TOWN AND COUNTRY NEWS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XVII, Issue 966, 12 February 1862, Page 4

TOWN AND COUNTRY NEWS.

We hear that the Government have accepted Messrs. Holmes and Co.'s tender for the erection of the electric telegraph between Lyttelton and Christchurch. We believe that in accordance with the recommendation of the Provincial Council Committee the Government have stipulated for the erection of the somewhat complicated iron posts sent out from England, and that they will be used excepting on the upper part of the hill, the contractors having declined to undertake the risk and trouble of erecting them there. The telegraph may be expected to be available for use in about three months from the present time. A fatal accident occurred on Monday afternoon to a man named Thomas McCoy, from a dray passing over his body, near to Barrett's hotel, Christchurch. The deceased, aged 26, a native of Glasgow, was at> one time a sailor, but for several years past has been working af various stations, principally at Mrs. Dean's, Riccarton, and was generally esteemed as an industrious, kind-hearted fellow. During the last day or two lie has been staying at Bennett's Temperance hotel, and on Monday afternoon went out to speak to the driver of a bullock dray passing on the Ferry road. A second dray, laden with two tons of iron wire, was running parallel with the former one whose driver deceased knew. McCoy had taken the whip from the driver and touched up one of the bullocks, which kicked out and knocked him down, and the wheels of the other heavily-laden dray passed over his chest, and killed him on the spot. An inquest was held on the body yesterday, and a verdict of accidental death recorded.