LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 5, Issue 261, 26 September 1861, Page 3

LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

Resident Magistrate’s Court R.&R. Duv and Win. I‘ysou wore brought up on a charge of pig staling. 'I he plaintiff Win. /fussell, had pigs taken from his run, and on the 14th iu.-rt. proceeded to the liou-e of Richard Day, where he found the leg of a pig with his brand on it, and to Wm. Fyson’s house, where lie found a whole pig with the same brand. ..?'he brand could only be seen after the pigs were cleaned. It was mentioned on the part of the prisoners that Richard Day had received permission from the nephew of Mr Inib.y in whose employment the plaintiff is to kill pigs on his run. The plaintiff is in Mr. Imlay’s employment. The case againsi /Jobt. Day was withdrawn by permission, and that against the other two prisonerwas dismissed, there being no evidence o! felonious intent. Aept. 20. Powell Co v. F. Watt’s debt £l2. Judgment by de fault.

' Sir George Grey—'The following address to His Excellency has been numerously signed, It will be forwarded by thi.diiy’s Post. — To His Excellency Sir George Grey, 1CC.8., Governor of the Islands ol New Zealand, &c. We the Undersigned, inhabitants of the town and settlers in the district of Wanganui, beg respectfully to address your Excellency upon the occasion of your re-appoint ment to the Government of the Colony of New Zealand.

We beg to assure your Excellency that we hail the event with the most sincere gratification, feeling Convinced that to the eminent ability, personal influence, and weight of your name with the aborigines, we may look with Confidence for a speedy solution of the difficulties which unhappily have beset the colony now for a considerable period in connection With Native Matters.

We beg to assure your /’xcelleney of our hearty support to such measures as may b< deemed necessary for the re-establishment of peace, ami for the promotion of the futme welfare ami prosperity of the colony at large, as well as of our best wFlies for health and happiness to your Excellency.

7’he Address to Major Cooper.— hi regard to the letter of Inquirer in last week’s Chronicle, we learn that an address has been got up to Major Cooper, by the Militia testifying their high appreciation ol his soldierly qualities, and that Capt. Nixon took out the address to 7'urakina that tinmen there might have an opportunity of signing it. On his way out he handed the address for signature to two -militiamen, one a corporal or drill instructor, the other a private who had both been drilled under Major Cooper. Before this, Mr. Nixon had informed these men, who had been working on the roads that, their services were no longer required. He did not even name the subject to the other men in government employ on the road. The SpiDF.r. and tiie Fly. — a rather romantic episode took ‘place in ' the beginning of the week. A tender attachment bad been formed between a lady in the neighbourhood of an uncertain age and a trades man who has been resilient here for a year or two. The result was what might have been anticipated; and on Monday, tin Resident fl/agistmte at Wanganui handed the gallant swain the “ open sesame” to domestic bliss in the shape of a 225. 6d certificate. But alas the clergyman whohad been pitched upon by the bribe as the only worthy person to officiate on the occasion had gone to the country, ami it was not till the following day, that a special messenger brought him into town. Meanwhile rumours were afffyrt that the gallant bridegroom who had given himself out as Ccelebs in search of a wife” was in reality /* Benedict in danger of Bigamy,” and“wlien the clergyman arrived at home he found tying there, evidence that the false Ccelebs had been in communication four year 3 ago with the Provincial Government for the conveyance of his spouse to this country. T’lie denouement may be more easily imagined thau described. Suffice it to say that the bride went back a wiser, if a sadder woman, no doubt congratulating herself on her narrow escape whilst the false deceiver solaced himself with a jolly carouse paid for out of the purse entrusted to. hfe; care by the too confiding Pulcinea,

letter to the editor. j Sir, It would seem that almost the only duty of the so-called Rcuv/dikd Messenger, is to deliver to us Itangitikei settlers the Wang-tnui, Chronich, and to he as blind as possible to the events which come before him on his way. . | -We, however, share in the common failings;, of humanity, and, among other foibles, must confess to that of liking to sec ourselves sometimes iifiprint ; this is a little vanity, to which perhaps,-iis censor of public morals, yon ought not to pander; but we feel sure that a relaxation of your strict sense of duty on this point would nav, and that your paper would have move contributors did you give us a little more insight into our neighbours’ affairs; in addition to the record of the doings of our \v anganui friends. At present, almost unrepresented as we are in your journal, we have no hope of public sympathy as we weep over our social ills. Our pleasures, our progress in our advances in civilization,' and our increase in population, pass unrecorded by. Unknown to the Wanganiii world, in fact—(or to the Jerusalem Cof-fee-house, where your paper is filed) we wander Upfilt y , , : “ Our stately ships glide m To the haven under the hill,” and then glide out again, with their ten ton freight, over the bar of our river, and not a line is added to your ‘ ‘ Shipping Intelligence, bornetimes our anxious friends in your town hear that the Maorie3 have roasted one-half of us and boiled the other, or something equally absurd, and search your pages in vain to gather therefrom a confirmation or contradiction of the report. We may do all sorts of naughty things oil Sundays, and no indignant but anonymous “ Churchman” takes advantage of your columns to exclaim against the violation of the sanctity

