New Zea land Provinces.

MARLBOROUGIT.

[From the Marlborouyh Fress, January 2d.]

Importation of Sheep to Wair.au. — The ship Anna Kemble, 1,200 tons, from Melbourne, arrived at Port Underwood, on the 9th instant, after a passage of seven days, with Messrs. Eyes and Cairnes on board, as passengers. The cargo consisted of a flock of superior sheep for Messrs. Eyes and Empson, including a number of excellent rams. The Dumber shipped at Melbourne was 3,500, but, unfortunately, the vessel stayed in port nearly a fortnight after the shipment, and, after having put out to sea, was obliged to return to Melbourne for hay, the stock on board being considered insufficient; and we regret to have to state that, in^ consequence of the delay, only 2,700 were landed, some of them in so bad a conditon that 700 have since died.

The Augusta. — This smart little vessel was run ashore at the mouth of the Wairau river, on Monday last. She was loaded with heavy timber for the Omaka bridge. From what we can learn, it appears that the pilot was on board, and that there were upwards of twelve feet of water on the bar, and the wind being from the southward, she grounded on the north side of the entrance. Her cargo was discharged, and, yesterday, she was fortunately got off. So far as can be ascertained at present, she has not sustained any serious damage.

Death by Drowning. — We have to record another loss of life by drowning. The unfortunate victim, this time, is Mr. John Watts, a gentleman well known in this province and Nelson. We are uot furnished with full particulars of the melancholy occurrence, but, from what we cau gather, the deceased, with some others, was on his way from Christchurch to the Hanmer Plain, and crossed the Waiau river above the Gorge, when his horse, in attempting to climb the high bank, fell backwards, with its rider, into the river. The deceased, who was an excellent swimmer, was seen to float down the river on his back for a considerable distance, when he disappeared altogether. His saddle-bags and saddle have been picked up, but the body had not been found.