Interprobincial Items.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 15, Issue 750, 6 January 1870, Page 3

Interprobincial Items.

The Southland News has learned from a private source that an old an wellknown colonist, at one time a fellowcitizen, died very suddenly the other day at Dunedin. We allude to Capt. R. C. Budd, whose adventures among the Maoris of the North Island, by whom he was taken prisoner some thirty years ago, were often the theme upon which held forth to amused and wondering audiences. From our informant we gathered that Captain Budd had become an inmate of the hospital—that his illness was not considered serious: and that a few minutes before his death he was chatting gaily with a fellow patient. His was a chequered career—that of a genial Mark Tapleyan, and, truth to tell somewhat drouthy soul. One of his chief characteristics was fondnes for Latin and Shakesperian quotations, of which his fund seemed inexhaustible. We are not aware of his having left any relations in the colony. The Lyttelton Times of the 11th December, says:—Both the Zealandia and the Hydaspes have declined to carry flax, as the insurance companies have not only advanced their premiums on flax, but on the whole cargo where this article forms a portion. The Helen has been specially char* tered to carry flax, so that different interests will not clash, The Wellington Independent, under the heading <k Honor to whom honor is due," mentions the following:—lt will be in the remembrance of our readers that in a recent issue we adverted to the arrest of a native named Miritana, at Rangitikei, charged with destroying a trigonometrical station, from what we have since learned, great praise and credit is due to Con-

-j stable M'Anulty, of Rangitikei, wh< j was entrusted with the warrant, ane 1 ) who it appears led the /forlorn hope or !• that occasion, supported by about 20 ) friendly natives. Our correspondent - describes it as being a very rough piece >. <>f business. The constable, whom we » may term a modern Goliah, and bit - Maori assistants, although subjected to ; very severe usage and hard knocks, ! at the hands of an opposing force of at least three times their number, ultimately succeeded (after returning the compliment of hard knocks, &c, with , some interest) in securing the offender, and safely lodging him in jail. We understand that constable M'Anulty has been highly complimented by the Hon. Mr Fox, and also by Mr Buller, R.M., for the cool courage and deter ruination which he exhibited on this occasion. As the arrest was one of more than ordinary importance, and attended by considerable personal risk, we trust, that in addition to receiving the thanks of the community, the Government will think it fit to reward the constable in a yet more substantial manner. The Wellington correspondent of the Wairarapa Mercury says that the two newspapers in Wellington are fighting about Walter Tricker, while the poor man languishes in prison. Mr Halcombe, the editor of the Wellington Independent, is known to be a thorough believer in Tricker being a murderer, and now uses the columns of that journal to put forth his views—l need not say how feebly expressed-—in favor of keeping him in jail. A correspondent of the Gre mouth Star, speaking of the sham rushes which are got up from interested motives on the West Coast, says:— Now if I may be allowed to moralise for a few lines only, I say the reports which have been continually raised about new and fresh reefs at Ross, "up the river," " behind the ranges," " on the upper terraces," and the like, are terribly cruel and wicked reports, because they tempt men only who are very poor and hard up. Men who will seize upon a report as a drowning man will on a straw. When I hear of a new gold discovery I know that I have heard the last lie and that is all. I know that if a man finds a new patch, he and his party stick to it and say nothing to anybody, as is only right and proper. He or they don't go rushing into public houses and newspaper offices, exclaiming, "We've pinked any amount of ground, and 10 feet of wash dirt." Men don't do this sort of thing now-a-days, and when I get returned to the House of Representatives, which will be as soon as I have money enough to rent a cottage and be put on the electoral roll, I shall endeavor to get a law passed that shall give a pretty considerable taste of hard labor and short commons to the man or men who raise reports about gold finds that they cannot substantiate in every particular. Hokitika has been described by a contemporary as "the dirtiest town in New Zealand." The local journal states that on some of the runs in the Tuapeka district the lamb crop has been very bad. On one we hear the losses exceeded 70 per cent —a proportion chiefly occasioned by the want of sufficient hands to attend to the flock. This year's clip is also said to be considerably below the average. We (Tuapeka Times) understand that the stomachs of the poultry (alleged to have been poisoned at Spylaw Station), the scones, and a portion of the vomit of the sufferers is to be sent to. Wellington for analysis. Constable Purdue will have to go North in charge. We find the following report of a brutal assault at Shortlaud in the Thames Times of the 18th Dec.:—- We were informed last night by a an eyewitness that' some four or more men, something the worse for drink, went into the Junction Hotel, below the Karaka Bridge, in Pollen-street, about nine o'clock, and struck an old man known as "Dusty," over fifty years of age, who was sitting at the time on a barrel in the bar, enjoying a pot of beer. The old man and two others were the only persons in the bar at the time, and were having a quiet conversation when these men came in and asked the old man " what had he been saying about Cornishmen," to which he answered that he had not been say-

lag anything whatever about Cornishaen. One of the strangers with thisstnick iiim a blow in the face, pulled him down m the floor, and, with the others, commenced kicking and beating him in a fearful manner, at length leaving him. insensible on the ground. Another man, who looked in as he was passing, and had made some remarks about the treatment the men were giving the old man, was thrown down, and had two ribs broken by being kicked. Medi cal assistance was sent for, *and three gentlemen came, Drs. Lethbridge, Fox, and another gentlemen, when they found the old man had three ribs broken, and his spine injured, besides a number of wounds about the head and face. They dressed his wounds and advised him to go to the hospital. Some police constables were soon on the spot, but the offenders had disappeared. From the description of the assault given by our informant, it was a most unprovoked and brutal affair, for which the parties should be made to suffer. Later in the night, a man, supposed to be the principal offender, was arrested and conveyed to the police station. The arrest was made by Mr Mackay. and the name of the party is Stack pole. The local journal regrets to have to add another to the long list of cases of drowning in the Grey River. This time the victim is Peter Stewart, a boatman who has been resident here for over three years. On the 9ih hec. he was on horseback tracking a cargo boat over a fall near the Twelve mile, at a place he had crossed fifty times before in safety; but the last fresh must have caused a scour and deepened the crossing place. From the boat it was seen that the water was deep, and the owner called on the deceased to stop and get into the boat, but he ap parently did not hear in consequence of the noise caused by the rush of water over the fall, and continued tracking. Horse and man were seen to be out of their depth, and to be carried down by the stream. The deceased rose some yards away from his horse, but he got into a sort of whirlpool and sank. The horse swam ashore, and it was thought that the deceased would also have succeeded in reaching the shore. The boat, although in considerable danger, was brought over the spot where he was last seen within a few seconds of his sinking, and efforts made to find his body, but in vain. The water was very muddy, so that it could not be seen, and poles were used, but without effect. It is probable the body will next be heard of on the North Beach. The Wairarapa Mercury says that Mr Thomas Hawke, when at work at Mr Straw bridge's flax mills on the 14th December, was drawn down by the cog-wheels of .the machine catch ins his waistcoat. lie received some severe contusions, his breast more especially being severely bruised. We are glad the accident is not more serious, and hope it will prove a warning to others to be more cautious in their movements when in the vicinity of machinery. Several accidents have taken place in the Southern Island, in more than one instance resulting in death. Of late several agricultural correspondents of the Otago Daily Times have recommended the introduction of the humble bee iu order -to enable farmers to grow their own clover seed. The action of these insects is necessary to distribute the pollen.