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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 85, 11 April 1867, Page 3

We (West Coast Times) have been giveu to understand th: t the appointment of James Bouar, Esq., Mayor of Hokitika, as Justice of the Peace for New Zealand, has been made by his Excellency the Governor, and that the usual oaths will be administered shortly.

The West' Coast Times of the Bth, supplies the following respecting the late Dr. '. A.-f-iuter : — His only son, who he had I scut to be educated in Scotland,' and who, having passed his examination with great credit, was coming out to' join his father, was drowned in the ill-fated Loudon, ou the morning of the 11th January, 1866. At this time, Dr. Hunter, who had re--1 moved to Dunedin, and was practising there, was iv a very precarious state of health, aud the blow occasioned by the news of the untimely death of his son, whom he idolised, so weighed upon him that he gradually succumbed, and although he retained the use of all his faculties, and actually ad.ised with patients up to the day ot his death, he never rallied from the shock. As an operative surgeon, Dr. Hunter, has uever had his equal iv the colonies, and very few indeed in the old couutry. His life has been a series of singular vicissitudes aud trials ; eccentric in manners he yet won the respect of a large circle of f needs, and let us now hope that " after lift's fitful fever he sleeps well.'' The Charleston correspondent of the Brighton Times, of the 6th instant, has the following account of a boat accident : — An accident occurred here to-day, that was very nearly attended with fatal results. As the. bar was dangerous, Mr. Beveridge hoisted the danger flag and dipped it inces- I santly so that the boat's crews might not , bring passengers from the Southland, i Notwithstanding this caution, the boats j brought the passengers aud as the first boat came iv all right another attempted to follow suit, when in entering the cove a terrific sea broke over her quarter, which dashed her furiously against the rocks. Tlie boat was smashed, aud her living freight, amounting to fifteen persons, two women aud two infants being among them, were capsized in the surf, when a scene that beggars description ensued. The poor w^meu struggling in the boiling waters, mingling in the uproar, caused a temporary panic. Husbands aud wives, children, etc., immersed in a perfect mass of kelp. Death seemed to stare everyone iv the face; hut thanks to I . ovidence there were no lives lost ; and but for the prompt action taken by the Harbor Master, assisted by Hay the coxwain of the boat, Discroll, Dick, and a young man, assistant smelter in the Bank, I can with confidence affirm that nearly all would have been lost. Hundreds rushed down to tbe beach to render assistance, but were inactive, and a great many sightseers accumulated round the rocks. A most pitiable .ceue that occurred we may state as follows: — Fancy two women j and two children accompanied with their husbauds, struggling in lhe water; in this case Mr. Beveridge plunged in with tbe line in his hand, and seized a woman, when he sung out loud to those ashore to pull, but whether fear or otherwise prevented them, they were inactive, so tbe harbor master grappled one woman by tbe throat, her husband clinging to her like grim death ; the surf then rose if anything higher and immersed every one uuder it ; they were dashed against the rock?, and with the exception of sundry bruises they are now all right, being well attended to by Drs. Lee and tlillh-r. We regret to state that some unprincipled vagabond took this as an opportunity to indulge in his thieving propensities aud stole Mr. Beveridge's waistcoat, watch, and six pounds. We trust that if there is a spark of humanity left iv the thief, he will at once return the waich, papers, etc. A seedsman writes to the Wairarapa Mercury as follows: — We remember a story -of a French showman who used to exhibit a painting in front of his show of an enormous boa constrictor,' and when the visitors were inside he would come forward and state that whether it was the climate, a change of food, or confinement he knew not, but the most extraordinary change had taken place iv his boa, for from being of the size of the picture in front of the show ie had dwindled down to . asmall thing in the vial he held between his finger and thumb. Of course the audience were so amused with the story that they did uot betray the trust, which he said he implicitly reposed upon their good faith. We bought some seeds in Wellington, which, instead of coming up as the Lobelia Cardinal is, for instance, appear as small animals fanuuals ?] of about six inches in height; and we suppose it is the result of | some peculiarity in the season, change of | climate, or of soils, for we feel convinced no blame can dttach to a respectable seeds man transacting his business in the Empire I City of the colony of New Zealand". i

A traveller who was journeying .in the neighborhood ol the Grampians, Victoria, states that one evening; about dusk, he was anxiously looking out for a dwelling where he could obtain shelter for the night, when he was turned from a beaten track which he was following by hearing the familiar crowing of a cock, and the yet more characteristic "cooeying" of a settler some distance away.. Our informant followed the direction of the sound for nearly a mile, but was surprised to see no evidences of settlement, and was about returning to the road again, when a rollicking whistling of "Merrily dance tbe Quaker" encouraged him to proceed. Still there was no appearance of house or fencing, and the man was about giving up the search when he was startled by a query from overhead, asking, *' Who are you ?" accompanied by " D the dogs," and " From. Greenland's icy mountains," I uttered with great volubility and distinct- ' ness. On close examination, he found that one of a number of magpies perched in the trees was conning his lesson. Disgusted at his disappointment, he startled the company by sending a large stone amongst the boughs. The feathered orator, apparently indignant at being disturbed, flew off v. fh curses on his bill, interspersed with " Coo-ec," "That slews you,'' "From Greenland's icy mountains," and. very appropriately, " How's your poor feet ?" From the Ararat Advertiser we learn that the bird was educated by a splitter who was working near tbe place some time since, and that it bad now been at liberty amongst its kind for upwards of a ye ,r.