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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 14, Issue 741, 6 December 1869, Page 2 (Supplement)

A miner named Peter Kirk, a native of Drogheda, was killed during a free fight in the street at Charleston, Province of Nelson. It is supposed he was killed by a blow on the head from a stor.e thrown at random. One man was seen in the crowd hitting right and left with stones in his lists He was not arrested, but two of the ringleaders named O'Brien and M'Laughlin have been.

Messrs O'Keeffe, Brissenden, Han naford, and a few of their friends, according to the Shortland Times, have recently purchased a large estate upon which the native flax plant is growing in abundance on the Thames about 12 miles from Shortland, where they intend manufacturing the article on a large scale. The estate consists of 10,000 acres, mostly covered with the flax plant, and lies between the Thames river and the ranges. Along the banks of the river the fl.tx plant gruws very luxuriantly, and little in the way of planting flax fields will be required for years, or iu fact at all, if only a little care is taken with the plants already growing. Through the property three large creeks ami two small ones run from the ranges to the Thames, which can be used as means of transporting the raw material to to the mill. The necessary machinery, which is extremely simple, is already on the ground, and will be iu working order in a short time. On the 23rd November a most serious accident (says the Canterbury Press) recurred on a farm between Oxford and Rangiora, to a youth, swn of Mr Packwood, ol r£aiapoi. He had been ploughing, and after taking the horses from the plough was holding one by a tether rope, whilst he sent a dog to turn the other one back towards him, it having got loose. The horse he was holding became frightened, and bolted. He held to the rope, but fell, and it becoming entangled round his body, his arms and neck, the horse dragged him in this stale about 15 chains. When assistance came he was found almost strangled, and the little finger of his left hand quite torn away. He was brought to Kaiapoi, but was stjll insensible and subject to violent convulsions, and there are only faint hopes of his recovery.