INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

Grey River Argus, Volume VI, Issue 438, 3 November 1868, Page 3

INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

The Thames Advertiser of the 23rd. ult. says: — A special messenger arrived in town late last night from Ropata's place, Ohinemuri, and waited upon Mr Warden Broad this morning with a letter for Mi Commissioner Mackay, in the delivery oi which he said no time was to be lost. He informed Mr Broad that its contents had reference to the throwing open at once oi Ropata's lands, and requested Mr Macka) to come up and make arrangements without delay. A great meeting of the natives had been held, at which this course was adopted. The letter will be forwarded to Mr Mackay in Auckland by messenger per first steamer this morning. An accident resulting in the loss of a valuable team of horses, occurred in the neighborhood of Hunt's Claim at the Thames on Wednesday afternoon. Henry Rawden, a carter, being engaged in sledging some machinery to the HomewardBound Claim, while passing a narrow portion of the track immediately over Hunt's Battery, the sledge got off the track and slid down the side, dragging the horses off their legs, and causing them to roll over. The chains then parted, and the unfortunate animals were precipitated to the bottom, falling into the kiln in connection with Hunt's Claim. Both were killed, and the owner but narrowly escaped a similar fate. The loss falls heavily on a most industrious man. A subscription has been opened in his favor, which it is to be hoped will be satisfactorily responded to. Captain Cooper, of the barque Kate, which recently arrived at Auckland from Sydney, whilst off the North Cape observed lights burning on shore at night, and whilst standing pretty close to the land he again saw the lights. On the first occasion thinking the light proceeded from fires kindled by the Maoris and portended nothing unusual, he naturally took but little notice of the occurrence, and on the second occasion the weather was thick and boisterous, and there was too much sea on to permit a boat to be lowered. With the aid of a glass two fires and one or two huts could be distinctly discerned by the captain and his passengers, and people were seen running about from one point of land to another, making signals. It is much to be regretted that the weather was such as to compel the captain to hold •n his course without holding communication with the land, for there is strong probability that the people seen on shore in this locality are castaways from a ship wrecked off the North Cape about two months ago, the name of which, and the fate of whose passengers and crew is yet unknown. It seems to us surprising that with a man-of-war in harbor something more has not been done to clear up the mystery connected with the ill-fated vessel. When the man-of-war went away on her last expedition, people were under the impression that she had gone to search the coast in the locality where these fires and people have been seen, and we hope something will be done immediately in the matter, for immediate action may be the means of saving human life, and tend to throw light upon a subject in which many feel a sad interest. Should it turn out that the intelligence brought by the Kate does not tend to elucidate the mystery surrounding the wreck, we shall nevertheless have the satisfaction of knowing that measures have been taken in the cause of humanity to relieve persons who may be greatly in need of assistance, and of gaining all the information we can respecting what is supposed to have been the wreck of a large ship. — Express. We le.arn by the arrival of the John Perm that Wanganui is in a very unsettled state, if not one of actual terror. Tito Kawaru is literally master of the situation, and threatens the town daily. He is said to have 800 trained warriors, armed to the teeth, under his command, and within easy distance of Wanganui. If this is true, th« inhabitants have every reason for alarm, but it is to be hoped that the numbers have been exaggerated. An amusing story is being told of how a certain shareholder at Shortland, who prides himself upon not being easily "taken in," received a lesson which we opine will not soon be forgotten, The story runs thus, and is very well authenticated : — A miner one day recently rushed into the office of the said sharebroker in Pollen street in breathless haste, when the following interview took place— Miner : Oh! (gasping for breath) Mr , I hope you have not sold that share of mine. Sharebroker : Sold your share ; why ? Oh, sir, because we have just struck gold heavy, and I wouldn't take L3OOO for it now. Sharebroker: Indeed !(a contemplative interval) — I am sorry to say, my good mau, it is sold. Miner (apparently horror struck) : Sold, never ! I don't care, 1 won't sell, it shan't be! It's no use trying it on, I'll stick to it. Shareholder :My good fellow, listen to reason. Miner : But I won't, 1 don't care. Shareholder : It's impossible you can retain it. I have got the money — it's paid down. Here's a cheque for you for L2OO, double the reserve you put upon it. (Draws a cheque for the amount.) Miner (apparently with reluctance takes the cheque) : Well, I suppose I must (puts it in his pocket, with a sigh, and leaves the office.) Miner immediately presents cheque at the Bank, puts the Bank notes in his pocket and goes his way, the doleful expression on his countenance changing to one of sunshine. Sharebroker (jubilant) visits the claim next day, and finds it a — " Duffer !" — Atickland Express. While spirits bear an import duty of 12s per gallon a largo premium is offered for illicit distillation ; but the excise duty of 6s per gallon will have the effect of promoting the legal production of spirits in the colony. Those who have sunk capital in the legitimate trade, and who have to pay the forcible contribution of 6s per gallon on all the spirits they manufacture, will not willingly allow their trade and profits to be diminished by the illegal acts of parties who attempt to escape this contribution. The number of illicit stills in the colony must be very great, and one was recently seized at Invercargill, made of copper, which was said to have tost L2OO, aud which was capable of distilling 200 gallons of spirits in twenty-four hours ; but the number of those seized bears no proportion to those in operation, which, however, will not. be the case when the distillation of spirits becomes a legalised branch of our colonial trade. Information was received by the last mail from Wanganui, that an illicit still had been seized there by the police whioh had been for some time in operation. The owner, whose name is Vincent,

with his Bervant has been taken into custody, and doubtless the still will be forfeited, but such seizures will not stop illicit distillation while a man can get so large a profit as 12s per gallon on the ' transaction. There are only two effectual , ways by which this can be done, the one t is to reduce the import duty, or to make, , by a moderate excise duty, distillation in '. the colony a legal and 2>rofitable pursuit. P — Independent.