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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 17, Issue 1032, 2 June 1871, Page 2

A correspondent of an Auckland paper states that <£Bo per annum is the average salary of schoolmasters in that province, the consequence being that ** hedgeschoolmasterism" is rife, and " night and ninepence" (whatever that may mean) rampant. It is creditable to the remote little settlement of Fiji that the sum of £2OO has been collected there on behalf of the European war relief fund. The following appears in the Evening Post of 27th May :—ln the Police Court this morning a respectable looking Maori, named Paiura Te Rangikatatu, was charged by his wife, a European woman, with having committed a violent assault on her. Mr Travers appeared for defendant, and from the evidence it appeared that the parties had been married in Nelson some six years ago by a Wes leyan minister. They had since lived at Ohariu, where defendant has some property, and plaintiff said that she had frequently to complain of ill-usage by her husband. Some short time ago she left him, came into town, and on her own account bought the goodwill of the London Restaurant, and has since carried on business. Not being very punctual in her payments, however, one or two of her creditors sued her husband, and got judgment against him. This was adding insult to injury, and Paiura could not stand it. His wife had left him, and yet he was liable for her debts, so he took legal advice, which was to the effect that she was not justified in carrying on a business on hey own account, and that he

was legally entitled to all her effects and could compel her to leave her establishment ami return home. Accompanied by the Inspector of Police, Paiura went 10 the Restaurant yesterday and ordered his wife out. She refused to #•>, and a s< riramage ensued, in which Mrs Rangikatatu behaved in a very violent and her husband apparently exhibited a good ileal of forbearance. T4ie result was that she remained mistress of the situation and then laid an information against him for assault. A number of witnesses were examined, and his Worship dismissed the case, saying it was evident that the husband was acting legally and under advice, and that he had not used any unnecessary violence. He advised the woman to return to her husband ; but this she refused to do, saying her husband was a cannibal who illused her, and that she was not bis wife, as she was under age when she married him, and her parents who, it appears, were not in the Colony, bad not given their consent. Mr Crawford tried to convince her of the delusion under which she was suffering as to the validity of the marriage, but without effect, and in the end she became rather violent. After leaving the Court, the husband took possession of the disputed premises, and put up the shutters, while the wife fortified herself in an inner room.

On Monday (says a recent issue of the Hobart Town Mercury) an important change occurred through which the last vestige of Imperial interference in the affairs of Tasmauia passed away. On that day the care of the Imperial prisoners at Port Arthur was handed over to the local Government, with all the stores belonging to her Majesty. Nothing remains ta be done but to value those belongings, and to pay for them, and then in Tas* mania there will be nothing over which the Colonial Government does not possess full power. The question will now arise as to what is to be done with the penal settlement at Port Arthur, and with the few convicts, and the miserable assemblage of old and worn out people, who are located there.

The obituary in a late issue of the Times contained some rare illustrations of prolonged existence in twelve viz., seven ladies and five gentlemen, whose united ages amounted to 1018 years, giving an average of 84 years and 10 months to each. The oldest was a gentleman who had reached the great age of 93 ; the youngest, of. the same'sex, was 81; of the ladies, the oldest was 88 years, and the youngest 81.

A sad accident occuned at the Halfway Bush today. A wood carter named James Goodall had a contract with Mr R. Carter, of Waikari, to cart timber from the bush, and this morning accompanied him there to take away a load. Carter left him while he went to fell a tree, and on coming into the open again, after the tree had fallen, he fuund Goodall lying on the ground, one of the branches having knocked him down. He lay beneath it, but was not crushed. Carter went at once for assistance, and when the matter was reported to the police, Dr Burns' services were obtained; but before he could reach the spot the deceased had expired, death having ocmrred, it is supposed, shortly after Carter went for assistance. The body was conveyed to the Hospital, where it now awaits a coroner's in quest. Otago Evening Star, Why is a newspaper like an army ?—• Because it has leaders, columns, aud reviews.

Newly married women are trying sometimes to their husbands, but it is the fault more of their social training than anything else. Men should remember how much a girl has to learn, and how much (alas !) most men have to unlearn when they first begin the married life, Wiieu a girl sulks, noblesse oblige, throw that cigar away ! Now, sir, go up and kiss her ; if she still sulks, kiss her again —she won't be able to hold out long against that mode of attack, and five minutes after you will both be as happy as you can desire. It' little storms arise —and they will arise—let them be brief. Don't sleep over it, and wake up the next morning and cudgel your brains to remember who nagged last. If there is a difference, let Julia and Joseph have a goud cry, if that be their method of wiudmg up, and "then a good hug; and let J-seph see that it be ail made up before dinner, or. b* fore bediime, or we cannot nL>e responsible.sfor the consequences,. •

" Tenders are called for in the Wellington papers for the-casting of afi>" akrtn bell, to weigh 10 cwt., to be cast in Wellington, As being tlte first work of the kind undertaken in Wellington, its successful completiou by the foundry under taking it will be looked forward to with some interest. The Geelong Advertiser states that during the continuance of a terrific hurricane in Western Australia a short time ago, one of the rivers rose thirty feet in thirty minutes ! Schooners with their crews were swept away, and never afterwards heard of.