ELBOW.

Southland Times, Issue 1569, 26 April 1872, Page 3

ELBOW.

«. (from oue own cobrespoxdent ) April 24th. The body of the unfortunate child Joseph Ralston, who wandered from his home at Centre Hill Station on 7th De- I cember last, was discovered last Saturday, j by a shepherd named Donald Cameron, in one of the Burwood shearing paddocks, near the Round Hill, and close to the Mararoa Road, about three miles from Mr Clarke's house at Mararoa. The poor child must have wandered at least a day in sight of the Mararoa homestead, on the ranges known as the Haycocks, before he reached the river bed. The body, which was very much decayed, and could only be identified by the clothes, was taken to the house of the parents, a distance of ten miles, and interred on Monday. No inquest was held. At the Lowther Court of Petty Sessions on Tuesday, before Messrs Rogers, Cowan, M'Neil, and Wood, J.P.s, Mr Holmes brought an action to recover from Mr Shand £10 damages, for illegally castrating a ram belonging to the plaintiff. There was no proof, however, that the ram had been either branded or earmarked, nor that the injury complained of had' been done by defendant. The case was therefore dismissed with costs. The Old Wakatipu Company's shaft was sunk 25 feet last Saturday. The sinking was then through fine sand, and there was a great deal of water to contend with. Gold is found through the wash. The men are working day and night, and are very sanguine of success. They will commence slabbing the shaft as soon as the timber arrives. The new road to the Nokomai by way of Parana Creek will soon be finished, but t fear it will only be available for waggons wheu. the Mataura River is low, as one of the crossings is at a narrow place, where the current is rather rapid.