SOUTHERN NEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 196, 17 August 1906, Page 3

SOUTHERN NEWS.

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) THE HAGLEY PARK MYSTEEY. CHRISTCHURCH, Thursday. An elderly man named Albeit Smith Bull, a butcher, residing at Addington, was found dead this morning in a creek in Hagley Park, apparently drowned. He had a out ou the side of the head, and suspicion was aroused of foul play, but the stony bottom might account for the injury. Deceased's watch had stopped at ton p.m. His money was intact. He was last seen c alive at half-past nine o'clock last night, when he had been drinking , . It is supposed that he fell into the while intoxicated, and was drowned. An inquest will be held. NEW ZEALAND PETROLEUM. NEW PLYMOUTH.. Thursday. Active, operations on the oil field have now seriously commenced. The TaranakiPetroleum Company started to sink No. 2 borp (which is expected to take four months to sink) on Tuesday. The company also commenced clearing out the old abandoned well known as Samuel's No. 3. This well struck oil, but in these days the water difficulty could not be overcome. Mr. Fair has sunk 12ft preparatory to drilling and sand pumping the bore to clear it. To-day pure oil commenced to bubble up into the shaft, and the prosauro gradually increased. The oil was ladled out in buckets. The success of this bore is already assured, as the same system will be used to shut off the water as in the Moturoa bore. It is expected to take only six weeks to clear and case this bore. The Moiuroa well is stronger than ever, the oil oozing from every joint in the casing.

ASILBURTON, Thursday.

Robert Sanderson, aged 65, a labourer on the Coldstveara Estate, was found dead this morning at the residence of William Lindsay. He attended the Grand National on Tuesday, returned to Ashburton yesterday, and went to bed in hia usual health. He was found dead in bed about eight o'clock this morning. Heart disease is supposed to be the cause of death. NAPIER, thia day. Peter Jensen, a carpenter, fell from the roof of the new Napier Club building this morning, and sustained injuries to the spine.