Local and General.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 409, 6 September 1869, Page 2

Local and General.

Sim'rkme Court.—H is Honor sat in the Court Chambers, at eleven o'clock this morning. Fitzgibbon and Cooii'-y were brought up in custody. Mr Joynt moved in arrest of Judgment, on the ground that the indictment did not show on the face of it that tlie order of adjudication re Thomas and Francis Chave ever became absolute. After lengthened argument, his Honor disallowed the grounds relied on, and sentenced the prisoners to six months' imprisonment each at hird'ahour lie Joseph Gardiner -On Mr Slater's application, an order was made for the discharge of the debtor from custody, the Bank of New South Wale 3 not appearing to oppose, i his order was made upon the 17th section of the Bankruptcy Act, the debtor having filed his declaration. Latest Native News. — Letters received by the Government to August 31, give the following intelligence with reference to Te Kooti's movements and the d.spositi >n of the ■Colonial Force*: — The Uriweras have ro'turncl to the east side of Waike c Moana, 'but nothing more is known of their movements. Te !• nnti id <itiH-at Rotoan'a, and is said to be building a pah there. His for c is computed at from 150 to 2 :, 0 men. He is encumbered with a large number of women and children. Te Ucuheii and Rewi are still with hjjm. The Wi.iroi is pro»sc!ed by all tlie force available for that purpose, and the forts at Te Ilaroto nnd Tito Ok'ira secure , communication with Taup> and protect the • settlement on tint side A force of nearly 2(;0 men, composed of 90 infantry, 40 cavairv, and 40 or 50 natives, under Colonel Herrick, -reached Hunnnpa on Saturday last. Lieut.Polonel MTonnell has moved from Wan.ganui ti Hare Tauteka'a camp in the Taupo country. One hundred mounted natives have gone from Nnpicr to join Hare Tauteka. j Those with Here's own cava'ry and the Con- . stabuliry make a force of 201) cavalry. Capt. St George is at Taupo Lake, with an . available force of 100 men. The forces will not act on the offensive unless attacked, or • unlefs n certainty of crushing Te Kooti presents i\self. Snt'sfnctory arrangements have made for provisioning the corpa.

The Land Sales to-day amounted to 102 ' acres, as follows: — Rakaia, 5o; Oxford, 20;! Malvern, 32. Emus. — The barque Jolin Knox, which arrived in harbour yesterday, brought two of these birds for the Acclimatization Gardens. Ltttelton Rorocgh Auditous.— Owing to the resignation of Mr Bunker, us one of lho Auditors, a nomination for the office will take place on the 10th inst., at the Council Chambers. Licensed Victualleks' Association. — The performance on Friday evening at the Theatre Royal, was such an undoubted success, that the Association intend to repeat it this evening. Those who purchased tickets for Friday eveniug, and were unable to find seats, will be admitted to-night on the same tickets. It is highly satisfactory to think that the Benevolent Fund of the Association will bii substantially augmented by these performances. The object which the Association has iv view is in every way a laudable one. Acclimatisation.— The society's gardens were visited on Saturday by Dr Hector, who was accompanied by his Honor the Superintendent. Both appeared to take especial interest iv the trout and the fish arrangements, now ready for the receipt of another quantity of ova from Tasmania. According to recent advices the ova will probably be again transmitted iv . charge of Captain Thompson, of the Southern Cross. Hopes are entertained that a > upply of salmon trout ova, as well as the common trout ova, will be furnished. jKCoacii Accident. — Those who received fetters from Greymouth by Saturday's Westland coach, very probably had some difficulty in deciphering them. Out* exchange files an i letters reached us in a state of pulp. The following, from a Hokitika contemporary of Sept. 4,gives a full explanation of the cause: — Another accident occurred yesterdaj' at the Kapitea Creek that was very nearly attended with loss of human life. It appears that the down Grey coach, with a single passenger on board, entered the creek, when one of the wheelers jibbed, and the coach was consequently detained in the stream. At this time a roller came up from the sea which completely swept the horses from tlieir footing and the coach from its equilibrium. Horses, coach, driver, and passenger were taken down bodily to the beach, and from there into the surf : a battle for life being fought by all. The two leading horses got adrift, and made their way to shore, and Mr Smith, the driver, made desperate exertions to cut the two pole horses away atjMie peril and nearly at the loss of his own lire^ The animal that caused the disaster was hy this time drowned, and the other wheel horse was nearly so. After a while the living horse was released by Mr --mith's exertions, but the probability is that, it is seriously hurt, and will not recover, (in the meantime, tlie wreck of the coach wakdriftcd into the surf, and tbe driver and Mr Coleman, the passenger, clung to it in the best way they could. How difficult tliia was, may be imagined when we state that sometimes the top, sometimes the wheels, were uppermost, and that this pitching about lasted for nearly twenty minutes. By this time the coach had got battered to pieces, the roof was destroyed, the sides and seats were smashed up, and the wheels and floor were all the relics. The current set to the northward, and the unfortunates were drifted in that direction, when by good fortune they were thrown up rather higher than usual. They availed themselves of the opportunity, and jumped off their dangerous perch, reaching land with great difficulty much bruised and half drowned^ Very fortunately, by a miracle almost, the lives of Mr Smith, the driver, and Mr Coleman, were preserved, for a more narrow escape has been seldom if ever known. Not the slightest blame is attributable to the driver, who did all that human being could do, and rather foolishly in fact risked his life iv endeavouring to save the lives of the horses he was in charge of. He was so hurt that he could not come to town, and had to stay at the Six Mile to recruit himself. We may also add that he waded chin deep to recover the Christchurch and Otago mail bags.