HAWKE'S BAY TIMES. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. SATURDAY, JULY 22, 1871.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 18, Issue 1075, 22 July 1871, Page 2

HAWKE'S BAY TIMES. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. SATURDAY, JULY 22, 1871.

We have been requested to intimate that Dr. Boyd will address the parents and children of Port Alvuriri in the Port school-room at 3.30 p.m. to-morrow (Sunday, 23rd inst.) A late Lyfctelton Paper contains the following : —While the men employed upon the Kaiapoi town section of the Canterbury Northern Railway were at work on Monday last, cutting through the huge sandhills on the eastern side of the township, they were rather astonished at unearthing the skeleton of a human being. The bones from their appearance, must have lain in the ground for some considerable length of time, and as a Maori pa existed in the locality in the early days of the settlement of the colony, the only probable presumption is that the remains were that of a Maori. Near the ground where the skeleton was found are a large number of holes varying from six to eight feet deep by twelve feet in diameter, and present the appearance of a once warlike pa. The skeleton, though not altogether complete, has been purchased from the workmen by a resident at Kaiapoi, and though his taste for ancient relics would appear very peculiar, he intends having it articulated as a matter of curiosity. As a telegram appeared some time ago to the effect that the little steamer Waipara was missing, we are glad now to observe that she arrived at Hokitika on the 13th iust. She had been weatherbound at Martin's Bay. We (Taranaki Herald) have been informed that the late Mrs Dr Wilson has left her large cabinet of minerals and medallions to the Taranaki Institute. It will be placed in the museum, and may be inspected at certain hours on application to the honorary secretary or librarian. The death is announced, in a telegram to the Evening Post, of Mr Mark Sprot, auctioneer and cattle salesman, at Hokitika, on the 13th inst., deeply regretted as a genial and estimable citizen. We learn from the Evening Post that the furnishing of the Government House in Wellington is progressing fast. The drawing room has a dark carpet, amber satin purtains, couches and chairs also of amber satin,* and ebony tables and cabinets. Over the fireplace is a lookingglass, reaching nearly up to the ceiling, and between the windows are large oval looking-glasses. The dining room has a larSe turkey carpet, maroon colored chairs and curtains, mahogany sideboard, with a large glass back* and a native wood dining table. The ball rooms have no furniture in them, except long covered seats

against the wall. Upstairs, Sir George and Lady Bowen's bed and dressing rooms are handsomely furnished with a walnut suit and dark green carpets. The children's, governesses', visitors', and servants' rooms are all comfortably furnished, but there is nothing in them particuly worth notice. Downstairs, in the official wing his Excellency's offices are parrly finished, but here, as nearly all over the house, there are evidences of something still wanting. The kitchens and offices are far from being and we should imagine that some considerable time must still elapse before the house could be got ready for his Excellency and his family.. When it is done, however, we do not think he will have any cause to complain of the residence provided for him by the Colony. The Wanganui Chronicle informs us that Reuben, third son of Mete Kingi, died last week at Putiki. He was an intelligent lad, about 17 years of age, had received a tolerable English education, and had only recently returned from school. His eldest brother is also very ill, and not likely to recover. The Chronicle also mentions the death of another Maori youth at Putiki, who, like Reuben, had recently left school. They both appear to have fallen victims to the pulmonary disease which is making such havoc amongst their race. It is sad to witness the inevitable and rapid decrease of the Maoris, but the causes which led to it are beyond our control, and were in existence before we knew them. One thing is certain—that they appear to be doomed as a race, and no eftorts on our part will avert their destruction or preserve any considerable number of them for any lengthened period, Speaking of the Nebraska's visit to Port Jackson, the Sydney correspondent of the Australasian says :—" There can, however, be no doubt that Mr Webb's steamers are needlessly large for the present passenger traffic, and are much more costly to run than the colonial boats. The Nebraska took on board 1,200 tons of coal, which put her down to a draught of 18 feet. The experience gained by'the Nevada on the coast of New Zealand was such as to make it quite clear these large vessels were not fitted for the small colonial harbors, and Mr Webb is understood to be anxious for a fresh arrangement, by which, for a reduced subsidy, he should be permitted to stop at Auckland and run on to Melbourne, returning by way of Sydney. For the present the two boats are to run between Auckland and Honolulu, connecting at the latter place with the Moses Taylor." The Tuapeka Times of the 6th inst. contains a notice of the consecration of a new Wesleyan Church at Waipori, which took place on the 2nd inst. The evening following a tea meeting was held, at which a Mr Paul Ah Chin gave an address upon the religious history of China. The Thames correspondent of the Southern Cross writes; —I have to record a very shocking and at the same time mysterious catastrophe that occurred some time between midnight on Saturday and Monday morning. This morning, when two of the contractors who are working in the Tookey mine descended the shaft, to the scene of their labor in the 100 ft. level, the first sight that met their horrified gaze was the dead body of a man lying upon the platform that covers the square of the shaft outside the chamber of the level. It was lying " all-of-a-heap" —as the men described —and horribly mutilated. The contractors gathered up this mass of poor humanity, and sent it to the surface in one of the large buckets used in the shaft, and although the body was dreadfully smashed it was at once recognised as that of one Seymour Gil bert Hall, formerly of Duuedin, but who had been residing at the Thames during the last three years. Latterly he had been working in the Messenger's Hill Company's mine, and was last seen alive at a few minutes after twelve on Saturday night. The body was removed to the All Nations Hotel, where an inquest was held upon it this afternoon, before Dr Kilgour, the coroner, and a great deal of evidence taken, but little or no light was thrown upon the probable manqer in which deceased got into the shaft. The shaft is situated close to the road, and, when the men are not at work below, the mouth is covered by trap doors. There are also doors-that, open into the collar of the shaft at the level of the road, and it is presumed that one of these may have been open, aud that he fell

