NEW SOUTH WALES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VII, Issue 458, 25 March 1857, Page 6

NEW SOUTH WALES.

We have papers to the 17th February. The Parliament was still sitting, but it seems likely that an end would be put to it about the beginning of March. It has been sitting pretty regularly since the 22nd of May last, and a large number of Government bills still remain for disposal.

An export duty on gold was brought into action on the 15th February. The produce of the gold fields is stated to be very small in comparison with previous returns. Apropos of gold-buyers, a good deal of excitement prevailed a short time ago, owing to a trick of trade having been played off upon a number of diggers by one of the coal merchants, who succeeded in gulling them into the belief that the 2s. 6d. an ounce export duty, under the new Act had come in force. Under this impression they sold him a quantity of gold at a correspondingly reduced price, and did not discover the imposition for a time. When at length they had ascertained how they had been gulled, a body of them repaired to the residence ot the delinquent broker, and by forcibly expressed threats of vengenance, unless reparation was made, succeeded ,in obtaining their iust due. ' It is needless to say that the trick has rebounded with considerable force upon his own head in the shape of a diminished trade. The diggers of Stony Creek are again becoming interested in the science of meteorology, having a vested interest of no small importance in rain clouds. Many a long look is cast to the westward m the hope that some speck on the horizon may prove the precursor of coming showers. A fall of rain would produce a marked change in the face of the Wellington diggings in a very short space of time.—Bathurst Free Press.

Suicide by a Dog.—On Saturday last, a very old, favourite carriage-dog, the property of Mr. Eobert Hancook/ of the Tower, Georgestreet, South, deliberately committed suicide by drowning himself in a pond at the rear of Mr. Hancock's house.. He was seen to walk into the pond, put his head under the water, and lie down. He had been suffering much, for some time past, from disease of the chest and deafness.—Mmpire.

The first week in February has been characterised by two suicides of a most extraordinary nature,_ and committed under circumstances the most distressing: On the morning of the 2nd instant it was discovered that Dr. Sfcolworthy, residing in O'Connell-street, a gentleman well known in the colony, had destroyed himself by taking a large quantity of laudanum. - A coroner's inquest sat on his remains that same afternoon, but the evidence adduced did not bring to light any circumstance of a material nature sufficient to account for the commission of the rash act, except that he was in pecuniary difficulties. A meeting of an hour and a half's duration which deceased had had in his own house, the day before his death, with a Miss Kesterton, was spoken to by the servant of Dr. btolworthy; but as that lady was not forthcoming as a witness, nothing- more could be known on the subject. The jury, therefore, returned a verdict of self-destruction, while labouring under temporary insanity, brought on

by embarrassed citcumstances. On the followilag , dsy (Tuesday, 3rd instant), Miss Emma festerton, the young lady already referred to, paid a • \isit to a married friend residing at Balmaiu, a ; suburb of Sydney. . Whilst there she complained of being unwell, and appeared to be suffering sickness and violent spasms, accompanied with ' great thirst: A medical man was called in, who prescribed a powder of calomel and opium, and, as Miss K. complained of great pain in the stomach, a mustard poultice was applied, which relieved her; all this time, however, she assigned no probable cause for her illness. Towards evening she was put to bed, and attended to most assiduously by her friend and her servant; about four in the1 morning when the servant last saw Miss Kesterton, she said,' " Oh, Jane, I will never recover !" Shortly after ' the servant left and went to sleep. In the morning she found Miss Kesterton lying in bed quite dead, with her hands closed ; her face was of a bluish colour, and the bed clothes were quite | smooth and undisturbed. At the inquest, the ! only material evidence was that of Mrs. Wiseman,, a widow-lady,'who had been for some! years under engagement to be married to the deceased Dr. Stolworthy. She said, " 1 have seen to-day the body of a young woman now lying dead at the house of Mr. Windeyer, Balmain, andl recognise it to be the body of Emma Kesterton : her age was about twenty-two years ; I have known her about sixteen years ; she received an excellent education, and was a governess, and lately employed in ' that capacity by Mi-.Eiley; deceased was not of eccentric habits; she attended church yesterday (Monday) morning ; a little after nine o'clock deceased came to the residence of Dr. Stolworthy, where I was at that time; deceased was passing through the passage to go up stairs, when I called her back, asking her what she wanted; she said ' the doctor ; I said ' don't go up stairs, he is dead; deceased then asked me in what way he died; I said he had poisoned himself; I conversed with her some few minutes, when she said she was going to Kissing Point; I recommended her not to go, as she would be wanted on the inquest; deceased replied,' I will not stop, I will poison myself too ;' at the time' I never thought she would do such a thing ; deceased asked me to shake hands with her, which I declined, and she left directly." A verdict of death frompoison, but under what circumstance administered there is no evidence to show, was returned. Beyond what is before detailed, nothing whatever is known of this tragical affair, and it were worse than useless to indulge in conjectures on what must ever remain a mystery.— S. M. S.