SOCIAL AND DOMESTIC.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 232, 17 September 1862, Page 5

SOCIAL AND DOMESTIC.

Except in min|ng affairs the past month has been rather quiet and uneventful, indeed the drain of population towards the new goldfield hiis in itself been the printipal incident, and its effects. the most; in^resting of social pheaumpna. These effects hpye been remarkable enough. Peppleof all classes left their employments to be off to the diggings, or would only stay at an exorbitant advance of wages, fifty percent, or more. The consequence was, that works of various kinds public and private were almost brought to a Btend still, and a degree of stagnation prevailed in business. With thei return of. many who, so hastily yußhed away the balance of society _ has how been somewhat restored, but the effect of the rush has been seriously,,felt in throwing back improveinentsi Neyerthless the town of Dunedm ia a^lo to show a considerable v advance since thedate cf oar last summary, the paving and forming of the; streets- having been pushed on with some vigour, while several important briSldin^s have been either completed or commenced, h and an infinite .number ofWall-houses have been r continually growing up;m^erydirection, v There have been remarkably iew incidents during t^e inonfctuH jdn tl ie 25th we published an 5 account of a brutal assault and rape; committed at Tuapeka upon a woman named Smith. Three men are in custody on the, charge. H There has also been a fdtaLboat accident at; Lake.Wakatip, an,4a serious fire at alarm at the East Taieri. Pn^ the 27th August information vrafi refcevirecl of an accident having occurred to the s.6.*Aldinga—she having struck upon a rock at WaipaT>apa Point, about twenty miles west* of the Biufl. She put into the Bluff Harbor, an^ was temporarij/repaired, so as to allow of her returning tc ; but before herretura she was^calle^ ■ %coif to render assisfiince to anotlier vessel in distrtsi''" the Flying Mist, which was wrecked jusi ouisfe the Bluff -■Harbor.;;.!" The Aiding* managed to -save about 800.of the valuabh Ms£ tha^ibrmed the principal freight- 0 : t& Wing' Mist ; but the vessel becam< " a total wreck. An inquiry has been; heldiatln 1 v^rcarcill, and lias resulted in eleven of th< sailorsbeing sentenced to a term of irapijson -■.fe»t~ Another disaster at, se» has;rbeen ;th< S wreck of the Lord Worsley, at J Taranaki 'AU the passengers were saved, but when pu $jhor< at one-' time thought* that they were ir great jeopardy from the natiyw.:;si£ « * i*'