INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

Grey River Argus, Volume V, Issue 353, 18 April 1868, Page 3

INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

By intelligence through native sources, received by way of Maketu, we learn that the Opotiki campaign is at an end for this season, owing to the rainy season, and the almost impassable state of the country. Although the results have nut been very important, the force engaged has been considerable, consisting of 80 of the Mounted Constabulary, 150 Militia (belonging to Opotiki), 280 Arawas, and 32 Volunteers from Tauranga, including 7 Ngapuhis, under command of Mr Gundry, making up a force of all ranks of 542 men. After a passage of much hardship for many miles, during which the commissariat was sit a very low ebb, as rations could not be sent after them owing to the impracticable nature of the country, the party were obliged to slaughter two horses, which they found excellent food. It was in this condition that the force came in sight of a formidable pah at one of the bends of the river. The Arawas rushed on without orders and took the pah by storm, the European force remaining behind. — Tauranga Record, March 20. The special correspondent of the New Zealand Herald, writing from Shortland on the 28fch March, says: — "There is a report here this morning that alluvial gold has been found at a place called Fern Flat, which is a di jtance of seven to nine miles back from the mouth of the Waiotahi, and over the second range from here. The deep lead in the Kuranui has had 20 tons of " stuff crushed, with a yield of 423 ozs of retorted gold." The Tapu Creek correspondent of the same journal says : — "Speculation in shares has commenced in earnest. We were this day visited by Messrs Reid, Wynyard, Morrin, Jones, Captain Harrison, and others whose names Ido not know. They were all evidently bent on 'buying in.' The first-named gentleman concluded his purchase of a share in the Perseverance claim for the sum of L4OO sterling, through the agency of Mr Petrie. For a half share in Messrs Quinn and Cashell's L3OO was offered and refused, and I should say, taking the whole of the claims now working at Tapu, each and every once of them, were they to ofler a share for sale, would readily meet a purchaser. The quantity of quartz now on the ground waiting for crushing is something enormous, and as far as 1 can learn is all of the first water. The Lord Nelson has about 20 tons ; Panama Route 80, and various others about the same quantity. The great cry, however, is machinery, and until that comes on the ground the richness of Tapu will never be known. The Wellington correspondent of tie Otago Daily Times says : — The Ministerial party having no organ in Wellington, efforts are being made to get up a paper by means of shares, to start prior to the meeting of Assembly. The circular whioh is being handed round for the consideration of intending shareholders, is marked " strictly private and confidential," and I am not, therefore, at liberty to mention ; details. I may, however, say, that its promoters aim at making it a " Colonial" paper, proposing to ignore purely local questions. This is a mistake. The time has not arrived for such a paper. Local I questions must for a long while, in every province, afford the chief topics of interest, and to the ordinary class of readers no paper will be acceptable that soars only in the abstract, and does not condescend to the question which is locally of paramount importance. A rticles (for instance) on the iniquities of Provincial or Central Governments in the abstract, would bo flat in the extreme, to the majority of readers ; while articles on the corruptions which extst in the Council or Government business immediately under their nose, would be read with interest. The defunct N.Z. Times started with similar notions of becoming a Colonial paper, but it lasted only a few weeks, and any other on the same model, would be equally shortlived. On Thursday, the 26th ult., a fatal accident occurred at German Hill, Dunstan, to a miner named James Carey, a native of Ireland. The unfortunate man was engaged working in his claim, when a large boulder, weighing some tons, fell out from the "face," and crushed him completely to death. The unfortunate occurrence was purely accidental. Every precaution had been taken to make the ground secure. The deceased was much respected, and his funeral obsequies were attended by some seventy horsemen, besides a considerable number of persons riding in vehicles. A case of suicide occurred at Wellington a few days ago. A young man, a housepainter by trade, and of the name of Henry Woodward, walked into a chemist's in the town about noom and purchased half an ounce of laudanum. He then went further down the street to an hotel, walked up to the bar, called for a glass of brandy, poured the laudanum into it, drank it off, told the barman he had poisoned himself, because he didn't feel exactly happy, and then fell down insensible, in which state he remained for a short time and then quietly died. The Tuapeka Times gives an account of " a fatal accident to a man named Peter White, who was working on Mr Tolcher's contract, on the Waitahuna road. It appears White and two or three others were 1 cutting the chambers for a blast, when the ground slipped and smothered White. When the fall of earth was removed, he was found quite dead, and frightfully bruised. Mr Tolcher had previously warned him of his danger ; but he was an old experienced hand at the work, and did not like to be spoken to. Mr Heath, . of Waitahuna, was also employed on the I same work, and had a very narrow escape, as part or the same fall grazed his shoulder. An inquest was held on White's body on Wednesday, when a verdict of " Death through carelessness" waa passed." '