LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume V, Issue 220, 30 January 1865, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Arrival op the Raxgatira. —The N.Z.S.N. Co.’s s.s. Rangatira arrived here, two days behind time, on Friday, at 1 p.m. Her non-arrival, when due, caused, as might be expected, some anxiety, and various rumors were current as to the cause. She was, it appears, detained on account of the non-arrival of the English mail, which, however, had not arrived up to the time when she left. She brings us our usual files of Auckland papers up to the 25th iust. There is not any news of importance to quote from these papers ; but we have given the principal shipping and general intelligence as fur as our space will admit. The Exhibition. —We do not perceive that our friends at Otago felt the absence of the 1 Governor from their city on ihe occasion of the opening of the Exhibition as a very great disappointment. Perhaps, many never seriously expected that he would be there. Many of the incredulous in other parts are not convinced, even by the shipping of his luggage, that he intended to go at all, and certainly the latest news from Auckland does not bring to light any cause that could have prevented him that did not exist from the first. _

Sharks ix the Harbor.—On Tuesday last, I7lli inst., a native named Ihaka, belonging to Taupo, was standing off the Western Spit in the water, when a large shark seized him by the leg. He managed, however, to escape, though it was very much lacerated. A number of natives happened to be standing by, who immediately secured the monster in a way peculiar to themselves, and brought him on shore. He was found to measure 6 feet 9 inches. Another, fully 10 feet in length, was seen immediately afterwards in the same place, but although efforts were made to catch him he escaped for this time. The inner waters are said to be swarming with sharks. We have ourselves seen them in the neighborhood of the Steam Mill,

News feom England. —ln our issue of the 30th December we gave the latest special telegrams via Suez to the 3rd November. These items are confirmed by English papers to the same date, received at Melbourne by the Ethiopian, but there is nothing later to report. Twenty days later from America. A report of the news from America will be found in another column. The Lyttelton Times, in an article on the newspaper tax, has the following, which has our hearty concurrence, except indeed, the first sentence. The press has taken the matter up though not to so great an extent as might have been expected;—“ As far as we have seen not a single newspaper in New Zealand has protested against the unreasonable tax in the shape of a penny postage, which has suddenly and without -warning been imposed upon them. Doubtless, the cause of this silence has been a mistaken feeling that they would be considered by the public to be advocating their own selfish interests. We think this is altogether a mistake, and that as the newspaper proprietors must certainly be heavy losers so the public will as certainly feel the inconvenience of the check -which is about to be put upon the free delivery of newspapers. Apart from the constitutional question whether the Govern - - ment has the power at its own pleasure to tax the public without consulting the legislature, we feel sure that a step has been taken altogether contrary to the spirit of the age. In a sparsely settled country, such as this colony, the value of a well-conducted press cannot be overestimated, whether considered as a guide to public opinion, or as a check upon those thousand and one souls which hate the light of day. Anything, therefore, which tends to hinder the free circulation of the newspaper, must act as a direct hindrance to the progress and growth of the colony. We have the less hesitation in asserting this, from the fact that the blow will not be felt so heavily by us as by many of our younger brethren, who are struggling against the first difficulties which attend the birth of a new journal. We trust, and have reason to hope, that the Government will reconsider their determination and withdraw a tax which will be alike profitless and hurtful.to the community.”

Found Dead. —We have to record the death of poor Watson AVetherley, a harmless, imbecile old man, generally known as the Duke of Newcastle, who was found dead in his bed yesterday afternoon. We believe he had not been seen alive since last Friday evening. A Coroner's inquest will be held on the body this day.