DUNEDIN.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XVII, Issue 984, 16 April 1862, Page 3

DUNEDIN.

[PHOM A COnUESI'ONDBNT.] The first portion of ' our correspondent's ' letter bears the Dunedin postmark of April 1, but has only come to hand with a letter dated and posted on the Bth owing- to some mismanagement on the part of the Tost office. We publish both letters as they contain matters of general interest which -have not yet appeared:— March 29, 18G2. ■ This week's escort brings in 7,989 ozs. collected thus :—from Tuapeka, 5,446 ozs. 15 dwts.; Waitaliuna, 1,398 ozs. 15 dwts.; Waipori, 1,144 ozs. The previous week shewed only 7,324 ozs. but as the Waipori gold is sent in fortnightly the real result for both weeks is about the same. The mining news of this day is of a cheering character. The yield of gold is certainly less than it was a few weeks ago but on the other hand so is the number of diggers, as a great many have left for Australia from an exaggerated notion of the severity of the Otago winter. The shaft sunk on the top of the range between Monroe's and Gabriel's has been bottomed and a very encouraging prospect obtained. We shall soon know the result of this deep sinking which if successful will open a large field. There is also a rush to the Tuapeka river near its junction with the Molyneux which promises fairly. There are 600 miners on the ground, the sinking only 12 feet deep and the prospects described as first rate, so good in fact as to lead some to expect that a second Gabriel's has been discovered. A party working an abandoned claim at the head of Gabriel's gully and driving in only two feet from the bottom of the shaft abandoned by the previous owners as worthless, struck on a' jew-' eller's shop' and have taken out their ounces by the hundred to the extent it is said of more in value than £8000, but this is probably exaggerated. Puddling machines are also on trial at Weatherstones and will if successful open up large and rich fields, while at Waitahuna the deep sinking association is prosecuting its labors with energy, and at Waipori the population now numbers about 3000, and specimens of auriferous quartz are exhibited which have caused some excitement on the subject of quartz reefing there. On the whole, I think that while we may expect to see the escort return diminish considerably as winter approaches, yet the gold is found now in payable quantities over so wide an extent of country that we may also look for new rushes from Victoria, and renewed increase in the yield, so soon as the spring sets in, or the experience of the miners who remain proves to their friends in Victoria that their fears of the Otago cold are much overrated. Our returns it must also be remembered are still far better to the individual miner than those of the Victorian gold fields. We have been a good deal disappointed at observing so little notice taken in the English papers of Otago. This is easily accounted for however when we consider that they were taking all their information from the Melbourne correspondent of the 'Times' whose letter makes merely a passing allusion to ' the insane rush to New Zealand' as having subsided. Pacts by the following mail and still more by that of January will soon speak for themselves and attract renewed attention.

