MISCELLANEOUS.

Patea Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 1000, 21 February 1883, Page 3

MISCELLANEOUS.

The To Aroha Mail learns that Mr Courtney left a document with Mr Greenshields, offering a reward of £SOOO to Mr Shakespcar, or any*other man who. will show him the locality where the same number of diamonds ar6' to be found as are said to have been found by Mr Shakespear. Of course this includes purchase of the finder’s right, exclusive of the ground, private or Crown.

A Kingite, meeting, at which a large gathering of natives is expected to be present, will be held at Totoro, near Mokau, : on*the . 261h instant, I when, sprae definite proposals, it is anticipated, will be submitted to tlie Government by Wabanui, Rewi-, and Te Reranga, on behalf of Ngatimaniapoto. Great quantities of provisions are being collected j some 5000schnappei, 10,000 eels, and five canoe loads of dried mussels have already been sent to lotoio. There will be abundance of beef and pork.

Any mail may bring nows of the death of ex-Judge Maning, the “PakehaMaori,” who went Home lately for medical advice as to the disease of cancer, from which be has long been a sufferer. The last mail Wonght letters from him which stated that he had been seen by Sir James Paget, Dr Hutchinson, and other eminent surgeons, who gave him no hope, and forbade him thinking of returning to the colony. Judge Maning, says the New Zealand Herald , has communicated with some of his Auckland fiiends, and given directions as to what shall be done with his manuscripts and partially - finished Maori translations. The generation amongst whom Mr Maning, as t he “ Pakeha-Maori ” was a familiar figure, is now passing away, but npne who knew him will ever forget his clever witticisms his profound knowledge of human nature and the genial humour which is part of his nature. Mr Maning is chiefly known by his book, {( Old New Zealand.” It was out of ,pi!nt for years, and the author could 'never be got to sanction another edition. It was, however, re-issued in London by the Earl of Pembroke, and has had a large circulation. Mr Maning was in New Zealand a considerable time before the colony was founded, in 1840.

Mr Bryce has telegraphed to Wctere Te Rerenga (says an Auckland paper) that he intends to travel overland from Waikato, via Mokau, to Taranaki. Wetere, in reply, has sent a special ; messenger in from Mokau with a telegram, ! requesting the Minister to wait until after the great meeting at Totoro on the 26th of this month, when he will communicate with him. Some person had telegraphed to Mr Bryce that Wetere was desirous to see him, but Wetere denies ever having authorised anyone to do so. Wetere is anxious to open the country, but he fears complications from hasty or ill-advised actions. The Waikato end of the country is in the hands of Manga and Wahanui, and some natives that are wanted by the authorities are in the heart of the country. The Maniapoto people are said to intend to propose something definite about opening the country after the meeting at Totoro. Mr Alex. Black, late of Patea, has filed a declaration of insolvency. Nominations for the Handicap Hurdles, Flying Handicap, Egmont Handicap, and District Race Handicap, for the Egmont Club Easter meeting, close on Saturday next at 10 a.m. Bush burning has commenced in earnest round the district, and on account of the dry season they are remarkably successful. We have been requested by a number of gentlemen who have attached to them the surname of Bayliss, to give the initials of the gentleman of that ilk who was summoned before the Court on Friday for debt. The unfortunate was C. Bayliss. The Wairarapa Standard thus describes a levee held by “ the King” at Masterton : —“This sight is one that is seldom witnessed in this part of the colonj, situate, as we are, so far from Royalty. Seated between two ladies (who occasionally wipe the prespiration from his brow with a towell) he receives the homage of his loyal subjects in kingly style ; nods majestically to those presented to him ;

and occasionally engages in conversation with them ; and also takes a friendly glass of the waipero, of which there is plenty. The Royal Chamber was filled to overflowing daring His Majesty’s stay ; every door, window, and aperture, being crowded with anxious faces to get a glimpse of him. This, evidently, was not so pleasing to him as was expected, for about ten o’clock the order was given to his aide-de-camp to have his carriage in readiness, and in a quarter of an hour after, the royal party drove away to Te Ore Ore.” For rest of News , see Fourth Page.