ARRIVAL OF THE "WONGA WONGA,"

Wellington Independent, Volume XVII, Issue 1795, 22 November 1862, Page 3

ARRIVAL OF THE " WONGA WONGA,"

NEWS FROM OTAGO TO THE 18th NOV. AND CANTERBURY TO THE 20ra.

The s.s. Wonga Wonga, from Otago via Lyttelton, arrived in this harbor yesterday at 5 p.m. She sailed from Port Chalmers on Tuesday, the 18th instant, at 5 p.m., arrived at Lyttelton at 4 p.m. on the followiug day, sailed from thence at 1230 on Thursday, and arrived here as above. Captain Renner reports experiencing head winds as far as Cape Campbell, and from ttience through the Straits a strong N.W. gale. In the passage down, which she made in 44£ hours, from anchorage to anchorage, the Wonga beat the Queen, with all kinds of weather, one hour and a half from Lyttelton to Port Chalmers. The mail steamer had not arrived, but was hourly expected ; when the Wonga left she would have a fair wind for enteting the Heads. The Queen was waiting for the mail and would sails ix hours after its arrival. There are siill crowds of people starting for the Dunstan. The river there is still very high. The Scoresby, from London, arrived at Port Chalmers on the 17th instant. We extract the following from the papers received by this opportunity : — Tho Lancashire Relief Fund Committee of Otago had forwarded £600 to England, and a further sum of £100 was to be remitted by the mail. Garrett made a desperate attack on a~warden named Flannery, on Saturday last, in wtiieh he attempted togouge out his eyes. The sentry fired his piece in the air as an alarm, which brought assistance to the spot, and the prisoner was secured. A fine young man, on his way to the diggings has just met his death from partaking of the tutu plant. He and his mates, were camping near Wetherstone's, where he took some grass in his mouth and ate some of the poisonous plant or berry. He soon complained of illness; a doctor was sent for, and he was without loss of time conveyed to the hospital, where he died next day. His name wa3 James Merns, alias M'Dougall. He, with four mates, had just arrived from Sydney. The jury appended a rider to their verdict, recommending the Government to publish prominent notices in the newspapers of the description of the lutu, together with a warning to new arrivals not to partake of it. Tutu (coriaria ruscifolia) is a small bush with a berry like the elder. The Maories express an agreeable juice from the berry, but carefully avoid the seed which, with the leaves and shoots, produce a narcotic effect, frequently proving fatal to both man and beast. — Daily Times, Nov. 15. Three inquests were held at the Lyttelton Hotel, Christchurc, on the 17th inst. The first was on the body of a lady named Ellen Ellman, who drowned herself in the Avon, whilst under a fit of temporary insanity. The second case was that of the drowning of a little boy named Thomas William Preston, aged 9 years, who fell iuto the River Avon, whilst playing near the Papanui Bridge, on the sth Nov. The third enquiry was iuto the circumstances attending the death of Mr. Joseph Garland, aged 47, who was accidently drowned in the Rakaia, on Saturday the 15th inst. H.M.S.S. Harrier. — The Lyttelton people, to the number of about v! 00, vPited the Harrier, on Sunday last, and has every reason to be satisfied with tlie courtesy shown by the officers and crew. Thej visit of a man of war is a rare event in this harbor, and a good deal of curiosity was excited by the arrival. The hospitality which characterises our gallant bluejackets all over the world, was not wanting on this occasion, and everything that could be done to amuse and inform the wondering civilian mind was freely volunteered. On Monday the officers entertained a party of visitors from the plains, among whom was his honor the Superintendent- Just before leaving, an accident occurred with the Armstrong guv, by which two seamen were injured, ono rather seriously. It seems that it had been originally intended to firo a round of shell from the gun, but that the order was countermanded after the shell was in tho gun. To withdraw the charge, the gun beiug a breech-loader, one of the gunners proceeded. to ram the shell back through the rifled tube. - As the shell is constructed to explode when a certain amount of concussion is applied, it was necessary when ramming it back to be cautious not to %c

too much force. Unfortunately in this instance the fuse ignited, and the men who were standing near the breech, prepared to receive the returned shell, not having stepped back far enough, were both injured in the face by the explosion. Jt ia . feared that one of them may have his tight permanently injured. — Lyttelton Times, N<v. 19. The Avon Steamer. — A meeting ofthe share- " ; holders of this steamer was held on Saturday last, when it was decided to accept the offer made on the part of tha General Government, ai.d diflpo«« of the vessel. We hear that the sum agreed upon was ;£1725, and that the Government pay for the materials now on their way from Sydney, which had been ordered with a view to repairs. The 6teamer has been handed over to Commander Sullivan, and may now be dignified with the prefix H.M.S. The engineers of the Harrier are / already on board, and we believe she will be put on the slip previous to her departure. The sale of the Avon at the present time will be some hirg drance to the wool-shippers, but we believe that tho Gazelle started yesterday morning to try the • Salt Water Creek If she can navigate ..that inlet, • all stoppage to the trade will be avoided. — Id. ■

Scarlet Letter Legislation^— Among the . curiosities of Provincial Council wisdom, the clauses recently added to the Pnblic House Ordinance stand conspicuous. There is a flavour of sweet simplicity ahout them that reminds ua forcibly of the rales of some good old Protestant pastor of a mountain glen in Switzerland. Drunken husbands, and— if such things exist — tippling, i wivts will now be able to check-mate each other nicely ; meddling J. P'e. fond of poking their noses into other peoples' affairs will have their hands full of racy little scandals without fear of libel, for of course there will be no so such things aB one rule for the poor and another for the rich. The law will never pounce on any poor, sweep who is killing himself by hourly nobblers at the bar,-, and pass unnoticed the better born drunkard who . is doing the same thing in a private room on the premises. And then the advertising ! If all have their dues what curious lists we should publish in our columns, and when the papers get home what a sensation will bo produced! The intimate friends of the * posted ones * will certainly feel gratified, and as far as the original founders t the settlement are concerned—they willbe in .raptures at our high moral tone. There is a no«. velty about the proceeding which may even attract the notice of the ' Record * and other congenial publications. Many a snuffling cant ing humbug will dilate with upturned eyes over his tea and toast upon the rapid advance of md-. rality and temperance in the South Seas. Not content with quietly closing the door of repentance against a fallen brother, these provincial solons would nail it up and clinch it on the other side by gibbetting their victim before the eyes of the whole world. No doubt the next step will be *a. scarlet letter ' for our frail sisters, who are said to be rapidly increasing in numbers. We make the Coun oiil a present of the notion and commendit to their serious attention. — Lyitelton Times, Nov. 19.