INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

Grey River Argus, Volume V, Issue 354, 21 April 1868, Page 2

IN TERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

It is. rumored, and we believe with some truth, that a strong probability exists that the graving dock at Nelson, which has been so long called for, and forwhich this, harbor is so well adapted, will h§ almost immediately commenced. The, Provincial IJngineer is said to be drawing out plans for :}ts construction, ajnd at least qn§ contractor is forthcoming who is, willing to undertake the formation of a. substantial stone dock.— .EVening Mail. Qn the morning of the" 12th instant, a, fire occurred at Mr John Gaukroger's, the. Foxhill Hotel, near kelson, which reWilted in the entire destruction of tha house and most of the stock and furniture the inmates narrowly escaping with thei^ lives. The origin of the fire is not known. Mr Gaukrogerwas awakened about two o'clock by a crackling noise, and found the place in flames, and directly after he, had succeeded in getting his wife out of th© burning building, the roof fell in. Although w ßen," an old servant, and two men who were lodging at the hotel did all in. their power to remove tha furniture and goods, so rapid was the conflagration that they could only save a fe>w trifling articles. The inmates have. lost all their clothing, except that which. they escaped in. We are sorry to add that the servant girl had one of her legs; severely burnt. We are not aware whether the property was insured. — Evmina Mail w Within the last two or three months, several Canadian families have arrived, and are quietly settling down in the Pa tea and Waitotara districts. Some of those; have already commenced a settlement at a place called Fortescue, on the Wairoi ; others have purchased land in the Patea, district, and elsewhere between this and Patea, Thoy are to be joined by other Qauadians, some of whom are now on the) way out to join them. They are the right class for settlers, and we trust that the climate and soil which have induced them i to settle here will be a means of inducing 1 many others to follow their example^ Those hardy, well-to-do Canadians must f prosper on the localities which they have so judiciously selected in these districts. Men, women, and children, who clear the. backwoods, cultivate among the stumps, handfeed every donestic animal for six months in each year, and then not only make a living, but money too, are just the kind of settlers for New Zealand. They come here quietly, very few hear of their coming, reside temporarily in the town for a few weeks, and then move off to occupytheir newly acquired homesteads. There; in a surprising short time, we find rough but comfortable dwellings for each, with patches of cultivation and other indica-. tions of improvement sufficient to astonish newly arrived settlers. — Wanganui Times. A Certificate ojp Character. — One. of the witnesses examined before the Pokaikai Commission — a Maori lady — gives a most deplorable character to one Mr. Grey Spencer* This is what she says : — " I know a Mr. Spencer ; he was present | at Pokaikai, as a private in the Native Contingent ; he behaved in a very extraordinary manner, consider him to have been drunk on that occasion — saw no other in the force the worse for liquor ; saw the native chief Aparaniko there ; when Aperhama, the native chief killed at Pokaikai, was lying dead on the ground* Aparaniko testified great delight, put hia hand upon Colonel M'DonnelTs shoulder and said, '• Tou Ika, Tou IJca," (your fish) ; had an oppertunity of knowing Mr. Spencer's habits and general character during the time he has been in the force : he was not of sober habits, and he is the greatest liar I ever met."— Wellington Independent.