Interprovincial Items.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 15, Issue 790, 26 May 1870, Page 2

Interprovincial Items.

On the 13th mst. a deputation of gentlemen interested in the fate of the missing ship Matoaka waited on the hon." Mr Fox at Lyttelton, to point out the probability of that vessel having been wrecked on one of the Bounty Islands, and to recommend that a steamer or some other vessel should be sent to cruise among thoso islands-? 24 in number—in the hope of discovering some trace of the unfortunate vessel and her crow. Mr Fox replied that it was only right steps should be taken to trace the missing vessel; that had this idea been brought forward sooner, Commodore Lambert might have visited the group. If this gentleman could not now undertake the expedition, the Grovernui-nt would send the s.s. St. Kilda, or adopt other suitable means. Mr Fox was warmly thanked by the deputation. An inquest was held at the Eastern Hotel, Christchurch, on the 2nd inst., on the body of the infant child of Mr F Roach, hatter, which came tc its death in a very singular manner. From the evidence, it would appear that the child waa put in its cot about six p.m. on != unday, apparently in its usual health, but when visited later in the evening was found to be quite dead. The post mortem examination showed that this had been caused by suffocation, the child having detached and swallowed a small sleeve ribbon. A verdict of Accidental death was returned.

The Wanganui Chronicle says : —Kemp and Topia's war party, which lately returned from the East Coast, are locking very anxiously for the arrival of Mr M'Lean from the North, as they expect then their pay in full for the services which they rendered during the campaign. Calculating the pay at 5s per diem, and al? lowing extra for officers since last December, these men are entitled to something like £15,000. A considerable portion of this sum will of course bo spent in Wanganui, and, on the strength of the money being forthcoming by and bye, soma of our local storekeepers given the Maoris credit to a considerable extent. We would counsel the Government to cash up forthwith. Mr Fox told the people at Duncdin tlje other day how very economical and saving he had been, and how very well off the colony was in a financial point of view, sq that one rather wonders, under the circumstances, that the pay of the native contingent should be so long in arrears. It isn't respectable for a Government to earn the reputation of being "long-winded," so we trust the money will soon be forthcoming. Whether Kemp and Topia have given anything like an equivalent fo* this £15,000 is quite another thing. For our own part, we don't think fchey have.

According to the Evening Post, it is rumoured in "Wellington that the Superintendent of Auckland and the General Government have had rather a lively row in reference to the Bale of the Township of Gisborne. The land is within the Pro* vince of Auckland, and, not having been confiscated, but acquired by purchase, according to usual custom it belongs of right (o the Province in which it is situated. When the Government announced theic intention of selling it, Mr Gillies remonstrated with Mr Ortnond, and again on subsequent occasions. No attention was. paid by Mr Ormond to the protest, and on the eve of the sale Mr Gillies again wrote, " demanding," as Superintendent of Auckland, that the sale should not proceed. The sale, however, did proceed, and a good deal of the land was disposed of. Nothing * fresh can be done in the meantime, but it is likely that we shall hear something more about the affair after Parliament meets. The immediate effect will bo to alienate a supporter of the Ministry.

Speaking of the Superintendent of Canterbury's assertion that the settlers of the North Island traded in war, the Wanga? nui Chronicle says:—ln the interests of truth and justice, on behalf of the fair fame of our fellow-settlers, and in the name of those men who have fought and bled and died for us in this war, we denounce the charges which Mr Roileston has made, as being base, calumnious, and false.

From Westport we learn that the sea is still making steady encroachments in the direction of the centre of the. township.

Small pox (says the Evening Post) has been again brought to "Victoria, and, although the vessel in which the cases have, occurred has been placed in quarantine, it is yet possibly that the virulent disease may find its way to the shore, and perhaps,

