Gold Mining on the West Coast.

Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 129, 1 June 1889, Page 2

Gold Mining on the West Coast.

4 RICH RETURNS. A gentleman in bußincßs in Wellington has within the last fow days rocoivnd a lotter from bis son (who is residing at Stafford Town, near Hokitika), from tho contonts of whioh it would appear that tho old goldfiolds of tlie West Coast uro by no means " played out." Tho recipiont has kindly allowed us to make the following extract -.— Eight men working in tho Kelly's Torruce claim here Boem to be on tho high road to fortune. Last woek they obtainod 53i0z8 of gold, worth over £20Q, and after paying about .£SO oxponses, each man had J6lB clear for his wook's work. One of tbo alluvial claims hero was put up for auction on Tuesday last, and was bought by four mon for £40i. Ono of the storekeepers hero who buys gold bought over ,£2OO worth yostorday, for , which he will havo a clear profit of about 30s i for his day's trouble Two Cinnamon washed up on Thursday and got lib woight of gold, worth Xis 12s. The Minister of Mines was hero lately, but ho does not appear to know much about mines or mining. » [An old Weßt Coast minor, whom we hivvo spoken to on the suhjeot, informs _ub that it is very probablo the abovo workings are a continuation ol the old Lamplqugh lead, whioh, after yielding mognificentreturnß for ' a ehorfc time, was lost many years ago.]

