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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 8, Issue 448, 20 December 1866, Page 3

The s.s. ‘St. Kiuja.’ —We understand that the steamer Sfc. Hilda ■will start for White Bay on Monday, taking Mr Sheath and a party of gentlemen to examine the telegraph cable at the where it is landed. Captain Johnson, JS antical Assessor, will, we believe, be in charge of the steamer, and on her return will take her to Napier, where she will embark some prisoners and stores for the Chatham Islands. —New Zealand Advertiser, 7th December. Captain Peect. —Among the passengers by the Rakaia for England on Saturday last was Captain Percy, who, it will be recollected, was severely wounded at Opotiki during the latter part of part of 1863. At the time Captain Percy was wounded a rumor obtained circulation that he was out pig hunting with a party of his men, when they were surprised by the party of rebels, and Captain Percy was shot. This version of the affair turns out to he entirely incorrect. It appears that Captain Percy volunteered his service to accompany an expedition under Major George as a subaltern, after destroying one village they were advancing to attack another when the body was thrown into disorder by a tremendious volley from the rebels. It was here, and while leading on his men, that Percy fell The wound was a most dangerous one, the ball having lodged in the groin, and defied all surgical skill to remove it. For more than six months this gallant young officer was confined to bed, being literally unable to move his body, and being compelled to lie in one position while suffering the most intense agony and he is now only able to get about on crutches. Captain Percy, who is a native of the county Tyrone, returns home for the purpose of undergoing medical treatment with the view of having the bullet extracted from the wound, and we feel sure he is attended with the best wishes of everyone who has had the pleasure of meeting him either in social life or in the field. A more courageous and gentlemanly officer is seldom to be met with in any service, and the greater is the pity that he should have been disabled when his services were most required by the colony.—Advertiser.

A Caputs Escaped peom among the Sxottx. —On the 27th of November a lad, supposed to be about 12 years age, of rather dark complexion, came into a ranche about 170 miles east of Denver City, Colorado. He could speak very little plain English, but by signs was easily understood, and Lieut. Sallee, in command of the military at a neighboring station, took charge of him, and ascertained that he had been a captive among the Sioux Indians ever since he could recollect and knows nothing of his parents or his name. He states that the Sioux have two white women captive now. He made his escape on a pony, and, in his fear of being overtaken, rode the pony to death the first day, and then walked for three days before ho reached the ranche. All that ho had to eat in the four days was a crow that ha found dead and a piece of a dead ox.—St Louis Democrat,

How Public Institutions aee Deeeaubed.— After all, Mr War dr op did not go .to Callao for nothing. An inquiry into to the affairs of the second Richmond Building Society has resulted in discovering a defalcation of £3,165 8s 2d. As usual ,in such cases, the defalcation may be traced to the want of a proper audit. The boots were audited by two members of the Society in December last, one of whom admitted at the meeting that he was incompetent for the office. The auditors were presented with the bank pass-book, which showed a balance due to the bank of £1,330 2s Id; this was accepted by the auditors without question. The present inquiry shows that the balance was really £3,895 10a 3d. This case affords another proof of the great importance to any society of securing competent auditors and remunerating them adequately for their work, and it also furnishes another instance of fraud by a falsified bank pass-book. Auditors ought never to accept a pass-book as a voucher; they ought never to be content with anything less than a sight of the bank-ledger, or a memorandum obtained by themselves from the bank officials. It is impossible to exonerate the committee from blame. Mr Wardrop was allowed to go on receiving money for a very long period without the society holding any security from him. We are very much afraid that the second Richmond Building Society is not alone in having its business done in a very lax manner’—Melbourne Spectator.