OTAGO.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1092, 29 April 1863, Page 3

OTAGO.

By the Lord Ashley we have our Otago files of papers to the 25th inst. Prom the 'Daily Times' wo extract the following news. The Aldinga sailed from Melbourne on the 1 Oth instant, without the English mail; arrived at Port Chalmers on the 15th, and left there on the 18th with the homeward mail, which was transhipped from the Alhambra, that vessel having sailed with it the week previous and been compelled to put back from want of fuel and having been detained by contrary winds. There was no news of the mail when the Lord Ashley left. The elections for the Provincial Council were to be portponed some weeks, owing to the necessity of sending to Auckland for the writs. A notification appears in the Government ' Gazette' of the 23rd inst. of the appointment by his Honor the Superintendent of the following gentlemen as members of the Provincial Executive, pro tem.: —Alexander James Willis, Esq., to be Acting Provincial Secretary; Walter Day, Esq., to be Actiug Provincial Treasurer ; and Thomas Bannatyne Gillies, Esq., to be Acting Provincial Solicitor for the Province of Otago. These appointments date from the 16th instant. The exploring party of miners and others who intend sailing for the West Coast with the schooner Courier are still detained here by adverse weather. In addition to Captain Sullivan and his crew, the party consists of Messrs. Archibald, Carmichael, G. Crockett, W. Macdonald, T. Watson, R. C. Ross, J. Thomas, H. Cowell, J. Kinder, S. Symms, and W. Suteliffe. The company includes men of enterprise and determination, and, as they have supplied themselves with stores sufficient to last for six or seven months, there is little doubt that, under anything like favourable circumstances, they will be able to give a good account of themselves. They set out upon this enterprise without any promise or hope of reward from Government, but if it end in the development of any new country, it is to be expected that their labours will not fail to be recognised. Since the formation of the party, £300 have been offered for a single share, but it has been resolved not to extend the numbers, and a start will be made as soon as the weather favors.

The Matilda Hayes, which is now being fitted for an expedition to the West Coast, with Dr. Hector and his party, will be accompanied from Jacob's River by a sealing boat, manned by nine of a crew, whose services will be most valuable in the exploration of the bays of the coast, an .1 affording other such assistance as may be necessary. The following are the latest Escort returns. The Escort arrived in town yesterday afternoon, bringing the following quantities of gold oz. dwts. Wakatipu 7,173 15 Dunstan 3,289 0 Tuapeka 2,265 13 Total 12,728 5 The Wakatipu gold consisted of 4,098 oz. 15 dwts. from Queenstown ; and 3,075 oz. from the Arrow township. None has been brought from Waitahuna or the Woolshed.

From Mr. Cootes' report we gather that the river bed claims of the Lower Manuherikia are producing from £15 to per share since the commencement of the workings, and that the total number of 0,728 miners are now upon the Dunstan Gold Field, not including its township residents. We notice the intending start, on the 10th May next, of a penny evening paper, under the title of the ' Evening Star.' THIS LACIILAN ESCORT ROBBERY. We take from an advertisement in the 'Daily Times' the following particulars of this outrage. Charles D'Arcy, alias Gilbert, was brought up on remand, charged with having, in company with others, on the 15th June, 1862, attacked with firearms the Government gold escort of the Western District of New South Wales, at a place called the Engowra Rocks, and stealing about 2,500 ounces of gold, and about £3,000 in bank notes. Detective Patrick Lyons, a member of the New South Wales Constabulary, having arrived from Sydney that morning for the purpose of identifying the prisoner, was called, and having been sworn, said: I know the prisoner by the name of Charles D'Arcy. I recollect the robbery of the New South Wales Western District Escort on the 15th of June, 1862. In consequence of instructions received by me, I went in company with other members of the police force, in pursuit of the robbers, and succeeded in apprehending the prisoner, who was accompanied by another man who at that time gave the name of Thomas Turner, but who has since been convicted by the name of Manus, and hanged for the offence in Sydney. On the person of the prisoner Turner we found 200 oz. gold, and £134 in bank notes; and on the prisoner D'Arcy or Gilbert Ave found £1 and some silver. Two days after we took the prisoners we were met by a body of anned men with blackened faces, who rescued the two prisoners from our custody. Shots were iired at the police, and I believe the horse I was riding was killed, but I have never seen it since. My revolver, several other arms and some money were stolen from me. I have not seen the prisoner at the bar since, until this morning, when I selected him from amongst several other men, prisoners in the gaol.

The Magistrate, to prisoner:—Have you any questions to put to the witness ? Prisoner:—No, sir; I admit the fact. (To Lyons): You say I was rescued from your custody, Lyons? Detective Lyons:—Yes. The prisoner, who evinced the utmost indifference at the position he occupied, was then remanded to Sydney, New South Wales, to which place he will be forwarded per first opportunity.