INTER-PROVINCIAL ITEMS.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 14, Issue 747, 27 December 1869, Page 3

INTER-PROVINCIAL ITEMS.

TE KOOTT MAKING FOE THE WAIKATO KEKEOPA HAS JOINED HIM. EXPECTED ATTACK UPON THE KING PARTY. (Prom the Now Zealand Herald, 21st Dec.)

We received last night the following telegram from our Alexandra correspondent, a gentleman well posted up in Maori intelligence, and whose information hitherto afforded us has been frequently as full and as late as that received even by the Government itself Should the intelligence con tained in the following telegram prove substantially cornet, we may look with interest and anxiety for further news. It is evident, from all that can be gathered, that Te Kooti is determined to bring matters to an issue. We. are not sorry that it is so. There can be little doubt as to the result, and a short and sharp, and decisive campaign would be far preferable to the constant dread which the near presence of a ? Jurkiug enemy has upon our out-settlements : Alexandra, Dec. 20, 2.30 p.m. Te Kooti is within 25 miles of Tokangamutu. His intentions are not known. Kereopa h;>s just joined him. The force altogether consists of 400 men. They are said to be undecided at present, whether to attack the king party at Tokangamutu. Great excitement prevails among the Kingites, and proposals have been made to shoot Te Kooti.

DEATH BY DROWNING OF MR PATERSON AND MISS ROSS. The Tiraaru Herald, Dec. 11, con tains the following account of the melancholy loss of Mr Paterson, C.E., in the Kakaaui river, south of Oamaru :

At the time of the accident there were in the coach Messrs Paterson, C.E., (Dunedin) Hudson, S. Nevrey, Laurenson, all of Oamaru), B. Newman, Walker, Miss Ross (daughter of Mr Donald Ross, of Dunedin) aud the driver ; Messrs Paterson and Newman being on the box with the latter. The coach had entered the stream and crossed to within a few yard 3 of the north bank, where the river is deepest, when the driver was warned of his danger by Mr Wheatley, of the Kakanui wool works. The driver was attempting to turn his horses when the coach was lifted by the river and swept away. The driver, who stuck to the reins, was dragged ashore by the horses, which had been released from the coach by the ringbolt coming out, and he immediately mounted and rode into the river to endeavor to res* cuo two of the passengers, who were clinging to the top of the co.;cb, which had lodged on a shingle bank. His horse getting into deep water, he was washed off, and was with difficulty rescued. Three of the passengers swam ashore, one of them after land ing, again jumped in to the rescue of another. Miss Ross was drowned, The two passengers who remained clinging to the b ck of the coach (Messrs Laurenson and Walker) were rescued by means of ropes thrown to them, Mr Paterson was the only

passenger unaccounted for, and his body was found the same evening under the fore part of the coach. The body of Miss Rosa has since been recovered. She was a teacher from Dunedin.

An inquest on the bodies was opened on Friday afternoon, at the Kakanui Hotel, by T. W. Parker, Esq , District Coroner, and after the examination of witnesses, the jury found that deceased were accidentally drowned.

FATAL BOAT ACCIDENT AT TIMARU. The Timaru Herald of the 22nd inst. says: — "The saddest and most melancholy accident which has ever occurred in the port of Timaru, happened on Saturday afternoon last, whereby two persons were drowned under peculiarly distressing and unfortunate circumstances.

On Saturday morning the steamer Maori arrived in the roadstead faom Lyttelion, but on account of a nasty easterly swell she was unable to land cargo, and waited until the afternoon in the hope that the sea would go down. About four o'clock, however, it was seen that the sea was still rising, and it was determined that the pas sengers should be put off, and no attempt made to land cargo or ship wool, the steamer intending to proceed on to Dunedin. A surf-boat was put in readiness at the Government landing shed, aud the passengers embarked. There were in the boat, at the time she left the shore, the following persons, namely, Mr J. M. Balfour, Colonial Marine Engineer ; Mr A. B. Smallwood, teller of the Union

