Interprobincial Items.

Hawke's Bay Times, Issue 1526, 18 November 1873, Page 18

Interprobincial Items.

AUCKLAND. Death of an Old Settler. The Southern Cross, October 30, says

Another of the early Auckland settlers passed away from amongst us yesterday —Captain John Crawford of the cutter Ellen. Captain Crawford, came to the Colony in the Duchess of Argyle,in 1841, when a little boy, in company with his parents. Since then he has constantly resided in this Province. He took to a sea-faring life, and at the time of his death he was part owner of the cutter he commanded. The cause of his death was the bursting of a blood vessel. Fire on the Taupo Road. The Bay of Plenty Times gives the following account of a destructive fire at A tiamuri Bridge, Taupo and Napier Koad, on the 21st October :—Early on the morning of Friday, flames were seen issuing from a building just recently finished for Mr Harmon, and used as a residence for the groom, also store for horse feed, harness, &c. In the space of ten minutes all was destroyed, the unfortunate groom having lost all his belongings, and Mr Hannon's feed, horse collars, &c, reduced to ashes.

Early Closing. The Evening Star, 28th October, says : The drapers of this city last evening commenced practically to revel in the sunny eve of their physical and moral millennium, and at 5.55 to the minute there was a general stir from one end of Qeeen-street to the other, and out came the shutters one by one with sure and steady movement, and by the first stroke of the New Zealand Insurance clock towards six every silk and hose establishment was closed.

Aotea.—Native Items. The correspondent of the Daily Southern Cross writes: —Kcreopa Honehone, a Taenui and Ngatitahinga Hauhau, has forbidden the making of the Eaglan to Aotea road under Karioi. As at present proposed it crosses native land in which Kcreopa is interested, but there is no positive necessity to go over this tract at all. I question, however, whether the lines going entirely through European property would make any difference in Mr Kereopa's opinion, for the Hauhau objection seems to be against any new roads at all. The same gentleman has also warned his tribe not to take any more rent for the Te Akau lease, north of Eaglan. I only look upon the talk of the Hauhaus in these matters as "gas."—Unlimited belief seems to be a necessity in the Hauhau faith. Some time ago 200 coast natives went 40 miles inland to see the wonders of a miracle-worker. On arrival they were informed that some of the party were deficient in credence. An enquiry showed that many of them preferred .seeing with their own eyes rather than those of other people. 'Just so,' said the prophet, ' when next you come, you must believe as one man. You can now go back, and return hither on the 28th.' My informant added that the congregation on the day named would not be large.—Takerei te Rau-anganga is said to be the ruling

spirit at Tawhiao's court. He has requested the owners of cattle running on native land to remove them, at the same time saying that the natives would assist the Europeans to drive the, beasts off. This undoubtedly looks well. —Two suits of artistically got up clothes, glittering with silver lace, were lately forwarded to Kawhia from Raglan for Tutawhiao, Tawhiao's son. Mr M'Lean is said'to have been the giver.—A week or more ago the settlers received a notice from the Raglan authorities to be cautious, " as a meeting of 300 Hauhaus was shortly to be held at Kawhia," for what purpose unknown.—A public meeting is to be held shortly in Raglan regarding the objection raised by Kereopa against the Karioi road going across the native land.

Pulioi.—The Crops. The correspondent of the New Zealand Herald writes as follows:—The cultivations in this district begin to show that the settlers ha;o not been idle, and that in spite of the inclement spring, the crops will be above rather than under the average. The peach trees are loaded with fruit, and the herbage is in good supply, so that the cattle and horsus look silky, sleek, and fat. The Maori plantations are a credit to them, and they shew an excellent example to their white brethren ; but the Puhoi and Muri natives were always hardworking, and they well merit all they make.

The Hot Spring's. The Puhoi correspondent of the New Zealand Herald writes:—ln tny rambles lately I met an old gentleman who, in the course of conversation, told me that he had been in this part of New Zealand fortyfive years—in the day when a white man was a wonder to the natives, —and that even at that period the hot springs in this neighborhood were noted amongst the Maoris for their healing properties, and he instanced himself as being one that had largely benefited by them. In his own words, he said, " I was helpless, I could not walk ; in fact, I could not stand, and after being lifted from the canoe, I partly crawled on my hands and knees, and was partly carried by the present native chief. Te Hemara and another, to the spring on the beach, where they scooped a hole and laid me in, and after some few baths so taken I began to regain the use of my limbs, the pains forsook me, and beforo I left to return to where I then lived,Mahurangi, I felt myself regenerated, in fact a new man, and for three and twenty years I never experienced any return of rheumatism. Since then I have been occasionally attacked, but 1 always go and spend a few days at the springs, in which time I invariably get rid of all the pains. I am now an old jraan, seventy-three, and it would be senseless for me to tell you what is not true." Such was his tale; it needs no comment, it speaks for itself. I mention it for the benefit of those who may be ignorant that such an agreeable cure exists for that fell disease—rheumatism. Extraordinary Lambing.

