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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume IX, Issue 447, 17 January 1867, Page 3

Decease of Waata Kukutai. — We regret (says the New Zealand Herald, 10th January] to have to record the death of this chief, who expired at Waiku at half-past six o'clock on the evening of the 8th instant. Waata Kukutai, with the exception of Tamata Waka Nene, has been, perhaps, the most loyal native in New Zealand. His actions have been above suspicion, and during the late Waikato campaign he, with his followers, rendered the Government essential service in assisting in carrying on. the river traffic, by which a regular commissariat, supply was kept up to the troops. For some time his health has been failing, and to this we may in a great measure trace the cause of the increased demoralisation of the Raglan natives as some months since depicted by our correspondent from that place. As was the case with William Thompson—not that we mean any disrespect to the loyal Waata Kukutai by naming him with the late chief of the Ngatihaua—we do not apprehend that his decease will any way affect the existing peaceful relations between the two races. Thomson’s influence had died out, or at most was only powerful over the minds of the least violently disposed of the King natives, for he was as little trusted by the more active rebels as he was really at heart by the Government. In the case of Waata Kukutai, his very loyalty shut him out from any power to affect the native mind beyond the people of his own settlement, who are not likely, now that he has gone from amongst them, to be less loyal than they were. , We regret, however, that one who bad , adopted our habits and customs to a great extent, and whose position as a leading chief, would in times of peace have pointed him out as a mark and example to the rest of his race, should have been taken away is the prime o! life.

By a Post office notice in another column (says the New Zealand Advertiser, of the 14th instant) it will be seen that in consequence of February being a short month, an alteration has been made in the time of the arrivals and departures of the Inter-provincial mail steamers. It is also notihed that the steamer for Panama will arrive from Sydney on the sth, and sail for Panama on the 6th. The Suez portion of the February homeward mail will be despatched on the 15th. On and after the Ist March the present dates of arrival and departure will be resumed.

Wreck of the Barque Cambodia at Manukau. The New Zealand Herald, 12th January, says: —’‘We announced in our last that a barque, the Cambodia, had been wrecked in the Manukau, and that a Government inquiry was then pending. The investigation lasted three days, and the Court came to the following decission; —‘ The Court is not called upon to make any remarks on the evidence adduced before it touching the wreck and abandonment on the 25th of De cember last. Under all the circumstances of the case, it does not feel justified in cancelling or suspending the certificate of the master, Fred. John Croft. It is therefore returned to him, and the Court will transmit a report with the whole of the evidence to the Governor for confirmation and transmission to the Board of Trade.’ ”

The New Church at Canterbury. —The annual soiree of the New Church was held last evening in the Forresters’ Hall, which was most tastefully decorated with flowers and greenery. In the absence of Mr John Ollivier, who had promised to preside, but who was unavoidably prevented from being present, the chair was taken by Mr Allison. Several addressed were delivered, and the proceedings were enlivened by choice music. The Misses Rowley, with Messrs Rowley, Davis, and Allwright being the vocalists, and Mr Zinegraff, and Mr Rowley, jun., instrumentalists. Mr Zinegraff presided at the harmonium and pianoforte, and Mr Rowley, jun., performed some flue solos. A cheerful dance, evidently much enjoyed by the juveniles, terminated the proceedings.—Evening Mail, 3rd Jan.

J. E. Fitzgerald, Esq. —From the Canterbury papers, we learn that this gentleman has resigned his seat in the General Assembly. Referring to this the Canterbury Times, of the sth iust., says;—“ Mr FitzGerald, who has occupied a prominent place in the affairs of this province since its foundation, who has also taken an active and leading part in the general affairs of the colony, retires from political life. In a letter published in the daily papers on Thursday, he announced to the electors of Christchurch, whose repre sentative in the Assembly he has been since the last general election, that he had accepted the permanent and nonpolitical office of Comptroller of the Public Revenues, which necessitated lus withdrawal from public life. Mr Fitz Gerald’s health has been failing for some time back, and the public, while regretting the absence (thus caused) of one who has devoted a great part of his life to the service of the colony, will learn with pleasure that Mr Fitz Gerald, in the discharge of his new duties, may still enjoy opportunities of serving the colony/’

