The Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, JULY 18, 1878.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 172, 18 July 1878, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, JULY 18, 1878.

The Alhambra, which left Melbonrne on the llth instant, brings Suez mail news telegraphed from King George's Sound to Melbourne. The telegrams will be found elsewhere. It is scarcely necessary to remind our readers of the opening performance to be giyen at the new Theatre Royal this eveuing. At the coursing match yesterday there was not much sport. There were three good runs in the early part of the morning, but after that no hares could be found. John Davenport, who was only released from gaol a fortnight ago, was this morning charged under the Vagrant Act with being unlawfully on the premises of the Hardystreet Stables last night, when he was found sleeping in the loft. Prisoner pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to nine months' imprisonment, A large party of the members of the Travellers' Rest Lodge, 1.0.0.F.M.U., met at dinner at the Star and Garter Hotel on Tuesday night, the occasion being the retiring of P.P.G*M. Kearns from taking an active part in the management of the Lodge. About 40 sat down, the chair being taken by P.G. Acton Adams, and the vice-chair by P.P.G.M. Lammas After the usual patriotic and other toasts had been drunk, Mr H. Laukow, in the name of the members of the Lodge, read a very complimentary address to Mr Kearns, and begged his acceptance of a handsomely inlaid writing desk as a mark of their gratitude and .esteem. Mr Kearns replied in suitable terms. An excellent dinner was provided by Host Tovey, the Richmond band was in attendance, and a very pleasant- evening was spent by all who were present. The evangelistic services at the Wesleyan Church continue to be largely attended. Tomorrow evening there i 3 to be a special service on behalf of the inebriates and in the interests of the temperance cause. The children of Nelsou are reminded by an advertisement wbich appears elsewhere of the service to be held in the Wesleyan school-room to-morrow afternoon. The somewhit sensitional telegram which we published on Monday last in reference to a row at Waitara when the natives threatened to pull down the gaol if one of their number who waa locked up in it was not released, created some little interest here, and surprise was expressed that no further mention of the affair was made. On the receipt of our New Plymouth files this morning we carefully looked through them to learn further particulars but to our surprise found tbat it was not alluded to in any way whatever. From a passenger by the Taranaki,

botteVen We learn that It was a dHinkeri row _?J v tfft h 1 M . fc . little attentioh wHa haid liy tesidejiU tb tHe locality: jt tfriSiHate-i iii a nght between a Maori and a wliite maii, in nf a tth 8i h8 f omi ki\was tlie victor; and after .-he. fight wiis bvet he wanted io sbatie hands mHlafce frifetidstiitli his" late' antagonist, btlt ibis* lib ref iised io do. " Well,'! Uid ttie Maori, "it must be one. thing or tlie other, eit ber peace or war,", Tbere was more wrangling, wliicji ended in a . -§eneral melee. ft constafciie shortly appeared on tlje scene, ftuA.ohe o£ b)s first acts was tb bit the Maori, with whom the fracas had commenced, a tremendous blow on the bead with his bandcuffs. He then, with the assistance of a few others, secured him aud lodged him iv gaol. Shortly after, two or three other Maoris were looking on at the gaol when they were laid hold of ahd locked up as well. This caused considerable excitement among the natives which gradually grew more and more intense until they threatened to burn the gaol. down,, Tbe matter cariie to Rewi's earsj aud he; af tei ascertaining the particulars, •Admitted that he was powerless to stop them if they were determined to carry their threat into execution, aud he strongly advised the prisoners beiug released, which, as our telegram told us, was done. There is still a good deal of excitement over the affair, and it is probable that the constable will have to be replaced by another as the Maoris are very wrath over the affair, and more than one have been heard to say that they will knock him on the bead if he is stationed among them again; An enquiry is to be held into the affair. Our informant tells us that the amobrit of drinking that is going on at Waitara is something fearful. The Maoris go ioto town and return witb kits full of grog With which they set to and drink themselves into a state of stupoi* or madness. This is duly among tbe lower order of natives, tbe chiefs, including Rewi, being InoSt teinper-ite men. Wis learn that the amoiint of compensation to be received by the City Coimcil for tb'e piece of land near tbe Globe Hotel together with the stables on it, which will be required for the railway, has been fixed at £500. The Taranaki Herald of Monday last contains an obituary notice of the late Captain Charles Eveiett, brother of Mr E. Everett, of Nelson, who died on Saturday. The following extract mentions an interesting incident iv connection with the Maori war:—" In )865, the deceased was appointed Captain, and retaiued tbe commission till he died. During the war he was present in several engagements with the natives, for which he received the New Zealand War Medal. In 1861, be had a narrow escape of hi 3 life. He was then stationed at Bell Block, and thinking ihat be might with safety trim his furze hedge, he proceeded to his farm, and commenced work. He had not been long there wheu, on looking round, he saw he was surrounded by rei els with their guns all full cock. He expected instant death, but his life was spared by a generous foe, in tbe person of a Waikato chief, whose name, we regret, has been forgotten. The chief walked up to him, took Captain I Everett's neck-tie off, and told him to go. This was an unprecedented act. for up to that time no European's life had been spared; but it shows that tbe Maoris are not all of that treacherous nature which it is so common to attribute to the race. In 1866, he was gazetted a Justice of Peace, and was a commissioner of the Bell Block Road Board for many years." Mr Everett, who went to see his brother before his death, was anxious to learn the name of the chief wbo had spared his life, and went out to Waitara for the purpose to see Rewi. The great chief's niece acted as interpreter, aud, after a little conversation, Rewi said that he remembered all about the affair, and gave the name, but said to Mr Everett : You must not give him all the credit, for he was only acting under my ordeis, which were that all settlers who were pursuing their ordinary peaceful avocations were to be spared, but the moment they attempted to use their arms they were to be killed. It was a comforter that was taken from your brother, and I remember it well. A quantity of the land situate at the Rai Valley, passed in as unsold at the late land | sale in Blenheim, h*is since been purchased at the upset price, one of the largest buyers I being Mr Blick, who has [secured some 570 acres at a cost of upwards of £1700. Mr Blick's purchase lies on the east side of the Rai river.