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Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 74, 8 July 1870, Page 2

In consequence of the inc?ein-;nc> of the -weather (it is supposed), the Water Works were not formally opened on Monday last. Due notice will.howevcr, be given before this interesting event comes oft". The down country coach arrived from the Dunstan on Tuesd.y evening with the escort, .mails, and one passenger, under the whip oi Mr. Nettlefold. Mr. Enimerton had been laid up by severe indisposition, and could not take charge of the reins as usual. Many applications for seats in the eo;\eh were aade on the Dunatan, but space could not be allowed. Snow, rain, and nipping froat had characterised the weather in the north, as ifc has done here, and the river Manuherikia is represented still to be very high. Tire gold eßcort, under the charge of Mr. Inspector Dalgleish, proceeded to Dunedui early on Wednesday morning, and the ofiWal returns are given in another column. We ui?»v mention that escorts will now be forwar-.leci monthly, in place of fortnight];,- ?s heretou ■e, and Wednesday's ons. w;is t":-e iirst o ; the serios.

Thx first of s series of enter": ftirnr.o-ats hi aul of the fni)(is of ike Sustentation Oommitte-.;. Id7o, will be given by the Hev. J. Earchett, in the Masonic Hall, on Mouday evening next. The subject of lecture—" The Age we Live in" —ia a widespread an I diversified one, ranging by electricity and steam, as it were, over the whole maierial world, and dealing, with the phenomena of life from their high--si: and best to their lowest and worst conditions. Mr. Burchett has .selected a subject vo do amule justice to which many nights would be required ; but with his usu.il lucid style and close reasoning manner, we feel assured that the rev. ; gentleman will not fail to render the lecture deeply interesting and instructive. Tlie object h'iiug. as staled, in aid of the funds of «hc Susi--enta*ion Committee, it h moat probable that >]i. Hall will be numerously attended by mU o"* ?.!;« community. I>''HaTUM?. vi.-i.ny of oujreadera will recollect ;che tlirulin<» excitement which prevailed throughout- tae country on the opening of the West 00-ist G-cldGeida a few years back. The Hokiiika River then teemed with shipping : of flue enterprising fellows wero bustling about with high expectations ; storekeepers and pubiiems wore doing a rorirmg trade; and, indeed, the whole community wore a bland smile of satisfaction. Tie aspect, of the place, however, has now assumed a different aiid darker complexion, js will be seeu by the following extract irom the Wellington * Daily Advertiser*:—" Hokihk::, where formerly ail was bustle and activity, is now in s most deplorable condition. The Weslland Ooun!y chest is empty, and its hinges averus-y for wunt- of exercise. The district, though a £-..r more extensive, is a far less important one than Ore .mouth. Noticing one-half of the shops and hotels closed was suggestive of one half of the town being in mourning for the other. The diggings in many parts of the district have ceased to be remunerative, consequently those of the mining population who had the. means have long since left a spot "where the amount realised by their labor was barely sufficient to supply them, wjth the necessaries of life, and liave sought ' fredh fields and pastured new.' Property has tSeereased to an alarming extent; the business community are li;-er.'tl]y living on each other. Failures are frequent, and commercial confide..ee hut to exist. Thureibre, with the mineral resources of the district fast failing, and without anything in the shape of agriculture to back it, h must be palpable to any one that, unless fresh gold discoveries are made, Hokitika will shortly be numbered t.mongat the used-up goldfields of .Now Zeaian'l."

Tus Bjillar.vl- Hotel, Na&eby, which belonged to Mr. John Alioo, Chinese interpreter, wa; suid by public tuction ou Monday last, to Mr. Stuart, miner, i'or the sum of £lßo. Messrs. Inder and G-eorge were the officiating auctioneers, and Mr. Hunter acted as " mine host" in the absence of the landlord. There were aboui. 100 persons present, and the bidding for some time was very spirited. We learn that Mrs. Alloo will retain possession of the premises for a few weeks longer. Qs Saturday night last, or earlv on Sunday morning, the sod and thutch cottage of Mr. Kays, caught fire, and its contents were very quickly consumed. Mrs. Kays and children, however, succeeded in escaping from the building without sustaining any material injury, and found shelter in an adjaconi unoccupied hut. Mr. Kays attributes the cause of the fie to a spark from t":.e chimney having lodged in the that-ched roof, by which it w«s ignitf 1. The building is now standing roofless and with bare w:>Jls, but we understand Mr. Bus eh and a tew triends are subscribing, in order to put the place into habitable, order. A Meeting of the gentlemen who held lists wild collected i'-i-ifi Lock pV.ic-? in -Mr. Buach - reading room, Ci * educs-iuy jvenmg iasi.. I'rost-ni.—Messrs. • r H.=_>nn, Busch, 'Wilson, Coslello, George, llors-" wed, .Eoyhs, Oollett, auil i>oi-,ng. On ihe motion of Mr. George, seconded by Mr. tJieun, Mr. 11. Wilson was called Lo the chair. Af;er some conversation on the subject of the bestway to -!i.v,030 of tho fund, h vn proposed v.u I dt'LVu .... that Messrs Wilson {tiw prestnt trc .suiw.) and Bwkcn lor the future control the . ox pi. ..d;i.;. -.. ;i_i dispose of all moneys uollccied I

