A FEROCIOUS DUEL.

North Otago Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 1883, 9 May 1878, Page 4

A FEROCIOUS DUEL.

A duel of extraordinary ferocity win foil:: lit the other day nt Bodic. Moon County, Cniirornin, Two men, named Bin«>i.ui nnd Blnir, who hnd for some time bi en in pnYtnerHhln in a himinewi of mining ami pio^poetinfj, fell out in n hnr-r"om re*i>< cting the terms of a certain loontion which I hey hnd recently inndo. Bnninn, in t'if ourse of o diipufp, affirmed (hit he van "chief pnrfner " in the concern, n clnim wh'lch Hlnir re«enfnl, nt the whip time ixpre«sing hi« reuditieM to fi^lit Bt n«hn nt nny distance from ft "bond-ken-hi* f length " to fnrtv pnecs. BrnMtin at once nepppted tin- invitntion. His |)isr«<l ■ml holt were lying on On 1 floor close hy >iii, find ho only n^krd for fiinp to '' heel " liiins" II ; which oo«nj» nccnriled. \u> buckled mi lii** belt nnd nmiounnd thnt he wns "ruuh." The tvo jmrtnov* then went into thi* Ktrcott appenrintr, it is s'fttvri, "nwite plt-nnnntly (Hffpo«cd towards one another than they had I'cen during any other pint of the duv." Plncinur Iheni»il\c^ le«« than eight \wi npnrt, nt n %kn\\\ j»iv«n they I»<>M» fiu'd eflfectivpiv, Blftir hoing atvaok in th'o RhouMor and Briwiinn in the nido. AUov tlio first shot ibev Hred rapidly until th»;ir rovolvcts, enoh n six ahootor, had bneh ontiicly •mptied. Whon the aumko cleared nwivv the two mon wt»vo still swu alive, apparently riddltwl with shot nnd povered with blond. Neither of thi-in was, howpvrr, %niinlio(l with tlio result. f3inn!an shiajfnred to the bar-room to borrow another pix'oi, whilo Blair, mure fortunate, ohtnMt'fl tho loan of one f»om an acquaintan '• on tho apot. Following " pour l-i"Uf\urinR Braaian" intti the bar* room, JV ir «hot him dead before ho had time to jei !i >.iToiid pifltoi. A 1 " 1 ' i liriny this Jn^f i 1i 1 «>i Hlair sank on tho (l-mr fainting from

loss of blood. He vtm at once moved to the cabin of a friend, where he mot with every attontion, but, having received four dangerous wounds, ho was, by latest accounts, considered to be in a precarious position. Tho momentary irritation which lod to the duol having passod oft 1 , Blair soomod to foel dooply tho loss of his partnor.

Native Grasses.— Wo hear (says the "Now Zcalnndcr") that Mr Buchanan, M.F..5., of tho Musoum, is proceeding rapidly with his work on tho Grasses of Now /calniul. It will bo remembered that this work was ordorcd by tho House of Representatives some time ago. Already sovoral of tho plates have been lithographed, and much of tho lettorprca is in typo. Wluon issued tho book promises to rank with Dr. Butler's Birds of New Zealand. At the special request of Sir Georgo Groy, a complete sot of tho plates, printed on white instead of tinted paper, will be issued to each of tho Board schools, and will form a useful basis for the olemontary (scientific instruction of tho children. Grain Traffic. — Wo learn from tho "Press" that the total quantity of grain passed ovor tho Christohurch section of railway linos from tho commencement of the soason to May 4th waa 769,180 bushels, roprosonting a total of 75,000 tons. Tho gross quantity for the wholo of last year amounted to 85,000 tons. The great increase in tho grain traffic may be estimated from the fact that the grain season commences in tho beginning of February, and will not terminate until tho end of Juno. It is estimated that by the end of tho season tho quantity convoyed by railway will bo increased by some 40,000 tons more, tho bulk of which is at present in privato stores in Tiniaru, Oamaru, Ashburton, Kaiapoi, ftangiora, and Christchurch.