LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

Otago Witness, Issue 419, 10 December 1859, Page 5

LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

The "Lord Ashley" from Auckland with tlie over-due European mail arrived here on Wednesday. The news by her, however, was anticipated by the arrival previot^ly of the steamer "Oberon" from Melbourne. The " Ashley" sailed again yesterday, and the Postoffice authorities having X= UL \l a notice that the mail would be closed at 4 p.m. on Thursday, but few letters could be answered, These flying wshS of the Mail stonincrs are quite absurd; they are "Hipposed to ?Hy three d.ivs at Otago, but as th<>y usual! v arrive bite o:i' the evening of the first day, :tnd start early on the third, as far as replying to correspondents the mail steamer is useless to in. An alteration requires to be made in the Postal Establishment. Why a mail should be closed at 4 o'clock in the afternoon when the pos-seii«-ers are not required to leave Dunedin until the next morning at 10, we cannot see. Tlie I>umness of the Post-office is much increasing, and if there are not hands enough to attend 'to the work, the establishment should be increased ■ the jog-trot pace of closing at 4 o'clock w hilst we are paying for mail steamers wont do.

We observe that her 11.M.5. Nicjer left Auckland on the 30th nit., and wasto'piocccd thence to the Miinukau, where His Kxalkncy the Governor, Liait.-Col. Mould, and Captain Steward would embark in onkr to visit New Plymouth, Nelson, Wellington. Lyttolton, and other southern potts; and we learn from authority that the Ccueinor nuiy be expected here about the middle of this month.

In connection with the Athenreiun a lecture on Italy and the recent \uir was deliveied by the Uev. T. Eurns at the Dunedin, on Tuesday evening last. The meeting was very well attended, and the rev. loctuier was listened to v itli great interest.

The Rev. Mr. Stewart, the minister of the second Presbyterian Church in Dunedin, is said to be a passenger by tlie Hosworth, which was to leave London in October.

We observe that our contemporary states that Mr. 1). Bell has been returned as a representative for the county of Wallace. We have no information on the subject, confirmatory or otherwise.

Wo are glad to observe the arrival amongst us of an old friend who lias been fi-bting a little shy, or has found better customers elsewhere for bis cattle. Mr. M'Clymont has imported more stock into this Province than any one other importer, and having "ivon us time to satisfy ourselves with our ja^t purchases and collect a few more " lmvbc.es" be is ;wain arncm^t us with a wcll-<elccted lot, conVisUnof 17' JO sheep, 170 cattle, and 48 lioimn, and as uMial. has been nio^t fortunate, losing no horses, two or thno heifer^ and a few sheep. i-.lr. M'Clymont Cv sen cs encouragement ; he knows his market and he know-- hi-, customers, and always manages to hit the one and biitisfy thu other.

Fit\i, AcciDr.NT.— We regret to learn that an accident occurred at the ferry at the mouth oftbc iMataura, on Sunday, the ioth November, by which three peiwms met with a watery grave. From the information which has i cached us, it would appear that on the evening in question, three persons — William Wybrow, Newton, and a half-caste youthcame to the south bank of the river after dark, and hailed the ferryman, who crossed the river with the view of bringing the passengers over. It would further appear that the boat which the ferryman was in the liabif. of using was a most unsafe thing, such that it could scarcely be called a boat ; and that it was most dangerous to attempt to cross more than one person in it at a time. The whole of the parties appear to have got into the boat, and when about a quarter of the distance over, the boat sank, and three of the party—Macintosh, Wybrow, and Newton— were drowned. The half-caste clung to the boat and was washed ashore. Macintosh, we regret to say, has left a wife and family to deplore his loss!!