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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 14, Issue 747, 27 December 1869, Page 2

A Duel Inteurtjpxbd.—We take the following inter j srin£ item from the Fiji Times, of the 16th October: —Our little town of Levuka, a place proverbial for its quietness, was thrown into a state of excitement on Saturday, 25fch September, by an intended duel, and during the preparation of the weapons a lamentable accident occurred by which one of our most respectable settlers, Mr F. H. Hoyle, was shot through the leg. Anxious to prevent the duel, he ran from the billiard-room of the Criterion to the room whee M> Minton was examining a pistol, the mechanism of which he did not understand, neither was he sure of its bring loaded. He fired it at the open door just as Mr Hoyle entered, and the ball went runt through the leg, between the tibia and tue fibula, grazing one of the bones, but fortunately breaking neither. Great sympathy was felt for Mr Hoyle, who is a general favorite among the inhabitants, and steps were immediately taken by the local authorities toputastop to the intended duel. Capt. Morgan, who sent the challenge to Mr Minton, was placed under arrest, and on Monday the case was brought before the authorities, —Ratu Meli, the native chief jurlge, si'ting with Mr J. B. Thurston, H.B.M.'s Consul, during the enquiry. Mr Minton was severely reprimanded for the careless use of firearms, and for having ac cepted the challenge with the intention o'i fighting a duel. Capt. Morgan was sent in irons to Sydney, and a copy of the depositions sent to the chief of police. He was so excited and violent as to threaten the lives of several persons, and had to be kept in irons and strictly guarded till safely placed on board the Young Australia. He came to F'ji in the Springbrook, intending to take charge of the volunteers who were to be enrolled for the conquest of the mountaineer tribes of Viti Levu. The volunteer movement falling through, he was disappointed, and his propensity for fighting took the milder form of breaking furniture, glass, &c, and challenging to duel anyone who objected to sueh innocent amusement.

A Volunteer Ball is announced for to-morrow evening. A Bicycle Race on Saturday, in which there were four competitors, was won by Mr R Brooking.

The Heroic Boy James Wilson. —We observe with pleasure, in a New Zealand Gazette, issued oa the 18th inst., an announcement to the effect that James Wilson, the brave little boy who brought assistance to his mother, mortally wounded at the Matawhero massacre—the sad story of which is too well known to require repetition —has been awarded an annuitv of fifty pounds a year, under the " Walsh and others Pension Act, 1869," and leave to select 100 acres of Crown Land in the Province of Hawke's Bay,—Messrs. Robert Wilson, of Turakina, and Nathaniel E. Beamish, of Rangitikei, being appointed trustees to w horn the money shall be paid, and who shall select the land. Napier Debating Club—The fifth meeting took place on Thursday evening last, the 23rd December, in the old militia office, Mr Wilkinson in the chair. An essay on "Decision of Character" was read by one of the members, in which he pointed out not only the great advantages posse-sed by the man of decided character, bu; the occasional evils arising from this quality being earned to too great an extent, or exercised in a wrong direction. The having been read, the matter was discussed and enlarged upon by the other members, who one and all acknowledged the ability with which the essayist had treated the subject. The next meeting of the society will, we believe, take place on Tuesday, 18th January, 1870, when the subject of the expediency or otherwise of piotective duties for the colony is likely to be discussed.