AUCKLAND.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 6, Issue 291, 24 July 1865, Page 3

AUCKLAND.

The Late Peace Negotiations.—Mr George Graham has returned to Auckland, and our readers will not be disappointed when they learn that Ms negotiations with the rebels have been concluded for the present without any tangible result. It appears that Mr Graham did not succeed in obtaining an interview with Bewi and the “ King," but was obliged to accept Tamata Ngaporo as their deputy, and this chief, it is said, received full powers from the “ King” to act for them. The place of meeting was Beritana, a few miles beyond Hangitikei, where Mr Graham found about fifty natives, amongst whom were several influential chiefs, awaiting his arrival. After the preliminary greetings had been gone through, Tamata Ngaporo—who was careful to explain that he had never been in arms against the British authority said that he was authorised by the King And Bewi to make peace; and that, while approving of William Thompson’s submission, he thought that when he gave up his taiaha, BrigadierGeneral Carey should hare given up his sword. He would agree to make an unconditional peace, but added that he would like to see a Commissioner appointed by the Queen, to judge who was in the wrong, the Governor or the natives. He also expressed a wish that the soldiers should be withdrawn, and not stationed any nearer to the Waikato than Auckland or Otaliuhu. On Tamata concluding, Patara spoke in a similar strain, and, at the conclusion of the interview, some of the principal chiefs desired Mr Graham to convey to the Governor their desire for peace, and their willingness to allow the lands already confiscated to be retained by the Crown. This is so opposed to the views expressed by Bewi and Thompson that it may bo inferred that Tamata Ngapora has allowed his generosity to get the better of him, and exceeded his instructions. On Mr Graham’s departure lie received as a peace offering, said to have come from the King a calabash filled with preserved pigeons. Mr Graham’s return to Auckland was hastened in consequence of his wish to be in his place on the opening of the Parliament, and ho is prepared to renew the negotiations at the close of the session.—Southern Cross, July 13. On Saturday last, an inquest was held at noon, by T. M. Philson, Esq., Coroner, at the Bobert Burns Hotel, Napier-street, on the body of Sarah Wright, wife of George Wright, laborer, Napierstreet, who died on Friday morning last from the effects of poison administered by herself. It appeared that the deceased left her house at halfpast six o’clock, ou Friday morning, and returned about nine with a white package, apparently about half-a-pound in weight, the contents of which she mixed in half a pint of water, and drank. She told her daughter that it was Epsom salts, and cautioned her son not to partake of any of it as it would make him sick. The former said that it was not Epsom salts, when the deceased observed that no matter what it was she had got it to make her well. After having swallowed the poison she took some brandy. The unfortunate woman expired in ten minutes afterwards. The only observation that she made was that she would not be long in this world. The deceased had never been known to take oxalic acid before, but had frequently threatened “to make away with herself-” Mr Graves Aitkin, chemist and druggist, Newton, stated that he bad sold half-a-pound of oxalic acid on Friday morning, to a person whom he strongly suspected to have been the deceased, but he could not recognise she features. The person who purchased it said the wanted it to clean brasses.- He sold a good deal of it, as it was used to clean bonnets and brasses. He generally labelled the packages with the word “poison.” There were no regulations for the sale of poisons in Auckland, but he generally followed the homo regulations. The daughter of deceased said the package was labelled but she had thrown the wrapper into the fire at her mother’s request. The husband of deceased said that she was 48 years old and had seven children. For the last 20 years she had been intemperate in her habits, and she had been drinking during three weeks before her death. She had attempted self-destruction 20 years ago in Hobart Town. Mr Pierce made a post-mortem examination of the body, and described the effects produced by the poison in the decased’s stomach. He said that half an ounce of oxalic acid would have been a fatal dose. He observed that the indiscriminate sales of poisons was highly culpable, and ought to be prevented by legislative interference, as in England. The jury, after hearing the evidence, returned the following verdict: “ That deceased came by her death by suicide, on July the 7th, by swallowing oxalic acid while in a state of mental depression from the abuse of intoxicating drinks. The jury are of opinion that the indiscriminate sale of poisons should be prevented by legislative interference.” —Southern Cross, July 10.