OTAGO.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 7, Issue 354, 30 July 1863, Page 3

OTAGO.

/ There lias been a fatal accident at the Dunstan. A prospecting shaft which hqd been sunk at' Government expense was obliged to be abandoned on account of the influx of water at a depth of 80 feet and a drive from the creek side Avas being substituted. The slabbing was being drawn from the shaft when it suddenly caved in. A man named Hugh Mair who was in it at the time, seeing the slabs giving way jumped into the bucket and sung-out to his mates-to wind him lip, hut before he had risen more than a few feet the whole shaft fell in, burying liim 27 feet below the surface of the ground and killing him apparently instantaneously. The following account of a volcanic phenomenon is given in a letter from the Daily 'l imes correspondent Arrow River, Ist July. “ Reliable information has readied me

of a volcanic development, subsequent to the : late earthquake, in the vicinity of Arthur’s Point ; aboiit one mile and a half above, on* the Western side of the Shotover River. A slight mist of smoke was observed rising from amongst tlie rocks about 800 feet above the water level-; on closer investigation this was seen to proceed from a narrow cleft in the side of the mountain, and an appreciable iuerease of temperature was felt. One man, thrusting liis arm down, experienced a degree of heat which he describes as tliat of the mouth of a furnace. Having witnessed similar phenomena in Italy and Japan, I think we must be prepared for the breaking out of an active volcano in onr immediate neighbourhood.

The Late Fatal Collision—Public Funeual. —ln alt the principal shops and places of business,-as''.iii the ‘Government Offices, tlie day was strictly kept as a holiday ; and during tlie -passage to tlie church, and thence back through Prinoesstreet, to the Cemetary, there was not during the passage of the funeral procession, a single shop that was not closed. At the Treasury tlie flag was half-masted; aud flags were similarly displayed at two oi- three hotels. : Around the Provincial, aiid lining Stafford-sbreet and Princesstreet, ■in its vicinity, there were large crowds of people standing'mute and sorrowful ; and there was many a tear-wetted eye and choking'thfeat, as coffin after coffin was borne out and hearsed. The names and ages of the dead are given as. they appear on tlie coffin' plates,' except in the case of Mi. Hammond;’ whose Christian name was there “ Robert,” as it was first supposed to- be-, instead, of “ William,” as was afterwards found to be the case -

Thomas Hewefct Campbell, clerk,, died 4th July, 1802, aired 32 years. Julia M. Campbell, aged 28 years. • Edward Campbell, aggd 5 years. Duncan Campbell, aged 4 years. M uriel Campbell, aged 3 years. Lilian Campbell, aged 14 months. Alfred Campbell, aged 5 weeks. Mary Roberts, aged 23 years. - Fanny Finch, aged 17 years. N Elizabeth H. Anderson, aged 28’years. Charles Summerville, aged 4G years. William Hammond, aged about 40 years. The procession, it is generally agreed, stretched for nearly a mile ;, and we should think there must have been between 1,500 aud 2,000. persons in it. Every class, from the Superintendent to the operative, was represented:;, and throughout there was an evident equality of mourning for what was a public calamity. Princes-street was slowly passed; and when the curve towards the Ocean Bead) ,Hoad .was passed by the bead, of the procession, its imposing length was strikingly seen. There were- groups :of spectators throughout, the line: After Princes-street had been quitted, the- Cemetery was soon reached. . A brick vault, given by the Churchwardens and- Vestry of St. Paul’s, had been constructed on the highest slope of the consecrated ground, to receive the remains of the Campbell family.; at tlie foot of the vault therewere graves for the- servants, and theother graves were not far removed. Tlie coffins were for the last time borne forth, and were placed beside the vaults and graves. The Rev. Mr. Edwards, who was deeply affected, wish a choked utterance, resumed the. solemn service.- Then came a. pause, while the coffins .were lowered. The bodies were committed, “ dust to dust, ashes to ashes,” by the Minister, and the.thuds of soil thrown upon the coffins sounded out lieart-ehill-ingly over the densely-packed, micoveied assembly. Then cauie the cheering words in which the Church points to tlie hope of a, “ joyful resurrection aud the Benediction having been pronounced, all was over.

NAPIER. : We have Ahuriri news to the 19th. All was quiet, though there had been rumours, and eyeu some danger, of disturbance. Steps had even on one occasion been taken to defend the town, in consequence of warning letters which had come in from natives. In another case at Wairoa. a chief of some note named Rangi Mataio lately died ; his friends said that lie had been bewitched ; by an old mini named Miti Pai-a, and. demanded revenge. . Miti built a pah and assembled his friends, being determined to resist. Both parties were armed, and bloodshed \vas imminent ; hut peace was ultimately made through the exertions of the Bishop of Waiupu and the Rev. J. Hamlin, the former of whom was on a visit to the district to open a new church, and the latter (an old missionary in .this locality) having recently returned to his old sphere of labor. The columns of the Hawke’s Bay Times contain statements, implying jobbery on the part of the Siqiermtendent and Major Whitmore in regard to the defence corps. From the statements it would appear that those gentlemen are mounting the corps with horses from their own runs ; that the men are employed in fencing the Major’s run ; and that their uames improperly are placed on 'lfce voting list. The Te Aute natives had held a runanga, and imposed a fine of LI each on all the settlers around, to pay for damages said to have been done to their wheat by settlers’ horses three years ago. A native magistrate had also attempted to fine the Rev-JVHamlin, os. for l'iding the distance (5 miles each way) which he traversed in going from his house‘to. the pa to.perform diviiie service oil Sundays. ; '

A sad accident had occurred at MrCampbell’s whaling station at Ivini-Kini. A boat, from which a whale had been struck, capsized, and the line getting entangled round the legs of a boy 16 years of age, he was dragged .down.ami drowned ; the efforts made by those in the other boat to make fast to lire anitna proving unsuccessful.