PROVINCIAL AND GENERAL.

North Otago Times, Volume XI, Issue 347, 18 September 1868, Page 2

PROVINCIAL AND GENERAL.

The Canterbury papers atato that a large number of arms, now in iibo by the volunteers of that Province, are to be transferred to Wellington immediately. It is reported that gold has been discovered on the run of Messrs Brown and Stuart, Waiau, Southland. . . Poverty Bay has been proclaimed a militm district, of which Captain Biggs has been created Major. The niihlid, have been called out for active service. Robeit Anderson, a miner, 32 years of age, and who had recently arrived here trom the West Coast committed eiiicide yesterday afternoon, at his residence, York place, by shooting hnnselt with a fowling piece. His wife went out about four o'clock, leaving him in bed. She returned m about an hour aud-a-hnlf, aud not finding the deceased in the bedroom, wnt in Inok for 1m<» . X!>° *"»»il 1">" 'pn s crouched up in the fh'eplace in the kitchen, v lth a fowling piece, between his feet and knees. Ho was dead, tho shot having entered undor the chin. Tho deceased had been much depressed in spirits for some time past. An inquest will be held to day. — Daily Timoe, September 14. A telegram has been received iu town, stating that, on Thursday, Constable Hunt, who is stationed at tho Arrow, aud Mr Colclougli, were stabbed by a lunatic named Alfred Motherstono. Hunt had been sent to arrest Motherstono, because ho was dangerous ; and Hunt received three stabs in the loft side, which are reported by a surgeon to be, fortunately, not dangerous, owing to the blows having been struck almost directly downwards. Mr Colclough, who went to Hunt's assistance, roceived a cut 7in. long on tho left arm. Motherstono had, at the time of the telegram, been lodged in tho Queenstown lock-up. — Ibid. A marine curiosity, recently caught at Lyttelton, is thus described by the Christchurch correspondent of the " Westland Observer" : — " An enormous sea-calf, sea-lion, sea-leopard, or whatever particular genus tho creature belongs to, has been exhibited in Christchurch, having been captured in Port. It was of immense age, the teeth entirely gone, in consequence of which it had been sadly in the wars, as was apparent from the host of fresh wouuds and old scars with which it was covered. It measured twelve feet. It was big in calf, and the male lias frequently been heard in the harbor, roaring like a bull for the loss of his better half. The fishermen have not been able to capturohim, or the two would make a decent exhibition." After considerable outlay of time and trouble, Messrs Hargin and Graham, plumbers, Deo-Btreet, have successfully established the fact that " Abyssinian Tube Wells" are perfectly adapted to local requirements. On their promises they have one in full operation, and its superiority over the ordinary shaft — with its constant liability to " cave in," or contamination from surface drainage — is at once evident to tho most careless observer. The principle of tho tube- well is, we believe, generally undei stood, although many find it* difficult to understand how a copious supply of water can be procurod by its means. Those who have any doubt on this point should visit Messrs H. and G.'s place and satisfy themselves. — Southland Times. The following remarkable account of death from tho explosion of a meteor, is given by the " Brisbane Courier" of the 25th ultimo. Tho schooner Urania was off Crowdy Head on Monday, 17th August, about midnight, when a heavy sou'-westerly squall came on, and all hands were called to shorten sail ; a seaman named H. G. Sales, was steering, aud at 12.30 a.m. on Tuesday, the 18th, a meteor, like a ball of fire, fell immediately over the vessel's stern, aud exploded with a loud report resembling that of a heavy piece of ordinance. Sparks of fire were scattered all about the deck, and the steersman was killed by the shock. Every one on board felt a violent shock like that of a galvanic battery, but none of the crew were injured, except Sales, who was at his last ga&p w lien picked up. His body showed no mark, but appeal ed to be blackened. Some six or seven hours afterwards decomposition set in, and tho poor fellow was buried over the side. When the fireball burst the flash was so intensely brilliant that the steward, who was lying in his berth below, declared that he saw the fire through the seams ot the deck. Tho cabin at the same moment was filled with smoke, which blackened the paper lying about. The discoloration of tho paint was liko that produced by " smoking the ship" with charcoal. A peculiar and indescribable smell was experienced for some time after the explosion, and a quantity of flakes liko the soot from a steamer's funnel were scattered about. Tho tidal wave reached King George's Sound, as appears by tho following account of it from a correspondent of a Melbourne journal : — On the morning of the 15th of August, at eight o'clock, Albany harbor, King George's Sound, was visaed by what appeared to be a great tidal wave. The aeti suddenly rose fully 3ft. ; lighters woro turned round, and an old wreck, which iiad lain embedded in the sand for years, w as removed from its place, and carried further up on the beach. This occurrence seems to have been somewhat similar to that which took place in Sydney harbor on the lame day.