OTAGO.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XX, Issue 1111, 4 July 1863, Page 3

OTAGO.

We have received our usual file of Otago papers up to June 27. Wc extract the following from the ' Daily Times': —

A project has been started in Dunedin of an Industrial Exhibition to be held in the year 1865. The idea has been approved by the Government and well received by the public. We understand that Mr. Header Wood was on the point of visiting Melbourne, to confer with Messrs. M'Meckan and Blackwood touching the unsatisfactory manner in which the mail contract works; but was prevented, on account of other business. In lieu of a personal visit, a strong letter of remonstrance was sent, accompanied by a notice to resolve the contract at the end of six months, in accordance with the terms of the agreement. The abduction of a girl, under fifteen years of age, was reported to the police on Saturday. The girl is named Esther Blackford, and the supposed offender is liichard George Harris, who has been in partner-

ship with Blackford's father, in the chimney-sweeping business. It is thought that Harris has gone North with the girl, by the Lady Bird, s.s., which left Port Chalmers on the 20th of June.

The All-England Eleven who are coming out to Victoria during the next spring, under the auspices of George Marshall, of Melbourne, will very probably be induced to pay us a visit, and to play what a Lisbon paper called a " game of cricket match," with 22 of New Zealand. There is in Dunedin a tolerably successful club; and at the diggings there are known to be many good cricketers. So there is no doubt that Otago can produce an Eleven worthy of being slaughtered by the All-Englanders; and the Northern Provinces will be asked to find another Eleven who are equalled skilled and meritorious. 1 here are " the makings" of a fine ground, in what was until recently a swamp, but is being converted into a Recreation Ground; and the Government will give aid in further drainage and in sodding; a plot 200 jards by 150 yards being promised for the special use of the club. There has been a preliminary meeting, at which the sum necessary to be raised was stated to beat least £1000; but it was considered that the raising of it, here and in the North would be the least difficulty connected with the matter. Marshall has been written to for information as to whether he is open to bring down his team—which it is understood privately he is not only willing but anxious to do—and as to the probable terms and time for the visit. It is in every way to be desired that the match may be arranged; for apart from the stimulus to cricketing which it will give and the healthy public excitement which will be caused for a week or two, we should secure eleven intelligent visitors, whose story of New Zealand experiences would he eagerly listened to at home. No one here can doubt that that story would lead to our getting many a desirable settler in our midst. The Eleven would, in fact, become honorary emigration agents for the province.

About 10 o'clock on June 22nd, a fire occurred at the unfinished building at the end of the Court House block which was intended for and has been used as the Resident Magistrate's Court. The building was totally destroyed and the damage is estimated at about £300. The fire arose from a stove pipe placed too near the wainscoating.

The rejoicings in celebration of the Royal Marriage are fixed for Tuesday the 30th June. A committee has been formed and the Government voted a sum of £500 to be placed at the unreserved disposal of the committee, on the sole condition that no part of it should be appropiated to any attempt to illuminate the town, which the Government thought would at present be a very hazardous experiment, seeing the liability of the buildings chieliy composed of wood, to take fire.

The Royal Marriage Celebration Committee certainly deserve great credit for the spirited manner in which they have in so short a time organised the arrangements for the demonstration on Tuesday next. The weather being favorable, we may confidently predict a very successful public demonstration. There is yet one thing wanting to enable the Committee to carry out their arrangements effectually, and that is the liberal co-operation of the public. It is to be hoped that the merchants and tradesmen of the City will in no niggardly manner respond to the appeal of the Committee, but place their names opposite such amounts as will do honor to the occasion. It may induce a little extra liberality in this respect to state that the following merchants have each presented the committee with a hogshead of ale for the great festival to the poor and children, viz.:—J. Jones and Co., Cargill and Co., Dalgety and Co., W. H. Reynolds, Burke, Bros., S. S. and A. Lazarus, Morison, Law and Co., J. Griffin, Richardson and Booth, J. Finch and Co. We publish the report of the meeting of the committee last evening, from which it will be seen that the tenders for the refreshments and decorations had been accepted. It is intended to erect three triumphal arches, one from the junction of Princes-street, and Staffordstreet to Jetty-street; one from the Bank of New Zealand to the Bank of New South Wales; and one in the Octagon. The Town Board Office is to be elaborately decorated with evergreens and transparencies to be illuminated at night, and we hear several of the principal hotels will be similarly ornamented.

The following Order of Procession is to be observed on Tuesday next. The Procession will form at the Recreation Ground, at 10 o'clock a.m., and proceed through the town to the Botanical Garden Reserve, where the two oak trees will be planted. The school children will be taken up at the corner of Jetty and Princes street.

ORDER OF PROCESSION: The Cliildren of the various Schools, attended by their Masters and Ushers. The Oak Trees, supported by Members of the Horticultural Association. The Temperance Society. The Band. The Rifle Volunteers. The various Bodies of Oddfellows. The Foresters. The Dunedin Volunteer Fire Brigade. Members of the Town Board. Members of the Royal Marriage Celebration Committee. Heads of Departments of the Civil Service. Merchants, and Members of the Chamber of Commerce. Consular Officers. Members of the Bar and Medical Profession. The Clergy, Magistrates. Members of the Legislature and Executive Council. His Honor the Superintendent. Citizens on Horseback, Mounted Police, &c. Marshalls : Mr. 0. Cooper and Mr. T. Smith. A ' Provincial Gazette Extraordinary,' issued yesterday, notifies the appointment of the following gentlemen to be members of the Executive Council of the Province of Otago:—Thos. Dick, Esq., M.P.C.; Win. H. Reynolds, Esq., M.P.C.; and Jas. Paterson, Esq., M.P.C. The following departmental appointments are also notified:—Thos. Dick, Esq., to be Provincial Secretary; and W. H. Reynolds, Esq., to be Provincial Treasurer. Reported New Rush.—We received, last night, the following particulars relative to a new rush that has taken place in the neighborhood of the Beaumont:—A miner, named George Clarke, who has been prospecting around the district for three months, came into Jeffery and C'o.'s Express Office, Tuapeka, yesterday, and reported a new rush which had taken place within the last week, about four miles the other side of the Beaumont River, approaching the Molyneux River, in a gully entering a large flat with large hills on either side and several smaller gullies running into it. It is known as Jacob's Gully, as a German by that name first discovered it. He and his mates have been working on the quiet for about two months, and they were discovered about a week ago; they had then worked one claim an 1 obtained about 6lb. weight, and were then working the second further up the gully, in which they discovered a nugget weighing about and several smaller ones, finding an ounce nugget being a very common occurrence. They have obtained as much as 4ozs. to two tin dishes out of a crevice, it being principally crevice workings, the sinking being about three feet. Clarke produced a sample containing about 4ozs.; it seems to be good weighing gold, being very rough and a little water-worn, very much resembling the Beaumont rush gold. He states he has prospected several of the gullies around the district, and found payable gold in every one of them. Several of the miners in this district have since started for the new rush and are sanguine of success. The Escort.—The Escort, which arrived yesterday afternoon, brought gold from the Lake and the Dunstan; but as the official statement of the parcels from the Dunstan was accidentally left behind the quantity thence could not be ascertained last evening. The quantities from the Lake were: — oz. dwt. Queenstown 1,014 10 Arrow 190 0 1,204 10 It is understood that the Banks at the Lake will for the present only send down their purchases fortnightly; which will account for the smallness of the quantity thence this week.