THE POVERTY BAY TRAGEDY

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 234, 25 July 1872, Page 6

THE POVERTY BAY TRAGEDY

The telegraph recently conveyed information of a brutal assault having been committed on the persons of a Mrs Hardy and her domestic by a man named Shuker. The Hawkt's Bay Herald gives the^following particulars of the affair :—: — -■

Mr Manly was away in Napier. Mrs H aril j , her t\\ a children , who slept with her, ar.d. the bei vant, Ma y Ann Manchester, were alonu in the house, which is some distauce .i\\ay f-o:ii any olhcr. On Friday, the 21ot ultimo, at al-oufc 1 am., the .servant wa-> woke i>p by bearing the children,

In our advertising columns will be found a hktle of the dater Warden's and Resident Magistrate's Courts are to be held at Wnipori, Waitahuna, and WoolshedT The Friday half-holiday continues to be observed by the business people of Lawrence. This is exceedingly creditable, when it is confc aidered in hove many places similar movements eclipsed. THE Wetherstones readings were given in the. schoolhouse on Thursday evening last. There was a good attendance, and after the readings there was a dance. TfiE late heavy rains have had the effect of raising the Molyneux River several feet. Beach workings and dredging have in conse- , quence been greatly impeded. Ws remind the shareholders in the Devils Creek Quartz Mining Company, Registered, that in accordance with the terms of the prospectus, 28. 6d. per share is required to be paid before Tuesday, the 6tli August, to the Legal Manager, Mr. James M'Cay, at the office of the Company, Flodden-street, Waipori. Mr. Adams has completed, the survey of the I Tuapeka and Beaumont Water Race, required by the Goldfields Water Supply Department, so we ptesume that very shortly the owners-. will receive the subsidy they applied for. We are informed that the misgivings entertained by some, as to the race being brought in from a sufficient height are without foundation, as from its head to the Beaumont saddle, there is a fall of 150 feet. F, We have received a lengthy communication from Mr. J. C. Savage in which the accuracy of our report of the remarks he made at the public meeting on the Teviot land sale, held on the 15th inst. are impugned, the powers of the Waste Lands Board are defined, and the proper course the people of the goldfields should take to pi event the sale to Citrgill and Anderson being completed, set forth. So far as regards the jrepoct, our reporter states that its accuracy is made more apparent by Mr. Savage's corrections. As to the powers of the Waste Lands Board, Mr. Savage's definition of the powers of that body is certainly ingeniously expressed, but is not new, aud it entirely ignores the existence of the Goldfields Act. Mr. Savage's ideas as the proper course to prevent the sale are exceedingly good. There is only oue thing that detracts from the value of his suggestions, and that is, they have been been given effect some considerable time ago. On the grounds stated, we do not feel justified in allowing space for the insertion of the communication. One incident of Mr. Brogden's visit to Southland has been carefully suppressed by the press of that defunct province. During the presence of this Public Works Magnate, the Southlanders were exceedingly anxious to show how well their railways worked, and to practically confute the report that their trains are unable to beat a smart cow iv a fair nice, which has obtained sucb extensive curiency in New Zealand and Australia. Accoidingly, when Mr. Brogden, in company with Mr. Henderson, C.E.. anJ Mr. Brunton, C.E., and a host of local notabilities were proceeding to Wiuton by rail, Mr. Conyers therailwaysuperinteudent,deterininedtoputthe powers of the locomotive to the utmost strain. Having managed by superhuman exertions to clear the track of the animals who usually " take their walks abroad" thereupon, the order "full speed " was given. The results were immediately disastrous. The engine plunged, kicked, jumped clear of the line, and endeavoured to make a short cut to Winton. Mr. Brogden and his companions were stricken with deadly fear, aud scrambled out of the carriages with celerity unbecoming the dignity of such exalted personages. The Southlauders, however, probably being used to such mishaps, stuck to their seats, much disgusted, that the locomotive should play suclr pranks on such an occasion, but otherwise not troubled in their minds. It was with considerable difficulty that Mr. Brogden and the engineers were induced to reenter the carriages, and they only consented to do- so on the understanding that the engine was to be allowed to travel at its own pace. Verily fearful and wonderful in cost, construction, and manner of woiking, are the .railways made undeY the auspices of the late provincial authorities of Southland. Some fews weeks ago. we reported that a rush on a small scale had taken place to some ground near the Beaumont. We learn that it has no turned out so well as expected, and tbat the majority of those attracted thither, have taken their departure. v The drawing for the prizes in the Roxburgh ! Art Union, took place on Thursday last. The principal prize- a bagatelle table— fell to the lot of Mr. J. Herbert, of Lawrence. A Teviot correspondent informs us that mining operations on the banks of the Molyneux River are almost suspended— the late rains having caused the river to rise considerably. The usual fortnightly readings will take place at the Lawrence Athenaeum this evening. We understand that the residents of Waikaia have sent a petition to the Secretary of goldfields, praying that their district may be taken from the (Mount Benger, and annexed to the Switaers mining district. The Gabriels Gully Company take possession of the Phosnix Co. 'a water rights under lease on • the 3156 August. We understand the lessees' contemplate making improvements which will increase the s lpply of water in the dam. Favorable accounts continue to be received from Muddy Terrace, Waikaia. Penny and Davis, who have been at work there about two years, have nearly exhausted their claim. It is expected that they will net about £2000 a man. Thomas Taylor is employing labor and is doing remarkably well, and likely to get splendid reform. Tui nbull and party lost their tunnel, which cost three months labor and a large -amount for, timber. They have set to ■foth energetically to repair the damage.