of the (lav. Being a peace and money loving people, and having no pul >lic prosecutor near to take notice of ‘ such, trifles, we compromise felonies for cheques upon the bank, only—(as lately in the case of poor Pricker, who, not more guilty but less fortunate than many others of us, did kill, and feloniously steal and put into his pickle tub with intent to eat, &c. &c. somebody elsc’s heifer)—now and then offering up some Victim who docs not keep an account at the Oriental, to satisfy the demands of justice ; and no stern public condemns our mercenary and capricious mercy. Of the roads we make, and the roads the Government only talk of making, non-residents here are equally ignorant. Births and marriages of pleasant private, and deaths of painful public, interest, all alike are unheard of beyond our own boundaries We have ourselves known, within the last twelve months, of two fearfully suuden deaths, of which not the slightest notice has been taken. It i 3 true that m one case the publican/whose strong uudiluted spirits drove both the unfortunate victims to the water, posted on his hack door an offer of £o reward for the discovery of the body,, as a kind of salve to his conscience perhaps, or to prevent Ins slumber 3 being disturbed by the dripping apparition of a drunkard drowned ; but m tue defunct did not, like the ghost of Hamlets father, appear to the authorities, and, indicating the exact latitude and longitude of the temporary resting-place of its remains, demand an inquest, the man and his end were soon forgotten, and we have the pleasant .conviction that we may meet a similar fate, or afate on y supposed to be .similar, and unsought tor and uncared for lie rotting where we die. Surely these things should be changed, and public opinion, that great healer of all wrong, if made aware of these facts, and having nts sympathies enlisted and its sense of justice roused by you, might try to find, and be successful in discovering, some remedy at last. It is not, however, to these points that we so much wish at present to direct your attention, as to two great grievances which weigh just now very heavy upon us. One is the non-repairing of*the Waugaeliu bridge, and the exorbitant charges of the ferryman there. Talk of the Otago gold fields ! this ferryman finds a mine of gold ready to his hand as he sits in that little canoe of liis, and has the extra advantage of getting the metal ready coined. But the most convincing proof of his prosperity is, that lie is becoming generous ; for if, after swimming ..two horses over the. little stream, you ransack your pockets m va.lll to find more than one shilling and two stray threepenny pieces, instead of the two shillings Ins valuable sendees require, with a lordly air of purseproud indifference for so small a sura, he forgives you the odd sixpence, and bids you take your saddle and begone. Now, Mr. Editor, you are nearer to official sources of information than wc, so please let your Messenger next week tell us what has been done about this bridge, which was broken dow n in the beginning of February, and, not from any want of money voted to repair it, has hitherto remained untouched. We are aware that some steps were taken ; among others, a contract was entered into for carting from the sea-beach the timber of the broken bridge, wdiich was there washed ashore. None of that timber has yet reached the Yv angaelm ; one of the contractors with his bullocks and dray has gone to the diggings ; the other has other work to do, and as carrier, and having a private arrangement with the Maori, is interested in perpetuating a nuisance which forces us to employ him ; so, if depending on these two contracting stools, wo settlers are likely to fall to the ground. Plenty of timber, public property, ready for the work, and till this bridge is rebuilt useless for anything else, lies rotting as fast as it can rot in Danicirs Bush, yet no arrangements have been made to convoy it to the river ; and now the summer is fast approaching, the diggidgs will make labour .scarce, and our crops are in the ground, but we see no prospect of getting the produce to-market next year again, without tlie same heavy tax which we have this year paid on our way—a tax which eats up much of the profits of our labour, and only goes to swell this solitary Maori’s hoard. No real attempt was made to relieve us of the burthen when first we lost the bridge ; we were allow r ed, notwithstanding strong remonstrances on our part, to drift into the present inconvenience ; and positively, for crossing by a miserable and dangerous conveyance a little stream not one hundred yards in width, we have to pay to a careless Maori four times as much as to an obliging fellow-countryman at Wanganui for the convenience of a good boat and punt. Your census of last year’s crops, which we have just filled up, will show how- important this bridge is to us. When - you publish the return, please tell the uncalculating public bow many tons weight there arc in the bushels of grain produced in the Hangitikei and Turakina district, take away a fourth part for home conauniption and shipment by Scott’s, and on the remainder place a charge of Ss a ton, and you have our contribution to the Maori’s private purse, besides at least 14s a day for foot and horse passengers ; the delays .and risk of this mode of ferryage impose on us also a further expence of os a ton at least. Our second grievance has happily been just removed before we sent our indignant comments on the following part of the notice which for some days has been posted up throughout the district: —

