WELLINGTON.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue XVI, 3 November 1881, Page 2

WELLINGTON.

[From our own Correspondent.] Wednesday Hight: There is an almost total absence" of news from the front to-day, and Mr Bryca briefly telegraphs that active preparations continue. It appears that there in some intention on the part of the New Plymouth people to come down to Pungarehu on Saturday in order to witness the march on Parihaka, but it is felt that this idea of treating a very solemn and imposing proceeding as a mere spectacle;, the central attraction in a day's sight-seeing, is very incongruous and that the thing is altogether objectionable. Mr Bryce has, therefore, giveu notice that all traffic will be stopped on the road so»th of Stoney River on Friday and Saturday next. The Hinemoa left this afternoon with the Wellington Volunteers. The Companies assembled this afternoon at the Barracks, and marched dowii Taranaki, Manners, and Willis streets, and then along Waterloo Quay to the Railway Wharf where they at once proceeded to embark on the Hinemoa. The Guards Band headed tho corps and played "Let roe like a soldier fall," Several hundreds of people accompanied them to the steamer, and as she left the wharf shortly after 2 o'clock a round of hearty cheers rang out from the spectators and wai responded to by those on board. The total number of men, all told, is 231. Dr Diver accompanies the Volunteers as staff surgeon, Mr Young, who commands the Guards, is a candidate for the Mayoralty, and Captain C. Johnston who goes to command the Naval Brigade is a candidate for Te Are in the Parliamentary election. A rumour has got about during the last day or two, and has been very generally circulated to-day, that a portion oi Parihaka is mined and charged with dynamite or powder, and that the Divine interposition promised by Te Whiti on the sth of November will consist in blowing up the Eutobean forces as Guy Fawkes prepared to do the House of Commons on that day two or three centuries ago I have made careful enquiries regarding the truth of this alarming rumour (which is repeated to-day in a private letter from the front) but, bo far as I can learn, there is not the slightest foundation for the idea. It is almost impossible that the necessary preparations could have been made for such an atrocious scheme without coming to the knowledge of the Government through the various means which they have of procuring reliable information as to what goes on at Parihaka. I hays every reason, therefore, to believe the report to be utterly groundlQss, and I merely mention it now in order to be able to dispel the natural apprehensions for the safety of our men which would be created if euch a rumour obtained publication without this explanation, which is practically a denial of ita truth. It ia still fully believed by experts that Te Whiti Tohu and Co. will simply station themselves in Parihaka and refute to budge. It may then be a matter of trouble to " move on " a couple of thousand people, including women and children. Mr Bryce is said, however, to bave his places thoroughly matured. The total force at the Front may now be summed up roughly in round numbers aB follows :— Consiabulaiy nearly 900; Volunteers from other parts nearly 1000; local Volunteers j 600 or 600; in all, something like 2500 men. The Government have been obliged to refuse all offers from every part of the colony since last Saturday morning, as Mr Bryce telegraphed very, positively not to send any more at present as they did not want them, and an excessive number would embarrass rather than assist him. The Government were very sorry to disappoint the numerous corpß who have so readily offered their services, but it could not be helped. Their services may yet be required, although it is, of course, hoped that such will not be the case. Every effort is being used to improve the camp, commissariat, and provisions at the front. The fact is, the Government have more men than they bargained for, and this nas caused some unavoidable temporary inconvenience. Mr Rolleston left this afternoon by the Hinemoa for Opunake, and it is probable lhat Messrs Bryce, Atkinson and Rolleston will all be present at the Parihaka demonstration on Saturday. Extra telegraph wires and operators have been sent up to facilitate telegraphic communication which, as yet, is somewhat slow, partly owing to the bulky character of the telegrams sent. Nothing further has transpired as to the attitude of the Governor but I think I am warranted in saying that no active interference on his part is anticipated but it is thought he may, perhaps, take an unduly favorable view of Te Whiti and Tohu's last utterances, a special report of which I sent you last night; however, it ia not at all expected that he will exercise any undue or unconstitutional pressure on Ministers The date of the general elections will not be definitely fixed or the writs issued until the result of Saturday's affairs is known, as, should anything serious come of tbat event, it might be nepsßsary to euminon Parliament

