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Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 41, 31 March 1863, Page 5 (Supplement)

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fPROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT. J' DUNEDIN, Monday, 23rd March:. No news of the English mail up to the time of commencing this correspondence, which is causing much and general disappointment. The chief subject for dilation during Thursday, Friday, aad Saturday has been Dr Sullivan's able report in the columns of the Daily Times of Dr Hector's expedition to the West Coast. I forward you the whole correspondence, and I sincerely hope you will be able to publish it in extmso. It will be a matter of considerable interest to a large number of your readers. Dr Sullivan, as I dare say you know, is the special 1 reporter of the Daily Times who was- permitted to accompany the expedition. Faithfully and ably has he fulfilled hrs mission. The report is pregnant with matter* of deep interest, and the real value of it is that the narrative is told without embellishment in simple language which carries truth on the face of it in every line. There has been quite a furore to possess copies of the Daily Times with an account of the expedition. It is, however, to be regretted that the expedition fully bears out the previously expressed opinions of scientific theorists that the central portions of the Middle Island are uninhabited and uninhabitable. Traces of the Moa have been found, or thosej)fjomajL other bird of huge dimjgflMHHH^^^ the human biped^^^HE^^^H^^H and his^^tfHß^HH^^^^Hj^Hß

tive Government, but it is not, in my opinion, half so severe as it should be upon the many shortcomings and delinquencies of our rulers. By the bye I forgot to mention in its place^that a vessel has been chartered and equipped for a trip to the West Coast by a party of lucky diggers. The captain is an old whaler and thoroughly acquainted with the coast. I am of opinion that a settlement will soon be formed in some one or other of the many inlets which are known to exist. The manner in which the debtor prisoners are treated in the Dunedin gaol, is being discussed through the columns of the daily press. I know something myself of the treatment which these unfortunates' are subjected to, and lean only say'that it is a disgrace which would not be permitted in any country in the civilized world out of Dunedin. A debtor may only speak to his wife, nearest relative or dearest friend, through iron bars? just in the manner that the worst of Criminals under sentence for the most grave offences are allowed. The debtois are surrounded and mixed up with the worst of the gaol prisoners, and with raving maniacs. Our prison and hospital management is something so atrocious that I cannot find words sufficiently strong { to execrate the ffagrancy of a government which tolerates the infamy of such things. : Three men met with a watery grave near Port Chalmers on Sunday night during the heavy squalls of wind wind which' were felt with such fearful severity* The fatal catastrophe occurred under very distressing circumstances-. The reporter of the Daily Times' says* "In consequence of the critical condi* tion of the tw& survivors of the accident, who have not thoroughly recovered from its terrors and the exposure to which they were subjected, the precise particulars are not yet ascertain&ble, but, so far as known, the following are the cireumatancesjinjferjgbj^^fce.pain-

This afternoon a report has come in of the total wreck of the steamed Planet, while she was entering the Taieri Heads. The "William Misken laid on between this port and Invercarsill brings this communication. The Miskin is a fine boat and under excellent management. I doubt not she will succeed well. A few more particulars have been obtained from the survivors of the melancholy accident from Mr William Wilson, the owner of the boat. The boatman who was drowned along with the seamen belonging to the Santiago, was a young man named Peter Nelson, a native of Denmark, who had come over from Melbourne with Mr Wilson in the ship William Jackson, and from him had received temporary charge of the boat. Along with his four companions, he left i)unedin about half-past seven on Saturday evening. In consequence of the threatening aspect of the weather, they were running with no other 6anvas ] than a reefed fore stay sail, but above the islands the boat was caught in one lof the violent squalls which occurred, and capsized. The seaman named Brown, thinking all could not hold by the boat without danger of sinking her, struck out for the nearest shore of the island which intersects the channel ; but he must have either sunk before reaching it or been swept past by the tide. The other two- who were drowned — Nelson (the boatman) and Johnstone— clung together for some time, and were borne down by the tide, striving 1 violently for their lives, butbythe : time the : Port Chalmers lights were seen by the men on the boat> they let go their hold of each other and were not seen afterwards-. On the boat striking on the partially covered sandbank, the two sur-- , vivors exerted their feeble strength to ( pull her up as far is possible, and throughout the wholri of that terrible j night they kept by her as a refuge, in case of the tide overwhelming them ; but as the tide flowed Jt removed her from Jap^ond their reach, HMHtt^jfllßttfre fearful ; round n^^HnHH^^^wd as ■^^H^^BHl^^HHH^B^^^^^Kere

' 7. Commendations only snail ,be given for tiM third best in each catte and class. Money 1 pr^ miums only awarded as firMt and second prizes. : |; 8. The violation by an exhibitor- pf any one rf the regulations shall involve this forfeiture of al premiums awarded to him. , v$ 9. Should it be proved to thesatisfecfibn of the Directors that an animal haaf been entered tinder * false name, pedigree; or description, f<frt%epicrp6sjm of misleading the Directors or Judges as to its qualification or properties ; the case shall be re^ ported to the first general meeting, in order tHa^ the exhibitor shall be disqualified norn again coniS peting in the society's shows, and his name, if he be a member, struck from the roll. . ■ \ : j| 10. It will be the duty of the I ' secretary to se^l that no member of the society,- exhibitor, 6r| stranger, be present in the yard, under any pretext^ white the judges are engaged in their inspection^ except such servants' as may be necessary to attend; upon animals not in pens: . .-. ■ ■•■..f| 11. The society shall- not be liable for any loss or"' damage which stock, implements, or other articled may sustain. . 12. The decisions of the judges, as confirmed by > the. directors;,. are final and no appeal is compel tent. i %