WELLINGTON.

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 258, 10 April 1860, Page 3

WELLINGTON.

(From the Wellington Independent.) The Militia.—ln consequence of the withdrawal of the troops from Wellington a portion of the militia has been called out for actual sevice. The commanding officer is Major Trafford, formerly Captain in the 65th Regiment. The first ballot was held on the 17th instant, when 300 names were drawn, but in consequence of removals, deaths, and exemptions the 200 required were not obtained and a second ballot was held last Wednesday.. The service is found to press very heavily on the country settlers, many of whom have to come into town every few days fr&m the extremities of the district—2o miles from the police office. It is expected that as soon as the necessary instruction have been received the whole of the militia will be called out, and the men drilled in the districts in which they reside—a duty the vast majority of the settlers will willingly perform, if it be arranged to interfere as little as^possible with their ordinary avocations. Meetings have been held in the Upper and Lower Hutt to petition the Governor to reduce the size of the districts, and we feel persuaded that every facility will be afforded to make the duties as little onerous as possible. The arms and accoutrements are very defective. The muskets are the old brown bess bearing date 1841, and the cross belts being of white leather, are inappropriate: because dangerous. The maories have good double and single barrelled fowling pieces and rifles, and every effort should be made to render the militia as little conspicuous in the bush as possible—at present they would form capital marks for far less experienced shots than their native opponents would prove themselves to be. Fatal Accident.—On Wednesday, a young man met with an accident at the races. He was trying to leap over the fence when the horse stumbled and threw him with great violence against the ropes. He was taken to one of the booths, and every attention paid to him. Dr. Martyr was sent for, who immediately ordered his lemoval to the Hospital, where death put an end to his sufferings yesterday aU

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The meeting of the General Assembly, it is feared, will be postponed on account if the Maori war. It is stated to have-been currently rumoured in Auckland that it would not meet till June. We hope it will not be postponed altogether, though we should not wonder at shortly hearing of such being the case, especially as the present Assembly dies out in October.

Child lost.—A very distressing case has recently occurred in the neighborhood of Pauhatahanui. On the morning of last Friday week Mr. Charles Stewart and his son,,an intelligent child between 5 and 6 years of age, left their home for the purpose of bringing in the cattle for milking. Having some difficulty in finding them Mr. Stewart desired the boy to take a well beaten track, while he went another. On Mr. Stewart's arrival at the house, he was startled to find that the child had not reached there, as it was but a short distance from where he* had left him. As he did not return, search was made through the bush without success; and although a great many persons" have been out dragging the streams and searching the bush, we are grieved to say that up to last night no clue whatever had been obtained. As so long a.time as elapsed since the child was missed we fear, there is but a very faint hope of his being alive; but yet it would be a melancholy satisfaction to the bereaved parents even to ascertain hi«