CANTERBURY.

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 358, 29 March 1861, Page 3

CANTERBURY.

[From the Lyttelton Times.)

The rumors which have been floating about fo r the past week or so, respecting the discovery o^ gold in the Oamaru district, begin to assume a tangible shape. The few facts which form the basis of the reports are as follow :—Some weeks ago a party of men, employed in roadmaking by the Otago Government, picked up some nuggets in the river Lindis (Upper Clutha or Mokomoko), a tributary of the Molyneux, where they were engaged in making cutings for the main road to cross. Mr. McLean, on whose run the gold was found, saw some gold in the possession of one of the men; it weighed about four ounces and consisted of large waterworn nuggets, from the size of a grain of wheat to that of a bean, and apparently of a very fine quality. The men were about to leave the Government work and continue the seaach for gold, but their rations were stopped until work was resumed. When the news reach Oamaru, a number of the people resident there set off with drays of provisions and stores for the diggings, and no doubt other 9 would follow from the neighborhood. As the stream where the gold was found is small and close to the hills, it offers no prospect of a large field sufficient to induce diggers to prooeed there from any distance at this season of the year. A sufficient number of people have gone there to try it; and if their report be favorable, no doubt in the spring the attempt will be made by a larger number. Mr. McLean came up himself in the Omeo, so that the fact of the gold being there iests on no doubtful authority. The spot is described as being about nin# miles from the Wanaka lake, and is accessible to drays from Oamaru, from which it is distant about 150 miles. Dray roads can also be made at slight expense to Dunedin, and the district is open to horse and foot travellers from several directions. Canterbury Volunteer Rifles. — The Kaiapoi Company met for ball practice for the first time on Saturday 16th. An excellent site has been chosen for the target, within half-a-mile of the town, having a hill about 30 feet high at the back. A pit has been dug in a shoulder of the hill so that the markers can sit in perfect safety within a few yards and in full view of the face of the target. The following was the result of the practice, each man firing five rounds at a distance of 100 yards:— Private Wylde 11 Corporal Powell .. 5 Surgeon S. Beswick .. 9 Private Barnes 5 Private E.Kevell.. ..9 „ Spillard .. 4 >• Coup 9 „ Hamlet ..' 3 „ B.Wright ..9 „ A. Ja ff ger.. 3 Sergeant W. Revell .. 6 „ S. T. Smith. 2 „ Hewlings ..6 „ Buchanan .. 2 Private Dudley .... 6 „ Wearing .. 0 Sergeant J. Beswick.. 5 „ Sneyd .... 0 Wylde made two bull's eyes in his five shots and the three next on the list made one each. Fatal Accidents.—We regret exceedingly having to record two accidents, both of whioh were attended with fatal results. The first of these happened to a little boy of the age of two years, the son of Mr. Dearsley of Sunnyside Farm, Harewood Road, oa Monday last the 11th March. It seemed the little fellow on the day in question was playing by the River Styx, and accidentally fell into the river. His cries at«

tracted the attention of his mother. She with maternal affection and self-abnegation, jumped into the water to his rescue, but unfortunately will out effect, nearly losiog her own life in the attempt. An inquest was held on Tuesday, and a verdict of " Accidental death," was recorded. The second of these melancholy catastrophes occurred on Tuesday, when a young boy of the name of Thomas Wedge, son of Mr. Charles Wedge, of Durham-street, Christchurcb, was playing on Colombo-street bridge, and the Kaiapoi cart, passing at the time, the driver was unable to cbeck his horses, and the wheel passing over the boy's head, it was literally smashed to atoms, the brains bespatering even the vehicle itself. A coroner's inquest was held at the Royal Oak before Dr. Donald, and a highly respectable jury. They returned a verdict of " Accidental death."

We regret to have to announce another loss of life in connection with river crossing. It appears that a youDg man named Webber, a stock driver, was crossing the Rakaia on Wednesday last, when, on attempting to ascend the bank, which was steep, tbe saddle girths broke, and he was precipitated violently into the stream, down which he was hurried rapidly. The men at the ferry, who witnessed the accident, made every effort to regain the body, but without success, the horse came out safely, and the saddle was picked up about a mile down the stream.

On Monday afternoon, the 13th, an inquest was held at the Plough Inn, Riccarton, on the body of Edwin Webling, aged 27, who was drowned in the Rakaia last week, as recorded in our Saturday's issue. It appeared that deceased had for some days been employed by Mr. Newton, of the accommodation house on the Rakaia, in piloting passengers and drays across the stream ; and it was in returning from one of these expeditions that the fatal accident occurred. The body was found about four miles down the stream, and at once forwarded by Mr. Newton to Riccarton, which was reached on Saturday evening. Tbe inquest was arranged for twelve o'clock, and the jury were duly assembled at the time appointed, but the coroner not appearing they dispersed, and a second jury had to be summoned on the coroner's arrival. The evidence having been gone through, a verdict was recorded of " accidental death."