on behalf of the widow of the late Thorns* I Lawson. The purpose for which the meeting \ was lield having been served, the meuitrra separated. Tub hotel of Mr. MtJloch, Kyeburn, wu* robbed late on the of the !e« inat. Mr. Malloch noticed a light gleaming through i- e partition wall, and naturaiiy enquired -who might be taking such liberties in the sanc'.uni which he had recently locked, when a. noise as of some one escaping rea'ih**:! him. He then opened the bar door, examined the plac-, ca discovered that money and other proper: y r,<id+ been abstracted. H>, l>cweve : r, found a rat," which bad a familiar look about it, aui he resolved, if possible, to fin? its owner. IScxi d:»y Malloch's people were on the qui vive, and \n examining the flax scrub a suspicions iookh.g fellow was discovered iu a quiet nook, and he was at once lugged off to the hotel, where he •"onfepsed the burglary and returned the stolen property. He was then locked, up ii> a ?'.rong outhouse, and eo far the interests of juetic* seemed in a fair way of bi-'mg served. The -camp wus under lock and key —the money, Ac, had been returned. Mr. Malloch felt, jubilant at the favorable state of affairs; but he became somewhat alarmed on discovering, about ei>:ht o'ciook the sinio evening, that the * thief had hurst his prison doors, and made off. On Sunday £<=rs?sni-Mnjor Moo-e received ;riivrj::; T " jii -r U-- robbery and enrspe, « and at. once proceeded hi quest of liie delinquent. Without the slightest aid from any source whatever, and reiyirsg upon his owa experienced judgment, he succeeded in tr.'jhjg ts:e criminal from one place to avioi-her, by night and day, until he'captured him in P*imerston at two o'clock on Vv'ednesih.y morning last. The success achieved by Mr. Moore in t.hij* «i£e is or;3y one cf many in which !n» - aan e in the books of the department c*» associated-in capturing the mora immediately " wanted."

Otre rep mv of ihe-yiroseedurgs in M h Resident Magistrate's and V-'r.&c-rSs Courts, G*. Barhsus, on Tu<-s.!ny. -'•ti< '. \mims, is, uufori innately, not yet to bar 1. Ws hfjv& lcarui that there was ratlier a heavy, day. and that business was transacted in "both courts. " In the Resident Magistrate's Court there were some civil cases, and one Wra. M'Xenzie, for illtreating a horse, was fined £-5. In the Warden's Court there were two eases on complaint. The application of Owen Owens- for a mining lease at Welshman's G-ully was heard, and the Warden decided to grant a certificate. A full report shall appear in our next. Letters received at the Mount Ida postoffice during February and March, and remaining unclaimed on the 3<Ha June, 187 C: — M. Bennett, Wm. Bums, Thomas James Hall, A.. Moore (2), O'Halloran (3). Wb are informed, from a reliable that the Duke of Edinburgh Company, at Macraes, has been steadily cru3iiing since the eud of last month ; that everyihing w going on satisfactorily; and that the tables lo.»k very well with amalgam. If there be no stoupare for want of coal th 3 company will. clean up in about a fortnight. John PArrjEitsoK, 22 of age, was ye?tcrday brought b:»fc.-e H. W. Rol-inson, Esq., Ail., and C. "W Chapman, E?-q., J P. : char_-v i by Serge--i.nt-M«jo-- Moore with having bur-giai-iously entered the. premise* ot- John Malfoch, hoi id and storekeeper, Kyelvavn, on tie night of the Ist or early on the morning of tl e 2nd inst. Mr. Munre asked for a remand uni..

