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Evening Star, Issue 3479, 17 April 1874, Page 2

The trial of Regina v. MTntosb has been definitely fixed for Friday, the 24th inst., and Eegina v. Long for Monday, the 27th. We leam by private telegram that the SteeleKeogh Company sailed from Lyttelton yesterday, for Wellington, where they intend to play a short season. Education in South Australia does not show advantageously in official statistics. According to the late census, out of a total population of 185,000 there were 12,000 children between the ages of seven and fifteen unable to read and write. By a printer’s error, when giving a telegraphic summary of the Supreme Court news, the Mount Ida Chronicle ’ makes the strange announcement that “two young men were sent to prison for tweuty-four hours for contempt of the Government agent when taking over the Hutt railway.” Mr Justice Chapman held a short sitting in banco this morning. Hit Honer agreed to the postponement of the trial of Regina v. MTntosh till Friday, the 24th inst., and, on Mr Howorth’s application, confirmed the appointment of Mr W. O, Ball as liquidator of the Submarine Goldmining Company. The fever which has now become an epedemio in Cromwell shows no signs'as yet of abating, as far as the number of cases is concerned. The ‘ Argus ’ of Tuesday reports that a number of fresh cases have occurred during the week although they do not appear to be of such a malignant type as some of the earlier one. Medical authorities ascribe it to the impure water, and defective sanitary arrangement*.

The same report was made last year by Dr Lake, now of Switzers, but no attention was paid to it by the municipal authorities at that time.

Mr Lumb, the revenue officer, has laid new informations against Charles Hilgendorf, of Waihola, for selling spirituous liquors without a license, and instead of an information for assault in re pepper, he takes the course of suing for damages, laid at LIOO. The cases are to be heard on Monday next, Ihe ‘Tablet’ confirms the statement we made the other day that Dr Redwood is the new Roman Catholic Bishop of Wellington, and says “ His Lordship’s nomination by propoganda was made on the 20th January last, and confirmed by his Holinesss on the'2sth of the same month. The brief of his Holiness bears date the 10th March; and Dr Redwood was to have been consecrated in London on last St. Patrick’s Day by the most rev. Archbishop Manning, assisted by the Bishops of Birmingham and Southwark.” Dr Redwood is a Colonist, a member of the Marist Society, and an ecclesiastic of high character for learning and virtue. The Wellington see is now administered by proxy by the Rev. Father Forrest, of Napier, Dr Redwood’s Vicar General.

A deputation from Tokomairiro, headed by Mr J. L. Gillies, M.P, C., had an interview with the Superintendent this morning, and brought under his notice the necessity of connecting the Tokomairiro coalfields with the Southern Trunk Line by a light railway. Reference was made to Captain Hutton’s report (which appears elsewhere) on the field ; and to that gentleman’s opinion, that with such a line as the one indicated by the deputation, coal could be supplied in Dunedin at a much cheaper rate than from any other coalfield in the district. His Honor replied that the Government would take steps to obtain the necessary data, which would be laid before the Provincial Council, so that that body might take action if it thought fit.

The following items of mining intelligence are from the ‘Cromwell Argus’:—“The last crushing (two weeks’) of the Star of the East yielded 85 ounces of-gold from 160 tons of stone. The contract for driving the Star of the East tunnel has been taken by Messrs Knudsen and party. The Star Company are bringing out stone at the present time at considerable disadvantage for Want of the tunnel. The Cromwell Company’ mill is stopped at present, in consequence of Mr'J. Reekie having resigned the management of the company’s affairs. The stone which is being brought up is reported as being very good; some think even better than any yet crushed. It is reported that Mr Jones, one of the three owners of the Young Australian quartz mining claim, has sold out for something between L3OO and L4OO. Mr Jones is leaving for the Palmer rush. The purchasers are Messrs Williams and Edwards, the other shareholders in the claim. The Garrick Range Water Supply Company have at length com-

pleted all the necessary negotiations for procuring the advance of L 4,000 from the Government, ■which has been so long promised.” There was an unusually large attendance at the Queen’s Theatre last evening; when “ A. Waif of the Streets ” for the first time in Dunedin. The piece, we are told was adapted fry Mr Soutter, and especially intended for the Colonies, and the copyright forwarded to Mr Towers by that gentleman. The principal characters are well drawn, and the piece contains some thrilling situations. Mr Burford, as Cassidy, played with all his accustomed ability, and was ably assisted by Mr Towers as Props, To Miss Rosa Towers, who appeared as the heroine, Migs, however, is 4 due the principal praise. In this character she undoubtedly appears to greater advantage than in “ Grif,” and she was frequently and loudly applauded. The remaining characters, especially those undertaken by Mr Glover and Mrs Towers, were well filled. Mr Kemp has painted some excellent scenery, that of the Thames embankment being as good as anything of the kind yet seen here. The management should not permit such long waits between the acts as took place last night, but at once remedy this matter, which has latterly become a source of great complaint. The piece should have a long and profitable run.

