VAN DIEMEN’S LAND.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 596, 19 April 1851, Page 3

VAN DIEMEN’S LAND.

[From the Britannia, March 31.]

Bushranger Captured.—A man of the name of M‘Kay who has been in the bush for 18 months past, was captured last week after a most desperate resistance, at a place called Water-meetings, in the district of Great Swan Port, by two brothers of the name of Aughey and a man called Thomas Gilbert. M‘Kay fired off one barrel of his gun at Gilbert, and the ball passed through his cap. lie then fired off the other barrel, and the ball took effect in Gilbert’s throat ; the unfortunate man fell dead upon the spot; the brothers Aughey then closed on M‘Kay and captured him after a desperate struggle. A verdict of wilful murder was pronounced against him by the inquest held on the body, and M’Kay has been sent on to Oatlands to take his trial. The 99th Regiment.'—lt is said that the 99th Regiment is to be sent to India, and that the soldiers will embark as soon as another regiment (supposed to be the 43rd), arrives to supply the place of the 99tb, which it is expected will be about September next. Ihe following sentence was passed upon lieutenant Bcnison, 99th Regiment, by the General Court Martial on the charges preferred against him by Colonel Despard : — “ To be publicly and severely reprimanded, and to be placed at the bottom of the list of lieutenants of the 99th regiment; to make a written apology, dictated by the court, to Commander Drew, R.N., Superintendent of Impression Bay Station, Tasman’s Peninsula; and also to G. H. Courtenay, Esq., Visiting Magistrate, Port Arthur.

The State Prisoners.—The report that T. B. M’Manus, one of the Irish prisoners, had escaped from Van Diemen’s Land, is confirmed ; he is supposed to have gone to California.