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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 19, Issue 1292, 8 April 1872, Page 2

"We extract the fallowing from the Wellington Independent, 4lh insfc. r Inci edible a? it may seem, we fear it k too true that several young men in the Otaki district have been preparing for a boat at bush ranging. One of the misguided men is said to be the son of a respectable settler of the district,. The facts of the case are simply these.. A thieving trio entered into a compact to levy black mail upon the surronnding neighbors, and after deciding upon their line of action provided themselves, with a regular outfit of gentlemen of the rod, consisting of arms, masks, and amongst other things some sheepskins for same purpose or another which does not seem very clear. The rendezvous was to have been the Paikakariki Hill. Few people acquainted with the general character of New Zealand, or of the district which was to be tlie scene of action for these depredations, could not but laugh at the absurdity of any sticker-up long escaping detootion; yet the details have reached us from so many sources that we are compelled to admit there is a show of truth about the different accounts brought into town yesterday. It appears that the matter became known through one of the confederates having relented and given such information as led to the upsettiug of the scheme. One of the young men, we are told, stands in very ill repute in the eyes of the police, from, having stood in very equivocal relations to a notorious family once resident in the Otaki district. It is almost needless to say that the promptest steps are being taken to, have the matter sifted ; and doubtless a day or two. at most will place the public in. possession., of the names of the suspected persons, aftd the whole particulars of the case. The first bell cast in Ltaedin has. been turned out by Messrs, A. and T. Burt, for the North Dunlin, Presbyn terian Church.

The first artesian well sunk in. theProvince of Marlborough Las been, sunk; at a depth of 150 feet on Mr Redwood's property at Biverlands. Many of the Victorian squatter* are reported to have realised fortunes thin season through the r;*e in, the price o$ wqoU

Typhoid fever, it would appear from the Thames paper*!, ha* broken out in that district. T)r Lethbiidge, who reported the matter to the Waiotahi Highway Board, attributes the fact to defective drainage. Melons have been selling in Melbourne at 2d each. During the season which is now coming to a close in Melbourne, the orders for wool wore so extensive that the quantity required could not be obtained and one buyer was obliged to take back to Europe a sum of £IOO,OOO, he having bought shore to that extent. A late English paper states that the revisers of the New Testament have reached the second chapter of Luke. Under the heading of " A Creditable Movement," the European Mail says: The working men of the West End have set on foot a new .social inevement, the main object of which is to enable them to hold meetings in connexion with their trade and friendly societies away from public-houses. If they are in earnest they will not lack assistance. It some central locality were chosen, the trades might make a joint stock affair of it. A white elephant having been discovered in the British possessions in Tavoy, on the Malay Coast, the Buddhist sovereigns are extremely anxious to obtain such an important minister of religion. The King of Burmah has made special' application to be favored with the holy beast. A hare was lately killed in the forest of Maunys, near Gisors (Eure), with a coat entirely black. It was a fine specimen, weighing between seven and eight pounds.