Bank, Tiinaru; Mr G. B. Parker, of the Waitangi; Mr M. Joel, brewer, Dunedin ; Mr Menzies, a traveller for Ross & Glendinning, of Dunedin ; H. Baker, lately of the landing service siere, who was a passenger far Dun edin; Ferrier, a passenger from Lyttelton; and Captain Malcolm, of the Maori, besides two or three men in charge of the boat. The boat left the ways all right, but in going through the surf a sea broke on board, wetting many of the passengers. The boat after this proceeded safely to the buoy, where she stopped and could go no further, as the line leading to the 31 earner had in some manner fouled. The passengers were seen from the shore riding at the buoy engaged in bailing out the water which had got into the boat through the sea breaking on board when in the surf. It was seen by Messrs Crawford and Green, who are lessees of the landing service, that the sea was risiug rapidly, and as the line had fouled, a " recall" flag was hoisted on shore, and other sig uals were made for the boat to return, but no notice was taken of these signals by those in the boat. After riding at the buoy for nearly an hour, the ship's life-boat was lowered from the seaward side (or, as we should call it, the windward side) of the ves sel, and proceeding to the surf-boat, transshipped all the passengers safely. This boat was manned by the second mate and four seamen, so that altogether there were 13 souls in the boat. The boat then proceeded to the stermer, going on the starboard side. When just alongside a heavy roller upset the boat, throwing all those on board into the sea. From the shore it could be seen that lines and buoys were immediately thrown from the steamer and caught by those struggling in the water, many of whom were immediately pulled on board. Most of the passengers at first caught hold of the boat, but all left her except Ferrier for the lines which were thrown them. Unfortunately, some of these lines were not bowlines, and the utmost difficulty was experienced in dragging the struggling men on board, as the ropes slipped through their hands. Ferrier remained on the keel of the boat, which soon floated away from the steamer, and was mak ing for the shore when the Tiinaru lifeboat, in charge of Capt. Mills, the harbor-master, and a voluuteer crew, put oil' to his rescue, and took hiui on board the Maori. From the shore the exciting scene of men struggling in the water for their lives was witnessed by scores of people, who were agitated beyond description, and the most painful anxiety was felt to hear the sad intelligence of how many were missing, and who the missing ones were. When the life-boat was return* ing to the'shore she made for the new

landing-places and crowds of people at once collected there to gather the first intelligence of the sad catastrophe. When it was learned that Mr Balfour and MrSinallwood had not the strength to hold on to the ropes thrown for their rescue, and had sunk to rise no more, profound sorrow wrs felt for their untimely end, and quite a gloom spread over the town, for they had only a short time previously been in their society. Mr Balfour was on a kindly mission to Dunedia, to attend the funeral of his friend Mr Paterson, who was drowned in the Kakanui, and Mr Sm'allwood was on his way to spend Christmas in Otago with his friends there.

The only luggage in the boat when she upset was a box and a few small articles besides the mail, all of which, with the exception of the box, were lost. The box was jammed under the stern seat of the boat, and was found in that position when it washeu ashore some hours afterwards. About seven p.m. the Maori went on to Dunedin.

A general meeting of the proprietors of the New Zealand Insurance Company was held at the company's office, Auckland, on the 15th December, to receive the report of the directors for the half year ending 30th November, 18G9. Mr S. Browning in the chair. The report was adopted, and Messrs Stone & Macfarlane were re elected dh'ectors. A dividend at the rate of £lO per annum on the paid-up capital was declared, leaving a balance to the credit of profit and loss of £6,793 2s Id. A unanimous vote of thanks was passed, and the meeting separated.

It is stated that the Bank of New Zealand has positively refused to allow the overdraft to the "Westland County Council to be further increased. It now amounts to something like £5,000, and was to have be?n £IO,OOO, so that a large number of liabilities must yet remain unpaid. The Wanganui Times, Dec. 16, contains the following account of a melincholy occurrence which took place in Wanganui on the previous day. Our contemporary says—" Between 2 and 3 p.m. yesterday this district was visited by a severe thunderstorm. About that time a lad—third <on of Mr. J. M. Edmonds, late of Turakiua —on his return from town with a horse and dray, when nearly opposite Mr Holders' on No. 1 Line, and going very quietly, a severe clap of thunder started the horse aud it bolted. The lad in his fright tried to get out of the dray, and in doing so clung to the shaft, to which he held on for some time, but eventually losing his hold fell; the wheel of the dray struck and passed over his head, and he was killed on the spot. About this same lime, and in the same neighborhood, one of Mr Lomax's horses was struck by lightning and killed. Mr Edmond's troubles durmg the last three or four years have been neither few nor far between. He will have the sympathies of the commuuity in his present bereavement.

