News of the Week.

Otago Witness, Issue 555, 19 July 1862, Page 5

News of the Week.

(fkoji the daily times.)

We learn from our correspondent at Tokomaiviro, that tlie Itevd. Mr. Bannerman, Presbyterian Minister, met with a very serious accident lately in the Clutha district. While riding along a siding, his horse slipped and fell upon him, breaking his leg.

On Saturday evening an entertainment of a description altogether unusual in Dunedin, took place at the Shamrock Hotel. The Companionship of the Daily Times and Wittiess, in accordance with the ancient custom of the disciples of Caxton, gave a dinner to which the Proprietors of the two journals aud the literary staff were invited as guests. To the uninitiated, it may be necessary to explain that the Companionship is a sort of society or club, consisting of the compositors and printers employed in the actual production of the paper. The allusion to ancient custom has reference to the time honored practice among printers of liaviug an annual entertertainment, which, in England, involves also an excursion, and is known by 'the name of the " Wayzcgoose." In the Australian Colonies, these entertainments are usually very pleasant affairs, and that of Saturday night, although the first attempt at anything of the kind in Duuedin, fell by no means short of the standard. The company present numbered thirty persons, including the guests. Tlie chair was filled by Mr. T. W. Standwell, as "Father Of the Chapel," and the vice-chair by Mr. Nelson. The dinner was a very handsome and substantial repast, and was put upon the table in a way that was highly creditable to the Messrs, Murphy, the proprietors the house. The room, we should mention was decorated with mottoes appropriate to the occasion the " Liberty of the Tress," the honored name of : 'Caxton" and the motto of the Typographical Association holding prominent positions. The substantial having been done justice to, and tlie cloth removed, that serious part of tlie business of a dinner was begun by the chairman and vice-chairman proposing the usual loyal toasts which were responded to with even more than usual enthusiasm. A number of other toasts were then proposed and responded to, among which we may mention the " Separation Movement," proposed by Mr. Vogel ; " Success to the Daily Times and Witness " by Mr. Kerr ; "The Town and Trade of Dunedin " by Mr. Ro binson ; " The Editorial Staff" by Mr. Campbell ; " The Mercantile and»Shipping Interests " by Mr. Ecid ; " The Typographical Association" by Mr. Fargcon ; " The Agricultural, Pastoral, and Mining Interests " by Mr, Cutten ; " Our Guests " by Mr. Mahony ; " The Companionship of the Daily Times " by Mr. Robinson ; and "The Ladies" by Mr. Harrison. Everything passed ofF in the most agreeable and thoroughly social and harmonious manner, and soire of the speeches excited no little merriment, especially when reference was made to the old days of the Witness, when one lad formed the whole staff of the printing department, and the paper was with difficulty produced fortnightly. Between the toasts, songs were sung, and the amusement waa further varied by the performances of two of tho company on the piano. It being Saturday night the festivities were not prolonged after midnight, at which hour, tlie party broke up, highly pleased with their entertainment, and only re-: gretting that such cheerful social gatherings cquM not be held more frequently.

"We are privately informed, that it is in contemplation of Sir George Grey to remove th,e seat of Qovernrpent to, Nelson.

