Colonial News.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XIII, Issue 1027, 15 May 1869, Page 2

Colonial News.

An Auckland paper states that a large native meeting will take place at Ohinemuri next month, after the bustle and excitement of the Duke of Edinburgh’s visit has passed away. The meeting is to be held to consider the relative positions of the two races, and promises to be even larger than the one lately held at Tokangamutu. It would seem from the following paragraph extracted from the Melbourne Argus of the 2nd that New Zealand is not the only Australian colony subject to earthquakes : ‘ About two o’clock on Monday morning a shock, supposed to be of an earthquake, was axperienced in Daylesford. It alarmed the printers of the local paper so much that they were on the point of running down stairs to escape from the possible wreck of the building in which they were at work when the cause of their alarm subsided. It is reported that in Ballarat a similar shock was felt about the hour and on the same day named. ” An unfortunate accident happened ori Thnrsday 6th inst. to a miner namned Francis Stellard, belonging to Graham’s party, Giles Terrace Westport. He was at work in the tunnel when a portion of the roof gave way, falling upon him, and crushing severely. He was' brought to the Westport Hospital, and, when received he was insensible and apparently considerably injured, but he has since given symptoms of sensibility and of ultimately recovering. William Williamson, whe was lately brought to the Hospital, suffering from injuries similarlarly received at the Caledonian Terrace, is not yet out of danger, but is partially sensible and is progressing favourably.— Westport Times. . An Australian correspondent, writing or£ the 24th of March, furnishes a depressing picture of the condition of the country : “ Nothing can exceed the anxious interest of those possessing stock either of sheep or' cattle. The first inquiry of travellers is : Did you see many cattle or sheep (as th© case may be) dying on the run '? And the answer invariably is, They are dying by scores. If the drought continues much longer, the consequences, which are already to many nearly ruinous, must inevitably.be quite so. The large dams and tanks which have hitherto held out are nearly exhausted of water ; in fact some of them are merely large mud pans, perfect traps for the weak and famishing cattle. The weather continues excessively hot. The thermometer stood at 114 degrees in a farmer’s (Mr Thompson’s) bedroom on the Loddon (Jarklan) on the 13th instant. It is most distressing for travellers on horseback to getalong.