STOPPING A MAIL COACH.

Thames Star, Volume III, Issue 1683, 26 May 1874, Page 2

STOPPING A MAIL COACH.

Our telegrams recently inform us that a Mr McDonald had taken the liberty of shooting one of the leaders of the Napier mail Coach. The'history;'of the affair is thus given by the Wanganui correspodent of the Wellington indepen-

dent :—

■•-■■ The telegraph has no doubt" already: informed you of some of the facts con-; nected with the stoppage of the Napier; mail. In my previous letter I informed" you of the -preparations' made by Mr A.'J Young for slartiug the line. He had, however,, determined to personally-j superintend the operation, and for this purpose overtook the coach driven byi'Vjr M'Xenzie, at Bull's, on Thursday. Che coach halted for a few .minutes at Schultze's Awalrari Hotel, .'wacre Mr Young received the congratulations of Messrs Schultze, Bull, and several Others. As usual on such occasions, Mr Young. " shouted for all hands." Inside the public-house ■ a conversation ook place between Mr Alexander Ivt' ■ Donald, Mr Young and Mr M' Kenzie. Mr M'Donald wanted to proceed to PalmerstowD, d.ut was informed that the coach was full, and that no passengers could be carried. Mr. M ' Donald s was much irritated at the refusal, and bounce.* ably told Mr M ' Kenzie, the driver, that; he/had seen better men than he and ; his "boss" drowned in the river.-, Mr. Young banteringly replied that he was better than any drowned man, being alive, whereupon M, Donald muttered that he had only to holp np Ms finger,:; and the mail would be stopped. He seems to have then gone upstairs into Mr Schultze's bedroom, taken therefrom; a loaded gun, awaited the coach on Orsua bridge, which, is only a few yards. from the house. It was surmised by,! the people present that he merely inten-; ded to fire a sort of salute of welcome, and little notice was taken of his , proceedings. The coach; started, and the leading ■. horses had just, got on the bridge, when M'Bonald fired'from the hip, wounding one of the leaders immediately over the eye. Mr Young and the driver, fearing that the gun was being aimed at them, swayed about to avoid the shot. Mr Young ; jumped down, examined the wound, and found that the ball had taken a downwarcl course. Assisted by the bystanders, he removed the horse, add backed the coach,; so as to allow room to turn*; /The follow-: ing conversation the took place between him and M'Dpnald :—. ,-' '

Youcg : This,;is, a strange, thing to: happen on Her Majesty's highway. ■ . > M'Donald : I am king here. \ Young:. Then what would your majesty; wish me to do? ,

M'Donald i Eeturn by the way whence you came. ■ , .■ - ■ ; Young: I have Her Majesty's mails' onboard. Am Ito proceed ? ■.'.'■ M'Donald: "No mail shall pass this'bridge unless it goes over my neck. We' have no grudge against you; I like you,: and will carry you over the bridge on my back, and all the Maoris like you.

"Young : Do you want to'shoot any more' of my horses, because if you do I'll take them out, aud you can have a fair shot atthem, but don't shoot them on the bridge or they may jump over. M'Donald :• if I had another shot I'd shoot another, but I have no grudge against you. I- thought th'o poor brute would have died sooner. If you like I'll pay you foe the horse at once. _ M'Donnld then threw dowYi his hat, and danced about in the Maori fashion,' brandishing his gun, and uttering Maori He went up to the h'orso, and said in Maori, " This thing' is good," an expression which was repeated by one of the natives present. Mr. Young'asked a chief whom he knew^ if it was safe to proceed, and was advised to return. The coach was then turned round. Mr Young said to M'Donald, " Good morning, Your Majesty," and was about tc leave) when Mr Bull came up, and said," Good God, M'Panald, what have you done. This is a frightful affair; you surely 'don't mean any harm to Young? " M'Donald replied that he did not. Mr Young sayß that all the Maoris present condemned the act, and he believes himself that it was a mad act committed under the influence of annoyance at the refusal to convey M'DOnald in the coach to Palmerston. As the presumed chief of the native tribe at this place, M'Donald probably expected to be received with considerable homage. It is said, however, that he had been drinking to excess. Mr Young is convinced that no political significance can be attached to the affair,

M'Donald has sinjc been arrested under tho Malicious Injuries to Property Act, and committed for .trial, but admitted to bail, himself in. £1000, and two sureties of £500 each.