LATEST FROM OTAGO.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XVII, Issue 967, 15 February 1862, Page 3

LATEST FROM OTAGO.

By the steamers Goelong and Storm Bird wo have intelligence to the 11th hist. The yield of gold was satisfactory, the last escort shewing an increase over previous weeks. Several largo arrivals of passengers from Melbourne have taken place, about 800 having conic in during the week ending the Bth instant. A man named Bailey had been sentenced to six months' imprisonment and the forfeiture of the gold for attempting to smuggle 5 ozs. of gold. The sentence was subsequently altered to a fine of £10, by consent of the Chief Commissioner of Customs, The weather had improved and the diggers were again able to carry on their work without interruption. In anticipation of the winter, but contrary to all true principles of political economy, the Government have issued contracts for a certain quantity of coal to be raised at Tuapeka and Waitahuna, with the intention of retailing it at cost price. As a striking proof of the blindness of the people to the dangers attending such a Government monopoly, we hear that the arrangement has met with universal approbation. The following extracts are from the ' Witness' and 'Daily Times':— The escort this week brought down the following quantities of gold:—Tuapeka, 9738 ozs. 16 dwts.; Waitahuna, 2031 ozs. 5 dwts.; making a total of 11,770 ozs. 1 dwt. The following letter from the author of the " Rambles throughout the Gold Fields," which are republished elsewhere from the 'Daily Times,'; appeared in that journal of yesterday. It is hardly necessary for us to point out that, although speaking of a new rush, the writer is far from advising miners to hurry to the locality without more exact information to warrant them doing so. Waipori, February 4th, 1862. Since sending my communication away yesterday a rush, promising to be of some importance, has taken place. It is situated about two miles from the junction township, and is on the road to Gabriels and near the Duuedin road. The sinking is as yet shallow, and the prospects obtained very encouraging, averaging, so far, 2 to 3 dwts. to the tin dish. Some of the claims promise to be very good, but the distinguishing feature is, that it is situated upon what may be called in this country table-land. This has inspired further confidence that the hills will yet turn out auriferous. It will be unadvisable for a large population to rush here from a distance, as the floods have driven out a large number from the wet workings, and the rush is not sufficiently defined to justify leaving other places where parties may be doing something. No doubt time will connect this field with those of Waitahuna and Gabriel's. The diggings keep extending in this direction, and if one observation I have made more than another points out the necessity of selecting a better and more central site for a township than the present miserable one, it is this very fact of the continued opening of workings more and more removed from it each time. It is useless for persons to come here unless they are prepared to encounter some disappointments from the patchy nature of the ground, and give it a persevering trial. The damage done by the floods is greater than was at first thought. We publish-elsewhere, the authority from the Governor to the Superintendent of Otago, to establish Wardens' Courts on the gold fields. The sitting of the Supreme Court were concluded on Monday. Several orders regarding costs and probates to wills having been made, Mr. South applied to the Court for writs of habeas corpus in fourteen cases where men had been sentenced to various terms of imprisonment by Major Croker, the Commissioner at Tuapeka. The applications were granted by His Honor, after hearing the several affidavits, and on the prisoners being produced, they were all admitted to bail on their own recognizances to appear at the next sitting of the Supreme Court, when Major Croker will be called upon to show cause why they should not be finally discharged, he having exceeded his jurisdiction in committing them. The Court then adjeurned until Thursday the Bth day of May next. The sale of licenses to occupy lands along the east side of Princes-street for the term of one year took place in the Land Office on Wednesday. -The price realized was enormously high, and appeared to astonish a great number of the Victorians who were present, and who declared that they could purchase freeholds in good situations in Melbourne for the price paid here as a yearly rent. Seventeen allotments were disposed of, comprising 518 feet frontage, and thetotal sum realised amounted to £2529, being an average of £4 17s. 6d. per foot per annum. What makes this price appear the more remarkable is the fact that the depth of these allotments (except in a perpendicular direction) is extremely small. They extend back from ten to .twenty feet, when the bank suddenly shelves down to the beach, in ih« shape of a " shoot for dry rubbish." Indeed, what little back-ground there is seems to be made by the shooting down of earth from the numerous excavations made on the opposite side of the street. The Jetty at Pelichet Bay is being extended further into the bay. It promises to be a substantial work, and to be a decided advantage to that part of the town. Letters are now delivered daily within the limits of the town. This, combined with the daily mail to and from the diggings, is a great improvement upon the old state of things.