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Bruce Herald, Volume VII, Issue 618, 28 July 1874, Page 5

The San Francisco mail closes hero on Saturday next, August Ist. We observe that new business premisos are being erected adjoining thoao of Mr P. Mason at Balclutha, for Mr Briggs, express owner, &c. Messrs Kocke &Co.,chemists aud general btorekeep«is, Riverton, have sent out a large sealing expedition to the West Coast this winter. Their enterprise deserves success. The railway bridge over Jacob's river at Riverton has no drawbridge, thus completely blocking up the river for navigation. Ship building or other river uses will be henceforth confined by this barrier to tho mouth of the rivor. The Cemetery at Riverton has lately been planted with broom hedges, and a variety of pines, cypress, and English trees, under the superintendence of Mr Morton, the well known landscape gardener nnd naturalist, of Invercargill. Mr W. A. Young, of Palmerston, will have in the course of lime a splendid pine and cypress park, while the inhabitants of the district are generally indebted to this gentleman's nursery for such plants. His garden contained 10,000 of these varieties last year. We are informed that Mr John M'Neil has disposed privately of a portion of his farm property, near Balclutha, to Messrs Cossens and Tosh, at tbe rate of £15 per acre. The land sold comprises over 100 acres situated to the right of the main road —towards the foot of fche hill and between the main road and the river. Br a fire which took place in the Wyndham district, Mr Boyd, a new settler, has lost nearly everything. He had but lately completed the building of his hut, and laid in his winter store of provisions. By this unfortunate occurrence, he has lost everything but his clothes, which he managed by great exertion, to gave. We gladly learn that Mr David Cossgrovo eldest son of Mr Jas. Cossgrove of Waihola, has been advanced in the new profession of which he has made choice to the charge of the Sandymount School, Peninsula, from the post of Assistant Teacher at the West Taieri, where for some time paßt he has been located, end where he first entered upon the educational staff of tht Province. The weather for the last week has been very bad iv fche Mataura district A great deal of snow fell, accompanied by strong ti.W. winds. Milder weather with rain following, speedily melted the snow, and filled the creeka, &c, to tho brim, so that travelling, except where the creeks are bridged, is impossible. Lowering, threatening weather still continues, with light showers of rain. We have received several letters, one of which will be found elsewhere, in answer to one in our last by " Verb. Sat. Sap." They all explain that Mr Capstick is in occupation of most valuable property in the Ward which he desires to represent, aud that therefore his interests must necessarily be concerned with that section of the municipality. We may further add that were actual residence in a Ward a solo test of fitness in a candidate, a great injury to public interests would arise. The sale of Balclutha town sections, the property of Mr A. M'Niel, held by Mr Grigor on Friday last was well attended, and the bidding spirited. Every section offered (50 in all), we understand, met with purchasers afc satisfactory rates ; the upset prices being Ll2 10s for £-acre sections fronting the Main Road (in the vicinity of the Wesleyan chapel) and i-acre back sections. The twelve frontages offered in our presence realiied L2lO, being equal to Ll4O per acre. The firsfc back section offered realised L2O. We believe -that similar prices were maintained tnroughout, but we were unable to wait to the close of fche sale, and Mr Grigor's promised report has not reached us. Mb Awdhy Badcock addressed a meeting of ratepayers on tho evening of Thursday lost in St George's Hall. A pretty copious report will bo found in another column. Mr Badcock addressed a second meeting on Saturday evening last in the Camp Hotel. There was a crowded attendance. Mr Badcock's address included most of the important topics touched on previously ; but in addition he proclaimed himself a comprehensive lover of women, and said that so great was his affection in this way that he would decline to tie himself down to a wife, but that he " loved 'em all." On these grounds ho appealed for support to all ratepayers with female relatives. A vote of confidence in the candidate was carried by acclamation —an amendment meeting with no seconder, and falling to the ground. An Irish jig terminated the proceedings.

