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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 16, Issue 805, 18 July 1870, Page 2

Divine Service was conducted in the Port Church last evening by Mr J. J. Neave, a minister of the Society of Friends, at present on an evangelistic tour through these colonies. Mr Neave is an earnest and effective preacher, and his congregation last evening was a large and attentive one.

The Late Mr Lamplough.-—ln another column will be found a report of the inquest on the body of the late Mr Edmund Lamplough, who came to his death under very mysterious circumstances. He left Napier with the mails for the Wai roa route on Tuesday afternoon last, and left the stables at the Ferry Hotel about 4 p.m. He delivered the Petane mail, and was seen by several persons as he left the valley. On the following day a native named Pani, with his wife, left the Western Spit on way to Tongoio about 8 o'clock in the morning. They de layed considerably on the road, and arrived at the first bluff beyond Petane about 4 or 5 p.m. Here they found a mail-bag on the beach, above high-water mark. The bag was open, but the mails inside did not appear to have been tampered with. Half-a-mile further on they came to the body of Mr Lamplough, lying on its back, the head close to the surf. The coat, waistcoat, and shirt were gone, except a portion of the latter garment which still clung to the wrist; but the trousers, leggings, boots, and spurs were on and quite uninjured. The trouser pockets were turned inside out. The face was disfigured by several severe bruises, the most serious being one on the left temple, and one beside the left eye. Neither of these, it was stated by Coroner, would in itself be sufficient to cause death. The native

drew the body out of the reach of the surf and took the mail-bag to Mr Towgood, at Tongoio, to whom he reported the circumstance. The mare ridden by deceased (a quiet animal, well known in this Province by the name of "Phoebe," and which had been in his possession some years) was found in Petane Valley, divested of saddle and bridle; and the saddle, torn to pieces appai*ently by the surf, was found on the beach. It was identified by certain marks by two of the jurymen. On Tuesday the sea was very rough, and at high tide, about the time the deceased would arrive, it would be impossible to pass along the beach opposite the bluff, as the sea would be breaking there with great violence, There is a safe track round the bluff, always used on such occasions, and as it would be rather dark at the time of his arrival, it is almost impossible that he would attempt to take the beach. Moreover, the circumstances do not favor the supposition ; the body did not present the appearance of having been dashed against rooks, the clothes which remained upon it were uninjured, not even the .spurs being broken. The saddle, on the contrary, was chafed and torn to pieces. The hoise had received no injury; and there is no way of accounting for the disappearance of the watch and clothing. The mail bag had not been in the sea—though open, it still contained the mails, and was found above high water mark. The jury, considering especially these facts, were unable to reconcile them with any supposition of an accidental death, and returned an open verdict, to which was attached a rider, specially pointing out the suspicious circumstances of the case. Before leaving town Mr Lamplough had cashed a cheque foi some .£2O 01 £3O, but this money, we believe, he had not taken with him. Deceased, who was a young man, was generally known and respected, and the melancholy tidings ot his death cast quite a gloom over the community. The funeral took place on Saturday afteinoon.

The first number of Messrs Fisher and Holloway's monthly "Property ami Commercial Circular" was published last Friday, and largely circulated. It consists of five quarto pages, and contains sundry.commercial articles, list of properties for disposal, prices curient in various commercial centres—which will no doubt he appreciated by the trading community—and advertisements. From the support accorded in this latter department, we imagine the venture will prove a success.

Immigration Dues.—"We would draw attention to a notice which appears to-day for the last time in our columns, addressed to those owing money to the Government on account of assisted passages. fn accordance with a resolution passed last session of the Council, after the 18th inst. the names of all those liable—principals and sureties—and the amounts owing by them, will be advertised in the local papers. Oats, in Timaru, are quoted in Herald, of the Ofch insb., at from Is lOd to 2s per bushel.

Southerly Weather still continues, with heavy surf breaking on the beach. Postal Irregularities —On this subject Messrs Fisher & Holloway remark in their Circular of Friday last —"The interests of the commercial community are so intimately connected with the regulai and speedy delivery and departure of the mails, that we feel we are not stepping out of our province in drawing their attention to the necessity of taking some steps to bring pressure to bear on the authorities. It is not at all an uncommon occurrence lor a fortnight to elapse after the arrival of the English mail at the Bluff before its delivery here. Taking this as a sample of the uncertainty of mail communica.tion with the South, we are sufferers to no small extent. Our trade with Dunedin being considerable, we would suggest that some of our leading commercial men give this matter their consideration. Probably the calling of a public meeting would have the desired effect,"