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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 17, Issue 920, 18 January 1871, Page 2

The English papers mention that a cask of fine pale New Zealand honey has been sold in London at 60s per cwt. We have been shown the first of the New Zealand war medals which has been received in Wellington, the property of a discharged soldier of the 14th. It is a silver medal of the usual size and shape, bearing on the obverse her Majesty's head and the customary inscription, and on the reverse, " Mew Zealand, 1861 to 183 G, Virtutis Honor." —Evening Post. The Cambridge correspondent of an Auckland paper writes to say that it is the general opinion in the Waikato districts that we are on the eve of war with the Maoris. Another writer (living somewhere in the vicinity of Tuupo), says:—"l fully expect that before many moil?lis we will have a regular row with the King party; it is already brewing pretty sniffy. And without being an alarmist, I will not be the least surprised to have a bullets flying about me some of these days. But the old proverb of 'fore-warned is fore-armed" I hope wilt stand to me. If there is a war, I think it will be a very severe one; and many natives that we think friendly will turn against us." The Melbourne Leader says:—"Mr Dully having been requested by the Federal Union Commission to invite the opinions of the leading politicians in Australia on the proposal to obtain a Permissive Bill under which the federation of the colonies could be completed at pleasure, has received a large number of answers conveying in every instance unqualified approval. Amongst those who have given their adhesion to the suggestion are Sir T. Murray and Mr Henry Parkes, of New South Wales; Mr Barrow, of Adelaide ; Mr Davies, of Tasmania ; and Mr Lilley, of Queensland, who will be recognised as prominent public men in in the colonies to which they belong. Some others have asked for time to consider their opinions, as they happen to be busily engaged at present; but the encouragement of those who have already replied is so great that the Commissioners have taken steps to have a Permissive Bill drafted under the direction of the Attorney General, and we are informed it was to be printed with their second report. Mr Strangways, late AttorneyGeneral and Ptemier of South Australia, expresses himself very strongly in favor of an Act being obtained from the Imperial Parliament giving these colonies such powers as would enable them to secure a neutral position iu time of war. To this he thinks every other question should be subordinate at present, and he sees no difficulty in the way of its accomplishment which could not be removed by united action. This, he thinks, would have moreover the advantage of leading ultimately to federation. It is evident that the Commission is not idle, and that the questions which it has raised are already occupying the minds of the foremost naen in, the colonies,"

A Melbourne paper says:—-One of those unsympathetic individuals who look lightly upon the deeper feelings of their fellow creatures, exhibited heartless levity by throwing flour over the crowd assembled outside the Argus office, waiting with anxious excitement for the "Ex* traordinary" containing the mail news. The constables on duty shared in, the floury shower, and arresting the offender, who gave the respectable but not very rare name of Brown, placed him iu the city watchhouse. The city magistrates fined him 40s, with the alternative of a fortnight's imprisonment. We have the best possible authority (says the Nelson Examiner) for stating that the article from the Economist, which we reprint in our present sheet, exactly represents the mind of the London money market on the subject of the New Zealand loan schemes. The letter from Mr Dillon Bell, quoted by the Wellington Independent in reference to this article, must have been written before the schemes had been under notice iu England, and the equivocal expression, "as much money as you want," is not correct, if Mr Bell imagines that the colony wants all that the Assembly ha 3 asked. A paragraph in a recent issue of the Colonist, published with an air of authority, and claiming Dr Featherston's sanction for a similar statement to that of ]sr Bell, is also incorrect. Strongly as we doubted it at the time it appeared, we forbore to express the doubt. It is now plain that it was communicated to our contemporary to give heart to the supporters of the gambling policy of Mr Vogel during the approaching elections. The Eeouomist must for the future be taken as having expressed the judgment in England upon the action of the Legislature, and the prospects of its success ou the Stock Exchange. A telegram from Auckland in the Evening Post says:—"A rumor has been current here for several days that the Bank has stopped advances to the General Government until the debentures, are sold/' Referring to the above, the Post remarks; —" The rumor is rather a queer one —what does it mean ? Is it another dodge? Though Vogel is fat across the sea, yet a portion of his spirit lingers behind among those who have sat at his feet and learned his wisdom." The Marlborough Express says that a singular accident occurred recently to Charles Fabian, the telegraph messenger. It appears that a soda water bottle burst whilst being opened, a piece of which struck him in the throat, cutting a severe gash about two inches in length. Br Williams was promptly sent for, who sewed up the wound, and although in a precarious state for a day or two, the patient is fast recovering. The Otago Daily Times says that while Mr Vogel was iu Dunedin, he was waited upon by Mr Ulph, of the nrm of Oliver and Ulph, and Mr H. M'Neill, of the firm of A. Briscoe and Co., who represented that the present license fee for dealing in powder (.£5 per annum) is too hicrh. The result of the conference was a letter from Mr Vogel, in which the Colonial Treasurer stated that hie Excellency would be advised to reduce the fee, so tar as regards small retail dealers iu ammunition iu up-couatry districts, but to them only, to M2 per annum ; and that an endeavor would be made to arrange that the reduced rate should come into effect on the Ist Jan., 1871. The hot dry weather is now very seriously injuring the crops in the Tokomairiro district, and pastures are getting iug completely burnt up. Unless a speedy change takes place, the prospects of farmers will be completely blasted. According to the Opunake correspondent of the Taranaki Herald the natives in that district are somewhat unsettled in their views relative to the law of meum et tuum. They say, that if the Government do not before the end of January, pay them for the loss of the sheep taken by Titokovvaru's people in October last, or seud them protection, that they intend taking the law into their own hands, and seizing any property of Tito's that may come in their way. Would it not be well if Mr Parris or someone else possessing influence over them would incite them to seize Titokowaru himself and hold him as uiu for the sheep ? If they even made mutton of him it would not ba a matter calculated to cause deep regrefc, t—Evening Post,

The following telegram from Blenheim, dated 10th January, appears in the Evening Post: —The sudden death of Mr Kissling, Manager of the Bank of New Zealand, took place to day. A 9 soon as it was known all the town assumed mourning, and business stopped. The Masonic ibody will conduct the interment with Masonic honors on Thursday at noon. In the meeting of the late representatives of Wellington with their constituents on the 10th ins-taut, Mr Borlase made «, very singular speech. He brought with him the volumes of the " Parliamentary Debates," and to show how well he had performed his duties, he offered to read all his speeches during last session. The unfeeling meeting responded with " laughter, and cries of " No, no." He then remarked —•* Well, it would take, several hours." He said he had only been absent from his place on two occasions, and appealed to the Assembly messengers present as being able to confirm j the statement. He was indignant at another member who advocated certain reforms, as " all these ideas were his (Mr B.'s) and had been stolen from him." " If he could afford it, he would have Mr Vogel's last financial statement printed, and circulated amongst his constituents, as it fully explained his opinions on every mortal subject." After this statement we are startled to find that " he did not believe in sending money out of the country to bring in laborers ; let them get public works first on which to employ •labor, and then it woujd come fast .enough," and further—" He opposed protection, as the bread of the prior man should not be taxed till the very last thing."—After making his not very consistent address, he •' sat down amidst daughter, hisses, hootings, and cheers."