THE NORTH.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 244, 3 October 1872, Page 5

THE NORTH.

A recent issue of the Timaru Herald gives the following account of a rattening case which took place in Pthat district a few days ago : — We had supposed that outrages of this description were confined to the old country until a few days ago, when we were disagreeably surprised by hearing of a case occur* ing in our midst, and which for obvious reasons we have abstained from mentioning before. The short facts of the case are as follows :— Mr P. D. M'Rae, contractor for the Saltwater Creek bridge, finding a difficulty to get a sufficient number of skilled workmen to carry out the masonry work of the bridge abutments, wm nnder the necessity of getting two more men from outside the district. This, it appears, gave umbrage to some of the local men, and one of them waited upon the new arrival and offered him L 5 and the cost of his passage if he would go away. This he declined to do, And tb.e result was that on Saturday night some person or persons got possession of his working tools, valued at L 3, and made away with them so effectually that although a strict search has been made, no trace of the articles had been found. But the scoundrel or scoundrels did not end here. Mr M'Rae also shared their displeasure, which they wreaked by splitting a large worked stone, worth at leatt L 5, which Mr M'Kae will be at the cost of replacing. No clue has as yet been discovered as to the perpetrators of this dastardly outrage, but we hope that they will be brought to justice, and receive the punishment they merit.