriaims Each side of the road along the route L« thickly thronged with spectators of all ranks and ages. Balconies and verandahs were also provided. Good order prevailed. The servica ItogTtirir- duCt^ dby wp£ sentmg all the various Protestant deuomiua-

tions. First the Wesleyan, to which the deceased belonged ; then the Baptist. The Angli can Bishop read a. chapter from Corinthian.;, and Mr Hill, Presbyterian clergyman, gave the closing prayer and benediction. Napier, February 22. News of a sad accident has been received fiom Poverty Bay. Tihbal’s hotel was bum' down and his wife .and two children burnt to death. (From our own OorrespomFnt.) . Auckland, February 20. . Replying to E. Jeruiugliaui Wakefield’s insinuation in the ‘Lyttelton Times,’ that AL A ogel would not come back, the ‘ Cross ’ say.no will be here in May or June next. The confession of Mitene, the murderer, to the Maori teacher, while denying stoutly to all other ministers, illustrates a trait in the Maori character. He endeavored till the end to throwdiscredit on the Pakeha doctor’s evidence, which chiefly caused his conviction. His own description of the manner of committing the crime tallies exactly with that suggested by Hr Goldsbro, who judged only from an examination of the body in an advanced stage of decomposition, and from the discovery of a rupture of two small ligatures in the neck, which was not broken. Tire Maori was evidently astonished at the keenness of medical science.