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Southland Times, Issue 1619, 13 August 1872, Page 2

On Saturday the inhabitants of Invercargill were unpleasantly startled by hearing that John Christie, undergoing a six years' sentence in the gaol for horse-staalinsr, had managed to effect his escape in the coarse of the morning. It appears that Christie was engaged in preparing the prisoners' breakfast at 10 minutes to 7 o'clock , in the gaol kitchen, at which time he was seen by the governor of the gaol, who left the apartment to speak to the warder on duty. Returning in about two minutes, he obserred that Christie was no longer in the kitchen, and, running into the yard, discovered s board, about four feet long, propped against the fence, and a hoe, or roadscraper, with the iron part muffled in a piece of rag, lying on the ground. Mr Pra,3er at once ran round the fence on the outside, but, as the morning was rather dark and rainy, failed to observe any traces of the whereabouts of th c escapee, beyond the mark of his heels on the ground where he must have dropped. He must have sprung upon the top of the board as it stood against the fence, caught the top of the fence, which is ten feet six inches in height, with the hoe, raised himself with the handle, and bo got over. At the time, the prisoner wore nothing but the regulation striped shirt and moleskin trousers, so that he was but badly prepared for the extremely severe weather which haa since been experienced. He had the foresight, however, to provide himself with a loaf of bread. Information was at once conveyed to the police, and a vigilant search instituted, without, however, any clue being found as to the direction taken by the fugitive. The schooner Awarua, which sailed from the Bluff on 22nd June last, for Bligh's Sound, West Coast, with a prospecting party fitted out by Mir Brunton, C.E., returned to the Bluff on Friday last. She reached Riverton harbor the day after leaving the Bluff, and there Messrs Daniel, Lyon, and Roberts joined her, the party being under the command of Mr Daniel. She arrived at Dusky Bay on the 12th July, and found the cutter Mary Brilliard, on a sealing cruise, lying

at anchor in that harbor. The Awarua remained at Dusky Bay for a week, during which the prospecting party amused themselves botaniaing, searching for minerals, and killing a stray seal or two. The cutter Pilot, also on a sealing cruise, was spoken on the 21st, off Dagg's Sound. The Awarua arrived in Bligh's Sound on the Ist inst., and anchored in Hawea'a Cove, in 14 fathoms water, and moored with a warp to the shore. The cutter Pilot, with a sealing boat, arrived the same day, and reported seals very scarce, and no prospect of a good take this season. Hawea's Cove being the particular spot which the party intended to prospect, no time was lost in setting to work, and by the 6th about 8 tons of stuff been shipped, said to contain a large per-centage of tin and copper. The schooner sailed for the Bluff on the 7th, and after experiencing some rough weather, arrived in safety on the 9th. Captain Gilroy, whose knowledge of the West Coast is well known, accompanied the party as coasting pilot. The nomination of candidates for election as a Road Board for the Waihopai subdivision of the Invercargill district takes place to-day, at noon, at the Court-house. On account of Mr Pearson's absence from the district, Mr F. Nutter has been appointed to preside on the occasion. The nomination for the Appleby subdivision takes place at the same time and place to-morrow ; and for the Campbelltown subdivision, at the Court-house, Campbelltown, at noon on Thursday — Mr Nutter acting as Returning Officer in each case. At the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday, Donald Morrison, of the Benmore Accommoda-tion-house, charged by the police with the manslaughter of John Simmons, was brought up on remand, and further remanded for eight days, on the understanding that the caie will be heard as soon as the attendance of the witnesses can be obtained. By notification in the Provincial Government Gazette, Stewart's Island was declared open for application for mineral leases on and after the 9th inst. The following Southland volunteers, having obtained the requisite number of points in the first-class firing, are authorised to wear the Marksman's Bacl^e from the |31st July, 1872, to 30th June, 1873, viz. : — Invercargill : Lieut. J. E. Hannah, Sergts. C. Brown, J. Thomson, and A. Dunlop, and Volunteers R. Dunlop, and J. J. Cuff. Riverton : Sergt. J. Robertson, and Volunteers F. Henderson and J. Meneies. v j Telegrams published by us have made reference to a mining transaction in Auckland, designated the " Green Harp swindle ?" An Auckland corespondent of a contemporary supplies ihe following information on the subject : — On the 6th July, the Green Harp scrip fell to 17a ; quite lately they were quoted at £7. The panic was worth seeing i it ii said hundreds are ruined, and certainly, many of my acquaintance have lost very heavily on Green Harpa. It really appears, that all sorts of artful dodges were practised, with a view to entrap the unwary. In my opinion, the smash in Green Harps will seriously injure the prospects of the Coromandel gold-field for a long time to coma. On Wednesday last six Irishmen, lately connected with, the directorate of the Green Harp mine, were brought up at the Police Court and charged with conspiracy. These men were admitted to bail of £200 each, and to find two sureties of £100. It is stated that the arrest prevented a " bolt" per schooner specially chartered ; it is further asserted that £50,000 has been netted by the perpetrator* of this impudent robbery. According to the local paper, it is proposed to give Mr H. Bastings, of Tuapeka, a testimonial in recognition of his public services, a handsome sum having been collected for that purpose. The Bruce Herald says that a petition has been extensively signed in the Tokomairiro district in favor of the Tuapeka railway. The Provincial Council of Taranaki has granted twelve months' protection to Mr Rotten, to enable him to form a company to work the petroleum springs at the Sugar Loaf. The Council voted a bonus of £500 for the first 10,000 gallons exported. In a recent bankruptcy case at Cbristchurch, the liabilities are stated at £309, and the assets at sixpence. The bankrupt's name is Compton, with the aristocratic prefix of De Blaquiore. Mutton in the carcase is being exported from. Sydney to Melbourne, the price of meat having risen very much in Victoria lately. Slate of good quality is being obtained on the banks of the Tatnar, Tasmania. The Melbourne Herald says : — The exhibition which is intended to be held in November next, differs from previous expositions in several important particulars. The series of exhibitions which are now being held annually at South Kensington (London) ara sectional and not general. Fine arts, scientific inventions, and new discoveries are admissible every year, but the manufactures are limited to certain classes ; thus, in 1873, the exhibits will include silk and velvet, steel manufactures and cutlery, carriages not connected with rail or tramways, agricultural products, drysaltery, grocery, and preparations of food ; wines, spirits, beer, and other drinks, and tobacco ; implements for drinking, and usa of tobacco ; cookery and its science, and thjt machinery and the raw materials for the process. The preliminary exhibition which it is intended I to hold in Melbourne, will include all these various divisions, as well as leather, wool, wood, ores, building stone, coal, mineralogical and geological specimens, natural history, and miscellaneous. Atthelast half-yearly meeting of the Melbourne Gas Company, a dividend, at the rate of 8 per cent, per annum was declared. The Mayor of Auckland has been authorised to proceed to Wellington, to obtain authority for the city to borrow £150,000 for the construction of water works. A freight company i» being formed in Wellington, with a capital of £100,000 in £5 shares. Steps are being taken to form a gas company at Lyttalton. la his Public Works report, the Engineer-in-^ Chief makes the following reference to the., Winton to Kingston line :— Surreys have been made to avoid the two crossings of the Oreti river, which were intended in the first surveys, and comparative estimates are being prepared. Sixteen miles of contract surrey are ready, and the rest in hand.

A special meeting of the Old Wakatipu Deep Sinking Gold Mining Company takes place this evening at S o'clock, at the Prince of Wales Hotel. Mr T. V. Twinning elsewhere announces that , he is a teacher of the pianoforte.