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Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XIII, Issue 1025, 11 May 1869, Page 2

We have it on reliable authority the natives assembled at the recent Native Meeting consumed a very large quantity of rum in addition to the heaps of kai usually disposed of on such occasions. At one of the advanced posts in the Waikato alone 500 bottles of rum were purchased for the meeting. This fact is a significant one, and recommends itself to the consideration of the advocates of teetotalism. London is to be scandalised very shortly, says an English paper, by a trial involving the reputation of the heir to a peerage. The person in question has already appeared in a by no means enviable position, and ought to havebeenprosecuted by the crown, but has escaped out of regard to his father. To that father this son has been a living reproach. Years ago, when he first heard thatthesonwasaboutto be married, he wrote to the lady, and told her that he felt bound to warn her of the character of the son, and he used words too strong to be repeated. The warning had no effect, the marriage took place, and for a time the prodigal seemed to have reformed himself ; but certain circumstances which took place four years ago showed that the reformation was but a sham one. Since then the father and son have been enstranged. The latest act of this prospective peer has been to forge his Ibrother’s name to bills amounting to £4,000. When the first of these came to the knowledge of the person whose name had been used, he nobly accepted the responsibility rather than expose his family to fresh disgrace. It was soon found that there would be no limit to the drain upon his generosity ; so when, as they will shortly, the holders of the bills sue him, the whole transaction will be revealed. Meanwhile the criminal has taken to flight, thinking banishment m the North better than residence in an English jail.