on cf. Should all go well, the writs will most likely ba i 8 next Monday or Tuesday, fixing the date of ihe election! for about the 7th or Bth December. This, of course must not ba taken as authoritative yet, &s events might eDta.il more or less of a change of plans. -■-/lßtrict *>udge Shaw has resigned in order to practise in tbe legal profession, -this makes two vacant District Judgeships and Resident Magistrateships, namely, Wellington and Dunedin. it is not yet decided who will succeed Judge Shaw and Mr Simpson. It is said thero is some difficulty in obtaining lawyers of the requisite standing and experience who would give up practice for the comparatively small salary paid to the District Judges and Resident Magistrates. j> j -.. „- . , This Day, 230 p.m. The Government have received no telegrams from Mr Bryce to-day. The Hinemoa with Mr Kolleston and the Wellington Volunteers reached Opunake at four o'clock this morning. There are some complaints as to the Volunteer accommodation, &c, at Opunake. but every exertion is being used to supply the deficiencies. [" Argus '* Specials] (PerTe Anauat tho Bluff.) . London, October 26tb. Tha Goyernnieat have received intelligence that the Volksraad have by an unanimous rote determined to ratify the Convention agreed to by the Imperial Commisio'nsrs, aad Messrs Kruger, Prettonus, and Joubsrt, the Boer Triumvirate, oh tha Bth August. ' The capture of Herat by the army of the Am:er Abdul Rahman is fully confirmed. Before the city was occupied three fixed battles were fought with the forces of Ayoub Khan. The hostility displayed by the native population against the French occupation of Tunis is so bitter that the Republican General in command is resorting to great severities. A number of Arab insurgents have been executed; and their heads publicly exposed in the capital. Baron James Rothschild died at Paris yesterday. iii WM^BJ

A "Find of great and rare interest to antiquaries and historians has just been made in Egypt. In a secret gallery, hewn out of the solid rock of the Lybean Mountains, a large number of relics of the Thebau dy nasty, have been discovered. There are thirty Royal mummies, one of which is that of Thutmes 111., who reigned 1600 years before the birth of Christ, and who quarried the obelisk, Cleopatra's Needle, which now stands upon the Thames Embankment. Another mummy i 3 that of Ramses 11., who; 27' b years after the death of Thutmes, caused his own official titles to be carved upon the same obelisk- Paftyri were found in all the coffins", some of the highest possible value. Tha coffin containing the remains of Naut Neydem, a daughter of King Ramses 11 , is adorned with gold and precious stones of great value. Iri' all nearly two thousand objects have been discovered. On Saturday an occurrence of a moat singular character took place in one of the swimming ponds in connection with the Dun - dee public baths. The water is let off into the river at low tide, and the pond is refilled from a tank on the premises. While the pond was being emptied ou Saturday a lad named Johnston,, contrary to the rulei of the establishment, sprang iv feet foremost to have a bathe. To the consternation of those present he did not return to tha surface, and his next appearance was af the door of the baths naked and bruised and bleeding. The suction of the water had drawn bim through the pipe a distance of between 20ft. and 30ft., and had shot him, as if from a catapult, into the river Tay. The pipe is only 12in. in diameter. Johnston says that on leaping into the pond he felt as if some one had seired hira firmly by the feet- ; the next moment all was dark, and he was propelled into daylight and tho river. He has since been confined to his bed, but his medical attendant is of opinion that he will recover. — Times; August 30th. A child being asked what were the three great feasts of the Jews, replied, " Breakfast, dinner, and supper." A lady, joking about her nose, said, " I had nothing to do in shaping it. It was a birthday present. " Ie ii supposed that one of the chief objecis in a soldier's drill is to make holes iv the enemy.