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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 153, 28 June 1879, Page 4

The following Noumea, news to the • 13th instant has been received at Auckland : H.M. schooner Conflict arrived on the sth from Aoba, Lepers Island, the scene of the Mystery massacre, reported some months ago. The Wolverine, Commodore Wilson, has visited the Charming Island, and invited the chiefs to deliver the murderer up. They said they would see the Commodore hanged first. Howeter,,when an armed company of sailors and marines were lapded in full strength things began to look serious for the chiefs and their children, who seemed much inclined to show fight. The chiefs demanded a parley, and a deputation from each of the threatening parties advanced midway between them. The parley resulted in the delivery of the asserted murderer to the commodore, and the payment by the chiefs of twenty-five pigs, which, in . native currency," is e<jual to killing five wen or

twejnty-flve women, the scoundrels valueing!as many as five pigs for the life of one mart, and hut one for that of a woman. . In connection with the murdering of the Mybtery's boat's crew a dreadful incident has! come to light. One of the four South Seaj Islanders escaped into the boat) and for months he was sought for vain. Nothing was" ever seen of him until the day after bis dea|h through starvation, and the suffering caused by one of his hands being chopped off. Imagine a human creature existing in such a horrible plight and agony. .& Marble Haul. — Stealing a tombstone. "|Too much shirt collar and too little young man," is the girls' verdict on the average beau of the period. ■ 'As to the Victorian football rales (says a contemporary) we believe that they are very pretty : but there must be something inherently pugnacious in them, for ill-natured people say that there is scarcely a big match in Melbourne which does not end in the removal of the umpires or a free-fight. A correspondent of the Taranaki Herald the other day had a long talk with Te Wbiti, who, referring to the Waitara meeting, said : — "At the Waitara meeting Sir George Grey said he had planted a tree whose roots would spread over New Zealand, and would flonrish and bear fruit that would be a blessing to both races, that peace and prosperity andjhappiuess would overspread the land. When the sound of his voice was still vibrating in the air the surveyors were sent to Waimate. Good words and fair promises were followed by doubtful actions If he desired peace and quietness, why disturb the minds of the people of the West Coast by s.uch an act of aggression after the land had; remained quiet for so many years ? Were they not satisfied in taking the land iroin friend and toe alike, from Poutoke to Hagnatahua." With regard' to fighting, the prophet said to me, " I have a bad name with the jpakeha, and nothing would maka them belijeve otherwise unless they believed in God and! searched the Scriptures. Then the iaist would be withdrawn from their eyes, and] they would clearly see the truth. For. many years I have been preaching peace.' 'I. have kept the gun out of the hand of : the Maori.. I have put the sword of the flesh tinder my feet, and no man will be able to take it up. You pakehas are arming yourselves, you are gathering round to crush me witji carnal weapons. All these years that I have been preaching peace will have no effect on jrou, because you are blind and will not receive the truth I will fight you with the sword of the spirit, the sword that proceeded out of my mouth, that will crash all kings, governors, and prophets, and will raise up thejhumble and the meek. Then the Prince of f eace, Te Whiti, will appear and put ali evil under his feet." . Mr. Mason, one of the candidates for the Hutt,' received a somewhat valueless vote of confidence the other night. The NZ. Tiyes says :— lt is very rarely that the casting vote of the chairman is required to be ' given at meetings of candidates for Parliamentary honors, but it will be seen from our report of Mr Mason's meeting at the] Hutt last night that the chairman exercised his privilege in this respect. The. vote of confidence in the candidate was put to the meeting, but only a few hands were held up for; it, while the preponderance of digits appeared to be against the vote. A voice from the body of the hall set matters at rest, however, by the assertion that some of the latter, voters were .holding up both hands, and the chairman, grasping the situation with a facility that did him great credit, decided that the votes were equal, and by his own vote at once declared the motion to. be caviied. The great bulk of those present did not vote on either side.