The races are over and went off with such eclat that a fourth day was extemporised by the club. The weather was beautiful—bright, clear, and dry, without being hot or oppressive. The " road " being rugged and passing over steepish hills was decidedly as a " road" slow, but people managed to get to the course somehow and got back again with only one accident of a serious character, by which a lady and two gentlemen were upset. The lady I am sorry to say suffered a "fracture of the collar bone, and one of the gentlemen had his leg broken, while the other was severely bruised. The course itself was in capital order, and is regarded by all as both picturesque and likely to be in every way suitable when the road to it is finished. The following is a summary of the various events: — ■ FIRST DAY. Maiden Plate, 70 soys. and entrance 3 guineas, won by Falcon, a Victorian horse. Heat one and a half miles. Time, 3 mm. 10 sees. Town Plate, 150 soys.; entrance, 5 guineas. Two and a half miles. Won by Othello, a Victorian horse. Emmeline, a Canterbury mare, coming in second. Time, 5 mm. 15 sees. Provincial Cup, value £100; entrance, 5 guineas, Two miles. Won by Kauri Gum, an Otago horse. Time, 4 mm. 20 sees. Selling Stakes, 50 soys. and entrance 2 guineas. One and a half mile heat. Won by Kob, an Otago horse, afterwards sold for £100. Time, 3 mm. 8 sees. Scurry Stakes, 22 entries. Won by Sultan, an Otago horse. SECOND DAY. ! Hurdle Eace, 60 soys., entrance 3 guineas. Won by [ Falcon. Publican's Purse, 120 soys., entrance 5 guineas. Three mile heat. Won by Kauri Gum. 6 mm. 23 and a half sees. Handicap, 100 soys., entrance 3 guineas. One and a half mile heat. Won by Kob, an Otago horse. Time, 3 mm. 2 sees. Ladies Purse, 66 soys., entrance 2 guineas. Two mile heats. Won by Emmeline, a Canterbury mare. 4 mm. 30 sees. THIRD DAY. Steeplechase, 80 soys., entrance 3 guineas. Four mite heats. Won by Falcon. Trotting Match, 30 soys., entrance 3 guineas. Four and a half mile heats. Won by Orlando, of Otago. Time, 18 mm. 15 sees. Forced Handicap, 30 soys., entrance 2 guineas. Won by Kob Roy, of Otago. FOURTH DAY. Hack Kace, 10 soys., entrance 1 guinea. One mile heat. Won by Brunette. Time, 2 mm. 30 sees. Hack Hurdle Kace, 10 soys., 2 soys. sweepstakes added. Won by Jack. Boothholder's Purse, 45 soys. Two mile heats, Won by Venison. Time, 2 mm. 30 sees.Match, £50 a side. Won by Baronet. Match, £50 a side. Won by Huntsman. Scurry. Won by Kob Roy. All the winners this day were Otago horses. From the above you will observe that Otago has come off creditably. The stakes were good, and some five animals were sent to contest them from Victoria. Next year the stakes will be even better, and the Otago Races prove attractive we hope to the other provinces of New Zealand as well as Victoria. The Blue Jacket is to run regularly between Melbourne and Dunedin in the passenger trade. Who could have dreamt of this a year ago, when everyone Avas admiring her magnificent proportions in Port Lyttelton. She has just made her second trip, bringing this time 250 passengers, of whom a great part were women, come to join their husbands or relations here. The Chariot of Fame is loading with wool at Port Chalmers. She will make the third trip of the season, and being something like 1,600 tons in size, will probably clear out all that is left. The export of wool ought be largo from Otago this year, and I will send you this and all other statistical information as soon as it is procurable. The imports of sheep are immense, chiefly from Victoria They are sent down literally by thousands, but mutton is still 10d per lb in Dunedin. The electoral roll closes on the 31st. Great activity has been displayed in getting men to register, but I think the new comers have on the whole been rather apathetic on the subject. Despite the illconcealed jealousy of a few among the old settlers at first the greater number of them have lost their fear of being " swamped," now that they see how little disposed their now friends are to carry things with the high hand or to rush into politics beforo they are better acquainted with local men and matters. There has been some sharp letter writing in the 'Colonist' on the late celebration ; o£ St, Patrick's

Day at tho diggings The account of the ceremonies observed by our Hibernian friends certainly■ reads strange enough, but there is one part of it wherein they are said to have fallen in four deep and marched through the diggings to the number of several thou-sand,-which has been construed into a "demonstration," and has in that character excited strong remark. They are said to be united and well Organised and likely to exercise a great influence at the coming elections in September, but whether this ho actually tho case or a mere alarm to induce others to register I cannot pretend to say. If the latter it is to be regretted that, some less irritating course was not adopted as the proceedings of the day though singular were marked by the greatest good order and sobriety.

Volunteering continues to progress. About 130 men are enrolled in Dunedin, but will not be fairly organised or officered till their services are accepted by the Governor. Meanwhile they are drilling steadily.

The Aldinga is daily expected from Melbourne and will we hope bring intelligence of the missing mail steamer. Coals are very scarce, and if none arrive she will probably have to pay you a visit and coal in Lyttelton or Wellington.

