THE SOUTH.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 22, 24 June 1871, Page 8

THE SOUTH.

CANTERBURY. The public will regret to learn that Mr Cyrus Davie, Chief Surveyor of the province, died suddenly on June 18. All anxiety on the part of Mr Davie’s friends for his recovery had ceased, and he spent the greater part of June 17 with bis family. On retiring for the night, a difficulty of breathing came on, and he expired within five minutes. During the month of May 62,294 bushels of wheat, 56,166 bushels of oats, and 479 tons of flour were carried over the Lyttelton and Christchurch railway. During the same period 102,836 bushels wheat, and 47,563 of oats were conveyed over the Great Southern railway. The contractors for No 4 section of the Northern railway intend, we believe, commencing work this week to form and fence the line. Tenders, we perceive, are invited for posts and rails for the No 5 section, from Kaiapoi to Southbrook and Rangiora. These tenders are to be sent in to the Secretary for Public Works before noon on Thursday, the 6th proximo. The Californian quail which have been set at liberty in the Acclimatisation Garens have been recently hunted at night by a dog, which on Sunday

night wound up his exploits by breaking into one of the pheasant aviaries and killing the inmates. It appears that the dog which was shot by the Curator, was in the habit of leaving his home, a distance of nearly three miles, on these poaching expeditions, much to the astonishment of the owner of the dog, who, although suffering the loss of a valuable favorite, with prompt liberality, has handed over to the society a cheque for £5, being an amount beyond the estimated damage done.

An accident occurred in Lyttellon on Sunday night to James Edwards, the second mate of the brig Fawn. From what we can gather, it appears that Edwards, in company with two of the seamen of the brig, left Leslie’s Hotel at about 11 p.m. to go on board, their boat being fastened to the stern of the & Moa, lying alongside of the Railway Wharf. One of the men went on board the steamer to unfasten the boat, and duriug his absence the unfortunate man by some means fell over the end of the breastwork, a height of about 12 feet, on to a quantity of large boulders, severely cutting his head and limbs, and fracturing his skull, besides receiving other injuries. Constable Maguire and Mr Webb, the night watchman, both happened to be near at the time, and hearing the noise proceeded to the scene of the accident, and had him conveyed to Leslie’s Hotel, where he was quickly attended to by Dr Campbell. On enquiry yesterday we find that the sufferer is progressing favorably. OTAGO. A day or two ago a black whale was observed close in shore near the Heads. On the whaling party at the Kaik receiving information, two boats—properly equipped whaleboats—were at once manned, and went in search. After a hot chase, the boat steered by Mr George Robinson cleverly contrived to get fastened to, and succeeded in killing, the whale, which was estimated to yield about five tuns of oil. The night coming on, and the weather being fine, the whale was anchored and buoyed about three miles to the southward of the heads, and in about ten fathoms of water. Subsequently all search for the whale was unavailing. Should it not be recovered, the loss of the whale, estimating it at £l5O, will be increased by about 150 fathoms new whale line, the kedge anchor and other gear, which was attached to the whale when it was anchored.

The report of the Commissioner appointed to consider the apportionment of rewards due to the claimants who assisted in recovering the property stolen from Clyde, advises the Provincial Government that as no one but the convict Rennie had a shadow of a claim to the £SOO offered by the banks, that question might be dismissed. No claimant was entitled to the reward of £IOOO offered in terms of the proclamation ; but as a matter of public policy, and as an incentive to private individuals to assist the constituted authorities and police in the execution of their duty, he recommends that the following persons receive the sums named :—Hy. Cook, £100; Alexander Innes, £6O; Samuel Graham, £3O ; G. J. Dugard, £25 ; Michael Hunt, £IOO ; Thomas M'Gavern, £75 ; Thomas Meredith Smith, £3O.

The country papers to hand chronicle a chapter of accidents. On the Bth instant a spring cart, driven by two miners, was proceeding from Waitahuna to Lawrence; and when about three miles from the latter township the horses took fright, upsetting the vehicle into a water-hole. One of the occupants, an unmarried woman named Mary Ann Eastman, was pitched on to a stone, and had her skull fractured, death being instantaneous,—Robert Connell, the young man whose arm was severely lacerated by a sausage-machine at Alexandra about ten days ago, died in the Dunstan Hospital on the 4th ; exhaustion being the cause of death. On the 9th a son of Mr M‘Conochie, of Clyde, was thrown from a pony, breaking one of his arms ; and on the following day Mr John Alloo, Chinese interpreter, met with a serious accident at Queenstown by a fall from his horse. Naseby keeps up its reputation for accidents from falls of earth. A miner named John Tyke had several ribs broken by a fall of earth on the 8 th,

At a meeting of the sports committee, a programme was sketched out, but not definitely arranged. With the exception of a one hundred yards race between Hewitt and Harris, all the races will be handicapped. There will also be a half-mile race, a quarter-mile handicap, with Hewitt from scratch ; a quarter-mile handicap hurdle race, and 190 yards flat race with Harris at scratch. There will be dancing between the races. We may mention that the champions desire that there should be as much competition as possible for the 100 yards race, and with that view they have deposited £2O, to be paid in addition to the stakes to any competitor who may be fortunate to beat them. In sonnection with the champions, we may observe that after leaving Dunedin, Hewitt will run a match in Christchurch in Christchurch for £IOO against £SO ; after which he and Bird will leave for America.

A settler named McDonald recently had an altercation with his wife about the purchase of a horse he had effected, which culminated in her throwing at him a pitchfork, which entered his side and caused a wound through which the lungs protruded. Doctors M‘Brierty and Inglis were in immediate attendance upon the sufferer, who remains in a dangerous state, very little hope being entertained of his recovery. It was thought necessary to have his depositions taken, which was done before Mr James Fulton, R.M. Mrs M'Donald was arrested immediately after the occurrence, and received into the gaol on Sunday evening, on the charge of malictously wounding, on which she stands remanded until the 19th inst. The 116 Chinamen who left for Hong Kong by the Minnie Graham on Tuesday will soon have their place more than filled by fresh arrivals of their countrymen. It will be seen by a letter from Mr Ho A. Mee, the pioneer Chinaman, that two vessels are laid on at Hong Kong for this port, with Chinese passengers, and that die expects that at least 2000 will leave for Otago this year. Should this turn out to be the case, the “ Chinese difficulty” will soon become one of the most prominent questions of the day in Otago politics. We have had an opportunity of inspecting a drawing, or rather drawings, of the design of a seal, chosen by the Council of the University of New Zealand, as the seal of that institution. The drawings are two in number, one being a large one painted in heraldic colors, and the other a small one, of the size (approximately) of the seal itself, drawn in the lines by which heraldic tinctures are expressed. Both are the work of Mr R. P. Whitworth, and are admirable specimens of art. The design of tbe seal adopted by the Council is simple, chaste and expressive. The blazon, as given to us by Mr Whitworth, is as follows : —Within a circular ribbon, and on a ground disapree (or), an antique escocheon bearing, az., between four estoiles of eight points in cross ar., a book open fesswise of the same, edged and indexed ppr. Motto: On an escrol ar. fimbriated gu., surmounting the ground diapree, and passing behind the escocheon, the words “ Sapere Aude.”