The Planet Venus. —This beautiful planet has of late been unusually brilliant as an evening star, and a correspondent from Parramatta informs us that during the last week he noticed it several times while the sun was shining with his wonted brightness. The placet Venus is known to shine wiih a splendour far exceeding any other planet, particularly when she is 40 degrees from the sun, or about twice lin every 19 months. It is recorded that |in February, 1730, and in April, 1793, she was exceedingly splendid, so that she was not only seen in the day time, but cast a sensible shadow after sunset. This phenomenon, however, happens tea times in the course of eight years, thirty-six days before, and thirty-six days after, each of her nve inferior conjunctions; and we have no doubt that, on the present occasion, it has not escaped the uotice of our astti nominal correspondent at Windsor, to whose perseverance and ability in explaining celestial pbcajmena the Australian public are so deeply indebted*—Sydney Morning Herald. i :

Sir George Grey. —Yesterday afternoon (says the Evening Post of the 14fh instant) his Excellency the Governor accompanied by Major Gray, A.D.C., the ev. F. Thatcher, Private Secretary, the Hon. Major Richardson, member of the Executive Council, Messrs Fitzgerald, Monro, and Hamlin. and three native chiefs, embarked on board the s.s. Queen, and proceeded on his long promised visit to the Middle Island, where it is said he will make a tour through the country visiting Canterbury, Otago, Southland, the West Coast, and Nelson. His Excellency will remain for the next few days in Canterbury. A telegram from Lyttelton announces the arrival there at noon to-day of the Queen.

Shocking Death of a Child in Auckland from Suffocation in Night Soil -Aniuquestwasheld on the 31st ult. at the Wyuyard Hotel, Auckland, before T. M. Philson, Esq., coroner, on view of the body of a little I boy named Henry Hurricks, who was [found dead in a privy in the Albert Barracks on Saturday, 28th ult. After hearing the evidence, the jury recorded a verdict to the effect that the deceased died from suffocation. He was aged 2 years and 5 months. His father said, “ I missed the child about half-past one o’clock on Saturday last. About a quarter of an hour before, the child was playing at a bucket of water in front of the house. When I missed the child my wife sunt my eldest 'daughter, Harriet, to the closet to see |if he was there, thinking he might i have fallen asleep. She immediately came back and said, “Oh, father, 1 saw his cap there,” meaning the closet. I went and tore open the trap lid of the soil pit, and saw the child lying in the pit. The head and feet were underneath in the refuse. The pit contained about about four feet depth of soil. 1 took the body out instantly, and laid it on the ground. Life was then extinct. The hands and feet were cold. There was a little warmth about the body. I sent for the doctor on duty. Dr Tomlinson was immediately in attendance. He used every means to restore life. He! told me that it would be unavailing, I believe the child could not have been ten minutes in the pit. Shortly after' I had seen him playing at the bucket of water I heard a shriek. lam sure it was the child shriek. There are a great number of children always playing about at that place. I did not pay any attention to the shriek, as I thought he was playing with the other children. It was a common occurrence for the children to go to the closet alone. The deceased never went to the closet witliout his sister being with him. The cLset is about 25 yards from my house. The deceased could not have fallen through the hole it he had been sitting on the seat. 1 believe he fell through head-foremost, There is no fastening to the closet door.” Harriet Hurricks deposed; “1 am the daughter of last witness, 1 saw the deceased about half-past 12 on Saturday. in front of my father’s house. I went into the house for dinner, and did not see the deceased after that time. I dined with my father and mother. He should have come in to dinner. We soon missed him, and went to look for him, I went into the closet, and on looking down the larger hole I saw T his cap. 1 ran out and called ray father, who came and saw him in the suil-pit. I have often taken my deceased brother to the closet. I never knew him to go, there alone. The door of the closet has not been locked or fastened for about three months. Edward Denham Tomlinson deposed; “I am a member of the Royal College of Surgeons of London, and Assistant-Surgeon of the Military I Train, and am at present quartered |in Auckland. I w r as on duty in the garrison on Saturday last. About 3 [o’clock X wss called by one of tlio or[derlies to see the deceased. I saw the [deceased lying on the ground near the [Sappers’ quarters. The child appeared to be dead. I examined him and found no sign of life whatever. The body was cold. I think the child must have been dead balf-an-hour. He died from suffocation in night soil. The child might readily have fallen through the larger bole in the closet-seat. There were no marks of violence on the body. Ido not think the privy is in a more dangerous state than the generality of such places.” __