“ Militia Xotice. “ Wanganui,HOtlCSept. 1861. , ' ! , “ The times and places appointed for drill of men will be as follows, —namely, at the farms of Messrs. Ross Brothers and Richard Hammond, Upper Rangitikei, and 0. Campion, Lower Rangitikei, all next month (October), at 7 a.m, and 2 p.m. each day in the week, Sundays excepted. “ (Signed) I. R. Cooper, “ Major Commanding Wanganui Militia.” We learn now, however, after expending much useless indignation, such as a scattered population in a muddy district would naturally feel on rfading such a document, that this is only ft

I playful way our Major lias of doing business, — | first, to~ pre-suppose that we shall rebel against any drill, however obviously necessary, and if rendered as easy as possible ; then to come thundering down on us armed to the teeth with a Colt’s revolver iu his waistcoat, and the Militia act in his breeehe3 pocket, and then, after awing us into a proper state of docility by exhibiting his irresistible powers, to lay aside the severe authoritative commandant., and assuming the more pleasant character of the mild considerate gentleman, to. give us, as a reward for submission, jand .an encouragement to future obedience —only one day’s drill a week. This seems to us a very childish way of going to work among’-, sensible men ; it reminds ns of an attack of nightmare we once suffered. A mighty lion (one of Gordon Cumming’s best) was Standing over us, liis glaring eyeballs fascinated us with terror, we felt his hot breath like the blast of a furnace on our face, his long whiskers touched our forehead, and his upraised outstretched claws were just about to descend in a deathblow upon us, when we woke—to find that our pet puppy had crept into our bed, and had iust, put his soft paw upon our face, and we had the pleasant relief of patting the puppy , upon the back, instead of the anticipated death struggle with our terrible antagonist. Our subject has led us into a greater transgression on your space than we at first intended ; but you must excuse this, Mr. Editor, and also we hope give us the information we require, and your kindly sympathy in our present distresses ; and when relieved by your powerful advocacy of our cause, you shall receive our most hearty thanks, from one of the sufferers, A Rangitiki-.i SF.rrj.Kn.

P.S. —Until the bridge is mended we can hardly expect you to pay us a visit yourself: but could you not, as a temporary measure, give us a little insight into our own affairs by means of a correspondent. You would not be able to select your man, as in Glasgow or Wellington, but you might find some one to fill an odd half column sometimes with a few dry but occasionally interesting facts.

[We wonder that no earlier complaint has reached us regarding the Waugaehu ferry. It has been a puzzle to us on what principle, or for what reason, a Maori ferryman is permitted to rob passengers on this road, extorting 15s and 19s for a service which a European ferryman would consider well paid by 2s [id. The delay in the construction of the bridge has also been great. We learned on inquiry about two months ago, that the plans were nearly completed ! That is, it liad taken about double the time to draw the plans that is considered necessary for the construction of the bridge. In consequence of the delay in making the plans, there was only one.tender sent in in answer to the first invitation, and it was greatly higher than the sum voted for the work. There has been a second tender we believe now sent in, not however at a lower rate ; and what the Executive 'may do in the circumstances we cannot say. The Provincial Secretary is expected up daily, and he will no doubt settle the matter. Our correspondent has made a mistake respecting the carting of the timber from the bench. A considerable quantity has been brought up, and we believe the operation' has been resumed this week. We are glad to inform our correspondent, that we have made arrangements for obtaining in future a regular budget of news from lii3 district, although he rather exaggerates our neglect of its claims in time past. We are glad to have an opportunity of giving this notice, so that our correspondent and his fellow-settlers may not be taken aback if some of their doings should be called in question ; for he must know that a newspaper is “ the portrait of our imperfections, as well as the chronicler of our advancement. ”]

Warrengate, Sept. 24, 1861. Sir, — Having just returned from Auckland, I. wish as early as possible to refer to the question of my supposed disqualification as member for Wanganui ; and as you then thought fit to comment on my conduct with ref .*??«.' > to it, I trust that you will oblige me by the following insertion.

