THE COUNTRY.

Evening Star, Issue 3127, 26 February 1873, Page 3

THE COUNTRY.

N x.siory.— Our correspondent writes Everything is very dull here, the drought being once more excessive.-—On Saturday evening the minors redeemed the character they had fairly earned, of indifference to their own interests, by foi niing a strong Association. A good meeting w-.vs bold, svml juat enougli Kent ami disoussion fermented to give the affair life. Over fifty members were enrolled in the room, and a strong committee chosen to attend to the business of the Association. The committeemen chosen arc Messrs Bobcrt Boss, George Clarbie, Thomas Jackson, John Creighton, James Hore, John Green, Win. Moore, Simon Hewitt, and H. B. MTntosh. The chairman of the meeting, in a most able speech, pointed out the disadvantage to the district from not having such a body to press the goldfields interests. The discussion that followed showed that there is here, as elsewhere, plenty of brains among the miners, quite enough to take care of their own interests, if put into manageable shape. - —The second batch of contracts on the public works, which were to be considered last Friday in Dunedin, are being talked of freely. Those who have tendered arc naturally anxious to know the result.—Mr Pearce, who obtained the Contracts Nos. 1 and 1 on the head race (ten miles), has got tools and stores on the ground, and last week advertised for fifty hands to go to work. It is understood that he is again a tenderer, hut doubts are freely expressed as to whether the Government will allow a contractor, unless of Provincial reputation and solidity, to absorb so much of these important works. - A good many men are in the district in a state half-way between madness and delirium tremens. It is very much to be wished that the Magistrates had more power to deal with imbecile inebriates.