Untitled

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 68, 30 June 1863, Page 2

In our last issue a very foolish typographical error crept into the " leader." The Llama of Thibet is spoken of. It should have been Lama. A case of considerable interest was tried before the Resident Magistrate on Wednesday last. A person named Robertson was accused of deserting his wife and child, and ter a long trial was convicted of the ofence. The sentence was £5 fine, and payment to the neglected wife of per week as maintenance. We regret very much that the magistrate had not power to inflict ten times the amount of fine, but it is some consolation to know that the culprit is now v.-orking on the roadsOn Thursday last he Resident Magistrat e •was astonished on heaving that a horse could gallop along Dee-street. No wonder ; but » j bad as Dee-street is, the crossings of Tay - street are worse. From end to end there is not a single place where one can navigate afeiy across the side streets, without the risk of leaving a boot behind. As to females travelling, that is out of the question, and daily " the lords of creation" may be seen doing the marketing business. At the meeting of the Town Board on Wednesday last, Messrs Hargin and Jaggers j exhibited a sample of the lamps they intend ■ to furnish for the streets. The article has I not much to boast of in the way of ornament, but, it is substantially made, and elevated on a post with a bright kerosene light inside, it would be an immense boon to pedestrians. Just now, when men can sit and listen to all the details of the marvellous richness of new rushes, the following, from the Nelson Colonist, sounds rather "scaly"; — "A quantity of 'scaly' gold, rich and pure, and the most beautiful we have seen in Nelson, has been purchased by the agent for the NewZealand Bank from a digger who reports that be and his two mates found the gold while prospecting in the Lake country, and that they have discovered a most auriferous district. He further alleges that he and his party are in possession of the largest nugget yet fonnd in Nelson Province, and this he ■ says was also taken in the same place, but declines to exhibit it— why, is not stated. Whether so large a nugget has been found or j not, there is no mistake about the excellence of the gold just sold, and there is .little doubt that if it has bcon obtained in the\neighborhood of the iakes, the particular lodality will not be long in being discovered, for it is impossible to keep such places a .»Mrefc for any length of time.' , A s*. .

An unfortunate contretemps, by which the, communication between Southland and the North mnst materially^ suffer, occurred on Saturday last. As the favorite s.s. William Miskin, about 9 a.m. approached the Jetty, within a cables length of the same, she grounded upon a sand bank. Every exertion was made by the pilot (under whose direction she then was) assisted by the suggestions of the Harbor Master standing on the taffrail «f the Alma, then moored alongside the head of the Jetty, to get her off, but in vain ; and as the tide' was was ebbing fast, it was given up for the time as a bad job, and the pilot went ashore. Scarcely, however, had he landed when it was discovered that the main 7 compartment of the hold was rapidly being filled with water. The cargo and coals were at once , landed, Captain Wilson (Miskin), and, the Harbor Master exerting themseives? earnestly in the cause. The perishable goods were, however, found utterly ruined. Towards low-tide in the afternoon, a 6 cwt. anchor was picked out from the bottom of the vessel,having attached two fathoms of rope, and a buoy, formed of a deal plank 4 feet in length, three-quarters of an inch in depth. The anchor and buoy were identified as those belonging the May Flower, a lighter, new to th« trade, and presently moored alongside the Jetty. The cause of the leak in the Miskin was then accounted for by her having, in grounding, fouled this anchor, which upon subsequent i enquiry appeared to have had no business in the place in which it was embedded — in fact no right to be cast at all. Whilst we write the William Miskin lies hard and fast upon the pUce where she grounded Sinca Saturday, Calif omian pumps have been constantly employed in ridding her of her superfluous water, but have failed to actually empty the hold. The planking has been to a considerable extent removed, but from within, the hole is not yet discoverable. Yesterday afternoon, after the Governmental Enquiry, the particulars of which will be found in another column, Captain Wilson accompanied by Captain Greig, the Harbor Master, made a tour of the vessel in a boat, but failed to discover any sign of the locus of damage. More planks vere removed within and the inner depths probed with an iron rod, but still to no purpose. It has been determined to heave her further up with the tide, and trust to shallower water, for the means of a more searching exterior examination. We have had an opportunity of seeing the anchor in question. It does not present any sign of having come into violent contact with a foreign body. Tile very inefficient buoy which was attached to it, suggests to masters of vessels greater care in this parti--1 cular. So far as we have been able to ascertain, the Mayflower's buoy was not even an apology for a buoy. It is needless for us to state that the commander of the William Miskiu was perfectly exonerated from a-1 ■ blame, the direction of the vessel having been, at the time of the accident, entirely ! under the control of the pilot. The accident is the more to be regretted from the fact tba | the Titania is also at present out of activ 1 service.