THE RIOT AT ADDISON'S FLAT.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume III, Issue 81, 6 April 1868, Page 2

THE RIOT AT ADDISON'S FLAT.

The NelsoD, which arrived yesterday ; from the We?t Coast, brought intelligence that the towu of Weslport was thrown j into a state of great excitement on Friday \ last, by the news that the processionists iu j the loyal demonstration which took place at Addison's Flat, ou the previous day, wheu returning home to the Flat, had ; i been assaulted by a rnob of Fenians, who, ! with stones and otlier projectiles, inflicted I sovere wounds on several of lhe party. ! The intelligence was brought by a mau ■ named Mason, who arrived in Westport from the Flat, with a severe wound in the i head. "j The Westport Times of Saturday last j says that* the women who were at the | head of the procession were dragged fVom I their horses, and a scene of great con- ! fusion and excitement ensued, the loyalists ■ taking refuge in flight, with uuniisiakeable ! •*i:-,iis on their clothes aud persons of the ci -iver they had fortunately escaped. The : r-'j'.-rt first received was exaggerated and ■ j*.. person was either dangerously wou:.do-.' * or killed. The al.ta k was evidently pr - ! meditated, as the processionists wc-iv j allowed to get well into the towu before I any onslaught was made and no provoca- j tiou was given. No firearms are said to ! have been used on the occasion, but the j Fenian party were aimed with stones, j staves, and picks. j After Mr Kynuersley's arrival, with j the Inspector and Sergeant of Police, tlie j crowd'gathered round hint, and mounted i on Daly's shoulders, he addressed tlieni, ! telling them that he was determined to ! preserve order, at auy cost, and advised j them to disperse quietly to their homes. He was listened to attentively, but the crowd were very excited, aud were all armed with stones and staves. After some time hacl elapsed, it was reported that the VolunteeYs were going to march to Addisou's Flat, in order to put an eud to the disturbance, but this proved to be incorrect, for a dispatch had been forwarded to Westport, from Mr Kynnersley, stating that their services were not required, Dr Giles addressed the people, desiring the Volunteers and special constables to hoid themselves in readiness, should occasiou require. The crowd, on the messenger leaving the Flat, broke the horse's bridle aud pelted him with stones in the sight of the Commissioner, but he was allowed to go on his errand. It is staled that a good ma<r T Feniau heads endeavored to preserve peace, ami by the latest despatch received, there was every probability of this '.J___ .sing effectual, bufc the people, both at Addison's Fiat aud Westport, are described as Heing iu the greatest state of excitement. It would seem that the reports published iu the Westport Star of Friday evening, which stated that many persons had received serious injury in the fray, were exaggerated. ;

The Mail for Europe via Panama closes this eveniug for letters at 8 o'clock,* for newspapers at 7, and mouey orders and registered letters at 5 p.m. We learn that, in consequence of intelligence from Hokitika, received by his Excellency the Governor at Auckland by the Lord Ashley, orders were given that a company of the 18th Royal Irish, iu command ot Major Rocke, aud supplied with all the medical and surgical requisites, stores, &c, usually furnished to detachments proceeding on activ a, service should be despatched ou board H.M.S. Falcon for Hokitika direct. She sailed on Thursday, but we have reason to believe that her destination was, at the last momeufc, altered . for Wellington, in order that, should the information received at that city trom Hokitika warrant' Buck a step. the company ofthe same regimen c now stationed at Wellington, may be dispatche

from that place which would also be under 'the command of the same officer. The detachment 'froin Auckland, 1 including the men of the Falcon, will be about 150 in number, which can be reinforced at a couple ot days' notice from Wellington, bringing up the total strength of the force io over 200, which, together with the I volunteers, special constables, aud local ! police, ought to be amply sufficient to maintain the peace, or to speedily quell | any outbreak. As. however, there would i seem to be uo fear of auy hostile demonstrations at Hokitika, it is probable that the farce will be stationed wherever the Fenian prisoners may be confined previous to their trial. A thanksgiving sov vice for the deliverance of H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh from assassination was held yesterday, at Chris!; Church. Some special prayers and appropriate hymns were used oa the occasion, and the anthem, *Iu Jewry is God kuown,' was sung by 'tho choir at the Evening Service, afc which the Right Rev. Bishop Suter also preached. The sermon formed one of the series now in course of delivery by his Lordship, but was prefaced with some appropriate remarks in reference to the faervice of the day, the necessity of moderation and tolerance under the preseut excitement beiug especially inculcated. The anuiversary of the Stoke Sabbath School takes place to-nlorrovv when a public tea meeting will Le held in the Schoolroom, followed by a public meeting, with addresses by the children and others. A crick v. t match will also probably take place ili'iiug the afternoon between the mem •< f, of the Nelson Baud of Hops and an cic\ou from Stoke. His Excellency tlie Governor aud Lady "jowen were to leave Aucklaud on Satur':_y, on a visit to Sir George Giey at the K.j. wau, where a large party, including the Irieinier, Dr Hector, Major Heaphy, V.C., and others, have assembled to meet them. A notice appears in the advertising columns of the Auckland papers, calling upon all Militiamen aud Volunteers who have left the service, aud who have Government arms aud accoutrements in their possession, to return them by the 3 1st uit., on pain of legal proceed i ugs. Apropos to this intelligence. Ave may mention that a correspondent-, in a letter received by us on Friday last, calls attention to the fact that whilst the Militia aud Volunteer authorities in this province have adopted every possible precaution against the improper use of the arms in their charge, they have been apparently oblivious of the fact that a large number of arms are scattered throughout the province, which the possessors have been called upou by advertisement to return, but no further action has beeu taken to enforce this order. Some of these arms, it is true, have been rendered useless through ueglect and misusage, but our correspondent asserts that there are quite enough in an efficient state to equip a very formidable force, and he is of opinion that steps should at ouce be taken to obviate the possible results of this neglect. Madame aud the Misses Carandiui, with Mr Walter Shenviu, arrived this morning by the Taranaki from Aucklaud. They leave this atternoou for Blenheim, whence they will return to Nelsou, aud give some entertainments in the course of a week or 10 days' time. The action S. Robinson aud Renwick v. Morse, to recover £16 15s. interest on defendant's share of a fence erected uear the River Wye, which divides the Birch Hill aud Weutworth runs, was heard at the Resident Magistrate's Court, Blenheim, ou the 23rd uit. The magistrate gave judgment for the defendant, with £3 los. costs, the Act contemplating a perfect feuce, whilst it appeared from the evidence that the oue in question was not completed at either eud. The Marlborough News of the 28th ulfc., states that at the close of this case, Mr. Moffitt, who appeared for the plaintiffs, objected to the payment of defendant's expenses as a wituess, upon the grouud that he had not heen served with a subpoena ; the 40th clause of the Resident Magistrate's Act, 1867, only allowing payment to persous who should be summoned, and who should appear as witnesses. Upon this point his Worship ruled that as Mr Morse had not been summoned as a witness, hia expenses could uot be allowed. To suitors and witnesses iu the Resident Magistrate's Court, this ruling is important, rendering it absolutely necessary to serve with a subpeeua every person who, as a witness in a civil suit desires to claim ex-

