LATEST NEWS ITEMS.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 16, Issue 836, 8 October 1870, Page 2

LATEST NEWS ITEMS.

Steps are being taken to form a Loan Association in Christchurch.

The Wanganui Chronicle says that Mr Eobert Bharazyu lias recently purchased 3,000 acres of land in the Waitotara block at 7s 6d per acre. Mr Baunatyne is about to test in the Supreme Court the validity of Mr Pliminer's election as Commissioner for Lambton Wharf, Wellington. We (Wanganui Herald) have received information from our correspondent at Wairoa, that Captain Hawes and the Wairoa Rifles have been, by order of the

government, on an expedition into the country, inland of Wairoa. They marched for three days jto the lakes in the rear of the Okutuku, but did not see any signs of natives. Captain Hawes reports that it is a very difficult country to go through, the scenery being most magnificent. Some very excellent practice was obtained on the way back, with the Enfield rifle, at some pigeons, shewing a few first class marksmen in the Wairoa3.

The Wellington Evening Post says ■:—•? The flag bearing the serrated cognisance of the Circular Saw Company has disap* peared from over the offices of Mr Martin, in Grey-street, and, in its stead, " a banner with a strange device" now " floats the air." The new flag is of the brightest crimson, and bears in its centre the two magic letters J.M., in brilliant yellow. The hue is perhaps emblematic of the gold which they can produce when written on a cheque; but it is also suggestive of sickness and quarantine. Yellow is a colour in bunting to which mariners are by no means partial; and we trust it is not symbolical of anything in reference to the ships or the company. Says the Southern Cross, 30th Sept.;— " The letter of our own correspondent at Taraoaki contains a pretty full account of the concluding proceedings of the highly important native meeting at Pariaka. The discussion at this meeting was continued during four entire days, and resulted, as most native meetings do, iu little else but talk. It is so far satisfactory, however. So long as these assemblages of natives can contrive to give expression to their feelings in mere oratorical display, diversified by putting down and pulling up sticks, and rapid consumption of pork and potatoes, they will neither hurt anyone else nor injure themselves, except perhaps in respect of their digestive organs. We are sure no one will grudge them such pleasantries-as the marriage of Mr Parris with Te Whiti, or a luxurious feast on " lillipee," both of which are perfectly harmless. The main element of danger in the meeting appears to have been the presence of Titakowaru, who, however, appears to have gone away in disgust at trie unpractical character of the proceedings. It is satisfactory, however, to learn that he professed peaceful intentions, and now awaits overtures from the Government, but whether any negotiations will be entered upon with such a man it is not for us to say.

The following are the particulars of the recent slaughter of natives at Fiji, of which we gave a few particulars a day or two ago. We quote from the Fiji Times : —Wf are sorry to have to report another slaughter of natives. It will be remembered that in 1866, Cakabau conquered the districts of Vugaiei and Viria, which had for some time been in rebellion against lain. During that war Cakobau requested the chief of Matailobau to secure Muakalou, a chief of Soloira, and bring him a prisoner to the Bau camp. This the chief of Maeailobau did, probably expecting that Muakalou would be taken on to Bau, and not allowed to return to the mountains. Such, however, was not. Cakubau's intention. After giving Muakalou a good talking to, he ordered his release, telling him to go back to his home among the mountains, and live in peace among his people. No sooner had Muakalou got to his own town, and among his own people, than he expressed his determination to be avenged on the Matailobau chief by eating him. This determination lie has several times repeated, but he has not till now openly declared war against the Matailobau people. A short time' ago a Soloira woman fled to the Matailobau town, where she was sheltered, and this has been made the pretext for a war in which the tribes of Soloira and Matailobau are engaged. As soon as war was declared a Soloira town called Nakorobolovu joined the Matailobou people, and this is the town in which the slaughter we now report took place. At mid day on Friday, the 12th August, when the men were all in their gardens, a large war party from Navosa and Dawarau entered the town of Nakorobalavu by five different paths, took the people by surprise, and killed, it is said, all in the town. The men who were on their planting ground hearing the firing rushed to the rescue of their wives and children, but, finding there was no hope for them against such a large attacking, they soon turned aud fled, v hoping to reach some friendly town; but in this they were disappointed, as they were met

on the way by the people of Nacau, who killed everyone they found, whether man, woman, or child. It is said that 260 were slain, and, as at present only ten of the Nakorobalavu people are known to be alive \ there is Teason to fear that if not 260, a very large number have fallen.

