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Otago Daily Times, Issue 2680, 8 September 1870, Page 2

The s.B. Tararua, with the English mails, via Suez, on board, is due at Hokitika today.

At the Supreme Court yesterday, the whole day was occupied ia the tria\ of M'Lennan for the gold robbery at Clyde. The prosecution was conducted by Mr B. C. Haggitt, and the defence by Mr Barton. When Rennie stepped into the witness-box, great interest was manifested by the public to get sight of him, and during his examination, numerous expressions of dislike were vented by the audience. Rennie is a shortish, stoutly-built man, of middle age, with dark hair and bushy whiskers, and a rather unpleasant expression of countenance. He gave hie evidence in a low tone of voice, but without the slightest hesitation, and Mi Barton entirely failed to confuge him by a fierce crossexamination. Rennie was in the witnessbox for five hours, and Mr Barton had not done with him when the Court rose at 6 o'clock, and the jury were locked up for the night. The grand jury, having disposed of all the cases laid before them, were discharged in the morning, having previously made a presentment expressing their disapproval of the carelessness of the authorities in not providing better means at Clyde for the safe keeping of the escort treasure.

An accident occurred on Tuesday evening to two men, named Murdoch and Henderson, while they were blasting in a quarry situate on the hill side at the rear of the Lunatic Asylum. They were either drilling out a shot or ramming it in when the blast exploded. Both were standing over the hole at the time. The greater portion of the powder and the stuff rammed down was received by Murdoch in his face, and the drill or rammer struck him on the hand, severely bruising it. His hand was also burned by the explosion. He was conveyed to the Lunatic Asylum, where his face and eyes were bathed. Dr Borrows, who had been sent for, examined him, and he was subsequently taken to the Hospital, to whHi Heuderson, who luckily escaped with fewer injuries, was able to walk.

We understand that the Mutual Improve, ment Societies in and about Dunedin propose to unite and give a concert at the Maaonic Hall for the benefit of Mr J. Barr, Cruigiiee, under the patronage of the Caledonian Society of Ofcago. The 20fch inst. is mentioned as the date.

The annual meeting of the Otago Yacht Club was held last night in the lower room of the Athenaeum. The Commodore, Mr B. C. Haggitt, occupied the chair. The Secretaryread the report, from which it appeared that the Club had been in existence since March, 1869, a period of 18 months. The first meeting was held on ths 15th of that month, and at that meeting officers were appointed, and a code of rules framed and adopted. Since that time the Club had held six, and the Sailing Committee eight meetings. The present number of members on the roll was 70, as against 13 at the. inauguration of the Club. The number of yachts was, at present, 10, as against six at the commencement, and the aggregate tonnage had more than doubled. A regatta under the management of the Club had been held on St. Andrew's Day, November 30, 1869, at which prize money amounting to L 93 10s was given. The annual match of the Club took place the same day, when two cups of the value of L 25 and LlO respectively were competed for. Several private matches had also been sailed by the members of the Club. The Treasurer's report shewed a balance of L 53s to carry forward to the following year. The election of office bearers for the current year resulted as follows, viz:—Mr C. H. Street, Commodore j Mr H. Guthrie, ViceCommodore; Mr J. Begg, Secretary; Mr

W. Begg, Treasurer; Messrs Adam and Ball, Auditors j and Messrs Haggitt, Gibbs, G. Green, and Begg, and Capts. W. Thomson, Dickie, and Tall, members of the sailing committee. The opening cruise was fixed for Saturday, October Bth, and the annual sailing match for St. Andrew's day, November 30th. On the latter occasion it was determined to give the following prizes :—For first class yachts, Ist prize, L2O; 2nd prize, LlO ; the winners to have the option of taking the money or a cup of equal value. For second class yachts, one prize of LlO.

At the inquest recently held at Balclutha on the body of the man M'Gillivray, who was drowned in the Molyneux, one of the jurymen did not attend, and an adjournment till next day was necessitated in consequence. On the following day the Coroner (Dr J. G. Smith) fined the defaulting juryman L 4, and another juryman, who was half an hour late at the adjourned inquest, LI.

The Molyneux, says the Dunstan Times, is steadily going down, and offering an opportunity to the dredgers to carry on their particular avocation —the which, in all instances, is being taken advantage of, and with some, we are happy to say, with marked success. Seideberg's twin dredge at Sandy Point is on a first rate bank; the dividend it is declaring does not transpire, but as there are no shares in the market we judge it is paying. The Galatea, which is moored a short distance below the Hospital, is doing well } for the past few day 3 the average yield has been about 18 ounces a day. The Clyde and Hartley boats have not been successful as yet. The Clyde had, after a week's dredging, just succeeded in strikiug gold, when some mishap occurred to the working gear that will take a short time to repair. The Hartley is a new boat, and is prospecting in the neighbourhood of good ground. The sluicers on the banks on either side of the river, from Clyde downwards, are making the best possible use of their time. The supply of water they have had during the past winter was never greater, and we are led to believe the yield of the precious metal is proportionately increased.