be brought here. Past experience of our miserable sanitary regulations ought to make us careful that in the event of such a danger threatening us, it will not find us unprepared to meet it. We have not forgotten the farcical quarantine of the Lady JJird, nor the fate of the unfortunate Francisco, killed by neglect and exposure; such things must never happen in future. The "Wellington Independent, 21 at May, says:—-The Manawatu Beneh of Justices have sent down a man named Gregory for trial on a rather singular charge. It seems that the prisoner is rather addicted to in temperate habits, and that when, as fre .quently happened, he was " on tbe spree," the Maoris in the neighborhood used to make free with his flour and sugar, taking .them out of his whare. Some few days ago he warned them that he would " touch them up " the next time they tried to pil fer, and that they would get more than they wanted. These threats did not deter the pilferers, and on the first suitable occasion a grand haul of sugar and flour was madej and the proceeds forthwith formed into some savory messes. These were heartily partaken of, but soon the partakers experienced unpleasant feelings. Yomiting, cramps, and other symptoms of arsenical poisoning soon followed, and some of the natives were really seriously affected, al though all have recovered. It seems pretty .certain that Gregory had mixed arsenic with the provisions stolen, and the local Bench has committed him on a charge of attempting to poison. Sergeant Monaghan has been sent to Manawatu to procure samples of the flour and sugar. The Wanganui Chronicle gives as a rumor amongst the Maori constituency that there will bo a keenly contested election for the seat in the House of Representatives for the Southern district. The present member, Mete Jungi, would never have been elected had the nomination taken place anywhsre but at Wanganui The more enlightened of the natives, parti .cularly among the Ngatiapa and Ngatiraukawa tribes, a»'e very much ashamed of their representative, more particularly on account of his begging habits amongst mem bers of the House when attending his parliamentary duties. This peculiar pi'open sit vis a special failing of his. The seat is likely to be conte.-ted by Topia, Wi Tako, M' j le Kingi (the prest-nt member), ad, if solicited, Kepa Tako is mostl ikely to he elected, The Wanganui Herald says that the work of the Wanganui Bridge is being pushed along vigorously, and there is every prospect of its completion considerably Within the contract time. The first pair of cylinders are being filled with concrete, and"the piles have been driven to carry the scaffolding to the posh ion where the cylinders will be placed on which the turntable will rest. Everything nppeavs now to bo done with a facility from which it is evident that the contractor lias his appliances as near as possible perfect.

lii order to siiovv the absurd nature of many of the native claims at Kauwaeranga, an Auckland contemporary mentions that one native claims as his share from the high-water mark on the Kauwaeranga side to the centre of the Hauraki Gulf. The natives upon the opposite shore claim so as to meet the other boundary, and thus the whole gulf is claimed as freehold land.

We learn from the Auckland papers that; there lias been a fearful gale at the Bay of Islands. Mr Bateman's house has been blown down, and two small yachts lying in the Bay broke from their anchors and were dashed to pieces. Fences have been everywhere blown down, and very considerable damage generally done in the district.

The Wanganui Chronicle, 17th May, says :—"When the s.s. Wanganui steamed alongside the wharf on Saturday morning at 7 o'clock, only a few people were down and saw the ex prisoner, Walter Tricker, land. Trickcr was soon noticed on board. He is much changed by lengthened irripri sonment, being older, graver, and more careworn in appearance. His only greet iiv on lauding was that of his wife, with whom he walked away and soon afterwards proceeded to Eangitikei." A tele.rani from Marton in the same journal, dated Monday afternoon, says that he was well received by his friends in Eaniiitikei.

THE KING NATIVES. The following extracts from the General Government organ in Auckland are important, and have produced some anxiety in the minds cf the .settlers of the Waikato district. As a proof of how little the king party is yet reconciled, they appear to possess a character of some significance. | To the Editor of the Daily Southern Cross.] Sir, —It i* desirable, perhaps, to be acquainted with the views held by our Maori neighbors, even though we may not be disposed to regard their feelings, or be deterred by any animadversions on their part from carrying out the policy we propose to ourselves. The time was when the king party were silent and sullen, but they are now inclined to record their complaints, a course of action which will be more beneficial both to us and to themselves. If you agree with me on these points \ou may find a place in your columns for the accompanying translations of two letters embodying their sentiments on certain local affairs. I ought to state that one of the writers, Hitiri To Paerata, is a Taupo chief of the Ngatiraukawa tribe, a man of excellent character, and of considerable ability, deservedly resDected by both Europeans and Maoris.—Yours, &0., C. 0. DAYIS. Auckland, May 7, 1870. [translation.] Te Kuiti, May 24, 1870. To Mr Davis, greeting. Endeared one, —Your lettter relative to Te Kooti, of the sth April, is here. The fifteen persons have been despatched to Taupo to Te Poihipi, to utter the word that the Maoris cease to kill the Maoris. The Europeans said that the pakehas would be kept back, and that the work oi chasing Te Kooti should be carried out by the natives. The word is correct which says the Europeans are a deceitful people. Friend, if this people the Maoris had knowledge, the matter would have been cleared up long ago [i.e., the fighting would long since been at an end]. Your word is right. Eriend, we hear:) Mr M'Lean's word when he came lo Pahiko. He said that Taupo was not his, but belonged to the Maoris. And now a town has been formed there at Tapuwaeharuru, and Europeans, are living there. Eriend, we understand the telegraph [i.e., its political object, &o ] The Maoris are using the sword, and the Europeans are below them pushing onward, that is to say, this telegraph.