A Beaumont correspondent sends us the f ollowing : — The Rev. Mr. Menzies preached here on Wednesday evening last, the 16th inst. The object of the sermon was to clear off the remaining debt upon the new church, which atnounta only to a few pounds. The collection after the service amounted to five shillings and sixpence ! The last washing-up of the O.P.Q. Co., Waipori, yielded 56 ozs. The net proceeds of the Amateur Concert given recently at Waipori, on behalf of the Tuapeka Hospital, realised £11 11s. 6d., which has been handed over to the Treasurer of the institution. Me. Alexander Armstrong is now landlord of the Commercial Hotel, Peel-street, Lawrence He will, we are sure, leave no effort untried to promote the comfort and convenience of those -who may patronise his hotel. In consequence of the meeting on the railway question being held on Tuesday evening Ust, the quarterly meeting of the Tuapeka Hospital did not take .place. It will be held next Tuesday evening at 81o'clock, Weller, the elder, advised his dutiful son, Samivel, to beware of "vidders''; and if a certain gentleman in the Tuapeka district had taken that advice, he would probably be in a happier frame of mind. Thejgentleman alluded to, for some the time past, had paid his addresses to a blooming widow, and succedeed in obtaining her consent to wed. The day was named, and the happy lover last Saturday procured a specia l license. The marriage was to have taken place Monday. The bridegroom and the clergyman made their appearance, at the appointed place, but the bride was not to be found. After waiting f on- a considerable time, the clergyman departed, leaving the disappointed groom to cultivate patience and marinate over the mutability of things mundane in general, and widow brides in particulai 1 . He waited so long that his stocke of patience was exhausted, and he departed for parts unknown. It appears that I the bride had taken a fancy to a widower with a large family, and " skeddudled " to his protection, leaving her disconsolate lover to mourn his sad fate. The bridegroom expectant and disappointed can, however, console himself with the reflection " that there aie as good fish in the sea as ever came out of it." The miners employed by Squires and party in testing the reef at the Beaumont, since they were knocked off, havejjeen prospecting on their own account, and last week succeeded in striking a continuation of the reef on the flat, which they traced up to the Beaumont and Tuapeka Race. The reef bulged out in places to 2 and 4 feet, and some splendid specimens were broughtin. Several claims have been pegged off along the line, and the discoverers, we believe intend applying for a lease. We have heard of a good many queer things in mining. We have heard of brick houses being put through crushing machines, And paying handsomely ; of roads containing quantities of the precious metal sufficient to induce men to steal thsin. More recently we have beard of speculators giving fabulous prices for mud huts in South Africa, on the chance of finding diamonds in the walls. ' But we never imagined a miner, even with the most virulent iorm quartz on-the-brain, would peg out a fence as a quartz claim. Yet such a thing was done by the Gabriels Gully Quartz Mining Company. It appears that in the disputes between Mr. Claik and the miners who wished to work his land, the fence was entirely overlooked, and though several claims were pegged on eithei side, it was not included in any of them. The G.G.Q.M. Co., however, thought that the ground occupied by the fence was worth having, and took up a portion of it in accordance with the Mining Regulations. Their right to do so has, however, been questioned, and unless the matter is amicably settled, there will be a Warden's Court case over, the right to possess a fence as a mining claim. The width- of ground occupied by ths aforesaid fence is 8 feet. The dispute as to the possession of it, shows the v.ilue entertained of the reef by those who bhould know something about it. < We understand that the Golden Point Water Company, Waipori, have applied for a subsidy, and paid the deposit. In our report of the case of Smith v. Robertson, heard in the Resident Magistrates Court on the 14th inst., Mr. Copland was erroneously i stated to be counsel for the defendant — Mr. M'Coy appeared for the defendant. A sad accident occurred on Saturday nuhfc to a little boy, the son of Mr. Wootton, Ross PJace, Lawrence. It appears that Mrs. Wootten was making ready a bath for the children, and had poured a quantity of boiling wa*er into a tub. While she was away procuring some cold wa h er, the unfortunate little fellow, who was playing about, wa3 accidentally pushed backward into the scalding water. Dr. Halley was sent for, and was immediately in attendance, and did all he could to alleviate pains. The boy is sevei ely burned on the | »ack, and now lies in- a very preraiious state. The discovering of the reef at the Devils Backbone has had a favourable effect on the shares in the Tuapeka aud Beaumont Water Race. £250 was yesterday refused for a sixteenth share. . ~~" We are compelled to hold over a report of a meeting of the Miners' Association, held at the Blue Spur, on Monday night ; » report of I yesterday's proceedings in the R.M. and WapJen's Courts, a letter on agricultural leasing, and other matter. i Me. James Ritchie, of- Waipori, has been elected Manager of the Devils Creek Quartz Mining Co. The appointment is a judicious one, as Mr. Ritchie has had exten-ivo experince in quartz mining. Mb. M. Hat and Mr. W. Atears, canddidates for the representation of East Ward in the Municipal Council, will address the ralepayers on Saturday evening, at 7 o'clock, in the Masonic Hotel.