Tilß first Of the present series of Sixpenny Beddings takes placo in tbe Volunteer Hall, Milton^t-his evening. We understand that the Committee has done its best to secure ttn interesting evening to those who attend. The rise of gold at St. Bathans and Mount Ida,to L 3 16s, is simply lbcal, and has tie<*M done by an enterprising storekeeper, who was the first man to make it L 3 15s 6d, after the Bank combination. Had fch«*> miners of Otago a few more such champions; the pride df gtfld would no longer be a bugbear to them, We learn that Mr W. M. White, proprietor of the Milton Steam Pottery Works, purposes by this mail despatching instructions to Staffordshire, to havo forwarded froM theilde Uildci* lengthened engagements, 25 men and 12 women, to be employed constantly in his works here, upon the several departments tif thd trade specified by him in his advertisements sent for insertion In IhS Staffordshire newspapers. This number is exclusive of those previously mentioned by uj, as likely to sail next lnoiifcil. Residents in the Port Molyneux, South Clutha, and surrounding districts, will be pleased to learn by advertisement that tho steamer, Lady of the Lake, now trades regularly twice a week between Port Molyneux and Dunedin at reduced rates) tickets being issued for the return trip at one half additional charge. "We trfist that the residents of tlie South Cluiha districts, to Whom we consider the convenience a great boon, will manifest their appreciation of the efforts thus mud a to supply a rapid and cheap mode of transit to and from Dunedin by patronising the steamer on their visits to the metropolis. Cuttha residents may now speedily look for the settlement over their district of the skylarks originally liberated in the Tokomairiro district, the first, one known to have visited the Stoney Cio^k district having been heard to warble sweetly there last week. Nothing has sp much served to revive homo feelings in our own mind as the presence of tho lark in this locality, and many a half hours youthful reminiscences havo been reculled as we listened to the singing of the " laverock " in our fields, and we aro pleased to think that our Ciutha friends are likely so soon to be favored with a similar privilege. Pbople have been in a hurry to appreciate the advantagos of the pillar letter box placed immediately in front of tho Bihjoe Heeald office. It was put up on Saturday, but no padlock or fastening placed on the door ; the slits for letters wore loft open, however. Early this morning a person inspected it, and found a letter in it, which any one might have possessed himself of. Ponding the fixing of fastenings and other appliances, the pillar was filled up with shavings. But even then parties wanfcedffco post their letters in it. We saw a man trying to force back tho shavings which protruded from one of the letter slitß, in order to get in a duly stamped communication. We explained mutters to him, and he said ho only wanted to save himself a walk, and handed us the letter, which was directed "Bkucb Herald." He was saving himself a walk of, say, six feet. A cokkespokdent writes us from Wellington : — Tho Kormedys have given three farewell entertainments here, the last of which took place last night (July 22), and proved an immense snecoss. It is astonishing how night after night this talented family command the sympathies of so large a portion of the community. You will have them shortly with you, when their " twa hours at hame" will bo no doubt liberally patronised. — Tho first Assembly Ball took place last night, but from the audience that attended tho Kennedys' I do not think there could have been a great attendance at it, and this morning I do not hear a word in regard to it. — Mr Holloway is here at present, and evidently is being earwigged by the runholding party and capitalists. I hope the poor man will have sufficient penetration to see through their aims, bub I have my doubts. It is painful to hear men professing liberality of sentiment to their poorer brothers in represontation of the English laboring class, and then as soon as his back is turned tho whole thing is turned into ridicule. Only fancy, ho was taken to the meeting of tho Philosophical Institute at the Museum on Saturday night and formally introduced with a scientific man Mr Borrgren. Shown as a specimen, as I heard some remark. — I would direct your attention to the discussion on tlie ergot of rye, as a subject of particular interest to farmers. The coal pits north of Dunedin are as follows : — Shag Point. — Depth of 6eam Bft, easterly dip ; seam lies north-east and south-west. Second seam, above the present workings, 4ft thick, with freestone cover and bottom. Can discharge 100 tons a day to railway or shipping. Lessee, Mr Rowley ; mining manager, Mr M'lntosh. The whole of the eastern and northern side of the Shag Valley is without doubt a ooalfield, which future times will develop. At present the top seams known and worked are a fair lignite, or brown coal (for example, Glover's Pit). — The Diamond Hill Coalpits, Otepopo River, have an extent of 80 acres; seam, 2ft 9in ; coal (good brown) liked for steam purposes by fche neighboring farmers, who use it in time of thrashing, 12s a ton at tho pit. Owner, Mr J. T. Donaldson, of Raven»wood Farm.— The Serpentine Coalpits, North Otepopo, have a very good brown coal, and deliver a considerable quantity during the season to farmers, fellmongera, and others. — Tho Saint Andrew Coalpits, Big Hill, Papokaiao, are 13 miles from Oamaru, and three miloi from the nearest railway station. A tramway thereto would cost LISOO. It has a seam of 10ft clear of coal, at a distance of 10 chains from the mouth of tho drive, and 50ft from the surface. They can get out 30 tons a day. Price delivered in Oamaru, about 30s a ton. — The Wharo Kuri Coalpits are 59 miles up tho Waitangi RiTer, and are the property of Mr Walter B. Cairns. This coal seam is vertical, and is 26ffc wide by 150 ft deep. The clay overlaying the seam is filled with sparry gypsum and iiiineral salts. Mr Cairns supplies tho squatters and settlers along both sides of the river for 20 miles around. The coal is very light, compact, and brittle, and burns very welL The city of Dunedin now possesses many large and truly handsome buildings devoted to business purposes ; but a business firm, whoße stock-in-trade since our recollection was comprised within a four-wheeled express waggon, is now about to eclipse anything yet seen in this Colony in fche way of drapery warehouses. Messrs A. & T. Inglis were the first to erect in George Bfcreet business premises of a more lasting nature than timber, and tho front portion of their well-known drapery establishment is now about to give place to a building as far iv advance of anything yefc seen in Dunedin as their present premises, when built, were in advanoo of the tumble-down structures around them. When in Dunedin lately Mr David Ross, architect of their projected new building, kindly showed us the plans of this edifice, which reminds us of the external appearance of the Alhambra Palace in Leicester square, London. These buildings will be composed of stone, brick, and cement, and without descending too deeply into fche minutea of the proposed structure, we may, in a general way, remark that it ia of the Italian style of architecture, will havo a frontage of 59ft in the clear by 140 ft in depth. Tho front portion of the building will be 55ft in height, and consist of 4 storeys of 15, 14, 12, and 10ft walls respectively. Thero will be three separate entrances to the ' premises for the several departments of the trade conducted by the firm, viz, — general drapery, l gentlemen's apparel, and upholstery. There aro massive -pillar*, if we remember aright, the full height of the building, and equally ornate pillars of smaller dimensions, and exceedingly chaste and ornamental windows of infinite variety, both in sire and number ; and, altogether, the whole plan and scope of th« premises tare really grand and imposing, fco an extent we cannot take upon us to describe from our hurried view of the exquisitely executed plans.

