TE AWAMUTU. MR SIBLEY'S HOUSE BURNED. February 8th, 1876.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 581, 10 February 1876, Page 3

TE AWAMUTU. MR SIBLEY'S HOUSE BURNED. February Bth, 1876.

Mr Sibley's honse, I regret to say, was burned down Ust night, and with all its contents, except a box and a table on which were some tea-things, was totally destroyed. .Th« fire occurred between 9 and 10 o'clock at night, and from what I can learn, at least such is the account of Mr Sibley'a little son, was caused by the upsetting of the cand.estick the flame of the candle in falling catching the curtains Mr Sibley -was away at the township at the time, and Mrs Sibley being in another room arrived too late to render any aid, the flames having got too n'rm a holJ. The flames were seen from the township and several persons went to render assistance as did a number of men from Mv Taylors farm, but arrived too lpte to be of 'any assistance. There is nothing but the chimney left standing. The house was a substantial four voorosd one, and was insured for £100 in the South British Unfortunately the premium for renewal of policy was due on the 25th of last month, -and great sympathy is expressed for Mr Sibley who is very mucli reepected here and indeed along the whole frontier leat he will be the loser. No notice, however, had been received from the head office, either by Mr Sibley ov by the local agent Mr Liojhe, that the promium was again due so that it is hoped the Company may deal liberally in. the matter.

THE MURDERER "WTNIATA. A variety of rnmours are current here respecting- the murderer Winiata, some of them perhaps with little moro foundation than those circulated at the other end of the country which appear from day today in the Auckland papers. It is said that on Friday evening last, at dusk, Winiata passed through this township, on his way to Kihikihi, and that on the road betwcsu the two places he -was met and spoken to by Mr Bridgeman, Jun, who not suspecting till after be had pabscd who he was, gave him good nighb and rode on. Mr B could not, however, swear to his identity, and was the more led to believe it was Winiata because bhe day -before some twenty or thirty natives assembled in Kibikihi, a rather larger party than usual, when asked what business brought them there replipd, that they had come down to meet Winiata to escort him safely through the Kihikihi settlement into the -King country. Nntives have as good a notion of chaff sometimes as their European neighbours, and no doubc -afterwards chuckled at the rise they had taken out of the Kihikibians. As Mr Bridgeman had had this yarn seriously related to him as the last new thing about the murderer just as he left Kihikihi, no wonder he took any chance Maori he met for the identical man. Mr Roche and some of the people of Te Awamutu Bay they saw this Maori going through at dusk, and have been chafed that they didn't follow him up and lift the £100 reward. The same native, on horseback, ttaveUing that night from Te Awamutu to Kibikihi was seen aUo by an A C man named George uls j on horseback. The latter saw a man riding a head and spurred his horse to overtake him. The native also quiukened his p ice. George got into his head tliat. this was Winiata and gave chase, but the quicker he went the qmckor flew the Maori horseman. Like the flying Dutuh1 man the spectre horaaiiitn suddenly disappeared anil the Armed Constable reported in due course that he had chased but had failod to capture the murderer.-*— FnoM A CORRESPONDENT.