The Premier was interviewed fchia aftornoon by Messrs. C. B. Imrd, M.H.R., J. Newton, W. Littlejohn, J. Nairn, W. Borgin, J. Stewart, and J. Holmes, who urged that Government should assist tho residents of Kaiwnrra neighbourhood in setting tbp tollgate on tho Butt road abolished. Mr. Izard explained that the residents did not object to contribute to tho maintenanoo of the road, but thoy did not think taxation by means of tolls was fair or just. Mr. Holmes, in reply to the Premier, said that tho majority of the people who used the tollpato resided within a radins of 12 miles of it The Premier said that, speaking personally, ho did not liko tollgates, and felt vory strongly on tho subject. He did'i.ot liko to see rovonuo raised by means of tollgates, but he could quite understand tho difficulty which the Hutt County Council had in raising money. It was a strong temptation to that body to retain tho gate, and tho same temptation presented itself to a Colonial Treasurer when ho had a good revenue-producing tax The difficulty in tho present caso was that tho power to collect tolls had been relegated to tho local bodies by tho Provincial Government, and he did not think he could now intorfere. Ho had considered the deßirablenosß of bringing in a Bill to abolish tho gate in question, and had como to the conclusion that it would be no use to do so. Ho sympathised with tho deputation, but ho could not aco his way to accede to their request, as it would be dangerous to interfere with the powers conferred on local bodies. The interview then terminated. Mr. M'Grath writes to us denying that ho kept tho specifications for the Harbour Board woolshed three days, as stated by someone on bobalf of the Harbour Board in this morning's paper. He says ho kopt them one night, for which he gave satisfactory reasons to the Engineer, and that he would have stated this in his latter to us had not the Engineer bound him in honour not to make it public. In the Banco Court this morning, before the Chief Justioe and Mr. JubUcg Richmond, the case of ,tho Wellington Benevolent Institution and the Wollington and Wairarapa Charitable Aid Boirds was called on. By consei.t, judgment as against the Wairarapa North County Counoil was set aside, with costß, judgment to bo in favour of tho Wellington Charitable Aid Board, with costs, the the latter body to be joined as plaintiff in an action against tho Wairarapa North County Council. Mr. Travers was for the Charitablo Aid Boards and Mr. Skerrett for the Benevolent Institution. The circumstances connected with the Court of Inquiry which has b»en held in reference to Ijieut.-Colonel Bailey and the Christchurch Kennel Club— the result of which iB made known in a telegram which appears elsewhere — are state i to be as follow :— Colonel Bailey showed a fox-terrier at the Club's show in Christchurch last November, and obtained a first prize. It was subsequently discovered that tho dog's ears had been "faked" or made to droop gracefully by means of pieces of lead inserted in them. This being against the rules Colonel Bailey was diequalified from exhibiting at the Club's shows for twelve months. The disqualification having reached tho ears of a member of tho Government, it was considered necessary that an enquiry should be held into the circumstances. A sitting of the Divorce Court is to bo held on Monday next. The following cases are sot down for hearing : —Rules nisi— Malcolm v. Malcolm (Mr. Skerrett for petitioner) ; Dodwell v. Dodwell (Mr. GulJy for petitioner) ; Brodio v. Brodie (Mr. Fitzherbert for petitioner) ; Thomas v. Thomas (Mr. Jellicoe for petitioner) ; Smith v. Smith (Mr. Jellicoe for petitioner); Beecroft v. Beecroft (Mr. Quick for petitioner). Eulo absolute— Egan v. Egan (Mr. Jellicoo for petitioner). An important discovery of asbestos has been made by Mr. Edward Thomas, a mining expert well known on tho jroldfields in tho Auckland district. Mr. Thomas has been prospecting in the Takaka district, Nelson, for some time past, and has come acros* a lode of asbestos at Monnt Arthur, which is considered by Mr. Gordon, the Inspecting Engineer of the Mines Department, to be a very valuable discovery. Tho lodo is six inches thick, and the quality of the stuff is said to be eqnal to that of the best Italian asbestos, which in its crudo state is now selling in London at J8360a ton. Mr. Thomas has pegged out a large claim, and is now making arrangements for working the ground in a systematic manner. The civil sittings of the Supreme Court commence on Monday next. Iho following is a list of the cases Bet down for hearing :— Before a special jury— O'Driucoll v. Plunraer (Mr. Stafford for plaintiff, and Mr. Jellicce for defendant). Before a mixed jury— Hapo to Rangitewbata and others v. Davies and another (Mr. Menteath for plaintiffs, and Mr. Gully for defendants). Before a common jury of four-Drake v. Murphy (Mr. Gully for plaintiff, and Mr. Jellicoe for defendant); Bath v. Bath (Mr. Jellicoe for plaintiff, and Mr. Skerrett for defendant). Before a Judge only — Blackwell v. tho Registrar of Lands (Mr. Thompson for plaintiff and Mr. Chapman for defendant) ; Percy v. Johnston (Mr. Skerrett for plaintiff and Mr. Quick for defendant); Death v. Boyd and others (Mr. Travers for plaintiff); Moore v. Meredith (Mr. Travers for plaintiff); Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company v. the Queen (Mr. Travers for plaintiff); Hay v. Thompson (Mr. Jellicoe for plaintiff and Mr. Bell for defendant); Nathan v. Clarkeon (Mr. Gully for plaintiff and Mr. Jellicoe for defendant); Williams and another v. West and another (Mr. Bell for plaintiff and Mr. Stafford for defendant). Judgment waß reserved by Mr. Robinson, E.M., yesterday afternoon, in a peculiar civil action, in which J. Topp sought to recover £7 from E. Metz, pawnbroker, on account of some tools which were sold by the defendant. It seomed that the articles had been lent by the plaintiff to Robert Barker, since convicted of larceny as a bailee, and were pawned by him with the defendant, who deolined to give them up to the plaintiff without compensation. Judgment will be given on Tuesday next.

