INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

Grey River Argus, Issue 56, 22 May 1866, Page 3

INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

Latest Native News.— The "Hawke's Bay Herald," of May 1, contains the following from a correspondent : — " Wairoa, April 26, 1866. Kopu and Ihaka have been for the last four or five days at Opoiti, a place about twenty miles up the Wairoa, whether they went to ascertain the truth of certain rumors as to the biulding by the Hau-haus of a pah. News reached Wairoa on the 24th that fifty prisoners 1 a I been taken, and at .about 7 p.m. Major Frascr and Captain Biggs started with about twenty mounted military settlers and volunteers, thirty more all volunteering for the service, starting on the other side ; and after a moonlight canter, not ovir heath, but over some very disagreeable gullies,, arrived at about half-past ten. It was then found that some prisoners had been taken, probably about thirty in number, all able men, and remarkably well armed with double guns. On the 25th, about twenty more were taken', but the pah was found to be a myth, or at least is not discovered at present. The prisoners include among their number Wo men of local notoriety, Nama and Himeona. Low Life in. Auckland.— The following picture of the worst neighborhood in Auckland, as given by the " Southern Cros3," reminds one of the Seven Dials in London, or the Saltmarket in Glasgow : — " But now a word or two in reference tt> Chancery street and its' purlieus, and the other places which vie with it for the character of being the ":worst neighborhood" in the city. It would appear that West Queen street is as bad ; that Elliot street is on the fair way of rivaling it ; and we have been told we may with propriety say the same with other localities. Of Chancery street we are in a position to speak ; and whatever rtijmay have been in the past, it is impossible not to shudder at the sounds that penetrate our office, from the ruffian orgies and riot, which have been almost of nightly occurrence in tl'at street till within the last week we believe. We have frequently found it impossible to gn r e attention to anything owing to the uproar. On more than one occasion wo have determined to describe these nocturnal scenes which, in the heart of a city, are a disgrace to civilization itself ; but we have given it up in despair. Nothing could convey any idea of the hideous reality. In these riots the women take the lead. Their voices are the loudest, their language the filthiest, their oaths — not the most profane or blasphemous. In that respect they are equalled by the men, who are almost always drunk, or mad with drink. All these sounds, jr > ceeding from a score of throats, and varied by the yelling or screaming of children, and the noise of fighting, make up a concert fit for Pandemonium itself. " Sticking up" in, Upper Queen street, Auckland. — Late .on Wednesday night (says the "Southern Cross), Mr B.eed, "photographer, was assaulted *in Upper Queen street, no doubt with intent to rob. Mr Reed was returning home about a quarter-past ten, and when nearly opposite Dr Hubaldb's residence, in Upper Queen street, he was attacked by three men, who came upon him stealthily behind; One of the vagabonds seized him by the throat, another by the hands,'' ■'wKile the tliird dealt him a blow on the ■ head' with a heavy instrument, which felled him to the ground. Mr Reed speedily recovered himself, and struggled against the strong odds against him, until Ms .alarm brought constable Bell, who was in Grey, street at the time, to his assistance. ' On the fellows seeing the constable running up the hill, they decamped in three different directions ; and, owing to the darkness of the evening, and Gonstable Bell being almost exhausted with running, they escaped without his being able to discern their features or dress. As it is T not likely that Mr Reed could have obtained so good a view of his assailants as to enable him to identify them, probably- these miscreants will escape' justice tliis time. The Southern Railway is progressing if not rapidly at least steadily and satisfactorily ; the permanent »vay is laid for aboiit eight miles from Christchurch, where a camp is established in the old Waimakariri river bed, near to Parish's hotel. The whole of this old river bed is amass of shingle to a depth unknown ; and wells which have been sunk, we believe to eighty feet, have discovered no change in the formation. From this unlimited reservoir of good metal the contractors are at present drawing their supply, of material for ballasting the line, and one. engine is constantly employed in drawing the ballast to where it is required. The line is perfectly straight from the Christchurch station for about six miles, where it takes a turn to the southward round an easy curve with a mile radius ; after winch it takes another stretch of many miles in length in a perfectly straight line.— " Canterbury Press." It would seem from a letter addressed by the Rev. Mr Purchas to the "New Zealand Herald" that it is only necessary to boil the flax leaves in pure water in order to obtain a clean and soft fibre. Mr Purchas has triectfthe process himself, and Ins samples, exhibited at the ' ' Herald" office, are spoken very highly of. He has also invented a machine for cleaning the fibre of the cellular tissue, by which it is held together in the leaves, so that the labor of rubbing them with the hands in cold water after boiling, is avoided. Mr Purchas gives the following advice with respect to cutting the plant. Be careful to cut none but the fully developed leaves of the plant — never touch the heart or centre leaves, as the plant would be seriously injured thereby. Do. not allow horned cattle to feed in your flax field. They pull out the heart leaves, and eventually destroy the plants. The Late Fire in Auckland. — The " Southern Cross" records the destruction by fire of the handsome premises of the " New Zealander" newspaper, built) as most of our readers will be aware, of brick and stone, and roofed with corrugated iron. The fire appears to have been first discovered at a few minutes past 11 o'clock by the great glare illuminating all the windows of the upper storey, and used as a composing-room. The alarm was at once given by cries of " Fire !" and ringing the fire-bells ; but it was at once apparent that any attempt to save the building Avouldbe futile. Very few minutes elapsed after the existence of the fire had become known before the flames burst through the roof of the building, and rapidly extended the entire length of the structure, i The very handsome cupola which surmounted the roof speedily became, a mass of} flames, and from the great heat evolved Jjorious apprehensions were entertained foltthe safety of the long