Theue are no less than four saw mills/ ori the" west bank of Jacob's River. The inhabitants of Tapanui aud those who correspond with people thero will, no doubt, congratulate themselves on the bi-weekly mail to and from tho piece, which is now running. lllfi District Engineer lifts lately been sm-vey-iflg and sounding for a jetty at JTortrohe, on the Mataura. Tlie small amount of money on the Estimates will prevent a large jetty from being built at present, but the one that it is proposed to I ei'etfc, will be built so that it fan be extended. The jetty will be of timber, on piles,- which will ! be driven about eight feet iuto th-fl clay, which hero forms the bottom, and ia of a very tenacious •Character, and well adapted for holding, a bed of iriar'l aiid sflrid being on top, but of no great depth. It will Supply a great want in the district, and will be a great convenience to all vessels I balling in. it is to be hoped, hoWever, that there ! will be a Lrger sum of money given, in order tliat the jetty may bti ot onoe carried into the channel of the Mataura, whicll tfould be preferable* to h&ving to dredge a channel froffl alongside thepiei' td the river channel. The last lot of Leicester sheep imported by the Australian and New Zealund Laucl Co* liave been sold to the Waitepeka Station, comprising 1000 ewes in lamb. This breed of sheep was imported by tlie Company 12 years ago, and nnenfc the introduction of these sheep into the Province of Southland there is quite a romance. The sheep came to the Bluff ia a ship Called the Flying Mist, which vessel was loot ut the Bluff, being driven ashore, before the sheep werS landed, iv a heavy gale of wind. Tho Aldinga from Dunediu to Melbourne had run upon a sunken rook in the Foveaux Strails and put into the Bluff, wheiv, after some trouble, she was patched up in what was thought a sufficiently strong manner to make the parage to Melbourne. She proceeded to sea again, but the forward compartment whero tho injury was, became filled with water oil' tho Solander. She consequently had to return to the Bluff. On arriving there the second time she found tho Plying Mist ashore, with tho Leicesters aboard. She proceeded to the assistance of the ship and was successful in saving the sheep. The Aldinga claimed and recovered £2000 salvage, the sheep being valued at £12 per head. The Flyiug Mist had also a large cargo of spirituous liquors aboard, and many was the carouse that took place, indulged in by those living near the shore, who recovered cases and kegs of spirits that were washed ashore out of her. Goodwood, near Palmerston, the splendid estate of Thomas Calcutfc, Esq., formerly the property of William Jones, Esq., is being laid out with oaks, elms, ash, maple, pine of all kinds, and cypress. The main northern avenue i 3 thirty chains in length, while tke main north-western is fifty chains, and has a belt of these trees tweDtytwo feet broad on either side of the carriage drive. Mr Culcutt further set 3 200,000 of these trees in the southern bush nexb Tutnai. Tho immense value of these trees commercially will be understood when we state that these 200,000 trees at ten years old will be worth L 20.000, while at twenty years they will command the value of L 50,000. Poplars are the best commercial class of trees to plant in wet places along tho banks of streams or rivers. They produce firstrate timber for the following purposes — mill flooring, boxes, such a3 are used for packing, laths, dray bodies, shafts, etc., also for fuel, although not so good as hard wood poplar is better fuel than tha true soft woods, known as pine and spruce firs. A plantation of this timber of 10,000 trees and ten years old would be worth L2OOO, while at fifteen years tho trees would command LSOOO. When such trees have attained sufficient size for cutting, say eight to ten inches through, they are removed root and all and young trees set in their places. The plantation thus renewed always euppliod a continuous quantity of timber.