captain Hutton, the Provincial Geologist, has been examining the coal beds lying between Tokomairiio and Kaitangata, together with the general geological indications of the district. The * Bruce Herald’ tells us that after visiting the coal-pit down the river he proceeded, via the coast, to Kaitangata, and returned to Tokomairiro on Tuesday evening exceedingly delighted with his trip, and remarks “He publicly expressed his opinion that what he saw in the way of coal deposits on his trip, satisfied him that in our neighborhood there was such an extensive deposit of true brown coal, of such a thickness of seam, and so easily worked, that no Province in New Zealand could be supplied with cheaper fuel suitable for household purposes and for manufactures than could Otago. ‘I feared Christchurch before I saw this, with her Malvern Hills coal, but now I am

satisfied Dunedin cannot be outstripped,’ said Capt. Hutton to us in answer to our inquiries. The coal covers an area of twelve miles in length and about five in width, and one of the seams in many places is twenty feet in thickness. A light branch railway should be immediately constructed to unite the pits with the main trunk line of railway, as by that means fuel in Dunedin would be reduced to a minimum, say little over one-half its present cost. The Government, it is to be hoped, will publish Capt. Hutton’s official report forgeneral information. ’ In an article on harbor improvement the ‘ Bruce Herald’ says “If the country districts are to realise the full benefits of our improved mode of communication bv railway, we want our ships to discharge at Dunedin. For ourselves, we have always baen of the opinion that had the money that was spent on the purchase of the Port Chalmers Eailway line been

expended on deepening the harbor, infinitely more benefit would have resulted to our country districts from that expenditure. The true general prosperity of a country lies in solving the question of how is the cheapest mode of production, the reduction of cost of living, the producing most out of the smallest amount of capital employed. To these ends everyone must acknowledge that the work referred to would give an immense impetus. It is in the interest of the whole Province that the commercial supremacy of Otago bo maintained, and if Dunedin would but display more anxiety to study the encouragement of the settlement of the country \yith a thriving and industrious population, she would find that for such a work as the deepening of the harbor, she would get the hearty support of the country settlers. The country has a deep intf rest in the prosperity of the town, and equally so should the town have a deep interest in the prosperity and settlement of the country. Canterbury, which, above all the Provinces, we have to fear as a rival, is making most strenuous efforts in the way of improving her port, and if Otago is not to be outstrip-

ped and made to play second fiddle, the proposal to deepen the harbor must bo carried out. ” A meeting of bootmakers will be held in the European Hotel on Monday evening. We would remind our readers that the entertainment in aid of the Scott Scholarship Fund takes place at the Princess Theatre this evening. Mr Wales will address the electors in the Head-quarters Drill shed this evening, at 8 ®’ c l°ck ; and Mr Barton in the Oddfellows’ Hall, George street, at the same hour. It will be seen by the advertisement in the usual column that the Harbor Company’s steamer Samson «dll leave Rattray street wharf to-night at nine o’clock. Mr George, secretary of the Artillery Band, requests us to correct an error which appeared in our Wednesday’s issue. The band has not been “ engaged" to play at the Cricket Club sports, but gives its services gratuitously. To-day, in our advertising columns, a prospectus is published of the Waipori Quartz Mining Company. As a rule, we never do more than draw attention to enterprises of this class, whatever our opinion of the chances of success may bo. In this instance, we may so far transgress our rule as to say that specimens have been shown to us that are worthy of inspection by those who seek profitable investment, as well as by those who are only scientifically interested in the theory of gold deposits. We have frequently pondered over the sudden collapse of the old O P.Q. Company, which at one time paid such handsome dividends, and it is now unravelled. The history of the Waipori Quartz Mining Company is one of confidence and persistent enter*

prise on the part of some of the shareholders, in that Company, who, in spito of discouragement, have persevered in prospecting the reef, and have been rewarded with specimens that justify the hope of success. The specimens are in the possession of Mr W. M. Hawkins, the' legal manager.