The following is from the Fiji Times, Sept. 17 :—Capt. George Cook, of the schooner Sea Breeze, from Auckland, died on board his vessel in the Levuka harbor on Wednesday night. He was seized with paralysis on Sunday, and never fully recovered his consciousness. The deceased was strong, hearty, an 4 healthy. His death was sudden and startling to his friends. His funeral was very numerously attended, being the largest ever witnessed in Levuka. E. March, Esq., H.M. Consul, Rev. Drßall, Dr. Ryley, and many representatives from the various vessels in harbor, with numerous merchants and others, paid their last tribute of respect by attending the departed to the grave. The solemn service was conducted by the Rev. J. Net* telton. Ail the vessels in harbor had their flags half-mast high during the day;

The Melbourne correspondent of the Sydney Morning Herald writes on the 15th September: papers brought us news from various parts of the country of swollen rivers an 4 creeks, and of losses and accidents by the excessive rains, but on that day the downpour, which had been general, in fact almost universal, culminated in storms and a change of wind, the combined action of which was to greatly increase the volume of water in and around Melbourne, and at the same time to check its oufc flow into Hobson's Bay. For a short time in the afternoon the lower portion of Elizabeth street for the distance of half a, mile from the river was a surging torrent, extending from the shops on one side to the shops on the other. The cellars were all flooded, stocks in trade were extensively damaged, and even lives escaped narrowly. Swanston street was also covered with the rushing stream in some parts, and the city altogether presented for a time a woful spectacle. The river rose at the rate of a foot an hour, until all the low-lying lands in the valley were under water, and the fences of some of the meadows were out of sight. Of course, the loses along the river banks, and in the suburbs, on the Yarra, have been considerable, and the visitation has been attended with loss of life. We have had floods in the river of greater height than this ; but, probably, never has the colony suffered to the same extent over so wide an area as on the present occasion." A Bill has been read a first time in the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales to prevent the shipment of articles being contraband of war. Persons exporting goods may, at the discretion of the Colonial Treasurer, be examined on oath in reference to the goods, and the exporter may be called upon to name the place for which the goods are destined, and to give security in the sum of JSSOO, or treble the amount of the value of the articles* and to obtain two sureties for landing such articles at the place mentioned ; in failure the shipper incurs a penalty o£ <£SQO, or in (ailure the bond may be sued upon.

The terrible destructiveness of the needle-gun is shown by a recent occurrence at the fortress of Ehrenbreitstein. A correspondent of the Pall Mail Gazette, writing from Cobleutz, states that three soldiers attempted to desert from the fortress. One sentry alone was in charge of them, and he perceived their flight. He immediately fired, and brought one victim down, the bullet having passed through his head. With extraordinary sangfroid and determination he loaded a second time, and again fired with fatal precision ; the deserter fell dead, pierced through the heart. ■ Once mare loading, he fired at the third fngitive, and the bullet passed completely through his body, inflicting frightful injury to the intestines. The needle-gun in the hands of a good marksman is a sure and terrible weapon. In the last rifle practice of the British- army, the 42nd Highlander* proved the best shooting regiment. Their returns, show: Figure of merits 141*22 ; best company, 157'25 ; marksmen per ceni;., 18-05.

An English paper of 9th July says :—~ It is stated that the reports of the Mar-tini-Jlenry rifle are most favorable, nos? that springs of proper strength have been put into the locks. The cost of tfcie ne^

arm is very little more than that of the Snider, to which it is far superior. In a few days the reports will be laid before Parliament.

We learn from a late home paper that four plasterers belonging to Aberdeen went v a little way off the coast in a boat between nine and ten o'clock the other night for the purpose of enjoying an hour or two's fishing. Darkness having surrounded them, it was thought high time to return, but neither of them beiug acquainted with the coast they missed the creek, and fearful of striking the rocks which rise perpendicularly to a great height, they rowed a little way off the land. A stiff wind having begun to blow from the north-west, they lost all control over the boat —a mere cockle-shell of ten feet keel—and although they labored hard at the oars they found to their dismay that the boat was being drifted further and further out to sea. To add to their misfortune a drenching rain fell and soaked them' to the skin, and two of the men, worn out by rowing, and from the effect of the cold and rain, lay down in the bottom of the boat quite benumbed. The other two, although also well nigh exhausted with the exertions made, did their best to keep the head of the boat right, and the wind haying moderated a little as the light began to dawn, the immediate .danger they were in of the boat swamping was considerably lessened. When morning broke they descried in the grey light the houses of Stonehaven, but, the distance between them and the shore being about four miles, they found their strength quite insufficient to row such a distance. About 7 o'clock in the morning they tried to put themselves in the way of a steamer that seemed to be bearing down upon them, but she passed at a great distance, and evidently did not see the signals they made. Although not seen on board the steamer, they were observed by some fishermen who had been standing on the pier wall watching the tiny craft for some time, and wondering what the little strange boat could be doing so far at sea at such an early homos such a rough morning. A boat was speedily manned, and with the freshening breeze soon bore down, and rescued the night wanderers from their perilous position. The boat was taken in tow ,lo Stopehaveu, where the men were kindly treated, and they were able to return to Muchalis by the 8.55 morning train, and after resting a short time they proceeded to Aberdeeu.