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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 8, Issue 396, 23 July 1866, Page 3

Supposed 'Murder ax xhe Totaea. The Hokitika Chronicle, 9th July, has “ every reason to believe that the missing Andrew Donald, a storeman, formerly residing at Mr Jolly’s branch store on the old Totara gold-field, has been-foully murdered by tho gang of ruffians now under arrest in Nelson. His sudden disappearance from his place of employment caused much misgiving in the mind of his employer, who for some time advertised a reward for his discovery but without avail. The loss of all traces of Donald seemed mors singular from the fact that although his accounts showed a deficiency, and the gold be was known to have purchased daring the previous week being also missia?, yet it was known that he had standing fn his own name in one of the banks iu Hokitika a sum of money nearly equal in amount, and, which we believe, stiff remains uncalled for. No search was made at the time of his disappearance for traces of his body, although many expressed an opinion that he had either met with treacherous treatment, or wandered in the bush aud perished from cold and exposure. The police were communicated with, but it does not appear that any very strenuous exertions were made to elucidate the mystery. The situation of the store is most lonely, and apart from any other habitation, and it seems more than probable that the unfortunate man was seen wandering in the bush in a state of incipient madness from drink, by Sullivan and his mates, and that they then murdered him and after rifled the store of the gold and money and such other few articles as they required, comprising the missing blankets aud the gun. If it should transpire that the gun and blankets, found iu possession of the gang of murderers at Nelson, tally in description with those of Donald’s, little doubt will remain that he has been one among their many victims. The identification of the articles will probably rest with Mr Jolly, Donald’s employer, who is now we believe, in Otago.”

Unfair Treatment.— The Wanganui Chronicle of the 23rd ul£. states that a number of military settlers, who were landed from the p.s. Sturt on the Wednesday previous, laid down their arms, and refused to march direct to their farm sections on the Patea. In a letter to the editor, the malcontents tell their own story. They say:—“We, the men of Opitiki, beg to encroach upon your space to explain in a few words the reason of our present conduct. We have been tor the last ten months fighting at and in the environs of Opitiki, and suffering all manner of hardships in expeditions and so forth ; and when we arrived in Wanganui we were not allowed an hour’s liberty ous hore, havijjj* come on board the Sturt at Opitiki on Saturday, and not allowed to land till Thursday, the 21st instant, being the space of five days. After arriving at this port we were started in the Sturt for the Patea (our destination), and we were obliged to put back from stress of weather. Our grievance is, that after having served the Government so well, for the space of Steen months, we have not been treated like men deserving as we are, and have been told by Colonel Lyon and others in command. When on board the Sturt we we were surrounded by twelve bayonet sentries to prevent any man going ashore Is this treatment which a good colonial force can submit to, or which they are to expect, after Saving done their best to subdue the rebellion ? The bold of the Sturt being occupied by the officers’ horses, and we had to lie on the deck or any place we. could find.”