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Hawke's Bay Times, Issue 1615, 29 September 1874, Page 374

The Dunolly Express states that" on Sunday evening last, as several young lads were returning homewards from church, they commenced racing one another, when one of their number named Little stumbled over a heap of mullock ) near an old shaft on the outside of the Derby line of reef, and rolling over, fell down the shaft, a depth of 65ft., his pursuer narrowly escaping the same fate. Some men ran to the spot, descended the shaft, got the unfortunate lad to the surface, and conducted him to the engineroom of the Queen's Reef Company. Dr. Pierce recommended the removal of the sufferer to the hospital, it being ascertained that his thigh was broken, and that his head was also severely injured, so much so that but little hopes of his recovery were entertained. He was received at the hospital in an insensible state, and ho remained up to the time of his death, which took place at about 7 o'clock on Monday evening."

An Alexandra telegram, dated'Friday, reports that the Waipa river is now flooded higher than any time this winter. To a great extent the crops on the river settlements are under water. The "personal column" of the Times and New York Herald is imitated in a mild way in Melbourne. It has been begun by the Argus, which in a late number has the following among " roessages " advertized :—" Ida's mamma. Return instantly. She frets. Nothing moro said: both miss you." That appears to be from a husband and father to an errant wife. The following is from tho softer sex: probably to a young but vagrant lord and master, or to a lover in the sulks; —"Willie! Return! All will be forgiven." It is well that in these cases the printer, for a wonder, keeps a secret. The Hon. Mr Fox has addressed a long letter to his fellow colonists, through the columns of the New Zealand Times, in which he cogently re-states and re-argues the principle of the Permissive Bill. He says that, " with the exception of a time limitation, the great principle of popular control recognized by last year's legislation may be considered to have suffered nothing by the amendments of this year's session. It still remains intact in the Statute Book, and whenever we are strong enough in the Legislature to add the necessary machinery for ascertaining the popular vote, we shall be able to exercise that right to the utmost. At present, with the imperfect machinery contained in last year's Act, we shall, I fear, do but little." The Singleton correspondent of the Maitland Mercury reports the marriage of five sisters in a family in that district to five brothers of another family. He says: —" On the 29th July a young man named Bailey married a Miss Fernance. at Singleton. Taken by itself this announcement would probably interest the readers of the Mercury as much as a statement that somthing had occurred in some outlandish country about which nobody would care a straw. But when we state that four brothers of the bridegroom were previously married to four sisters of the bride, the matter assumes a very different aspect, Five brothers married to five sisters! We believe that such a thing stands unexampled in the history of tho Australian colonies—perhaps the whole civilized world. An instance of equine longevity is thus reported in the Queanbeyan Age :—" Mr Joseph Kaye's well-known horse,Old Parramatta, died on the 3rd instant, at the remarkable age of 53 years. When the old roan reached his 51st year we chronicled the fact, and gave reliable data confirmatory of his alleged antiquity, which was easily computed—his three owners having then respectively kept him for 17 years, and his last owner now for 19 years, making his age at the time of his death 53 years. Old Parramatta was able to do a day's work now and then up to within a short period of his decease. The severity of the present winter was, however, too much ifor him, and, although he was nursed and fed with the utmost care, he shuffled off this mortal coil, almost while in the act of eating a warm raash. Old Parramatta was the most aged horse of which we have any reliable record." A most amußing incident (says the Tribune, 29th August) came under our notice to-day. The scene took place in a police court, which is not a hundred miles from Wellington. The magistrate was sitting on the Bench,—his mind all absorbed in hearing a case—when a young woman walked into Court and went straightway for the place of honor, which she ascended and seated bet self behind the worthy magistrate unpercei/ed by him* The persons in Court looked strangly on—some thinking that no other person than a relative would dare intrude upon the dignity of his Worship in such a manner—others suggested that the person was " a shingle short." However, presently his Worship turns around, and much to his surprise discovers his strange associate* who accosts him in the following "If yer plase, sir, I belave yer want a sarvant ?" Whether the magistrate was too confused or whether he admired the unconscious impertinence of the person* we cannot say; but she remained on the Bench till the business of the Court was concluded, and then, we believe, her business was satisfactorily settled. This is a specimen of the Colonial servant; and we must congratulate bis Worship on obtaining the services of such an iudotc.itable being. The Whakatane correspondent Of the Bay of Plenty Times thus records the death of Gabriel Tamaiarohij Native Assessor, head chief of the Ngatipukeko tribe there, which event occulted on the 7th inst.—His death was causedj humanly speadng, by shameful neglect; as he had been ill for above one month, and treated by the tohungas of the tribe after their manner. The word " tohunga " may be» and (by people who dislike calling a spade a spade) is, often translated "doctor." t think, however, I shall be nearer the truth by rendering it as necromancer witch, wizard,' of devil worshipper, if one may be allowed to judge such persons by their works, The treatment which brought Gabriel to his grave is, alas, too common amongst the Maoris: but, did one such case occur amongst the moro enlightened race of colonists, the patties implicated—whether by omission of duty or by overt act—would assuredly be indicted for manslaughter. Suffice it for your readers to know that this worthy man of rank was kept for two or three weeks on a diet of cold water, and when he became delirious, and not till then, his relations let the settlers near know. One of them having written to the Resident Magistrate, Opotiki, that official sent Mr Knyland, A.C., to attend upon the sick man. It was, however, too late, as he died, from very weakness, we may suppose, the day after. It will be difficult to find a fit successor to the deceased in the tribal and Govern* ment honors.