AFFRAY AND SINGULAR DEATH, NEAR WAIKOUAITI.

Otago Witness, Issue 824, 13 September 1867, Page 4

AFFRAY AND SINGULAR DEATH, NEAR WAIKOUAITI.

Intelligence was received on Monday, of an affray in Pleasant Valley, vWaikouaiti, and- of the death of a roadriian named Michael Hawkins, which death at present appears to have resulted ffopx a blow given during that affray. At six o'clock on Friday morning,, James Young, the keeper of an . inn, about six miles from Waikouaiti, on the Palmerston road, and in Pleasant Valley, reported at the Waikouaiti Police Office, that on Thursday night, between ten and twelve o'clock, two men employed on 'the road, and who camped near his house, came to the inn, and were admitted intothe bar ; that the' men Were tipsy, , and behaved in a ' most disorderly, mann^f ; that they were consequently put odt, J .by James Young, jun.,'. Duncan TNl'Laren, and Anthony Arnold'; that the, men then fetched several of their "riiaies ; and that the party commenced .thirb^ing stones, by which they smashed two windows, and did other damage to the house. Mounted-constable -Witsoli was sent to the place at once ; "and Mr Young gave Thomas Conway and Michael Hawkins into custody, on a charge of breaking windows and doing other damage, in all to the value of L 5. The men were further charged with an assault upon Duncan M'Laren, who lodged at'-the inn. When Wilson reached the Waikouaiti station with the prisoners, at two o'clock on Friday afternoon, Hawkins's left earwas bleeding on the inside. As he could not hear, and appeared to be very weak^ Dr Drury was sent for ; but after examination, that gentleman expressed his belief that there was but little 'ilhh matter with Hawkins, except -to 1 the extent to which he was suffering froni drink.

On Saturday morning, Conway arid Hawkins were taken before J.W. Muf- ' doch, Esq. R.M. 'Conw<iy was ''dis-^ charged, as regarded the damage 1 td pro= perty ; but he was fined L 2, for assaulting M'Laren, and was ordered to be imprisoned 21 days, in default of payment". Hawkins being still quite deaf, he was remanded until Saturday next, but was liberated on bail. At two o'clock on Saturday, Hawkins left the Court, with" & mate- named M'Cormick, who took him. to Smith's Union Hotel, Beach street,Hawksbury, and he was there again attended by Dr Drury. Early on Monday morning, M'Cormick reported to the police that Hawkins died at the Union Hotel, at a quarter after seven o'clock; and the body is now lying at the hotel, awaiting an inquest, whichr is to be held to-day. It appears that, the* deceased was unable to state from whom^ or how he received the blow which in-, jured his head; but he stated that' he felt violent pains from a blow which lie musthave got on the left side of the^iead. The only external mark of violence is said to, be a slight dent or bruise over the left temple. Sergeant-Major Moore is making aIL possible inquiry as to who gave Hawkins^ the blow which seems to have lod to hasdeath. i -

A New Fuel. — Some experiments ar» in progress with regard.' to a new kind of peat-fuel, known as Lee's patent, wlrich. i* alleged to. possess great advantages ovsr coal, both as regards power and economy^ for generating steam. According to a» account in the Skhppmg Gazette of a trial of this fuel,-;-'/ The results arrived- at were considered to prove that peat, whe»! properly dried and submitted to a certain* process, and then saturated in oil, hg& greater heating power than the best Welsh*, coal. The advantages possessed by thifcpeat fuel are the rapidity with which' a fire, can be lighted, 4 and economy in working! and space. Put a few blocks in the furnace, apply a match, and in an instant the* whole is in a mass >of . flame. Very litttfc stoking is. required.'? „, <