INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

Grey River Argus, Issue 113, 2 October 1866, Page 3

INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

Fatat* Accident at Arthur's Point. — At about four o'clock on the morning of the 4th instant, a man named Denis M'Namer left tha company of a party who had assembled together to celebrate the opening of an hotel at Arthur's Point. Nothing was heard of him until some hours after, when his body was discovered by a passer-by lying oh some rocks in the Shotover river, under a deep precipice that fronts the hotel referred to. At the inqnest the jury returned the following verdict : — v That the deceased, Denis M'Namer, came to his death by accidentally falling down a cliff on the Shotover River, near the house of George Bond, known as the Bridge End Hotel, the deceased at the time being under the influence of liquor." The deceased, who was a native of Tyrone, came to Otago from Victoria in 1862 ; and he has a brother working . as a miner on the West Coast. T^rbe Me.n Perished in a Snow Storm. — From a gentleman who arrived from the Lake District, we learn that three men who sometime since left the Nokomai to prospect in the direction of Switzer^s, not having been heard of for some time, a f eeling of anxiety as to their fate was evinced by their friends, and a party was organised to follow their track, in order to ascertain their fate. After much exertion and perseverance, the searchers found the bodies of all three at the Dome. It would appear that they had been overtaken by a snow storm, and evidently perished from cold, their swags containing ample provisions for their creature wants. We understood that two were married men, their wives and ; families residing at Nokomai. The names of the men are given as Charles Durrant, John Craig, and Thomas Skinner. — " Southland Times, 10th instant. Escape of a Soldier from the Maoris. — Private John Hennessy, of H. M. 57th Regiment, gave himself up to Sergeant Murphy, of the 18th Royal Irish, at Manawapou, on Monday last. He says that he had been taken prisoner by the Maoris ; had frequently endeavored to escape, but could not do so until then. He will be forwarded to his regiment, now in Auckland, where the circumstances of his, detention will be inquired into by a general court-martial. Upon recent occasions, two or- three European soldiers were observed fighting with the Maoris against Major McDonnell's men , it rests with Hennessy to show that he was forcibly detained, and we trust he will be able to do so. From what we can learn ; it appears that three men, Carroll, Long, and Hennessy, went pig-hunting, were pursued by .the Maoris when the two former escaped, but Hpnnessy was captured and forcibly detained. In that case his only crime was that of pig-hunting without leave, and contrary to order, but his absence of 15 months requires explanation. f \ Wanganui Times." With reference to the Southland diggings, the " Daily News," the 6th inst., says :-=" Qur advices from the Paihi diggings are to the effect that the population is in a somewhat unsettled state. Several parties are out prospecting, and on the result of their search the future of the place will in a great measure depend, as the beach claims are getting rapidly worked out." The "Southland News," of the sth instant, records the total destruction by fire of Mr John Bullock's saw mills, on Stewart's Island. We quote the following : — "Mr Joseph Bullock arrived at Oampbellt6wn*on Sunday from Stewart's Island, and reported the total destruction of Bullock's well-known saw mills. It appears that about twelve o'clock on Thursday night, the 30th ultimo, a man named Smith, employed at the mills, discovered the premises on fire, and immediately gave the alarm to Mr- Joseph Bullock, who, on reaching the buildings, discovered them fully-enveloped in flames. Every precaution was taken and exertion made to'saVe the premises, but the fire had obtained too great a hold on the inflammable buildings and contents, and in a few minutes everything was consumed — the only things saved being a few trivial tools and two saws. Mr Bullock ia unable to state whether his brother (Mr John Bullock, the owner, who is in Dunedin) is insured or not. Should he not be so, Ills loss will be very considerable."