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Southland Times, Issue 648, 25 March 1867, Page 3

MaBBIA&E WITH A NEW ZEAtAND NATIVE. — A curious point was raised before Vice-Chancel-lor "Wood lately in the case of Armitage v. Armitage, which, arose under the will of Joseph Armitage, of Birkby Lodge, Huddersfield, who made bequest in favor of the lawful children of his son James, " provided he should marry an English lady." Jameß Armitage married Hanna Tahi Tahi, a native of New Zealand, and daughter of Samuel Randall and Tahi Tahi, an aboriginal native of New Zealand. The question was whether there was a lawful marriage between Samuel Randall and Tahi Tahi, and of this there wa» no evidence, except the affidavit of Samuel Randall himself, who described himself as of Rangoon Waikato. in the Province of Auckland, in STcvr Zealand, and deposed that he wae Bixty-five years of age, a British subject, born in Massachusetts in 1802, of parents who were British subjects ; that he first came to New Zealand in 1828, and in 1829 intermarried with Tahi Tahi "according to the laws, customs, and usages then in force in "New Zealand;" that New Zealand was not then a British colony, and that there was no Christian clergyman in the island at that time. Mr GK M. GHffard, Q.C., submitted that this evidence was sufficient. Mr Yool referred to the recent decision of the Supreme Court, in which it waß held that a marriage according to the rites of the Mormon religion was not valid, and submitted that the Court would not recognise a marriage according to the laws, customs, and usages of New Zealand before it was a British colony. Mr Giffard replied. The Vice-Chancellor reserved his judgment. Remabkable Feat ov a Hohse. — lately one of Lord Lindsay's grooms was despatched from Dnn-Echt House, on horseback, at 11.40 a.m , and arrived at the Post-office, Aberdeen, a distance of 13 miles, at 12.15 p.m., thus accomplishing the distance in thirty-five minutes ! The pony referred to stands fifteen hands high, is nine years old ; was purchased of Mr Allan, late of Calfosie, Echt, by Mr S. Farquhar, Dun-Echt, in 1861, and sold by him to his present owner in 1862, for £20. It is but right to add that the pony had, on entering Union- street, to break from a gallop to a trot. This pony is after the late famous racing horse " St. Leger." During the last three months no less than five clergymen in full Anglican orders, and all belonging to the ultra-high church school, have given up their respective living? o* curaoiea, an 4 h«fo |nsn, fcsgi&ttj received into th? Rwnwi church, \