THE NATIVE WAR.

Southland Times, Issue 1116, 1 March 1869, Page 2

THE NATIVE WAR.

~+ — The following is taken, from the Otago papers : — Wellington, Feb. 23. The Superintendent of Taranaki and Messrs Hirst and Dingle, the deputation appointed at the late public meeting held .\t New Plymouth, arrived here by the Wellington "this inorniug, to consult with the Government as to the protection of the district. The Taranaki people view with great alarm the approaching departure of the Imperial troops, and do not like to depend, tor protection solely on the raw constabulary. Michael Murphy, the man who was arrested on the charge of complicity in the late murders, was formerly a private in the 57th Regiment. The information was laid by the Provincial Secretary, and the prisoner was remanded to allow of further evidence being obtained. At the New Plymouth meeting, it was resolved to ask the Government to station a division of the Armed Constabulary in the Province. m % Mrs G-ascoyne's body was mutilated, and one of her fingers cut off to get her wedding ring. t > Mr George Webster is a third candidate for the seat for Auckland in the House of Bepresentatives vacated by Mr O'Neill. A public meeting haa been called here for to-morrow, to arrange as to the steps to be taken for the reception of the Duke of Edinburgh. An enquiry into the loss of the St. Vincent was held to-day. The decision arrived at by the Board is that the ship was lost through an error of judgment on the part of the captain in not running the ship into Cloudy Bay or back to Wellington. The mate stated that he offered to pilot the ship into Cloudy Bay, but the captain would not allow him to do so. No tender has aa yet been accepted for the Suez Mail Service. It is reported that the contract will be only for a short time, so as to allow the Assembly to express their opinion in the matter. Mr Travers has published a letter regarding the late loss of men in the peach grove on the Waitotara. He wants to know whether they were a duly organised foraging party, or whether they went there on their own responsibility. He says the case demands investigation, and that it is remarkable that such disasters occur chiefly to the men un ler the immediate command of Colonel M'Donnell. Mr Fox writes to the ' Independent' in reply to Mr Smytbies's letter, saying that, Judge Ward's judgment on the motion to suspend Mr Smythies from pratice, disposes of the latter's arguments. He does not want to oppress Mr Smythies, but to bring public opinion and the united action of the profession to bear upon the Supreme Court. He adds that the united bar of the Colony should support Mr Macassey in the matter, and that the members of the Otago bar should seize the preseut opportunity to take the lead in the formation of a Law Institute to guard the interests of the profession. Mr llobert Lusk, barrister, Auckland, also writes to the ' Independent,* warmly defending Mr Smythies, and condemning the action taken by Mr Fox in the matter.