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Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 21, 20 January 1863, Page 2

At a lncctintr of llie Town Board held last Wednesday, a discussion took place on the tenders for covering Gula-strcct ditch. Ultimately it -was agreed that the subject lie over till the engineer to be appointed could be consulted. The clerk was instructed to write to the Superintendent and ascertain if the cutting of the Puni Creek channel wouid be proceeded with by Government. There was no other business before the Board. In the absence of a properly constituted Marine Board, G. 15. Grei^, Master Mariner, J. AY. Hushes, Master Mariner, and A. F. J Morris, Harbor Master, hive at the request of his Honor the Supciintendent, held an iaiquiiy into the loss of the Time and Truth. "We publish their rep<nt below, merely premising- that from the nature of the evidence (none of it on oath,), on ■which the decision is founded, we do not attach as much weight to it as we should otherwise have done: — '-"We, the undersigned, at the request of his Honor the Superintendent, have held an enquiry into the circumstances connected with Ihe loss of the baique Time and Truth, and from the written statements now before us of Captain Thompson, Assistant Harbor Master at the Bluff, and of Captain Slater, as also the Assistant l'ilol and Signalman's report to Captain Morris, taken in writing by him at the time, we are of opinion the cause of the said vessel striking the rock was her not answering her port helm, being struck with a heavy squall on entering the harbor. "We do not think Capt. j Slater to blame, as he appears to have taker, all necessary precaution before running for the port. J. B. Gki:k;, Master Mariner, certificate of competency, 4,348; G. \V. llugiiks, Master Mariner, brig Australia, certificate of service ; A. F. Mourns, Harbor Master." It appears that by some means the Rank of New Zealand at Dunedin missed sending their money by the Otago escort, and Avere obliged to forward their Wakatip gold-buyer and " the needful" by coach to the Molyncux. with instructions to place himself under the fostering care of a policeman at that plaec^ and then proceed as fast as possible to the scene of his labors. Messrs. Cobb and Co. found two horses, and the buyer, the ironey, and a policeman started in pursuit of the "big team." After proceeding some distance the buyer (so the story goes) got "bogged," when the policeman went on alone with the money, and delivered it safely into the custody of Mr. St. John Branigan at the Elbow, 33 miles from Sydney Bill's. The men composing the escort were. not. in plain clot hen while riding through this Province. We aic favored with Lhe perusal of a private letter, dated Hockanui, 15th January, by which it appears that our Otago friends intend to make as much use of us as they possibly can. We extract the following: — "There is nothing strange up here, only that the escort crossed the ford at M'Nab's, en mule for the Lake Diggings, in charge of Mr, St. John Branigan. It consists of an American waggon and pair, protected by eight troopers. The Ol.agouiaiis do not inlend to let the Soutlilandcrs have (lie gold, though tli'-'y come into thin Trounce to get to thei'

diggings. What are the people of Invercargill doing that they do not establish an escort at once and send it up to the Lake ? With regard to the diggings, there is no grumbling, and the road is literally lined with teams from Dunedin, loaded with provisions and grog." "Running the blockade" is getting fashionable. The last instance is of a captain Avho had the hardihood to do so at Riverton. Last Sunday the Rev. B. Drake, Independent Minister, preached in Mr. M'lvot's nevv store, Tay-strcet, Avhich Avas lent for the occasion. Mr. Drake thinks of settling in Invercargill, and Avill, Aye believe, officiate in the same building next Sunday, morning and evening. The attendance last Sunday was very large. The Maories have a peculiar way of protesting against " injustice." We extract the following from the llawke's Bay Herald, Jan. Bth :— " We regret to learn that last week a party of natives stopped the Avorking party on their commencing to make the road between Clive and liavclock, and that Mr. D3 - ett has, in consequence, thrown up the contract. This act has been justified by K~araitiana in a discourteous letter to the Superintendent, in Avliich he complains of grievances unsettled. Simultaneous Avith thi s act, we understand that Renata has threatened to stop the mail carrier to Maraekakaho — on the ground, Avebelicve,that his (Renata's) tender should be the accepted one for a mail carried over his own land, especially, he says, as the native Avho has taken it (a Wairoa man) cannot carry it Avithout his CRenata's) assistance. His letter is said to be a very 'bouncible ' one also. This line of conduct is supposed to be consequent upon a visit from Waikato delegates. The Superintendent has sent for the chiefs in question, to reason with them upon the impropriety of their conduct." The £50 prize for the best separation pamphlet, was awarded to Mr. Wm. Edmund Sadler, of Auckland. The Daily Times saj's on the subject — " The decision has been made some time, but on opening the envelope containing the name it was found that it contained a particular request of the Avriter not to publish it. A communication was addressed to him to Auckland, and his permission having been obtained, we have much pleasure in making known that the winner of the prize of £'50 is Mr. William Edmund Sadler, of Auckland. The second prize of .£_(.) it was resolved to divide amongst four of the remaining six competitors, none of the pamphlets being considered of sufficient meiit to justify the whole of the second prize money being awarded. The names of the four gentlemen amongst whom the second money was divided are : — Mr. T. Smith, Hawke's Bay; Mr. Stanley Tomlins, and B. Redmayne, Dunedin; and Mr. E. Drury, Auckland." " I want justice, " a criminal in the dock kept reiterating to his counsel, and the candid lawyer replied, "Then I am afraid that is what you won't get here, as I see a man on the jury who is opposed on principle to hanging." Two "new chums" who made their first, audit is to be -hoped thei&Jast appearance at the Resident Magistrate's Couit ycsteiday, seemed to be very much in the , same position. The evidence in each case was quite conclusive, but neither was satisfied, and kept grumbling in a style that would rei.dcr them liable to what the law considers a more serious offence than those Avitli j which they were charged. E.>r this they did not gel "justice," Mr. Piice merely ordering their expulsion, but this was'not effected before the place had, for a few minutes, I more resemblance to a tap room than a sober court of law and equity. An inquest was held yesterday, before ;■ — M'Culloch, Esq., in Mr M'Taggcrt's accommodation house, Mokomoko, on the body of a man named Peter Kelly, who had been ■ found dead in bed on Sunday morning. From the evidence it appeared that deceased was in the employment of Messrs Grevillc and WhUing, contractors for the Bluff Koad, and on Saturday night he and others indulged pretty frc.-ly in liquor. He went to bed ! in his tent. intox : cated, and nothing further was known of him till he was found dead next morning. The jury returned a verdict of " died from excessive drinking." Jn the shipping intelligence of our last impression it was stated that the Tilania had made the run here in thirty-three hours. This was a typographical error, it should have been twenty-one hours. I We learn from the Tlmrhc's Buy Herald, that a subscription has been set on foot in Xapu.T for the purpose of lifting out a prospecting party to explore the district in search of a g.il llielil.