In my last I declined taking my scat in the Provincial Council, and accompanying the Wellington members to the General Assembly, in consequence of having my attention drawn to a prohibitory act, which appeared to me to affect the validity of my elections. The course which I pursued subjected me to much and varied censure —inter cilia,- the columns of the Wanganui Chronicle, during the month cf June and part of July, contained angry strictures on my decision. I will here quote some of your views,— | “It is with much regret that we refer to Mr. Harrison’s attempt at explanation at the meeting held on the 30th ult. (May.) It satisfied us that he had acted very injudiciously, although no doubt to the best of hi 3 judgment. He seems not to know the adage —‘ he that puts on a public gown must put off a private person,’ — (a quotation, by the way, in violation of sense and grammar.) Mr. Harrison ought to know that a man’s personal feelings should not sway him in his public conduct,”—-and much more to the same import. The last sentiment, as it accords with my own feelings, I wish to press on your recollection, and on the minds of your readers, as I think that it is possible tbat personal feelings may sometimes have a morsel of influence in the direction of public conduct. In the articles referred to I was assailed for want of judgment—want of courtesy towards the Wangrnui constituency—want oi’ ditto towards those who were styled my colleagues, for not implicitly observing their advice —and for a general indifference to the interests of the constituency. In answer, <1 shall only add, that the result of my investigations with reference to the validity or otherwise of my former elections amounts to this, that my case came under the operation of the Disqualification act, ar.d consequently my former election for the General Assembly, and my election for the Provincial Council, were null and void.

I remain, sir. Your obdt. servant, H. S. Harrison. [We are glad to find that our opinion of Mr. Harrison’s position has been confirmed by the inquiries he has himself made since.. On reference to the Chronicle, of 13th June, the following words will be found, —“ By tbe strict legal interpretation of the act, it seems very clear that he is disqualified from sitting in the Assembly.”]

September 25, 1861. Sir,—ln our town of Wanganui, I regret to say, there are to Ity found individuals prone to slanderous imputations and assertions, and who adopt a peculiar mode of giving weight or formin r a bane line for the starting or putting forth of°their own evil concoctions ; such as, It is said —I have heard—or, Is it true ?—or other expressions of a similar character ; and amongst this class I really must rank the party who signed himself “Inquirer” in your journal of tills 19th inst. Peeling uot much flattered that myself and others were reflected upon by tbat party, as persons not truly expressing our sentiments in signing an address to Major Cooper, but being mere tools acting under the influence of his officers, I was induced to look at the signatures to ascertain if I could see the active officer or officers the fertile brain of “ Inquirer” alluded to; but my search was in vain, for I could not find one single officer’s name subscribed ; so much for the zeal of Major Cooper’s officers connected with the address. The truth is, tlia" that officer has so acted, that he will receive the thanks and- support of the poor, whom he has not oppressed, rather than of the rich, whom he has not courted. Relying on your old motto for .this insertion, I remain, A Militiaman,

.1 v # OTAGO. ; The screw steamer Lady Bird, 350 tons, Capt. J. T. Rolls, from Otago and Lyttelton, arrived in Wellington last Saturday. The news from the Tuapeka. diggings is still of a satisfactory character. The Escort -had not arrived on. the 18th, but it was reported that it had between 9100 and 10,000 ounces. A large number of vessels had arrived at Port Chalmers from Melbourne, among which were the .s. s. Aldiuga, the s. s City of Hobart, hand a number of sailing vessels. There were 25 vessels laid on in Melbourne altogether, amongst which were the Black Ball liner Lightning with 800 passengers, and the Giant’s Causeway with 600. Tile's.s. Oscar liad made one trip, and will be laid on again ; the Omeo had brought 250 passengers, and was to return with all despatch. The Pirate was hourly expected with a lot of passengers. The small steamers Prince Albert, Pride .of the Yarra, Victoria, and Storm- Bird, were actively engaged in conveying passengers and cargo from Port Chalmers to Dunedin.

