CANTERBURY.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3233, 23 June 1871, Page 3

CANTERBURY.

[Pbess ] The public will regret to learn that Mr Cyrus Davie, Chief Surveyor of the province, died suddenly on June 18, All anxiety on the part of Mr Davia's friends for his recovery had ceased, and he spent the greater part of June 17 with his family. On retiring for tho night, a difficulty of breathing came on, and he expired within, five minutes. During the month of May 62,294 bushels of wheat, 56, 166 bushels of oats, and 479 tons of flour were carried over the Lyttelton and Christchurch railway. During the same period 102,836 bushels wheat, and 4-7,0G3 of oats wore conveyed over the Great Southern railway. The contractors for No 4 section of the Northern railway intend, we believe, commencing work this week to form and fence the line. Tenders, we perceive, are invited for posts and mils for the No 5 section, from Kaiapoi to Southbrook and Rangiora. These tenders are to be sent in to the Secretary for Public Works before noon on Thursday, the 6th proximo. The Oalifornian quail which have been set at liberty in the Acclimatisa- ! tion Garens have been recently hunted at night by a dog, which on Sunday | night wound up his exploits by breaking ' into one of the pheasant aviaries and killing the inmates. It appears that the dog which was shot by the Curator, I was in the habit of leaving his home, a distance of nearly three miles, on these •poaching expeditions, much to the astonishment of the owner of the dog, who, although suffering the loss of a valuable favorite, with prompt liberality, has handed over to the society a cheque for £5, being an amount beyond the estimated damage done. An accident occurred in Lyttelton on Sunday night to James Edwards, the second mate of the brig Fawn. From what we can gather, it appears that Edwards, in company with two of the seamen of the brig, left Leslie's Hotel at about 11 p.m. to go on board, their boat being fastened to the stern of the Moa, lying alongside of the Railway Wharf. One of the men went on board the steamer to unfasten the boat, and during his absence the unfortunate man by some means fell over the end of the breastwork, a height of about 12 feet, on to a quantity of large boulders, severely cutting his head and limbs, and fracturing his skull, besides receiving other injuries. Constable Maguire and Mr Webb, the night watchman, both happened to be near at the time, and hearing the noise proceeded to the scene of the accident, and had him conveyed to Leslie's Plotel, where he was quickly attended to by Dr Campbell. On enquiry yeslerday we find that the sufferer is progressing favorably.