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Hawke's Bay Weekly Times, Volume 2, Issue 79, 13 July 1868, Page 170

Suicide on the West Coast. —A curious inquest was recently held at one of the gaols on the West Coast gold-fields, touching the death of a Chinaman named Ah Hung, better known as Teapot. The Western Post says that the deceased had recently been tried on a charge of stabbing, and sentenced to two years’ imprisonment. Whether this preyed on his mind does not appear, but he put an end to his existence by hanging himself in his cell. He appeared to hare mounted the night tub, and having made his tail fast to the hinge of the door, had suspended himself thereby, and was quite dead when discovered. A verdict in accordance with the facts was returned.

Cautious as Usuai. The Bruce Herald has the following amusing paragraph:—"What crop do you call that,” said a visitor to a Taieri farmer the other day, as they looked upon a field of wheat sown upon ground occupied by oats last year. "Weel,” said the well-known Taieri farmer, scratching his grey pow, " I dinna ken what to mak’ o’d exactly, if wheat’s dear, an’ oats cheap, I think I’ll ca’d wheat, an’ if oats is dear, an’ wheat cheap, I’ll just ca’d oats.” We only hope he may now succeed m persuading the millers of Otago that his wheat crop, grown under such a careless system of farming, is worthy of being ranked as the dearer esculent.

The Coming- Session.—No changes of importance have taken place in the personnel of the House of Representatives since last session, with the exception of Mr Fox and Mr Rolleston, who have, replaced Mr Watt and Mr Reeves. The advent of Mr Fox is generally supposed to be a source of weakness to the present Government, as the member for Wanganui will probably gather together the stray particles of opposition, and consolidate them into a strong and active political body. During last session the opposition wanted a leader, and beoame harmless in consequence. If Mr Fox feels disposed to accept the leadership, he will hardly want followers. ' Mr Rolleston must be considered in the light of an independent member: he. will certainly not be an ardent supporter of the Stafford Ministry.—Lyttelton Times.

Kerosine. at., Waiheki. —A discovery was reported in town which may prove of very groat importance to Auckland. A government officer on that island after ligting his pipe, threw the'still burning match into a pool of water about a hundred yards in diameter. Instead, .however, of the match-being immediately extinguished, the water, became-covered with a light’flame from side" to side.. The "attention of the smoker was immediately attracted to such a singular circumstance, and about a cupful of 'oleaginous- looking matter having been [skimmed from the surface, and taken to the house, proved to he petroleum..,. In the neighborhood of the watei-hole thefe must doubtless be an oil spring, and the ' r oWner of the ' island is tod'enterprising and dnergetio a gentleman to allow such a discovery,: to pasß /unnoticed.—New Zealand Herald, 26th June. .

Gold.— Tbevalue of gold imported into-*;*' the United Kingdom duringlß67 amounted/ ; to £15,800,015; that of silver £8,020,880.

Cattle in Europe.—Tbe total number of cattle in the various European states amounts to not less than 94,700,000 head, at an average value of £8 per head.

- A whites in the Scientific American asserts that onions eaten during an .epidemicaid in spreading the. disease, but that they are a good' disinfectant if sliced and exposed in the sick-room.

Fatal Accident.— -By the arrival of the cutter Wangarei we learn that a young man named Adolphus Backman lost his life whilst on his passag from Auckland to Wangarei, under the following, .'oircum* „ stances:—The unfortunate man was a seaman on board the schooner . Argo, and on Monday evening, as the vessel wa3 going:, in to Wangarei, he was knocked overboard" by the staysail. The vessel was immediately put about and the boat launched. Backman was picked up after being about tenminutes in the water, but he was quite dead. The body of deceased was taken into Wangarei, where an inquest was held on tbe following day before Sir Osborne Gibbes, Bart. ' The following verdict was returned:—“ That death was caused from apoplexy, produced by a blow from the sails and submersion.” The deceased was buried at Wangarei on Wednesday last.— New Zealand Herald, July 11.