DUNEDIN ITEMS.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Volume I, Issue 15, 20 June 1863, Page 1 (Supplement)

DUNEDIN ITEMS.

Supreme Court, Dunedin.—On the 9th inst., Mr. Justice Richmond sentenced Charles Culinan, who had been found Guilty of obtaining money by a false pretence at Queenstown, to be imprisoned six months, and kept at hard labor. —On the 10th, John Marshall was sentenced to six months' hard labor, for stealing, at Queenstown, a pocket-book containing a £lO bank note, a bill of exchange for L2O, and other documents, the property of Jesse Buckland, a miner at Skipper's Gully.—Albert Mullen, charged with stealing a bag containing 12 oz. of gold from George Matheson, a miner at Moke Creek, was found Guilty, and sentence was deferred. This robbery was also committed at Queenstown.

An Irishman at Wetherstone's had a narrow escape lately frem severe injury under somewhat singular circumstances. He was proceeding in the direction of Munro's Gully, and whilst talking to some other diggers and not minding where he was walking, he stepped into a hole upwards of thirty-five feet deep. He was rescued as quickly as possible, his companions expecting to find at least several of his bones broken. He had sustained no injury, however, beyond a good shaking, and very cooliy exclaimed as he reached the surface, " Now, boys, any of you that has conceit in your leaping, there's a jump for you." No one was inclined to try a repetition of the feat.—Daily Times, The newspapers in Victoria and New South Wales are continuing the game of publishing stupid fictions with respect to Dunedin and the Otago Goldfields. Here is a nice sample, which occurs in what is stated to be a letter from a New South Wales digger, and which the Argus reproduces from the Sydney Morning Herald: — "People are sleeping out in every place which affords shelter from the cold winds at night, the favorite resort of the houseless being the Arcade, a sort of partly-covered, narrow, dirty thoroughfare, full of old clothes and apple-shops.—lbid. The Braidwood Observer publishes a long account, purporting to be a true narrative of the vicissitudes experienced by a person named Sweeney, at the Buller River diggings. There are so many evident inaccuracies contained in this narrative that we are much inclined to doubt its authenticity. When the writer speaks of having sold a ring not worth £3 to the Maories for £ls, because they " coveted it," we are disposed to be very incredulous of his other statements. We can only say that the West Coast Maories must be a very different sort of people to their inland brethren if they are willing to give £ls for a trumpery ring. The days of trading with the natives for beads and trinkets have long since passed away. —Ibid.

The Arms Act.—lt having been ascertained that a Taranaki native, named Te Meiha, had left that place to go overland to the South, in order to purchase ammunition, &c., His Honor the Superintendent of Taranaki has addressed a letter to the Superintrndent of Otago, suggesting for the latter functionary's consideration the desirability of steps being taken to prevent any breach of the Arms Act by Te Meiha or any native. This letter is published in the Government Gazette, accompanied by a request from the Acting Provincial Secretary, that all persons concerned in the " importation, sale, and other disposition of arms, gunpowder, and warlike stores," will take every precaution to prevent a breach of the above Act.—D. Telegraph. The following paragraph appears in the Messager de Tahiti, of March 21" Private letters arrived from Auckland, New Zealand, announce the approaching establishment of a line of steamers between Panama and New Holland. If this news be confirmed, there cannot be a doubt that Tahiti must be chosen as a port of call for the packet boats which would be placed on the line, no other island in the Pacific offering the same degree of advantages, and the facilities naturally accruing from its geographical position, from its political constitution, the fertility of its soil, and the salubrity of its climate."

The Lost Gold.—The Committee of Enquiry, after sitting two days to consider the circumstances connected with the late loss of gold by escort, concluded their labours on the 10th. The result of the investigation has not been made public, but we are given to understand that all the officers who had charge of the Escort, are exonerated from any blame.—lbid. The Late Assault Case on # Constable Parker.— I This case, which has excited so much indignation in Dunedin, on account of its extreme brutality, was disposed of on the 10th.

They were convicted on the minor charge, assaulting with intent to do grievous bodily harm. They were sentenced respectively, William Marryatt to three years' and Edmund Santy to two years' imprisonment, with hard labour.