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Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2697, 9 October 1871, Page 2

Maerewiienua Diggings.—Judging o o by the quantity of gold being brought into Oamaru, the claims on these diggings are beginning to yield. Last week thirty-five ounces were obtained from one claim, and this quantity is said to have been procured in nineteen days sluicing, with a small supply of water. Altogether the prospects of the Held are looking up. The “ Extraordinary Revelation.” —As we showed, this story, which has been given credence to by a good many people, is a hoax, and it has been proved to be so. It is nothing more or less than a sensation story, written by a person named William H. Ehodes, for the Golden City, a San Francisco newspaper; and the names of persons and places were only inserted to give color to the tale. Mr Rhodes was at one time editor of the True Californian, and is now engaged in practice as a solicitor. His brother, Mr R. H. Rhodes, has lately arrived at Brisbane from California, and vouches for the truth of the above statement. The Land Job.—Writing on the subject of the sale of the fifty thousand acre block the Oamaru Times ridicules the idea that the financial necessities of the Province were the excuse of the Reid Minis-

try for their glaring inconsistencies, and asks who were responsible for the position of those finances but the very party who failed to sell land when land could be sold, and who, in spite of every warning, allowed the Province to drift into its present deplorable condition rather than t>ivc up an iota of their principles ? Tne Times docs not hesi tr.tos to say that the transaction would be a disgrace to any government, and is doubly so to a government whose popular pretence has been its ea;er dc.-irc to open up the land for settlement in small blocks to the exclusion of large capitalists. The Intestate Estates Act.—A measure which is intended to effect a very important social, and domestic change, is now before Parliament, and is entitled the Intestate testates Act Amendment Bill. The effect of this Bill is to abolish the timehonored law of primogeniture. It provides that in the event of the owner of real estate dying intestate, his landed t state, instead of as at present passing entire and undivided to the eldest son, or heir male, will he divided like any personal property, between the licit s general. One or two members have expressed do ibts as to whether this change is a wise or judicious one, but the feeling of the House is decidedly in its favor, and it has already passed through the Legislative Council, where, indeed, it originated. Of course, owners of real property will still have the right of by will leaving their landed estates as they like ; but the experience of most of the members seems to have supp ied instances of Inrdship from owners of landed estate, and perhaps little else, dying intestate, when the whole of that estate immiediately passed to the eldest son or heir male, to the utter erelusion, of all the rest of the family. Wrecks in New Zealand,—The Secretary of Customs, Mr Seed, in his annual report of the Marine Department, states that the number of casualties that occurred during the yevr 1869-79 was 38 ; the aggregate tonnage, 3297 ; and the number of lives lost, 12, In 1870-1 there were 28 casualties, tonnage 2322, and number of lives lost 28 ; of these, 18 were caused by the foundering, after collision with the Enterprise, of the steamer Tauranga, in July, 1870. The wreck statistics of each of the past two years show that fewer casualties have happened in these years than during either of the two previous years. In 1808-9, 33 vessels were wrecked, of 4254 tons, and 28 lives were lost. In 1807-68. 53 vessels, of 5514 tons, were wrecked, and 26 lives were lost on our coasts. With a view of preserving an accurate record of all wrecks, and of showing at a glance the localities at which they occurred, Mr .Seed has bad a wreck chart prepared ; it is modelled on the plan of those that are annually issued by the Board of Trade for the United Kingdom. In addition to the wrecks, it shows also the position of the New Zealand lighthouses, and the character of the different lights, whether fixed or revolving, &c., and the distance at which they can be seen. Telegraphic Communication avith England.—As time for the completion of the great trans-continental telegraph—Jan. 1872—is gradually approaching, its progress will be watched with increasing interest. Writing on the 14th nit., the South Atistralian Register, reports Two of the stati n-mastcis for the interior, Messrs Muller and Watson, will start next week for Port Augusta by steamer. Thoir respective destinations will be—Mr Johnson, Charlotte Waters; Mr Kraagen, Owen Springs; Mr Muller, Mount Erecting; and Mr Watson, the Bonney. These sites are not absolutely fixed, the final settlement being left to Mr Woods to determine according to local circumstances ; but the places given indicate approximately Avhere the four central stations will be. There will be at each station, beside the master and assistant operator, a lineman for repairing the wire in case of injmy, and a general hand to cook and look after stock, fcc. The assistant operators w ll be appointed from the cadets now Avith the construction parties, from which also the other hands Avill be drawn. Mr Clarke, the station-master at Tanunda, goes as chief perator to superintend the opening of the four central stations, but will return as soon as they are in working order. Princess Theatre. M. Plenty’s concert on Saturday last was not well attended ; from which fact must be drawn the conclusion, that good music unless accompanied by large posters, stale conjuring, and inferior legerdemain, is beyond the comprehension of the Dunedin public, especially “the upper ten,” M. Fleury must console himself with the reflection that the few Avbo were present on Saturday evening fully appreciated the efforts of himself and the other artistes composing his band. The programme comprised selections from the operas of “Norma,” “The Bohemian Girl,” “La Traviata,” “Lucretia Borgia,” and “William Tell,” all of which were rendered in a masterly manner. The “Echo du Mont Blanc” polka so pleased the audience that it was redemanded, due, no doubt, to the excellent performance by Mr Oliver on the cornet-i-piston. During the evening, Mrs T. White sang some ballads every effectively, one, “ My boy Tammy,” resulting in an encore ; Mr Westropp was likeivise successful in a new local, yclcped “ Mary Poster,” and, altogether, a most pleasant evening wound up with the National anthem. To night Miss Dolly Green commences a now' dramatic season, the opening piece being “ Old Phil’s Birthday,” in which the burden rests upon the shoulders of the fair lessee and Mr Musgrave. Colonial Industries.—A A'ery useful Committee of the General Assembly is that on colonial industries. From a Wellington contemporary, we learn that amongst other persons summoned to give evidence before this Committee, has been Mr Liardet, avlio Avas asked to afford information as to the fish in Cook Straits—their quantity, kind, and quality', and as to how far they could be utilised as an article of export. Few persons in New Zealand are better able to afford va'nable information on this subject than Mr Liardet. His opinion is that if properly fitted vessels of from 50 to 60 tons, with all necessary trawling and o her nets were equipped, experienced deep sea fishermen obtained from the old country, and Chinamen hired to cure the catches, that a most profitable trade could easily be created to an extent at present scarcely dreamt of. There are fish of every descri tion, and the finest quality, to be found in the Straits, and he thinks that if properly cured a ready market would he obtained, not only in the chief towns of Australia, but throughout the Avhole of the country districts, in addition to the sale that would be in Ncav Zealand. Whether Chinamen are the only proper fish curers may he doubted, but that shoals of

fish of all kinds are found in the Straits there is no question whatever ; and that, if dried, they would find plenty of markets, is equally certain. At the present time it would appear as though the development of one source of national wealth has been strangely neglected, but probably the report of the Committee when brought up will do ranch to stimulate this as a veil as other industries. A quarterly summoned meeting of the Court Pride, No. 3780 A.O.F. will he held at the lloyal George Hotel, George street to-morrow (Tuesday) evening at eight o’clock. The anniversary ball, in aid of the WidoAv and Orphans’ Fund of the Loyal Alexandra Lodge, A.1.0.0.F., is announced to take place in the New Masonic Hall on Wednesday next, the 11th hist. The Quarterly meeting of the Lodge St. Andrew, Avill be held at the Masonic Hall this evening, at 7.30 sharp.