We are informed that it is intended by the passengers by the Oraeo, to present Captain M'Lachlan with a testimonial, as a token of their esteem. It is reported that the Colonial Secretary, Mr. Pox, who was one of the passengers by the ill— fated steamer White Swan, offered a reward of XI SO for the recovery of a box of papers he had left in his cabin when the vessel was wrecked. Two men are stated to have made the attempt to rescue the missing box, but failed. It will be seen in another column, that Sir George Grey lias at last succeeded in making terms ■with the natives for the throwing open for mining of the Coromandel land. One of the Auckland papers, the Southerji ' Cross, states that His Excellency returned to Auckland for £10,000, with which to tempt the Maories to come to terms, but that the ministry refused to sanction the expenditure of such a sum of the public money for that purpose. On this the Governor is stated to have drawn the money from the Commissariat chest. The New Zealander contradicts this statement, and on His Excellency's final return from Coromandel, published the alleged terms agreed to by the Maories, but makes no mention of any bonus having been given them. We learn, however, from a private source, that the Governor had paid the natives £10,000 for the land in quesion. His Excellency the Governor has been pleased to appoint the following gentlemen to be J ustices of the Peace for the Province of Otago :— James Murison, Esq., Dunedin ; Gerit Alexander Chalmers, Esq., Molyneux ; John Allen, Esq., Oamarn ; Edwin Rich, Esq., Cluthn ; Henry Clapcott. Esq., Popotunoa ; John Lillie Gillies, Esq., Tokomairiro ; John Wallace Murdoch, Esq.. Ilawkesbury, The following gentlemen have been appointed Coroners in tho Province of Otago :— Jahn Allen, i Esq., for the District of Oamarn ; John Dewe, | Esq., for the District of Tokomairiro ; Edwin I Rich, Esq., for the District of Clutha ; and Wra. Robert Gilling Samuels, Esq., for the Gold Fields. The Pelichet Bay Jetty, was on Sunday, for the first time, made available for sea-going steamers. The Wonga Wouga from Wellington, with cattle, took up her moorings alongside the new jetty, for the better convenience of landing her cargo. Tha Jetty presented a most lively aspect, the Betsy Douglas and the Wonga Wonga steamers having attracted a large number of spectators. An accident occurred on Sunday morning which will, we trust, be a warning to architects and builders in Dunedin. A portion of the North Dunedin School, a stone building in course of erection in Great King-street, fell to the ground with a great crash, but fortunately without doing further damage. The front part of the building stood firm. The particulars, as nearly as we can learn, are as follows. The building, which is erected on swampy ground, was slowly approachin* completion, when, on Saturday, it was obseivcd that the foundation had visibly sunk, and that the whole back part was in danger of falling. The masons wanted to set to work to pull the wall down, but this was not allowed on account of the extreme danger of the whole giving way sit one moment after the foundation had so far sunk. The prudence of this prohibition was shown on Sunday morning, when the wall came down with great violence. We are not aware that any blame is attached to the contractors ; of course a proper enquiry will have to be made. The character of the ground would appear to be very treacherous, and before re-build-ing what has fallen it would be prudent to instigate a regular examination of the ground. It seems more than probable that it will not ba safe to erect heavy buildings on that swampy soil, without first making a foundation of piles." We observe mac me Uonstance, which has recently arrived in Auckland from San Francisco, has brought two deer, twelve pairs of quails, and a 'coon, for the Acclimatisation Society. The Superintendent of Auckland has notified the appointment of James Baber, Joseph Ooehrane, and Henry Weekes, Esquires, as Commissioners, to whose decision all claims shall be referred for the £2,000 reward offered for the discovery of an available gold field in that Province. We notice that most of the principal import houses in Melbourne have notified their intention of selling tea by the pound weight, instead of by the package, as heretofore. A meeting of the Freemasons residing in Port Chalmers, is to be held at 7 o'clock this evening at the Royal Hotel, Port Chalmers. The Brethren in Dunedin, and on vessels in the port, are invited to attend. It is announced by advertisement in our columns that n