through the doorway. Those persons who last saw the poor fellow on Saturday night said that he was but very little the worse for liquor, and appeared quite capable of taking care of himself. Alto-* gether the affair is wrapped in mystery, The jury returned an open verdict. It is said that circumstances of a sad character marked the career of the deceased. He was an Englishman and respectably connected, and also married, but his domestic life was not a happy one; and about; three years ago bis wife went to England, ostensibly for health's sake. Since then deceased has fallen into dissipated habits,, and at last met his end as above related. Hew South Wales papers give an ac« count of a fatal coach accident, by which a clergyman lost his life, and the driver was seriously injured. The clergyman—s the Rev. Canon Stacks of Balmain, and his wife, were passengers by the Murrurundi coach, proceeding to a station where their son lay at the point of death from the effects of an accident. It would appear that when a few miles from Quirindi, about 10 p.m., the coach-wheels, must have gone into a rut, which had the effect of jolting the driver from off the seat, and when he fell the coach passed, over his body, inflicting upon him soma very serious injuries. The horses went off at a furious rate, and the Eev. Mr Stack endeavored to catch the reins, and whilst doing so he also was thrown off, the horses and coach passing over his body and completely smashing both his. legs. Dr Woods, who was in the locality % was called to see the unfortunate gentle*, man, and he was of opinion that the only, chance of saving his life would be by amputating his legs j the Doctor, therefore, immediately came into and telegraphed to Scone for Dr Creed to. come up and assist at the operation, but the telegram had scarcely gone when a messenger came into town to inform the Doctor that Mr Stack had died. It ia related, as a very remarkable circumstance, that the text of the last sermon of the deceased dergyinan was preached from the 3rd and 4th verses of the 17tli chapter of St. John's Gospel, in which there is, first, an outspoken confession of unswerving faith, and then declared, unalterable reliance upon the Divine will ..,......" I have glorified Thee on the earth: I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do," These significant and solemn " parting words" re?, curred with much force to the minds of those who had been in the church when that sermon was preached by J Canon Stack, on the Sunday previous, and who were present at the funeral of the preacher, in the same place, within seven days afterwards. Had this stout-hearted veteran soldier of Christ —bowed down, under the hand of the Great but Loving Chastener —no presentiment of his approaching departure ? Who shall pre* sume to say ? The hunters of Siberia, when pressed by hunger, take two pieces of board, and placing one on the pit of the stomach and the other on the back, gradually draw together the extremities, and thus allay, in some degree, the cravings of appetite. This is supposed to be a very economical kind of board. A few evenings ago (says a New York paper), a gentleman belonging to a downtown firm doing a large business, was sitting alone in the counting-room, when his thoughts turned aside from the rugged track of business, and sauntered luxurir ously away into the flowery walks of love. He resolved to write a letter to his *' heart's idol," as he called her, and did so. But hi 3 wanderings in "the primrose path of dalliance" proved incapable of shutting out from his mind all thoughts and forms of business, though it must be confessed they were somewhat indistinct. When he had written his letter, he copied it with his copying-press, in a book used by the firm, and went home. The next morning his partner was surprised to find so remarkable a business letter (for it " meant business ") in the copy book. The story was too good to keep, and the book-keeper soon learned it, and—?" you know Uqw ** & yourself." A Panic in the I^itcheq.—:Facetious Page: "Now then, here's the census, and master's ordered me to fill it up, I've put down your ages within a year or so, and your'e to ' return' your follerers, if any, how many, and state ' p'lice or military,' fees and tips from tradesmen and wisitors ' per ann.,' price o' kitchenstuff, average o' breakage, &c, &c "

The Lyttelton Times, July 15, says : seems to be some doubt as to jje actual date of Sir Walter Scott's birth, many people being of opinion that, j, eca use the centenary is to be celebrated |jn Great Britain on August 9, he was f fcorn on that date. The matter is easily set at rest. On consulting kockhart's Life of Scott" (original edition published in 1837 and succeeding years), and more particularly the autobiographic fragment Lfixed to the body of the work, we find Scott distinctly stating that he was born, as he believes, on August 15. It is said, «e know not on what authority, that the centenary celebration in Britain has been fixed for August 9 to suit the convenience of sportsmen, the grouse shooting season opening, as most people know, on August 12 This is very likely to be the case. At'all events, there need be no dispute about the date of Scott's birth. The writer of the •" Peerybingle Papers" says the corky insolvent is a quite-colonial sort of party. You can't sink him because of his corkiness; but of all cool touches in his line, a note that a friend of mine got couldn't be beat. Here it is:—" Sir,—Before I file my schedule, I propose to pay all my creditors 7s Q& in the pound. I might rise enough money to satisfy all. If Igo through the Court there will not be sixpence in the pound. Yours, -. Let me know before next Wednesday." Observe the innocent artfulness of this gentle youth. He could pay seven shilliugs and sixpence in the pound; but "ifl go through the court there will not be sixpence in the pound." If the new insolvency law makes it cost seven shillings to earn sixpence, its inventors ought to be proud .of it, Young gentlemen beware ! A book of etiquette, among other similar ordinances, lays it down that to hand anythiug,—say a flower or a muffin,—to a lady with the (eft hand, is equivalent to a proposal of marriage.