GENERAL NEWS SUMMARY.

Tuapeka Times, Volume I, Issue 31, 12 September 1868, Page 3

GENERAL NEWS SUMMARY.

A sailor, named Murray, on board the barque Bengal lying at Port Chalmers,, stabbed a shipmate named M'Csrthy during an altercation. He has been arrested. A new wool press has been invented by Messrs. Williams and Co., Victoria, by means of which one man acting on a lever, can make a bale in four or five minutes.

Captain Gardener, of Mount Shank Estate, writes to " The Border Watch,"' that he has shipped 12,000 kangarooskins in the last few months.

The first annual Ploughing Match at Paoakaio, took place on the 4th inst. 1 The Provincial Government offer Russian flax gratis, to persons willing to cultivate it.

Tho Municipal Council of Hokitika have resolved to sink an artesian well lit the old camp reserve. The Chinese population, says the "Dnnstan Times," have contributed largely to the funds of the Hospital there. The " Sydney Morning Herald " states the Queen has granted an annuity of 140 a year to the mother of Mr. Vial, whowas injured when the attempt was made on the life of the Duke of Edinburgh. An effort is being made to raise a Fine Arts Exhibition in Dunedin in January next.

The Thames Diggers have celebrated their first anniversary by a race meetings Three young men named Upton, weresuffocated at Lttlydale on tho night of the 30th ult. They foolishly slept in a closed room with a tin dish full of embers left alight for the sake of warmth ; the result was that the fumes of the charcoal killed all three. The " Coleraine Albion " reports the case of a child being poisoned by the heads of wax vestas, which it had swallowed while at play. A salmon, 3301b5. weight, is said to have been caught by Rhine fishermen, and forwarded to Pam. It must have been very like a " whale J "

On Thursday evening a lecture was delivered in Tokomairira, by the Rev. M. Watt, on " The Mosaic Record." Hokitika is exporting native timber to Melbourne.

A large sea devil, which was caught off the mouth of the Totara River, has lately been exhibited at Hokitika.

The plant of th» notorious. "New Zealand Celt * was sold by auction on the 4th inst., at Hokifcika. The quantity of gold shipped from Utevi Zealand for the quarter ending March last was 160,313 ounces, valued at £630,623. Dunedin heads the list with 43,903 ot, this being the total yield of all the fields of Otago. Hokitika come* next, with 40,352 oz.' T and Westpor* stands third with 29,123 oz3. The total produce of the Nelson Province was 39,841 oz., valued at £160,672.