Baziisir, in aid of the Building fund of the ; Episcopal Church, is to be held early in the en- ' suing summer. It was decided at a meeting oi the lady members of the congregation, on Friday, 1 that this would be a most desirable means of supplementing the Building fund; and would afford the ladies of Dunedin an opportunity of contri- ! buting. Au influential committee has been formed, to any of whom, or the Honorary Secretaries applications for information by intending contributors can be made. Some forged cheques to the amount, we believe, of about L2OO have lately been passed on ; the Bank of New South Wales, purporting to be ' drawn by Messrs. Combat and Douglas, customers of the bank. The person who, it is supposed, drew them, and against whom s , warrant has been issued, escaped in the Benjamin Heape for Melbourne. The Bank, we believe will spare no expense in bringing the offender tc justice. We are glad to notice by our Port Chalmers * report, that an official examination has been made - of the ship channel, and that the Harbor Master t is about to take steps for removing the sand- * bank which has lately formed in it. , Our readers will remember an account which appeared in our columns a few weeks ago. of the i disastrous voyage from Melbourne to Otago, made c by a tiny craft of only 10 tons, The Morning - Star. This little vessel would appear to have - been singularly unfortunate, for now we have to f report the loss of her skipper, named Petrie, who 3 fell overboard a, few days ago. We were on Mon- - day shown a letter from the owner of the cutter, c whose account of the melancholy occurrence is to x the following effect : Mr. Fleet (the owner), and - Petrie, put to sea from Wellington, on the 23rd - June; when off Port Nicholson Heads, about 17 t miles, the vessel going six knots, and the night - very dark and squally, Petrie fell overboard and - was drowned. Mr Fleet was at the tiller and did l not see or hear him fall overboard , but saw theunb fortunate man over the stern, when he called out, , " For God's sake, Fleet, save me." Mr. Fleet iiut mediately put down his helm and put the vessel c round on the starboard tack, and hove to for an :, hour, but poor Petrie was nowhere to be seen. Mr. 3 Fleet's feelings when he found himself all alone, - on a dark, stormy night, on the tempestuous •. waters of Cook's Straits, may be better imagined 1 than described. He states that he never expected ;i to be successful in saving himself and his little s vessel. He afterwards bore up for Wclliagton, - which, after beating about for two days, ho for-* tunutcly reached in safety, and at once gave ius formation to the proper authorities of the death - of his companion, The wife of the drowned man i was heart-broken at the intelligence, and a, sub- - scription was got up to forward her to Melbourne^ i. where her friends reside. 1 Information has been received of the Governor b having been recommended to assent to the foli lowing Ordinances passed by the Provincial ,1 Council of Otago : — Appropriation Act, 1862 ; c Otago Harbor Loan Ordinance ; Otago Harbor r Trust Leasing Ordinance ; and the Dunedjn Im- , provemont Ordinance. With reference to the a last mentioned Ordinance, it is seated that the 0 57th section is conflicting with, the Ist section of ; the " Ordinary Revenue Act, 1858," and conse1 quently null and void ; the Governor's advisers i- have-, however, recommended his Excellency to " assent to this Ordinance, on tho under3 standing that the Provincial Council I, will pass an Ordinance amending the r section referred to. The Dunedin Municipal p Loan Ordinance has not been recommended for i his Excellency's assent, further information » being required on the subject by the General y Government, Assent is also withheld, from the c Trespass Ordinance, 1869, on account of the 3rd y section allowing any person offending "against its c provisions to be apprehended by any person f without a warrant, being at variance with the orti nary rules of English law, c The new Wcsleyan Church was formally a opened on Sunday last. Three services were held • s the Rev. D. M. Stewart, of Kno* Church preaoht ing in the morning, the liev. Dr. Burns in the ;, afternoon, a.nd the l^ev. Isa,ao Harding in the j evening. The congregation at the morning * service was aa large as the building could well 1 accommodate. The collection at this service amounted, to £28. The church was not quite so - largely attended in the afternoon, aod tbe colleci turn amounted to £10. Tfes Hey. Mr. Harding prwQhed to a ftU congregation in the eyening (

