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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 17, Issue 939, 9 February 1871, Page 2

The Alexandra correspondent of the Southern Cross supplies the following news under date 26th Jau.:—The native meeting at the Kuiti concluded last week. Rewi greatly condemned Todd's murder. He asked those who wished to fight, why they did not go to Taupo, where the people were disregarding their laws, by making roads through the King's country. He said Pohipi had been warned to desist from this work and had refused, and he (Rewi) was willing to go and drive them away. It was agreed by the meet-? ing that this should be done. Todd's murderers are not to be given up, if de«* manded. This demand has not yet been made by the Government, as Te Wheoro and Barton it appears did not ask for their surrender on the part of the Government.

The Warrego correspondent of the Pastoral Times writes as follows : —Some short time ago it was stated that Mr Sub-Inspector Gilmour had gone out from Bullo with a party, in search of a white man reported to be living with the blacks some distance to the west of Cooper's Greek, and who it was thought might be a survivor of Leichardt's party. Mr Gilmour has returned to the police station on Bullo, after two months' absence, bus he has not been able to find the man, although every effort was made to do so. Mr Gilmour was accompanied by a Mr M'Donald, who has a station on the Wilson River, something like 150 miles to the eastward of Cooper's Creek and who was among the first to bring in the report then current among the Cooper's Creek blacks that a white man was living with the blacks to the westward. A§ far as can be learned, there is every reason to believe that the man, whoever he may be, is now actually living with the blacks, and has been with them fur years. He is described as being bent double, with a beard that reaches to the ground when in a sitting posture. Mr Gilmour went something like 200 miles west of Cooper's Creek, and the blacks erf that locality pointed still further west. But the stumbling block of the expedition seems to have been the want of an interpreter, as none of the civilised blacks could understand a single word of the dialect beyond Cooper's Creek. This, and the natural suspicion and antipathy to intercourse with the wild blacks, became an insuperable barrier to the success of the present expedition. However, more of the matter will be known when Mr Gilmour sends in his official report, and if a white man's existence, under the circumstances described, is placed beyond a doubt, it is certain that every effort will be made to bring him in, although he will probably be very jealously guarded from whites, and his decrepitude will of course prevent him making any effort in his own behalf.

The London correspondent of the Melbourne Argus, writing on the 2nd Dec. t says : —" Another month of convulsion and confusion in the fiuaucial world ! Oa the 7th November it was known that all •hopes of an armistice had failed. As day after day passed away, however, confidence slowly returned, and Stock Exchange business went oo in a quiet, observant, unexcited way, depressed stocks gradually picking up, as bond fide investors relieved overweighted speculators of securities with which they were anxious to part. Consols, too, became buoyant, and danced up to 93J and 93|. No one dreamed of the catastrophe at hand. While wearied spectators were drowsily watching the war-drift in the South, a bolt suddenly darted out of the Northern sky. Eussia, without warning, seizing what she deemed a favorable conjuncture, issued a cartel of defiance to the European Powers. In the city the defiant challenge of Gortschakuii* was regarded as the herald of war, and a frightful panic set in, which raged for two or three days with ruinous violence. Almost every description of funded property bowed beneath the blast. Even English railway shares were flung away as recklessly as Russian or Turkish bonds. The scrip of the new French loan fell from 1 premium to 4 discount. Consols at one time sank; as low as 911. As the dread of iuuue.-.

diate hostilities subsided, some indications of recovery appeared, but all the stock markets continue in a very straiced and sensitive condition. As Russia refuses to retract her expressed decision respecting the Black Sea, and will probably draw our Foreign Secretary into a protracted diplomatic duel, it will be long before we can look for a settled condition of monetary affairs again. Meanwhile the utmost caution prevails. The Bank of England is very strong in its position and resources, and the supplies of money in the bauds of the discount firms have increased. The discount minimum of the Bank continues at 21, but in the general market the best throe months bills are taken at 2\. Four months paper is done at 3, and six months at 3j. But for the Bussian difficulty we should probably ere dow have had a reduction in the Bank rate ; under existing circumstances, however, such a step would be inexpedient. The prospect of a conference at London has improved the tone of the market considerably. Colonial securities and bank shares have not, of course, altogether escaped unscathed from the fieiy ordeal of the past month. There have been some slight fluctuations in quotations from day to day, but no noteworthy depreciation in values. TLo Australian vi >veniment debentures, being chiefly held by investors, have been exceptionally steady. There is a report that New Zealand is coming forward for another*loau. Bather an unsuitable time just now/' With reference to the temper; nee movement in Otago, we find the following in the JDunediu Evening Star, Jan. 19: — The meeting of the delegates of the various societies in Otago was held in the Athenaeum yesterday. The following places and societies were, represented :

East Taieri, West Taieri, Lawrence, Blue Spur, Tokomairiro, Mornington, Dunedin, Dunedin Band of Hope, Pure Chalmers ; Daughters of Temperance, Port Ci aimers; Sons of Temperance, Qneenstown ; Green Island, Invercargill, and Balelutha. llr Alexander Rennie was voted to the chair, and Mr J. S. Fleming, Tubnnairiro, wis appointed clerk. After discussion, the following

proposals were agreed, upon : —" That a society be formed, to by called the Otogo Temperance League." " That the League shall consist of affiliated Total Abstinence

Societies and of individual abstainers.'' " That the annual subscription r.f affiliated societies shall he 20s, and of individual members 2s 6d." " That the object of the League shall be the suppression and prevention of intemperance." " That the League shall seek to effect its object by endeavoring to inculcate the pernicious effects of aicholic liquors, and by seeking the legislative restriction of the liquor traffic." The following gentlemen were appointed interim officebearers : —Rev. I). M. Stuart, Duuedin, President ; Messrs. J. S. Fleming, Tokomairiro, and M. Grant, West" Taieri, Vice-Presidents; Mr Alexander Renuie, Duuedin, T;ea-

surer; Mr John W. Jaj/o, Duuedin, Secretary ; with two members from each affiliated society.

We learn from the Melbourne Leader that there have been some seizures of spirits lately on the premises of merchants in Melbourne who have neglected to take out their licenses to the day; and an opportunity has been taken of having the purity cf the spirits so seized tested. The work was done, it is said, by " an expert," and his report describes the geneva as " a most villainous compound/' the whisky in cask a 3 " rank poison." and the hollands in case as " a colonial article, and a disgraceful imitation."