TELEGRAPHIC DESPATCHES.

Southland Times, Issue 877, 6 January 1868, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC DESPATCHES.

WELLINGTON. Tuesday. Sir George Grey is. expected to return from Auckland in the Challenger. Commodore Lambert recently arrived there. Small house burnt, and old coal hulkfoundered during night. • - ""Thursday. Crown Agents have telegraphed to Government. New Zealand Debentures, to the amount of half a million have been sold at 4>i premium. Strode's resignation as Sheriff, gazetted. Alfred ~W\ Smith appointed Friday. ; Governor, during visit to Upper Thames District, unsuccessful in. getting country opened for gold prospecting. — Still at ELawau, not intending to return for current Panama steamer. It is reported that the intended overland trip of the Prince is privately discouraged by the friendly natives. Telegraph" open to Wairarapa.

Upwards of 4,000 acres were sold on Friday. Mr Matthew Holmes and Mr Hanna were the purchasers. We learn that the Waihopai brings a . considerable quantity of cargo for the Lake. It is found cheaper to send goods from Dunedin Via Inrercargii than to cart them through the new road from Dunedin to the Late. A numberof the Invercargill Eifle Volunteers mastered the morning of New Tear's Day, shouldered the target and erected it on the shooting ground, placed at their disposal at the west side of the Hospital. The ground at present is almost a swamp, but the Provincial Government hare commenced to drain it. The labor necessary to carry 'the target to its present position was great, but it did not deter the Volunteers from having a maiden jnatch. It o>j&: t raonced about nine o'clgcfcpana terminated at noon. It would be unfair to allude to the character of the shooting considering that all who competed were unacquainted with the rifle used. Suffice it to say, that there was some good firing, and all present appeared satisfied with the result! of their first trial. Now that ball practice has been commenced a great stimulus to persevere is supplied and will no doubt conduce to the efficiency of the corps. A Eifle match at an early da*,e is contemplated. . The following remarkable instance of brave endurance on the part of a little boy is from the "Bendigo Advertiser :"—" On Thursday morning a pad accident occurred to a little boy named Boderick Momson7~only~ten -years of age.- !Xhe lad had been in the habit of playing about the hay and corn stores of Mr James Aitken, adioining the Australian Hotel, and on Thursday morning, being in the lower part of the store, he was warned, in consequence of the corn-crushing machine worked by steam being in motion, to leave the premises, which he did, going out at the back door. The storeman having occasion shortly afterwards to go into the loft for the purpose of feeding the machine, the boy returned, and had evidently been amusing himself by leaning over some of the wheels in motion to catch in his hand the corn as it fell from the feeder above. Whilst so doing, the sleeve of hia coat was caught by the cog-wheel, and in an instant the rights hand, being drawn between the wheele, was severed completely from the wrist in a terribly mutilated state. The storeman, noticing a jerk in the machinery, at once descended, when he found the lad standing, holding up the dreadfulldoking Bturap, but without uttering a single cry, and .simply desiring to be accompanied home, whither he walked, after a rag had been bound round his at m, with his giving expression to any feelings of pain. When the mother beheld the sad spectacle she immediately burst into tears, whereupon the plucky little fellow exclaimed, 'If you're going to cry, mother, I'm off;' and away he went, walking direct to the hospital, followed by the man who had first become cognizant of the accident. Arriving at the hospital, Dr M'Gillivray, the resident surgeon, upon examination found the bones above the wrist were fo fearfully crushed and broken that further amputation was rendered necessary, and under the influence of chloroform the arm was amputated above the elbow. When going to the hospital the^poor boy, in* the most nonchalant minner hailed the gatekeeper, as if nothing had occurred, with ' Good day, Charlie.' "