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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 8, Issue 449, 24 December 1866, Page 2

The Recent Fire in Christchurch. —AcQUITIAD of Maher. —-The Canterbury Times, Toth December says :—The Criminal session of the Supreme Court closed on Friday last, with the dc juittal of Darby Maher, who was arraigned on the charge of wilful murder.

A Goose, —A correspondent vouches for the truth of the following:— A. few Sabbaths ago, while a minister was conducting public worship in one of the West Mainland churches, the service was interrupted by the entrance of a goose. Ths psalm had just been given out, and the congregation were begining to sing, when the circumstance attracted the attention of the preconter, who so far forgot himself that he lost the tune. Daring the silence which consequently intervened the minister whispered to one of the office-bearers to put out tho goose. The olHce-bearer, ignorant of the presence of a bond fide animal of the species, thought it was tho precentor that was referred, to, and laid hold of him with the intention of executing his instructions, which he would have done, our correspondent adds, had the precentor not made a powerful resistance.—Orcadian.

Payment op the Purchase Monet op ManaWATtT.—The Wanganui Times of the ISth inst., says—“ Owing to the it element state of the weather, thefinal settlement of this important negotiation took place in the Runanga House on Saturday last. The Superintendent opened the pruby saying that before handing over the money ha bad a pleasing duty to perforin. It was at Parewanui, exactly three years ago, that Governorlluma first proposed as the means of adjusting this long pending dispute that the whole block should bo sold to the Government. During those three years many equally important meetings has taken place at that settlement. At the Takapu meeting in April last, it was decided that the great meeting should take place here, and tha money divided here. They had now met to carry out the decision of that meeting. The discussions had been brought to a close, and it now only remained fop him to hand over the money. Before doing so, however, he was anxious, iu commemoration of those important events to make Governor Hunia a present, and he could think of none more appropriate than a ring. They all knew that when a man and a woman appeared at the alter to be joined together in holy matrimony, the bridegroom presented a ring to tbs bride as a token that henceforth they were one, and had each taken the other for better or for worse. In the same way he trusted that tha ring which he presented to Governor Duma would indicate that the long standing loud between the tribes would now bo healed, and that who had been engaged in past disputes would henceforth ho one j living in peace and harmony,—remaining as they hitherto had been, loyui to the Queen, and rea y at all times to suoport law and order. The Superintendent then presented the ring to Governor Hunia with a wish that he might long live to wear it. The money was then handed over to the chiefs appointed by the tribes to receive it. The weather having cleared up, the meeting repaired to the flag-staff, where chief after chief rose up and expressed his gratification at the satisfactory termination of ttie proceedings, and rejoiced that the only cause of discord between the tribes had been now removed. They -one and all expressed their determination to assist the Queen’s Government, if called upon to do so, in any part cf the island where their services might be required. Songs were then sung bidding a final farewell to the land. Then followed a war-dance in which fr< m 300 to 400 took part, and upon this occasion the parties were of mixed tribes. The dance ov. r, two bullocks that had been cooked whole in a Maori oven supplied more substantial’enjoyment, and the evening closed with the kindly congratulations upon all sides, and hearty cheers lor the Superintendent amt Mr Buffer as they left tha ground. At the special request of the natives, Mr Buffer remains until Wednesday or Thu.sday next.” *