The Southern Cross says:—On several occasions during the bygone spring reference has been made in these columns to the large percentage of young lambs which had been obtained by many of the flock-owners in this Province. One of the most remarkable instances of this kind we have heard of occurred in the flock of Mr W. Edgcumbe, of the Northern Hotel. From a flock of 56 ewes he has obtained'lo3 live lambs. Every ewe in that flock had at least one lamb ; several had two ; some three ; and some had four each. Several died through exposure, having been lambed during a stormy night, but the number remaining is certainly remarkable. The ram that was used in the flock was a Hampshire Down ram, which was bought at a cost of £2O. The greater part of the young lambs have been sold at prices averaging 18s eachj; a few of the young ram lambs have been kept by Mr Edgcumbe. Survey Blunders.

We learn (says the Thames Advertiser) that the survey of Te Aroha has been completed, and we are also informed of the astounding fact that instead of consisting of 130,000 acres, as has hitherto been calculated, there arc only 67,000 acres in the block. We could hardly credit that such an egregious error had been made in the estimates if it were not that we have heard of similar mistakes having been made at Tauranga and elsewhere. There are hopes now that the land will soon pass into the hands of the Europeans, but predictions as to the opening up of this upper country have so often proved mistaken that we are afraid to say much on the subject.

POVERTY BAY.

We are [in receipt of the Standard of ;he 12th inst, but it contains very few tems of interest.

A sitting of the Native Lands Court was to be held on the 12th inst.

A carpenter, named Donahoo, fell from Messrs Graham & Co.'s wool-store on the Bth instant, sustaining severe injuries. Building is going on vigorously in all directions.

The Prince of Wales's birthday was observed as a general holiday.

The nomination of candidates for the vacancy in tbe Provincial Council took place on the 11th inst. There were only two candidates—Messrs Woodbine Johnson and J. Wyllie, Captain Bead having declined to contest the seat. The show of hands was in favor of Mr Johnson. A poll was demanded.

CANTERBURY. Sunday Work. The Otago Daily Times writes:—A correspondent of the Press asserts that the Bank of New Zealand in Christchurch "has initiated the pernicious system of Sunday work." We have received two issues of the Press later than that in which this statement appears, and in neither of them is it contradicted,

OTAGO. Land on Deferred Payments,

According to the Brace Herald, Mr Shand and Dr. Webster, members of the Provincial Executive, are about to proceed to Southland for the purpose of selecting 30,000 acres of land, to be disposed of under the system of deferred payments. It has also been arranged, according to the same journal, that Mr Adam, the newly-appointed immigration Agent, will examine the ground previous to his departure, so that he may be able to describe it to intending immigrants in the home country.

Suicide. The Wakatipu Mail, October 22, says : "We are informed that a man named Williams has committed suicide at a claim on the Upper Shotover. It is stated to us as the Nugget claim. The particulars, so far as we can ascertain, are that the deceased deliberately hang himself by the feet with a rope of sufficient length to allow his head to bo immersed in the water. That a wilful suicide has been committed there is no doubt. Mr Beetham, coroner, has proceeded to the locality to hold an enquiry. A loss of money and ' the horrors' are the causes given for the act." The same paper, in its next issue, has the following:—" Last week we briefly recorded the fact that a determined suicide had been committed by a man at the Upper Shotover. The reason given by our informant of the cause was ' loss of money and the horrovs,' but it now .'appears that some family matters had preyed on the mind of the unfortunate man, leading to his sad end ; and that neither drink or money lost had anything to do with the melancholy affair. So much in justice to the dead man. Strange to say, although in constant intercourse with his mates—some of whom had been school-fellows with him—deceased never showed the slightest sign of mental derangement, and of course his suicide was never contemplated. Deceased was 36 years of age, and a native of Cornwall, England, where his mother, brothers, and other relatives reside. An inquest was held on the 23rd instant by Mr Coroner Beetham and a jury—(Mr T. P. Roskruge, foreman) when a verdict was returned that deceased drowned himself in the Shotover River while in a state of temporary insanity."

