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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 14, Issue 706, 5 August 1869, Page 3

; Tbout —Whitebait made their first appearance this season in the river at Kaiapoi on the 23rd July. 1 Killed by Kindness.-—An old soldier of the First Empire has j ust fallen a victim to the Emperor's generosity. Sabras Parfait, aged 79, went to pay his taxes, when the collector asked him if he had heard of the extra pension of £lO a-year which was to be given to the veterans of Napoleon's wars. The news had such an effect on poor Sabras Parfait that he let fall a glass of wine he was about to drink, and expired on , the spot. Child Severely Scalded.— About halfpast 6 p.m. on Saturday evening last, a littlo girl named Eva Maria Willis, five years of age, re.-iding with her father and mother at Waverley, during the absence of hi'r parents got severely scalded. It appeal's that finding herself alone in the house she took advantage of the occasion to go to the fireplace and drink a quantity of water out of the kettle. Unfortunately the water was boiling and scalded the throat and mouth of the poor girl severely. Dr Q.uaife who was shortly in attendance did what he could in the case, and recommended her removal tp the Infirmary where she wes taken by her father. On her admittance she was found to be in a most critical state, but having undergone a surgical operation—the windpipe being replaced by a silver tube—she was much better on Monday evening. Sydney Morning Herald, July 17. Serious Accident on the Auckland Wharf.—At about half-past 11 o'clock yesterday morning (says the New Zealand Herald, July 30) a man known by the name of "Fred," whilst engaged in discharging cargo from the s.s. Hero, met with an accident of a rather serious nature. The Hero is lying at the end of the wharf, and it appears that the unfortunate man had been employed to assist in unloading that vessel. He was standing on the platform with his back to the vessel, when a bag of maize was slung from the ship to the wharf, and its descent knocked the poor fellow off the platform on to the wharf. He was immediately picked up and carried to the hospital, when it was found, that his collar bone was broken. He re* oeived every attention, and is now doing well. The Eetreat Policy.—ln its last summary for England the Wanganui Chronicle says:—To say that we are disappointed with the policy enunciated by Mr Eos, but poorly expressses our feeling on the subject. If any such policy is persisted in, the full measure of calamity in store for New Zealand will not be easily ascertained. We could do no more on Saturday than summarise the Premier's statement, but its suggestions are such as to demand the most serious attention. It is neoessary tomake large allowance for difficulties and diversities of sentiment; statesmen very often must be content to de what they can, not what they would ; but after all this is conceded the ministerial policy must be pronounced a failure. Mr Fox proposes to remain on the defensive until another regiment of Imperial troops can be procured, which simply means that the whole military labor and expenditure of the colony during the past year are to be thrown to the winds. We have no objection to the assistance of Imperial if it can be got on fair and reasonable terms; but we have the most insuperable objection to suspending operations and waiting for what may never come, or come in a very questionable shape. Our colonial force may not be altogether what it should be ; there has been a vast amount of jobbery and mismanagement connected with it; but here it is, brought into some soldier like shape, capable of fighting and taking the bush if properly officered and led—the best instrument, at all events, wo can possibly procure, and Mr Eox thinka of laying it aside. The thing is monstrous. And what of the long and uncertain interval which must elapse between the time that one goes and another comes in ? Ok fensive operations are to be stopped; the colonial forces are to be idle j and at the end of six or eight months, just when another winter is setting in, a second regi-? ment may arrive in the colony to go into, winter quarters till the following spring !. A fine prospect for the rebels. Unless the leopard shall change his spots, thoy will during this time of waiting and expectancy have overrun the whole of the outlying districts of the North Island, converting them once more into a wilderness, or we shall have made peace with them on their own terms. Under any such arrangement there is not only defeat but dishonor. We cannot understand how Mr M'-Lean has become a consenting party to a policy so suicidal. The only course really open to the colony, if we would hold oiir own, ia to prosecute the war with vigor—to follow up such imall successes as have lately at-. tended our arms, and strive after more and larger results —to keop " pegging away," as President Lincoln used to say, giving the rebels no rest—-chasing thein here and there, coming on them un-. awares, and 'making an example of ring* leaders whenever they fall iuto our h.aadjr».