Colonial News.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XIII, Issue 1016, 20 April 1869, Page 2

Colonial News.

Stephen Mouncey, a farmer, at Itangioa, Canterbury, attempted to cut his throat with a pocket-knife. He is likely to recover.

Two fatal accidents are reported by the Hokitika papers. A miner named Edwin Gardiner, while taking down an old flume at the Waimea, was struck by a piece of timber which fell down a height of sixty feet, and he died in an hour. Another man William Eingwell, a native of Devonshire, was killed by a fall of earth in a tunnel at the Kanieri. Two others were dug out uninjured. The railway between the Bluff and Tnvercargill will, it is stated, be let on lease by the Provincial Government of Southland for a period of eighteen months, after the end of the current month. All the employees, except those in the locomotive department, and the manager of permanent ways, have in consequence received notice that their services will be dispensed with after that date.

The following is a curious illustration of life on a new gold field, says the Melbourne Age : —ln the Warden’s Court at Spring Creek, Moffiu and others were summoned by a tnan named Turner for trespass. Defendants, who were boardingwith complainant, had been engaged to sink a hole on his land for a cesspool. In doing this they struck a quartz-reef, and they pegged out the ground for a claim. The decision in the case was postponed A singular case of death has occurred at Sandhurst. On Tuesday morning, 30th ult., a man named Henry Harris, who was at work at the claim of the Great Britain Company, Golden-square, was seen to put his head through a small hole in the wall of the engine-house. The hole was used for the connecting-rod to work round in, and in its next revolution the rod crushed the neck of the unfortunate man, who rolled out speechless and dying . His death was almost instantaneous.

Colonel Wyatt, C. 8 ., whose death is announced in the last English telegrams, served in Canada during the rebellion of 1838 commanded the Imperial troops at Wanganui, during a part of the war of 1847 ; commanded the 65th Regiment during the operations at Taranaki 1860-61, including the affair at Kairau and capture of Matarikoriko, capture of rifle pits at Huirangi, and all the subsequent skirmishes in front of Te Arie and Pukeangiora until the enemy surrendered that position. During the Waikato war of 1863-64 was engaged at the affair of Kerikeri, and commanded the storming party 65th Regiment at the capture of Rangiriri, (four times mentioned in dispatches, and once thanked in General Orders). T.h e 5 West Coast Times of Wednesday states that a determined attempt to commit suicide by poison was made in Hokitika on Monday night by a woman named Mary Ann Hardman, who has a little store adjoining the Lancashire Arms Hotel, Revell street. It appears she came home about twelve o’clock, and after being in the house some time, said to a Mrs Senior, who acts as servant. “ You can get a suit of black for me to-morrow, as I will be dead.” She then went into the bedroom, and on her return said to the servant, “1 have taken poisoti.” Mrs Senior then endeavoured to o-et out to call assistance, but the other would not let her. She succeeded, however, and Dr Acheson was sent for, who, on his arrival, found Hardman in a very bad state suffering from the effects of essence of almonds. He immediately administered emetics, which had the desired effect. She is a married woman, and has four children, her husband being in Christchurch. Travel is safe on most Far-Western roads of America where there are no hostile Indians about; yet, partly through old habit, partly as a precaution absolutely necessary in some places, nearly everybody goes armed and it is wonderful how many pistols will flash out when a street fight arises in any Western town, or even in San Francisco itself. A San Franciscan, who is justly proud of having helped to rear up so polite a town in a comparatively short time, is very jealous on that point. He continually impresses on a stranger that “Nobody, sir, carries weapons now-a-dav.” And he would, perhaps, convince you of this abstract doctrine, did not one of the chilly forenoon winds blow up Montgomery-street, and expose a neat “Colt” at the waist-band of his trousers. I saw a man kneeling before me in San Francisco, and, his coat tail dividing, the handle of a huge navy revolver showed itself. The knowing men, however, carry, “ Derringer ” pistols in their coat pockets. “You can always know,” a shrewd old miner, explained to me, “ when a man has a pistol in his pocket by the way he sits down in a chair. If he plumps, dowu he’s safe ; but if he sits down cautiously and looks after his coat tails, he’s on the shyot—certain !” The same with a knife. Horsemen, when travelling, carry it in the boot, and footmen down the neck; hence a bowie-knife is popularly known as a “Kansas neck blister.” —Far-Western Gamblers, in “ All the Year Round.” The following story is given in an Australian paper : One day during the very hot weather of last month, a poor but evidently respectable woman went into the photo-studio of Mr H. Glenny, Main-road, Ballarat East, carrying a child in her arms, and inquired the charge for photographing a baby. She was informed of the different prices and styles, and arranged to have one in a case. After a little hesitation, and evidently suffering much from fatigue and excitement of some kind, she entered tho operating room, and then disclosed the fact to the artist that the dear little one she carried in her arms was dead. She told the artist the following simple tale ‘This,’ she said, ‘is my second little one.’ My first died about two years ago, and you cannot tell my sorrow when I found after my little one died that I had no thin or to remember it by. Its features were indelibly stamped on my broken heart, but I longed, even after placing it in its narrow coffin, to have something to look at. This little one (pointing to the dead child) died yesterday. I determined, unknown to my husband, to Lave its portrait taken by some means or other; and about an hour ago my husband left the tent, to get a little coffin, and no sooner bad he gone out of sight than I took all that remained of my little one, and have hurried over a long three miles of bad road, hoping to be back before my husband returns.’ The artist was evidently affected with this sad tale, and refused to take the money agreed upon for the portrait, but presented the mother with a beautiriu ambrotype, in a neat case ; and the look °* evident pleasure that illumined her face, and her hearty, £ God bless you sir, amply repaid the photographer for his kindness.”

On March 11, an explosion took place at theTioneer kerosene works, at tllawara, New South Wales, by which all the buildiugs were destroyed, but fortunately no one was injured. News from Melbourne to March 25th, states that isolated cases of small-pox keep breaking out all over the Colony of Victoria, and two additional deaths have occurred from that disease. Vaccination is becoming very general among adults. Among others who attended the levee at Wellington, was Tareha, the well-known Napier chief. He wore a very handsome mat, which H.R.H. admiring, Tareha took it off and presented it to him, H.R.H accepting it in a very gracious manner. On 31st December, IS6B, the population of the Colony of Victoria was 683,977 souls ; cemposed of 354,706 males, 299,271 females. The increase in the population during ISCB amounted t 024,090 ; 12,467ma1e5and11,623 females. The first Synod of the Diocese of l>unedin will meet at Dunedin on the 7th of next month. The Right Rev. the Primate of New Zealand will leave Clmstchuch shortly before that date, in order or attend the meeting. The subject of the appointment of Bishop Jenner to the see of Duiiedin will be discussed, and it is to be hoped, finally settled on that occasion. The ne°ro race constitutes one-fifth ot the population of the United States.