THE COLONIST.

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 350, 26 February 1861, Page 2

THE COLONIST.

NELSON, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1861

Saturday was an unprecedented day in the calendar of maritime arrivals; no less than three steamers at once having been heralded by our signal staff in the morning —-the Wonga Wonga, the Airedale, and H.M.S. Cordelia; and in the evening the Prince Alfred from Sydney with a larger mail than usual, after a quick run of under five days: she spoke the Lord Ashley on her upward tripfrom hence at the Sydney Heads. Our wharf now assumes quite a commercial appearance, large hulls and lofty spars ranging along the sides in goodly array, to say nothing of the les? pretentious though equally useful craft of smaller build, such as brigs, and schooners, and small fry that give animation to the picture. On Friday we were happy to welcome the safe arrival at our port of the Dona Anita, alter a protracted passage, which latterly caused some apprehensions for her safety, having been 132 days out. The following is the list of passengers:—Mr. and Mrs. Hastelow, Mr. and Mrs. 2 neP" herd, Messrs. Coates, Wynen, Nicholl, Darling, Misses Shar^, Bollin, Nicholson, and Shepherd (3), Master Shepherd, Mrs. Ann Shepherd, Mr. and Mrs. Milsom and three children, Mr. and Mrs. Hubbard and four children, and Mr. Joseph. This vessel had favorable and fine weather during the greater part of the passage, but was detained off this coast for three weeks by baffling winds: she now lies inside the jetty, and will discharge cargo quickly. By her the settlement obtains an acquisition in the shape of red deer—a buck and two does: they are apparently in capital condition and will be carefully tended and acclimatised. This vessel brings a large and general cargo to Nelson. By the brig Lallah Rookh from Melbourne, after a passage of sixteen days with head winds, we received papers to the 30th ultimo; she will be despatched this week for Wellington.

The news from Taranaki is not of present moment with respect to any startling achievement in military operations; at the last place we hear of them, the natives appearing, to have been so fully prepared ..and securely entrenched in their naturally well defended position that no success; is as yet recorded. On the other hand our extracts will show that the death of Captain Strange at the scene of action, and that of Captain King, who was waylaid and shot while attempting to visit his- property at Wood-' leigh, are added to' the list .of deplorable events. Commodore Seymour and the head-quarters of the 90th arrived off the Waita.ra on Friday last, by the Iris from the Bay of Islands with his Excellency the Governor on board. The Fawri and the Victoria are still at tha Manakau. The Kate Kearney had arrived with stores, and was to leave for Sydney again on Friday last. The two surf boats stolen fromuthe beach wore still missing, and we hear that a rebel Maori had been . discovered and shot. Our extracts and death-list show that. sanitary measures are either much needed or that the town is peculiarly unfo^ tunate in the numbers of deaths that occu through fever. This has been dwelt strongly •upon by a local paper as sufficient grounds for denying permission for any one to ireturn to their homes at present.

Inquest.—An inquest was held at Richmond on Saturday last, touching the death of Christian Ehrenfried Reichett, a native of Silesia, in Prussia, who wa3 found dead in his tent on Thursday last at the Mouteve. The body of the deceased was discovered in a fearful state of decomposition by some persons returning from harvesting, who called at his tent on Thursday last to see him; and it is supposed that he had been dead three or four weeks,, as the last entry in a log that the deceased had been in the habit of .keeping was dated the 26th day of January. D'iedrich Wilkins was the first to discover the body. In th» box inside the tent vvaa found money amounting to six

pounds four shillings and seveiipence halfpenny. The inquest was held by N. G. Movse, Esq., on Saturday,; aud a verdict of 'Found dead—cause riot knowr),' returned. The deceased waiira single -manj of literary tastes, but'; of ratherjyeccentnc turn of mind. ' '.'./ -v ..•.■■/

Boat Accidknt.-tA boat load of persons leaving the Dona Anita on Fiiday afternoon had.-a narrow escape of their lives. The boat's painter being fast to the barque which was still under weigh in rounding-to, and the boat being too heavily freighted in the bow, the way of the vessel buried her beneath the water and five persons, A; Scott, J. Dillow, Joe Miller, Thomas Alexander, and another, Were immediately afloat. Most timely assistance, however, was afforded by the presence of mind exhibited by a young female on board the barque^ who, with the utmost promptitude cut loose the life-buoys and threw one of them with such good effect that it fell over the head of one mart and sustained him until the pilot boat could come to his rescue; and pick up the others, who striking out manfully though sore encumbered by their clothing or heavy boots were in some cases making very bad weather of it—shipping too much water in the lower hold, and taken at such a disadvantage that even Joe Miller himself would have ceased to discover any joke in the matter, but for this timely assistance, which landed them all safely with nothing worse-than a good.ducking to laugh over. . ■ ■■„

Deserters from H. M. Ships.—We copy the following from the Wellington Independent:— We deem it our duty to call attention to the following notice recently published in the Government Gazette, describing the penalties incurred by those who entice seamen belonging to her Majesty's ships to desert, or harbor them afterwards, as there are numerous deserters from the Pelorus and Fawn now at large, for whose capture a reward of three pounds and payment of reasonable expenses are offered. It is satisfactory th find that the Provincial Government is rendering all the facilities in its power towards that object, because the inability to regain deserters always brings a station into disrepute, and leads commanders to give other stations a preference, where their ships can remain without incurring any very great loss of men.—' XI. And be it enacted, that every person who, by words or any other means whatsoever, shall persuade any person in her Majesty's navy to desert or, improperly absent himself from his duty, shall forfeit and pay the sum of Twenty Pounds for every such act; and every person who shall assist or procure any person in her Majesty's navy to desert or improperly absent himself from his duty, or shall conceal, employ, or continue to employ, any person belonging to her Majesty's navy who shall be a deserter, or improperly absent from his duty, knowing him to be such a deserter or so improperly absent, shall forfeit and pay the sum of Thirty Pounds for every such assistance, procurement, concealment, employment, or continuing of employment a 8 aforesaid.' (10 and 11 Viet., c. 62.)