At this week's session of tho Star of We! lington Lodge, 1.0. G.T., Bro. Taylor pre Bided. A number of candidates were pre posed, who nro to oomo forward next Hef Bion for initiation. Tho Anniversary of th Lodgo Committoo romlorod their roport which stated tliat tho celebration would bo a an oarly duto, but that it was not yet decide when it ehoulcl tako pinoo. A letter wa road from the Kaiwarra 1 odgo, inviting thi momborß to nomo and spend a plcaian evening with them next WednoHday ovening which kind invitation was accepted. Afto a pleasant ovening, tho session torminatec itn tho usual manner. Tho many frionds of Mr. Thomas, th< Deputy-Registrar of tho Supremo Court, wil («ayß tho Christchurch Pross) learn wit! rogrot that ho has beon transferred to Wellington. All whoßO business havo bronghi thorn into contact with Mr. Thomas know what courtesy and zeal ho has brought U boar on the disobargo of his official dution No trouble has beon too much for him tc meet the wishes) of thoso who have business to transact at tho offiro of tho Conrt, and whilst it is trno a vory able successor will follow him, Mr. Thomas' romoval will bo n matter for general regret. Mr. fiobinson, R-.M., decided several civil caHOH yentorday aftornoon. A nonsuit waH aceopted in the caßo brought by the Northern Lund, Loan and Building Company against T. K. Macdonald, in which a. claim of j£23 (U 8d was made for rates, and JE2 2h costs woro allowed Mr. I/ard was for tho plaintiff company, and Mr. Jellicoe dofended. In tho caso of J. Murphy v. I). R Lawlor, a claim of .£ls for services, his Worship gave judgmont for tho dofondant (for whom Mr. Dovino acted), and allowed £1 1« costs. Mr. Skorrott was for tho plaintiff. Another (MRO which occupied xomo timo was ono in which tho Wellington Loan Company sought to recover £U) 2h 2d from A. W. Read, tho ondorsor of a promhaory note of John J. Ingram, bankrupt. Judgmont wont for the plaintiff company (who woro ropreHontod by Mr. Gray), with £2 Gs co<rts. Mr. blcerrett defended. Tho local agents bad not received any word of tho arrival of tho Tainui at Hoburt up to 'i 30 this aftornoon. John W. Watson, who is "wanted" by tho polico upon a chargo of obtaining money from G. W. Smart, pawnbroker, by false pretonoes, imposed upon tbo informant very olovorly. Watson, it Rooms, only arrived from England Bhortly boforo tho dato of tho oflfenuo (4th May), and brought with him an order upon tho Now Zealand Shipping Company for .£lO, which ho converted into cash on arrival. Possessing apparontly U duplicato of tho original order, ho prosontod this to Mr. Smart, and asked for an advance upon it, but ho only Buecocdod in getting £2 upon the first appeal, and loft Mr. Smart with a promise that he would rotnrn for tho balanco. Whon tho order waß prcsontod for payment tho fraud was of courso discovered, but Watson apparently expected tbis>, as he did not put in an appearance to claim tho balance. By our Polico Court roport elsowhoro it will be obsorvod that another person of tho name of Wntson wiih arrested by tho polico in mistako for tho real offender, whoao whoreabouts is at present unknown. On Wodnosduy.Sth Juno, it is intended to oontinuo tho salo (begun on 2(sth April) of noedlowork dono by needy womou in connection with the Work-in-Aid Branch of the Ladies' Christian Association. Ladies will find a variety of tißeful articlos well mado, whioh will bo sold at prices just Riiificiont to cover tho outlay. It is hoped that tho public will countouanco this effort of tho committoo to provido work for tho neody, for as tho ontlay has already reuebod an amount which it is not thought prudont to oxcecd, tho coutinuanco of the Work-in-Aid Branch depends on the success of tho ealo The roport of Professor Long upon the dairy industry of tho colony has just beon received from London. It contains a largo quantity of valuable information, and tho Ministor of Lands has given instructions that it is to ho printed in pamphlet form for distribution throughout tho colony. llow to Oais FLimr ANi>Brnp.NOTii.— Take after each meal a tublexpoonful of "Hcott's Emulsion or Cod Livitn Oil witu IlYi'Ornosi'UJTiß." It is almost ns palatable as milk, and easily digested. The rapidity with which delicate children and sickly peoplo suffering from weakness and wasting (lißeascs improve and thrive upon this diet is truly marvellous As a remedy for Consumption, Throat Affections, and Bronchitis, it in unequalled by any other preparation in tho world, Uso it and try your weight. All Chemiata sell large and small bottles, la 8d md 2s 6d. For continuation of rending matter see fourth vage.