We (Wanganui Times) regret to learn that on Sunday, Dec. 12, Mr Michael Campbell was drowned in the Eangitikei river. It appears that deceased and another man went in to bathe where the water was not more than three or four feet deep, but the current ran very strong ; Mr Campbell lost his footing, was suddenly and repeatedly turned over, and-before he could recover himself was drowned. We are told that several Maoris and Europeans were looking on at the time, but rendered no assistance until it was too late. Mr Campbell was rather an old resident, haviug been 13 or 13 years in the district: he leaves a wife and family, who have the sincere sympathies oi the settlers, by whom deceased was much respeoted. We (Nelson Colonist) are sorry to state that a serious accident occurred to the Rov. Mr Butt on Tuesday alternoon, 7th .December. The Yen. Archdeacon, mounted on a newlj-purchased steed, started for Marlborough, but after crossing the river Maitai his horse became restive; he was thrown, and unfortunately, broke his leg? just below the kneo. Mr Butt was conveyed to Wilden, the residence of Mr Adams, and medical aid was speedily obtained. JNo doubt, this accident will contine the rev. gentleman to his chamber for some time.

A large new dam belonging to Reid and party, at the fc>ix-mile, between Charleston and Brighton, recently burst and did about £3UO worth oi' damage, two dams, a water wheel, and two briuges haviug been carried away. The accident happened by the water being admitted before the embankment hsd gettled.

The daring of the Anglo-Saxon race (obaervea the New Zealand Herald, of the 18th December) was never more fully exemplified than yesterday—a strong assertion, we admit, but we watehed with feverish excitement the proceedings of two young men, who, tempted by the northeast "snorter" blowing during the afternoon, must need indulge in a sale in a waterman's boat. The would-be sailor of the party had his main sheet comfortably hitched, and with the aid of the British tar of the Surrey Theatre, held his yokelines ready for any emergency, barring the actual capsizing of the boat. When will our young men understand that boat-sail-ing is a study in itself? and that many a certificated master of a large square-rigged ship, old and experienced in his way as he may be, frequently knows nothing of boat-, sailing? Can we then wonder at the numerous accidents, frequently fatal, that attend the adventures of those, more daring than wise, who fancy they can manage our cockle-shells ?

There has been a narrow escape from fire at the bath room of a private residence on Taupo Quay, Wanganui, which was discovered to be on fire shortly alter 8 o'clock on the 12th inst. Most fortunately it was discovered in time, so that the exertions of the inmates and neighbors were sufficient to prevent what threatened to be very serious.

An accident, which, but for the tmWy administering of an antidote, might have terminated fatally, happened on the 11th December to a child of Mr T. Clare, of Bell Block. At about 6 o'clock on that evening, the little child took up a cup containing about a wiueglasafui of strong corrosive sublimate lotion, and drank it off. The mother had the presence of mind to administer salt and water, and mustard and water, and the family doctor (Mr St. Greorge), who was immediately on the spot, applied the usual remedies, and the little sufferer in about six. hours afterwards began to recover, and we are happy to hear is now doing well.

The following is the latest news from Tauranga, as supplied by a correspondent of the Daily Southern Cross:—We are prepared for any emergency. The cavalry patrol every night, and Major Eraser keeps a sharp look-out after matters. There are 16 artillerymen to work the two 9-pounder Armstrongs. The following troops are available at this moment in Tauranga : About 110 militiamen (not at present on pay), about 70 men of Armed Constabulary, and 10 volunteer cav-ilry men. If necessary another 10 cavalry men could be found to volunteer, but at present only 10 men have been taken on pay by Eraser. The manufacture of flax-dressing machines is 6aid to have become an important industry at Wellington. The machines made by Messrs. E. W. Mills and John Smith are said to be in demand.