CANTERBURY.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 5, Issue 277, 12 June 1865, Page 2

CANTERBURY.

(From Punch in Canterbury .) Latest Intelligence feosi the Feont. 23y Indigo National Telegraph : —Camp Ohiwirra wirra, May 27, 5 a.m.—ln the absence of the Governor, the Cominauder-in-Chief has taken upon himself the responsibility of advancing another half-mile into the heart of the hostile district. This measure was rendered necessary by the danger to the health of the British Contingent, arising from miasma generated by the enormous heaps of beef bones and other offal that encircled the camp at Tura lura. With admirable forethought, the Native Troops were called in on the 22nd; and owing to the judicious arrangements of those in command, the camp was removed without accident to this place on the same day. On the night of the 24th, an alarm was sounded, and in considerably less than eight hours, the whole force were under arms. On investigation, the cause of this alarm was discovered to be a bull, which had rather unceremoniously thrust his horns through one of the tents, and roused the inmates, who mistook the horns for spears, and fled in dismay. A Court-Martial was held on the bull, which was sentenced to be roasted at the stake. With the exception of this incident, the force has not been disturbed by the enemy, and the men are in high spirits. We hear that the announcement of the recall of the contingent has been productive of great dissatisfaction to the Maories, and a petition praying for the reversal of the decision is being circulated for signature amongst them. Wo understand that it will be presented at the next session of the General Assembly, by Mr. F-tzG-r-ld, whose name we are not at liberty to divulge.

(From the Lyttelton Times.)

Explosion in the Tonnell. —A serious explosion of gunpowder toot place yesterday morning, about 11 o'clock, at the Christchurch end of the railway tunnel, by which five men were more or less hurt. The accident, as far as can be ascertained, arose from the carelessness of Thos. Duffy, who, while engaged in making cartridges for the miners, is supposed to have snuffed the candle of his lantern, and thrown the wick outside amon<* some loose powder. This ignited the cartridges, to the number of some dozen, each containing half a pound of powder. As ill-luck would have it, there stood close outside the shed in which Dufty was working a trolley, on which had been placed a canister containing about 211 b. of powder and a quantity of fuse. The first explosion set fire to the fuse, and in a few minutes the canister exploded just as four men, who had been working at the far cud of the tunnel, reached the spot to find out what had caused the first alarm. All these poor fellows were more or less burnt, the original cause of the mischief having been previously very severely injured. Indeed it is wonderful that no fatal result occurred. Though we know it is almost absurd to attempt to enforce caution among men wiio are habitually using powder, we may as well point out to them that if they risk their own lives, they' have no right to treat their mates in the same style. Of the lew accidents that have occurred in the tunnel nearly all have arisen from want of ordinary caution in handling of the works to mention that lie acted with «reat judgment and promptitude in despatching a'messenger to the station. The engine was at once forwarded to Christchurch, and in a few minutes returned with Mr Richardson and Dr. Leech. The news had already been telegraphed to Lyttelton, and in a remarkably short time Dr Rouse was on the ground. The wounds of the sufferers were dressed, and wc are happy to say bid fair to progress favorably.

Strange Fkeak at Ltttleton.— Some persons for the sake of having a lark, about 10 o’cloek, ou Wednesday evening, got into the drill-shed, in the Market-place, Lyttelton, and hauled out the ArmStrong gun, loaded her with the usual charge of powder aud shot, and fired her olf, to the great alarm of the inhabitants ; at the same time shattering the whole of the glass in the windows ou the south-west front of the shed. The shot struck the barque Catherine on the port side, destroying the bulwarks and stanchions and running rigging. The man who had charge of the deck \vatch had a narrow escape of his life. The authorities will have the affair investigated at the Resident Magistrate’s Court, ou Tuesday next; therefore, for the present, we refrain from mentioning the names of the persons implicated.

(From the Press.) The Railway Loan. —Letters have been received from Mr Selfe stating that the balance of the £50,000 worth of debentures for last year, of which about £36,000 still remained unsold at the departure of the last mail has been disposed of at an average rate of a little under 90 per cent., and that 'he had had an'; offer for the whole of the £50,000 for this year at 90. If this is accepted it will pay off the whole advance of the Union Rank, and leave a credit to the province of about £70,000. Our readers are aware that only £50,000 for the Lyttelton and Christchurch railway loan can be placed in the market each year, but as the next instalment may be disposed of in London in January next, any fear of financial disaster owing to the fresh arrangement contracted by the province are entirely dissipated. The sale of these debentures at a rate 15 per cent, higher than the . price at which the securities of the neighboring provinces have been disposed of, and in the face of a call for £IOO,OOO on General Government debentures bearing 8 per cent, interest, whilst ours bear only 6 per cent., is a most encouraging evidence of the improving state of the money market, and of the stability of the credit of Canterbury.