A. Tokomairiro paper states that a boat, suitable to the navigation of the Molyneux, is to be built at once near the Pomahaka station. The engine recently used in working the Company's steam plough has been purchased for the motive power. The timber will be rafted down from the Tuapeka mouth, so that a boat, as nearly as can be, of local production will shortly be a candidate for local patronage.

The Oamaru Times calls the attention of the public to the danger of the indiscriminate consumption of shell-fish (particularly mussels). A case has come under our notice, it says, within the last day or two of a woman suffering severely from the effects of making a meal of mussels. She experienced all the ordiuary symptoms of poisoning, and suffered great pain for several hours. The patient was attended by Dr Ebbs, and is now convalescent.

A rich lead has been struck near the Waitahuna bridge by two miners, who have been making L 3 a day from it latterly. Some of the hatters in German Gully are also reported to be doing very well indeed.

The following is the speech made by the Duke of Edinburgh in acknowledging the drinking of his health in the late ball given at Wellington to Commodore Lambert and the officers of the Australian squadron :— " Your Excellency, ladies, and gentlemen—l de3ire to return my cordial thanks for the enthusiastic manner in which you have responded to the toast proposed by His Excellency the Governor; and I also desire to thank His Excellency, and you ladies and gentlemen, for this kind welcome back to New Zealand." It is clear, as ouF Wellington corespondent said in a recent letter, that public speaking is not the Duke's forte.

The Nelson Examiner has the following:— We are exceedingly sorry to have again to speak of the annoyance and danger to which the family of Mr Stafford are exposed to at the port by stone-throwing. Yesterday afternoon, about three o'clock, as the Rev. Mr Johnstone was talking with Mrs Stafford on the Beach-road, below her house, a stone thrown from the hill struck Mrs Stafford on tho shoulder, and a second one, which immediately followed, struck the infant, which she held in her arms, in the mouth, and caused it to bleed profusely. A third stone was thrown, which fortunately did not strike any one. These stones were shown to us by Mr Johnstone, and were evidently obtained from the beach. Two are of irregular form, but rounded, and the third was flat—each weighing about two and a-half ounces.

The Wakatip Mail puts down the area of the Wakatip district at 60,000 square miles. Our contemporary may be interested to know that the area of the whole of Otago is only 20,786 square miles.

" Smiling face 3 and sunny days are what we are now enjoying to our hearts' content, and hope to do so for some months to come. Everyone is sanguine that we shall have a good season though a late one." So writes the Alexandra correspondent of the Dunstan Times, and for our part we hope the anticipations of the inhabitants of Alexandra may be realised, after the "hard times" they have had this winter.

According to the Wanganui Chronicle, some of the electors in the Wairarapa are getting up a requisition to Mr Vogel and the Rev. J. C. Andrew, asking them to offer themselves at the next general election as candidates for the representation of the district in the House of Representatives.

The object of the visit of the United States war sfceamer Resaca, now expscted at Wellington, is stated by the Post to be "to take a look at the different New Zealand and Australian ports, with the view of reporting on them, in anticipation of the extensive steam traffic between them and California, which may now be confidently expected to accrue."

A notice signed by the Sheriff, and published in our advertising columns to-day, iutimatea that the attendance of jurors summoned for Monday next, will not be required until the following day. The Dunedin Artillery, Naval Brigade, and Ist Battalion 0.R.V.. will parade in front of the Custom House for Battalion Drill this evening, at 7.30. The annual meeting of the Naval Brigade, and the adjourned quarterly meeting of the Artillery, will beheld after parade. . The monthly meeting of the Ofcago Kuwmning Lodge, No. 417, S.C., will be held this evening at 8 o'clock. The Committee of the Otago Benevolent Institution acknowledge, by advertisement, receipt of the sum of L 25 10s, collected by Captain Thomson, in Port Chalmers. The Rev. Father Maloney will deliver a lecture on " The Social Condition of Ireland," in St. Joseph's schoolroom, at 8 o'clock this evening, in aid of the library fund of the Roman Catholic Young Men's Association. The choir of St. Joseph's Church will also sing a selection of gleea, duets, songs, &c.