line of contiguous wooden buildings forming Shortland crescent. Most fortunately the shops (the' -old "New Zealander" offices) occupied by Mr King, jeweller, and another person, to the east of the burning premises, were protected from the falling sparks by a roofiing^bf corrugated iron ;. and to thjs fact may be ascribed the prevention of the devouring element in that direction. The weather boards at the front and sides of the building emitted great quantities qf smoke, consequent on the heat to wliich they were exposed, but failed to become ignited. On the west side of the doomed building, Mr Pulham's and other shops were shingled, but the light breeze wliich prevailed at the time from the S.S.W. carried the sparks and flames, luckily enough, away from that building. From the great length of time which the cupola and its wooden supports occupied in burning, the fears of the spectators were kept at full tension for some time, that in falling it would ignite adjacent premises ; but this catastrophe was averted by. the half-consumed structure ultimately falling into the interior of the building, and which event, was duly signalled by the usual belching, blinding shower of sparks. From this time any serious dread of the further progression of the flames may be said to have terminated ; and the efforts of neighbo: i and willing assistants to remove all available articles of f urniture and stock were suspended. In the fearful excitement, however, occasioned by tho alarm being given, and the hurried, incautious manner in which too many proceeded to remove all goods within roach, it is to be feared almost as much damage, has been bustained by neighbors to stock-in-trade and furniture as if the goods had been entirely or partially consumed. Mr King, jeweller, was unfortunately away from his premises on the discovery of the fire ; and after some considerable delay it was determined to break into the shop, and the goods were removed under the supervision of the police, who it must be paid to their credit, were quickly present at the scene of the conflagration, under Mr Commissioner Naughton. By the time that the cupola had subsided into the in terior of the building,the Volunteer Fire Brigade had succeeded in connecting the hess, and procuring a supply of water— somewhat stinted in quantity— from a water-plug in Shortland street, nearly opposite to the Little Dustpan ; and by this aid the body of flame was sensibly reduced in a short period of time. There was a large quantityof type and printing material on the premises, Avln'ch has been entirely destroyed. The building and plant were together insiu'ed, we believe, for about LSOOO. Tho Royal, we understand, is responsible for L2OOO, and the Auckland Insurance Company hasalso a risk upon the premises or stock.