and £22 was collected. The collection' for the three services amounted to £60 18s. The'.ehurch is a very neat and well built structure, and will seat about five hundred persons. We are informed that about six hundred pounds are stiil required to defray the cost of erection. Undismayed by the failure of the Auckland . Agricultural Society, the good people of Canterbury are going in for one, the show to be held in October next. Our Port Chalmers report mentions that the racer Antonelli arrived by the Omeo, and was landed on Monday. We learn from our Wellington corresponden that the Wellington Steam Navigation Company will dissolve next month, their term of partnership having expired. Our Auckland correspondent mentions a curious and significant circumstance in connection with Sir George Grey's mediations at Coro- v maudel. It appears that the councillors of the Maori King sent to the Coromandel natives a very fine native mat in token of the land being taken under the protection of the king, but they handed the mat over to Sir George GreyThe opening of the electric telegraph between Christchurchand Lyttelton ha 9 been celebrated by a dinner at lyttelton, and another dinner is to be held at Christchurch this week. A return is published in the " General Government Gazette," of the quantity and value of gold exported from New Zealand from the Ist April, 1857, to 31st March, 1862. It appears that during this period there has been a total quantity of 406,584 oz. of gold, value L 1.575,513 exported from the various ports in this colony. Of this amount the Otago gold fields have furnished 359,639 oz, value L 1,393,600. The Nelson gold fields have furnished 46,591 oz, value L 180.541. During the same period there have been exported 354 oz, value L 1372, the produce of the province of Auckland. The body of a man who was drowned at Portobello, was on Monday brought over to Port Chalmers, and taken charge of by the police until the holding of an inquest, which is expected to take place to-day. The unfortunate deceased was a seaman named James Joy. Along with two other men named Edward Fox and John Mintoii, i he was engaged in discharging flour from a boat at Portobello, on Sunday, and while passing from the boat to the shore in a small ding)-, it capsized, and all three men were precipitated into deep water. It was with difficulty any of them saved themselves, but after a struggle, the two others succeeded, while Joy, found a Avatery grave Joy was a single man, and had principally been employed as a seafaring man up to the time he came to his untimely end. His body is at present lodged in a store at Port Chalmers, until the inquest into the circumstances of his death has been held. The following is the reply given by Sir Georga Grey to the congratulatory address recently presented to his Excellency from a large public meeting in Auckland : — "Auckland, June 26th, 18G2. Gentlemen, — I feel very grateful for the address which, upon behalf of the inhabitants of the city of Auckland, you have presented me*. It is to me a source of great pleasure that I have been able to be in any manner the means of promoting the security and welfare of the inhabitants of tins province— objects which have always been to me matters of the deepest interest and anxiety. You may rely that I will still endeavor ,in every way in my powf r, to secure the peace and happiness of he several races inhabiting New Zealand. I trust that, with the blessing of Divine Providence these objects may be successfully attained, as I know that the Local Government, and the many able officers and public servants now in this country, are, equally with myself, laboring earnestly and constantly to attain ends which will be so beneficial, alike to the mother country and New Zealand. (Signed) G. Gket. F. Whitaker, Esq., and the other gentlemen signing the address, Auckland." By a notice in our advertising columns, it will be seen that the s.s. Queen will cease to call at Picton, Nelson, and Taranald, but will proceed to Auckland, calling at the ports of Lyttelton, Wellington and Napier. A meeting of Freemasons was held at the Royal Hotel, Port Chalmers, on Monday evening, when a number of the residents of the Port and officers of vessels lying there, met as brethren of the mystic tie. The meeting was only a preliminary one, and another meeting was accordingly ap pointed to be held on the evening of Monday next, the 21st inst. An inquest was held yesterday, at the Port, Chalmers Hotel, as to the cause of death in the case of James Joy, whose body had been brought over from Portobello on the previous day. It appeared from the evidence that the deceased, with his two mates, Win ton and Fox, had got into a dingy much too small for them, endeavouring to reach the shore from a large boat in which they had been sailing, Being so greatly overloaded, and the men having to scull her with one paddle, the dingy dipped under and half-filled. On this happening, Fox jumped over, the dingy capsized,, and the other two were also precipitated into the water. Out of the three, the deceased's two mates managed, with difficulty, to save themselves, but he was drowned, his body being found some hours after the occurrence, as the tide receded. The jury in accordance with the circumstances, returned a verdict of " Accidental Death." A meeting of the Otago Jockey Club was held on Thursday, for the purpose of taking into consideration the terms of the forthcoming Grand Champion Race. It will be remembered that this Race was projected on the conclusion of the late Races ; and that names were put down for a large sum, as subscribers for a Champion Race Fund. We are glad to find that the Club is thus early taking steps in the matter, as it can only be by careful and complete pre-arrangement that the Champion Race can be made worthy of the Province. The names of the new committee are a guarantee for the arrangements being carried out in a sportsman-like spirit; and it is to be expected that a large accession to the numerical strength of the Club will accrue now that a new season is commencing, especially as a complete code of rules has been adopted. The subscription, wo may mention, is fixed at £5 ss. We understand from reliablo private sources, that the Waikato natives are in 'anything but a tranquil state. It is more than likely they will take advantage of the absence of the Governor, and the Ministry, to cause a great deal of trouble. It yet rem aius to be seen whether Sir George Grey has done wisely in permitting the session to be held at Wellington instead of Auckland. We are informed that Mr. Jack Lamb is coming over by the Gothenburg, to play the match at Billiards, which is attracting so much attention. The new little steamer the Betsy Douglas left Dunedin on Thursday, with about fifty persons on board, on a pleasure excursion to the Heads. A large number of ladies wore on board, and the services of a good band were secured for the occasion. The Betsy Douglas proved herself an admirable sea-boat, and some idea of her speed may be formed, by her having steamed from Port Chalmers to the half-way stone in twenty-five minutes, Jonn Fratson was again brought up before the Resident Magistrate on Thursday, and was charged, " on the information of Detective Tuckwell, with the wilful murder of Andrew Wilson. The proceedings were merely of a formal character, and the prisoner was remanded for seven days. The inquest on the body of the murdered man will be held, at Molyneux, on Saturday. From a private source, upon which we'eau place the most complete reliance, we learn that considerable attention is now being directed in Great Britain, and especially in Scotland, to Otago as* a 1 field for emigration, and that the anxiety for information respecting this province is quite remarkable. Nor is the movement confined to mere . enquiry, it is assuming the more positive shape of actual emigration. There were four vessels on the berth in Glasgow as passenger ships to sail hetween the 16th May and the 10th June, A private letter from home informs us that the copy of the Daily Times, printed on satin, and . which was sent home to England for the Great Exhibition, has been placed in a rieat gilt frame, and looks very well indeed in the Exhibition. A quantity of specimens also, which were forwarded afterwards, had come to hand, and were to be placed in a case at the Exhibition with the Otago gold already on view there. A private letter informs us that the Flying Mist was to. sail from the Clyde for Otago at the end of May, with 1700 sheep, of the pure Lei- . cester breed, and that she will on her arrival be employed in carrying sheep from Melbourne to Otago fora year at least. By the report of the Jockey Club Meeting, which [ appears elsewhere, it will be seen that it has been ! resolved to disqualify Mr. SamueLWaidock from : running, riding, or training .any horsd on the Dunedin Racecourse, or on any Course on which the Otago Jockey Club may in "fatfofe hold the.it meetings. . , , 'l, r Vni:.i/ •;'/:,; Ci '-[■