The English Church or rather the small building used for that purpose has become totally inadequate for the increased congregation. Many are obliged to stand at the door and about the church during service, while many more are compelled to stay away altogether. A new church to be built of stone is commenced. The foundations are being excavated and we expect- the Bishop of Christchurch in a month to lay the first stone. The site of the new church is admirable, being on the hill close to the Octagon and combining ease of access with centrality of position

April 8, 1862

Dunedin is in a state of liquid mud. The Escort last Thursday was only 6091 i ounces. Trade is decidedly duil, and your readers will probably picture to themselves the good people of Dunedin wandering disconsolate, with long faces disburdening themselves of their woes and seeking from each other that fellowship in distress which we are told makes to some minds sorrow the less. So much for imagination'; now for fact. On the day after the escort came in—the smallest be it remembered yet received—two-fifths of an acre of land near the jetty were put up to public auction in 13 sections, averaging 25 by 50 feet each, and realised from £7 15s to £18 per foot per annum for 14 years. The gross rental obtained is nearly £2800 per annum, and no public-houses allowed according to the conditions of sale! Most of the lessees are Melbourne men, and a clearer proof could not be given of their confidence in the future progress of Otago.

How, it will be asked, are we to account for this confidence under difficulties ? I believe it is based on the following considerations —first, the permanence of the gold-fields cannot now be questioned, while there is a strong belief new ones will be developed ; secondly, that the existing gold-fields are themselves capable of supporting a large population when capital finds machinery and men are content to work for the same wage as in Victoria; thirdly, that however the yield may fall off during winter it is certain to revive in the spring; and fourthly, because it is known to be the weather and the want of wood, of good roads and good towns on the diggings, and not the want of gold, which have driven so many miners for the time away. Nor do the more knowing ones forget to point out that 5000 ounces will support a very respectable trade, and would probably be all spent in Otago, whereas the great " hauls" are frequently taken elsewhere.

Those of your readers who are curious to know more clearly the position of the notable bit of land to which I have alluded, may form a good notion of it from that of the Custom House in Lyttelton. The portion sold formed part of an acre hitherto attached as a garden to the Manse. The three-fifths remaining are probably reserved till the harbour improvements are carried out. Now they face the beach— then they will have another street frontage, and form on the whole a very tolerable endowment for the Presbyterian Church, to which they belong, and the members of which will no doubt agree with John Bright that " accident generally favors-a good cause." The streets of the town are execrable. The active traffic and the rain have told severely on their unmetalled faces; and so I suppose we must make up our minds it will be until the the Town Board is drowned in the slush, or its dissolution occur in some less cruel but equally effectual manner. Erom the diggings I have nothing to report of consequence, but if the weather do not interfere too much with the experimental operations now being carried on, we hope to hear the result soon. Another ship, the Alice Thorndike, has just left for-British Columbia with 170 miners, attracted partly by the idea of leaving the winter of Otago for the summer of another hemisphere. A good many more will probably follow but their places will soon be filled from Victoria when the season becomes inviting again. The Provincial Council meets on 16th April, and there will be several subjects of interest brought before it, separation I think among them. The postal arrangements proposed by Mr. Ward are much canvassed in Otago. The feeling here seems to be a distrust of the General Government, a desire to keep the contract in their own hands and a willingness to pay for doing so. When to this are added the tempers and wishes of the other provinces not yet prepared to regard Otago as the head quarters of commerce and communication which in the nature of things it seems destined to become, I fancy the Postmaster General will find he has undertaken an intricate and troublesome task, mas much as he is bound to regard the question from a general and not a provincial point of view. I shall probably be absent for some time but will write again when I return.

By the bye, may I presume to call to your notice a fact of which you are doubtless ignorant. Most of the Otago people being new men here regard your paper as a Lyttelton paper only and are not aware of your circulation in the province. I frequently hear astonishment expressed that a town like Lyttelton can support so large a paper.

The total amount of gold exported up to the 31st March is nearly £1,400,000; a fair return for 8 months' work to an average number of 13,000 or 14,000 miners at the farthest. • £1200 has been lodged with the Otago JockeyClub to enable them to have the Champion Eaces of 1862 in Otago, and thus give New Zealand at once a rank in racing affairs with Australia. A new rush is ■ just. reported 12 miles south of Tuapeka, and rumour says one party made 15lbs of gold there in a few days. I cannot vouch for the truth of this report, which will soon however be ascertained. If these diggings are good, and in the neighbourhood of wood, the Australians will soon overcome their dislike to Otago cold.