. peu ses, not excepting the plaintiff and de- , fendant. - • We understand that the next concert of the Nelson Harmonic Society will take ' place on the Thursday in Easter Week, t being the day selected for the public holiI day, iu celebration of the opening of the i Waterworks. The first part of the pro--1 gramme will consist of selecfcious from ; Mendelssohn's oratorio, ' Elijah,' aud the second will be of a miscellaneous and popular character. The Gotheuburgh left Hobsou's Bay at 5 p.m. on the 24th iilt., and arrived at Bluff Harbor at 2.30 on the 29th, lauded 30 tons cargo aud sailed at 6 p.m. for Port Chalmers ; arrived at Port Chalmers ] 0 a.m. on SOth, lauded passengers and dis-- ! charged 100 tons cargo, received on board i a large number of passeugers and a quan- | tity of cargo for other N.Z. ports, aud ; sailed for Lyttelton afc 2.30 ou the Ist, ■ and arrived there at 10 a.m. on the 2nd ; i lauded passengers aud cargo, aud received j 100 tons cargo for Melbourne; sailed for j Wellington afc 8 p.m. same day, and arj rived in Wellington at 3.30 p.m. on the I 3rd. Landed passengers and cargo and j sailed lor Nelson at 11.30 a.m. on the 4th, j arriving afc midnight. i About half-past 9 o'clock, last night, a ' very large meteor was observed by a considerable number of persons, falling in a south-easterly direction. It was visible for several seconds, aud was of unusual size and brilliancy. The Westp.)!'-:* Slav s/.ales that the Rev. ; Father Us Do .ough, having been recalled • by th*.- rS.As, Rev. Bishop Viard, formally resigned his charge on Monday, the 30th : ull. A pubiic meetiug- was held in the Court Houoe* 'i'aran.iki, on Friday last, which was very numerously attended, to give expression to the indignation felt by the . : Taranaki settlers at the late attempted assassination of the Prince, and also to their sympathy with the Royal sufferer. The 27th Auniversary of the Settlement of the Province of Tarauaki was celebrated on the 31st uit., by the annual races, which were not so numerously attended as usual. The entries for the various races were not full, aud the horses were of inferior character. The Superiutetidant of Taranaki has written to the Secretary of the Royal Reception Commission to say that the Provincial Government of Tarauaki aud the settlers generally do not feel themselves in a position to make adequate preparation for the receptiou of His Royal Highness, and that therefore, although with much regret, they will have to forego the honor of entertaining him. Iu the Canterbury Provincial Council, the followiug resolutions have been carried : — That in the opinion of this Council there should be a Provincial Council, chosen by the people of this province in the same manner as the present Council is chosen.- The Council, to have the control of all matters strictly Proviucial. That the Council should elect the Super- • inteudent, who shall sit in the Ilouse as Chairman, aud act as general controller of departments, but should have no power j whatever of engaging the revenues of the province for naymeut of any contracts or works without the express sanction of the Council; provided always that members of the Council should be eligible for election as Superintendent. That there . should be a permaneut staff of officers I for conducting the business of the departments. There should be an Executive Council of member, of the Provincial , Council, as colleagues of the Superintendent. The Council to vote only halfi yearly supplies, and, in matters Proviucial , to have power to raise taxes for Proviu- ' cial purposes — management of waste laudsj railways, roads, bridges, and public works, education, immigration, police, gaols, asylums, and harbors ; provided, that 25 per ' cent, of the land fund be given to the districts in which the revenue . is raised. . The principal, we may say the only, debate that took place on these resolutions ■ was on the question whether the Superintendent should be elected by the Council, which was carried on a division by a majority of 20 to 9. A motion, that in the ■ opiuiou of this Council it is expedient that the present system of Government by a Superintendent and Provincial Council, as established by the Constitution Act; be abolished, was negatived by 24 to 5. 1 No less than £1500 was subscribed at a • prelimiuary meetiug.of the members of.tjhe Hebrew community, iu^ Syduey, on the 19th uit., .towards the erection of the pro- , posed Alfred Memorial.