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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume III, Issue 179, 31 July 1868, Page 2

The Westland Observer gives the details of a very audacious case of sticking-up, which occurred at Hokitika about midnight on the 21st instant. It appears that a man named Bennett, who had been driuki'ng about the town all day, picked up in the evening with a man named Ratchcliff. The pair proceeded to an hotel in -Revell-street, where they had several

drinks together, the effect of which was to

■cause Bennett to become quite drunk. • They then went out to take a stroll about -town, and Ratchcliff, by some means, induced Bennett to go into Tancred-street. The two walked up that street, and when

they arrived behind the Lancashire Arms, RatchcHff knocked Bennett down, and took -all the money he had about him, £3, out of his pocket. On Bennett's becoming = sober, he gave information to the police ; snd Detective Dyer succeeded on the 22nd in arresting Ratchcliff, who was to be -brought before the Resident Magistrate on the following morning. Among the presentations to H.E.H. the Prince of Walee, at the levee held by him on behalf of her Majesty on the 30th of May was that of MiFrederick A. Weld, late Prime Minister of New Zealand, by the Secretary of State for the colonies, the Duke of Buckingham and Cbandos. Whelan has been committed for trial for the assassination of Mr D'Arcy M'Gee. The Canadian Parliament has adopted an address of indignation and of sympathy with the Queen at the attempted murder of the Duke of Edinburgh. The -House of Commons has passed a bill providing for the family of the late Mr M'Gee,

At a recent public dinner the Duke of Cambridge referred to a caricature in Punch, which represented him as 'knowing nothing of Sir R. Napier. His royal highness declared emphatically that, so far from such being the case, he was the first person to suggest the name of the gallant general to the Cabinet for the command in Abyssinia.