Several Canterbury men have returned, in most cases we are happy to say richer than they went away. There is little news of importance iu Melbourne ; the New Zealand fever appearing to be the most stirring topic. The latest telegram contains the startling intelligence that “ Lynch law was common in Otago.” As the papers have to resort to these contrivances, it is evident that the signs of a rush to New Zealand must be very strong. We quote the following from a correspondent, dated Melbourne, 26th August: — “ The latest intelligence from your gold fields has caused great excitement—hundreds arc leaving the diggings-daily, and thousands will follow if the next news is of a favourable character. Should it prove so, you will indeed have a ‘ rush ’ unequalled since the palmy days of Bendigo or Ballaarat. If your Government offers land on such terms as would induce those who follow in the rush to settle down, you will speedily colonise the wilderness without waiting for arrivals from home. Already about a dozen vessels are advertised for Otago. The Omeo is full,•’and.Pirate, not yet in, engaged in every nook and cranny. Passage money £6 per head.” The Pirate from Otago arrived at Melbourne, on the 2nd inst., and was advertised to return on the 7th. Besides the s.s. Oscar, ands.s. pirate, the following vessels are advertised in. Melbourne for Otago. The Time and Truth, Giant’s Causeway 2,500 tons, Warren Goddard, Oriental, Tyria, Genii, Lorenzo Sabine, Hydra, and Anne Kimball.

The luJ.-owing letters from the diggings appear in the Lyttelton Times: —■ “ Tuapeka Diggings, August 22 1861. “My dear Friend, —/ h,:.ve been for six weeks, through cold, wet, and snow lam now making about A!5 per week, and I have my chance. To day 1 found a pocket i;t the rocks containing" twelve ounces of gold, equal to about. .£42 : these are what I call chances. This is hard work, and very injmioas to the health, being so wet. I shall make my fortune here, lam sure, a claim r two away f. om u?. they got 36 ounces, equal to £126 to day. I have yet to fall in with that luck. You must, understand that there is a creek running here, and it is a new one. We discovered that it was only a few years old, and therefore we looked ‘or the old one, ami good luck to it! we found it, and have just begun to work it: this accounts for our success. It is curiou* work, and many will be totally ruined at it. •lumbers are going away, and plenty coming

ere. Six people came here from Canterbury : one stopped here, and the rest went buck .Provisions are dear:—Flour, Is. per lb.; sugar, Is. 2d.,; beef, Is. Id.; candles, 3s. 7’here are many doing well, and others doing bad. I hope to write to you when / get a few hundreds, but I cannot tell how long that will be before l shall do that. I shall go to the A/ackenzie country, and prospect. I found gold there before, if you in c -olivet, and 1 think that there is richer diggings iu Canterbury than in this place ; hut the Canterbury Government do not offer my reward for the discovery of gold fields, or I should have looked for gold there. S fancy that certain ranges running down fromNelson near the—————range, close to where I fumd gold, contains any quantity of the orecioiM metal. * * •

“ 7'lie a are some few here making i? 100 to Al2O a day; between five or six. 1 havesent you spec.meu of the gold. “ I am &c., “ J. B. B

Lyttelton Hangers’ Camp. *• Tuapeka, August. 24,1861, “ Dear Sir, —1 wrote a few lines to you shortly after I came here; since then we have obtained 36 ounces of gold each, so you see we have not been idle, though' wo h ive not worked one man’s claim out yet. There is plenty of gold ; everyone gets little or much ; some have gut enough and are going away. I was expecting to see - here every day. I have seen : he has not hit on a good claim yet. All that is any good of this gully is taken up ; but there are plenty of golden ones still to be pros-pecu-d. It is no use for any to come here-' wiih ait money, as everything in the paovision way is awfully dear. I wish you would” publish a list of prices, which might induce some of the Canterbury folks to start a -tore here. Flour Is. to Is. 2d. per lb.;beef mid mutton, Is. to Is. 2d.; sugar Is. id.; salt, Is. 3d.; watertight boots, £2 to £2 10s. per pair; working tools —pick, shovels, and spades, from 16s. to £1 each;; and everything in proportion to that rate. vVe had a visit Messrs. Hassall and Ileywood: they will he able to give you any informationymimay want about the diggings. . L wish you would send me a newspaper sometimes. “ Yours very truly, S." / ,T at wethers are selling in Dunedin at50s. each, Cattle at 50s. per 100 lbs.

IZAWKE’S BAY The Chief 2’e Hapuka has driven away 5 2000 Sheep to his own land till he receive payment of a claim he prefers against the owner, Mr. Mason, who has for some years back paid Karaitiaua and other Native Chiefs for a right of pasturage-on land which To//arpuka now claims asdiis, demanding also payment in full as arrears of the rents Mr. Mason has paid to the others. Mr. Cooper is endeavouring to settle . the de - pute.