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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume III, Issue 130, 10 July 1863, Page 3

Maori losses in the late Fight.— The following is extracted from the official account furnished by Colonel Warre to the Assistant Military Secretary:— Twenty-one Maoris were taken out of the riflepits killed, three ai'e known to have been burned in the smaller whare, and four in the larger, and it is believed that several others perished in the flames, which, from the stench arising from the consuming flesh, prevented accurate information being obtained. One Maori was picked up dead on the road, and many more wounded escaped, and were seen to take refuge, and hide themselves in the fern and bush. Thus, in the short space of one hour, twenty-two Maories, killed, were brought awayiu carts, as many more were wounded and destroyed in the burning ivkares, and a complete victory gained over a savage enemy by the bayonet alone: not over 5 rounds of ammunition per man having been expended in the encounter. New Zealand Command. —We understand that the emoluments of the New Zealand comr mand are likely to bo increased by a special allowance of £4OO, which it is to be hoped will have the effect of inducing a competent officer to accept the post. Up to the present it has been literally going a begging. —Army and Navy Gazette. The new Commander in Chief.— The following notice of Major General Dupuis appears in the New Zealand Advertiser :—“ The new Com-mander-in-Chief of Her Majesty’s Forces in New Zealand is an old distinguished artillery officer. In 1836-7-8 he served on the North coast of Spain in co-operation with the Spanish army, and was in the field actions of the 10th, 12th, 14th, and 16th March, and the action of Hernani on the 14th May, 1837, besides many other minor affairs. Served the in Eastern campaign of 1854-55, including the battles of the Alma, Balaklava and Inkerman, siege and fall of Sebastopol (Medal and clasp. C. 8., Commander of the Legion, Honor, Sardinian medal, and third class of the Medjidee). Commanded the Royal Artillery in India from October 1867, to February 1859, and was present at the action of Pandoo Naddee, 26th November, operations of the 27th, 28th, 29th November before Cawnpore, and battle there on the 6th December, 1857. Twice mentioned in Despatches —medal and clasps. The Major General was on the continent when the offer of command was made to him, but had returned to London previous to the despatch of the March mail.” Iron-clad Men.— lt has been suggested in America, in view of the improvements which are daily carried out in iron-clad ships and batteries that the same, principle might be applied to their crews, or to infantry in the field. Some steps have already been made in this direction, and life preserving vests have been sold in great numbers. The problem is to sheath the human body, so that it will be perfectly protected, against rifleballs at least, and yet at the same time, preserve its elasticity and activity unimpaired. Some time since an Austrian inventor was successful in making an India rubber breastplate. He stood the fire of the old-fashioned musket with safety but found himself much bruised after the trials.— CasseVs Paper. Sale of a Wife.—We have received from a correspondent at Kaiwara, a report of a most disgraceful transaction which lately occurred at that place. It appears that a man named Andrew Winter, for the consideration of fifty pounds sterling, on the 19th ult., sold his wife and child, together with his store, stock, fixtures, &c., to one Thos. Perry, who forthwith took possession of his bargain (!) This state of things continued for three days, when the husband bribed some of his friends to maltreat his rival, and on the following day he persuaded his wife to return to him, evincing his penitence by tears and protestations that he was unable to live without her. Our correspondent informs us that this very respectable pair have since left the Dunstan, en route to Dunedin. So desirable an accession to our city population is certainly a justifiable subject for congratulation.—(Otago) Daily Telegraph, June 23.