Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. SATURDAY, MAY 25, 1872.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 19, Issue 1332, 25 May 1872, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. SATURDAY, MAY 25, 1872.

The March and Apii! English mails, via San Francisco, arrived at Napier, per Nebraska, this morning. It is long since we have had to record such an outrage by our Maori neighbors in Hawke's Bay as thai which is briefly described this evening in our police report: and for this we think our native friends are not so much x<> blame as their pakeha entertainers. It is an offence against the law of the land to nell or give a Maori intoxicating drink, its effect on their uncivilised nature he jng well known; vet this law is continually broken with impunity. Yesterday the town was crowded with natives who had come in to the feast, at which liquor was freely provided. Their thirst being awakened, they ob tained further supplies from the public houses, and at about 4 pm. Ihe town was a scene of the utmost confusion. Drunken Maoris were, riding swiftly in all directions, to the great danger of the public, and weie filling the air with their shouts. Several fell heavily from their horses; others were helplessly carried home ix\ carts, The party who Committed the raid on the public-house had been, well pumed with drink, aiul we consider that in this ease they were p ffiu.cj" ttoed against as sinning-

The review of the local forces yesterday was without doubt the most successful affair of the kind ever held in the Province. The Artillery Volunteers, the Rifle Volunteers and Cadets, and the Uawke's Bay Yeomanry Cavalry, were paraded on Clive Square, in command of Major Withers. The attendance was very large, both of Ewopeans and natives The feu de joie was fired in fine style, at noon precisely, after which the ceremony of trooping the colors was performed, and the companies marched past. A hollow square was then formed, and a series of presentations took place. The first of these was a magnificent silver-mounted sword, suitably inscribed, the gift of her Majesty to Henare Toruoana. In the absence, apparently, of any proper oliicial acknowledgment of Henaie's services, Major Withers read a long leading article from a late Herald, and followed it up by some brief remarks of his own, very much more to the point, concerning Henare's gallantry. The words in which the chief acknowledger! the gift (a;s interpreted by Mr Locke) are worthy of record. Suiting the action to the word, he said, " I hold tip this sword tint you may see how bright it is. My conduct to the Pakeha will ever be as clear and stainless as this sword is to-day." Constables I>. Biddio and S. Black were then piesented with the New Zealand Cross for distinguished valour at Ngatapa, after the Gazette notice conferring the distinction had been read. A number of medals for services at Omaranui were then presented, and after-.vards ihe district prize,-) for marksmanship. Among tbeve was the district medal—the third thai haft been won by Sergt. Blake. A beautiful flag was then presented to the Cadets, by Major Withers with a few suitab'e remarks, having charged them to guaul well their colors, as they would their honor. Three cheers having been heartily given for Major Withers, the various companies were marched off and dismissed, at about 2 p m., the whole proceedings having occupied above tlnee hours. A handicap rifle match for the gold medal of the Napier Rifle Club was fired yesterday at the Club range Seventeen members competed, and to eight of the number points were allowed. The prize wsv* won by Mr John Chicken, one of the members to whom no points had been allowed, who made the good score of 49 out of a possible 60, In the Resident Magistrate's Court this morning, (before S. Locke. Esq., J.P. ; Col. Whitmore, Esq , J P., and H. S. Tiffen, Esq., J.P.), three natives (one of whom was afterwards discharged on account of hi* youth, and admitted to give evidence), were charged wich having been concerned in a frav at West Clive last evening, between 5 and 6 o'clock. From the evidence it appeared that a mob of about twenty attacked the West Clive Hotel, smashing all the doors and windows, breaking into the bar, assaulting the inmates, and drinking the liquor, a large quantity of which they carried away, and destroyed the rest. The damage was estimated at £2OO. Natives named Watene, Reihana, Rangirangi, and others, were specially mentioned as ringleaders, and wiil have to appear before the Court on Monday, to which day the case was remanded. The Oddfellows' dinner last night, we hear, was a success, exceeding anything of the kind that lias ever taken place in Napier. A dinner was given yesterday afternoon, at the Commercial Hotel, Port Ahuriri, to the members of the Napier Artillery Volunteers by the officers of the corps. We believe it was a success With reference to the overdue steamer City of Melbourne, the Daily Southern Cross of Thursday last, says: —There were no tidings of the abovenamed steamer up to the time of going to press. The Gothenburg, which left Melbourne an the Kith instant for the Bluff, where she arrived last evening, brings no word of her. The most reliable nautical authorities engaged in the steam service between Australia and this port, and who are also well acquainted with the mining steamer concur in the belief that an accident has happened to her machinery, in conse tyuouce of which. Capt, Mooi,e hus pro-

bably returned to Sydney—or made for Newcastle—the wind being fair, and the weather being fine, for a vessel bound to either of those ports, as reported by the Hero. With reference to suggestions made that the City may have been wrecked on the coast,, we are informed that, had such been the case, those on board the Hero would have seen the wreck, that vessel having passed in broad daylight along the track off the coast that would have been followed by the City. Besides this, had there been any truth in the sugges tion, the Comerang, which arrived here vesterday morning from Mongonui, would probably have brought the sad news.