An Editor's Woes. Over-work appears to be telling upon the system of the editor of the Arrow Observer. The following complaint, which we extract from his issue of the 31st ultimo, is very touching:—" Pity the sorrows of a country newspaper editor! For any short-comings woe betide him. Why is there not a Bradshaw to introduce an Act for preventing the long hours of the slaves of the press? and of all slaves they are most to be pitied. One reads of the first newspaper in the colony being printed with a mangle ; but then , they had plenty of help to turn the handle and set the type—nay, too much, if the truth were only known. Now in our case we suffer through want of help. For six months we have dragged on a miserable existence with this paper, and striven our utmost to make a presentable thing of it; but, alas! either owing to the ' scarcity of labor,' or the proverbial unprofitableness of a newspaper property as a business—we know not which—we have been compelled to toil on without adequate assistance. To have to report, write, select, compose the types, read, correct, make up, impose, and then work off the paper, besides the general business! Who, under such circumstances, could expect many thoughtfully written articles ? Nay, the wonder is how a readable paper produced at all. One is glad of a piece of ' poetry 'to fill up with. On Sunday last our ' boy,' while practising with a carving knife, nearly cut off his hand (pity it wasn't his head!) and so we have been obliged to make shift how best we could. We have this week been our own ' cook, slut, and butler,' as the saying is—' everything by turns and nothing long '—and begin to think that it is almost time to in* vest in a mangle, or a basket of tapes. Thank Goodness ! one's life's insured ! But the coach will soon be here, and the press stands! " Despite the difficulties so graphically described, the paper presents a very creditable appearance.

Oyster Fishing. From a report on the | oyster fisheries of: Stewart's Island, sent to the Commissioner of Customs by Captain Greig, we learn that eight cutters, from six to sixteen tons, are employed in the trade, operations being confined to a space of ground about a [mile broad and a mile and a quarter long, immediately oif Halfmoon Bay, three men being able in one day to draw up 500 dozen of oysters; that it is considered probable that the beds extend across to Ruapuke, and that the supply of oysters is all but inexhaustible.

The Sheep-shearers' Strike. The following is from the Wakatipu Mail:—" Sheep-shearers this season will almost command their own terms. It is useless for the squatter to remonstrate, as the men are already pointing their finger at the wool gains. It is but right after all that the humble shearer should reap his due share of the prosperity that has poured down upon the runholder. It has been suggested that for the ensuing season and during harvesting time, operations on public works should be suspended. Every man that works upon them is not a shearer, or a reaper, or a binder of sheaves. We protest in time against this being done, upon good, and in our opinion, sufficient grounds. The public works policy was to provide work for all; it was not intended for the exclusive benefit of squatters, farmers, or capitalists; none of these classes are specially taxed—in fact, they escape with the minimum of taxation, which the miner and working man has hitherto had to bear the brunt of. Besides, it is duo to the working class to give thorn a chance to better their condition when circumstances show that no harm can result therefrom." The same

paper of the sth instant says:—" We understand that shearers in this district have struck for 20s per hundred. This, we are told, was the case on Captain • Howell's station last week. Judging by the present aspect of things, labor will bo almost unobtainable when the harvest comes on—at least the rate of pay will be high."

State of Business. Regarding the state of trade up-country, the Wakatipu Mail in its issue of sth November, says : —Trade must after nil prosper. The district has, during the last fortnight, been inundated with commercial travellers. It is sai'd that one swallow does not make a summer, but in the line we refer to there has been such a host of bagsmen that we may f Airly assume that the commercial summer has set in. Notwithstanding this, everyone is crying out that trade is dull—very dull, and money, consequently, hard to get in. Still, the escort keeps up to a respectable figure—the last one being some 2,400 ounces—so that the only way to account for existing slackness is the supposition that the mining and other laboring classes are close at work, preparing no doubt for the Christmas holidays. It is therefore to be hoped a re-action will soon set in.

The Crops. The Wakatipu Mail, 29th October, says : —Throughout the district all classes of crops are looking most healthy and promising. The prospects are gladdening the farmers' hearts. A couple of patches of grain of Mr Roche's, Hayes, are especialby luxuriant and forward. On the runs grass is coming on thickly and well. Fat cattle and sheep will again, therefore, be soon obtainable. The snow is rapidly melting from off the hills. This tends to keep the lake and rivers high.

NELSON. Winter Evening's Work. The Evening Mail, of the 11th instant, has the following:—A number of people assembled at the Port yesterday to witness the launch of a new whale-boat, that has been built for the next Ecgatta, by six young men living at the Port, who have devoted the long winter evenings to the work. The boat, which was named the " Thistle," is a most creditable piece of workmanship, seeing that she was built entirely by candle light. She may be inspected at the Governmeut boat-shed for a few days.