Friend, I suppose that out of this will come confusion or trouble to us all. That is my opinion. I have heard that parties have gone forward to look at the Taupo side, and have heard that they [the Europeans] are at work [i.e., erecting the telegraph, &c] at Tauranga and at Hauraki. Friend, this is the kind of thing that brings about disturbances. Who knows what party shall be disposed to be peaceful,; and what party disposed to fight ? All that I know is, the Spirit of God is in the midst counting on life and on death. A messenger from Patikiwharanui ha? arrived to-day. Topia's news is good. He 6avs that they saw Te Uriwera, but did not see Te Kooti. The parties sent to Taupo have r.ofc yet returned; they will soon come. A messenger has been sent on to Rangitikei, to Hiti, to Heremia, and to Mete Kingi, to put an end to this work \_i.e., the lighting ]—From your old friend, (Signad) Makuwhibi. To Mr Davis, Auckland, [TUA-NSLA-TION.] Aotearoa, April tG, 1870. To Mr Davis.—Son.—To you, amidst the troubles of this world in this island, salutations, the beloved friend, sanitations God also is your protector, and will be ii. all time. The talk here is important about the telegraph and the road from Ahuriri which have been proceeded with as far as Tapuwaeharuru. It is on account of this work that I have not come on to zlucklaiv!, namely the road, the telegraph, and the Europeans at Taupo. The king has commissioned me to look after this matter —to keep back the road, and telegraph, and the Kuropeansihe road and wire from Tapuwaeharuru to ie Whakumaru, and thence to Cambridge. The eul is greater than all the evils which have preceded it, should they [i e., the Government] persist. If they do not persist, the goo t will be greater than other good heretofore. You, who are rich in thought and speech, work out for us all what shall be conducive to peace.—Enough. (Signed) Hitiri Te Paeebta.

IMPECUNIOSITY ojt the GOVERNMENTThe Otago Daily Times publishes the following from a correspondent: - -—" The news to hand from all parts of the island is unsatisfactory. Ministerialists admit to an expenditure already incurred of an excess of £-50,000, and Kemp's natives claim seven months' back pay at 5s per diem. As they were but recently 600 in n'r.mbei this little bill is alarming. What with various either little bills of the same kind, purchase of steamers and other vagaries of Mr M'Lean, whom no votes could ever yet keep within bounds, and whom Mr Vogel dare not leave for fear of another outbreak like the January bill, all pretence of not exceeding Estimates must be mere invention. Happily Mr Yogel and the Dairy Times stopped Mr M'Lean in time, or half a million would have have gone to the kaingas of the friendly Maoris, and Te Kooti been none the worse. Things do not look well in Auckland. Mr M'Lean has failed to obtain access to the Upper Thames, after many times of asking, and even for £5,000, which he is said to have offered. Very odd he did not give it first and ask after, as lie did when he released Te Hura and asked Te Kooti from the king. The Maoris have stopped the Thames telegraph again, close, too, under M 'Lean's nose. All the friendlies have refused to serve any more till the winter is over, except Ropata,

who mikes hazily of sjome newj expedition. The king, who is of eourse the real root of the whole; affair, lias now openly invited Te; Kooti to come under his protection,: and the Government organ says he has accepted the asylum. He is by no means out at elbows, having obtained large supplies of ammunition from the friendly villages he surprised, and having—it is said by &. Maori chief, (supposed to Marsh) in a letter to the Southern Cross—still 170 "braves" with him. These Kemp and Bopata somehow never managed to find on their expeditions : Kemp blaming Ropata for having given the alarm prematurely ; Ropata blaming Kemp for not interceping their retreat. We hear that another Ministerial supporter, Mr Macfarlane, of Auckland, the third representative of that place provided for —has received an office as Official assignee in Bankruptcy. When the Hou>e meets, will thee three gentlemen be allowed to take their seats? If so, next session all the Treasury side will consist of Government officers.