to-day (Friday) t in order to obtain additional evidence for tlie prosecution, which wcs givnted. o>' Friday we'?k last, while a Frenchman named Gkbriel Puboi?, well laown at Waitouaiti. accompanies by William Brown, a Swede, were shooting ducks on the banks of the Taieri Hirer, btM:w?*n Dr. Buchanan's station and Hamilton, a real live alligator was observed. Tt jtppearsthat. Gabriel when lie made the dUcovt-rv -was the act of sho jting a duck, • and tuat at a distance of several yards from his cover, lie first saw the alligator lying on the Dunk, with its lower iaw dropped or bunging down. He iniuiediatc-ly gafte it the contents of his gun, which he had intended for smaller game, aiming for the eyes, of the monster, which he describes ua b.nrig full and of n red volor resembling these cf a bullock, and the teeth something enormous. On receiving tie slol the aiiimnl gave utterance to a loud yell i nd r;:*!itvl Juto the river. Our inforr ant, who has a<*eu aliig m 01*9 in Queensland rivers, states that it must have been at least 19 or 11 feet in The :tn ; nal must, have *.v*nm \> '—the ~vso* w".;ere it i-usUed iino i'':- riv.'r V"'st!g cor>i*i-d with bOO 1. Ovr iufornsauto epsi-ik so j»Cji*iwly as to the truth 01 the above statement t::at we give it inaertkn even it ♦ppears. to bur ier on the m. rvellous. I*e'*rtlufc-»3, we do nut noiti ouroelv* I responsible for i.o veracity.

( A nunc iiu-eiini- «»t* the residents of N: s::l:j and others interested in the formatioa of a £ e brigade took piat-e in tl=e Victoria ilaH on Wednesday evening Inst. There was a fair attendance, but nbt. so \iv»e «s the importance of the obiect demanded. Mr. E. T. George w ■ called to the chuir, and read the advertisement falling the meeting, lie slated that one of " the great objects of the introduction of waltr was the quenching of lues; b\:ttbiß couid mt 1 be accomplished without the cowbiuuvion of the people, and, therefore, lie considered it very desiruble to form a lire br*g.i>e. All C e ueceasary mechanical applianceswert. at presett in his hands, and the water works company would .authorise him to hand them over to a properly constituted fire brigade. He would now leave the appointment of officers and members to the meeting. The elections were then proceeded with, resulting as follows: —■ Cuptuin. W. ULimter ; lieutenant, Y\\ lnder: nozzlcniti:, J. Bivumer and G. Stephens; hydrant men, J. McGregor and W. J. Miller; hosemen, Messrs. George, Hirby, Costello. i>c'ef, CoileU, T)a\i.% Tail, aiid Cogan. The brigtule huving thus bten lcvmed", arrangements wore made to have its members called together for Ui-momnv (S:;tur.!ay) at 23C p.m. for 3cr.u-.tl pr«'i*tiv-i:. The usual vcre of thanks bavin, been to \.)ia chairman, i" e meeting 'sopuraiied. . Ax 1 ihs Magistrate's Court Tester-

day; before H. W. "Robineon. Esq., the following ihses were disposed of:—,T. Tiavp'i- v. H. "Rugae! : claim for 13s. 6d.; judgment for ph'infciff,.. 17a. 6d., ami coats 9s. J. Harper. v\ William Hendriek3ou : claim f 4 - f V amount, and costs 9s. W, J-: Millar v. Joserh •';f a tioivi* owned by ulahiti'fTa'nd hired by de- , to fcrike him ~e fa.r as nhe-,"Eyeburh. but.. "W'deb wr-s killed within three rrjiles of J^ase^r fe-•' by its back broken;. 'Air ', Herts! et for . complainant, Mr. Ross for defendant. Scrcra; witnesses were examine 3on ho ! \> seler-." Yer-• -iet for defendant- :_ Messrs. Oavor, 'Wilson, and ttoberts, ehe members of tbe deputation on rh,y subject of b-ases on the Q-olduelds. -were in- ■ trodneed on Thursday, tbe 30fcb ultimo, to his Honor the Deputy-Superintendent by Mr. Hughe?, M.P.O . A (Yer Mr. "Roberts had presented tbe petition his Honor anid, that "with regard !o IVL-. Oreijj" ".ton's ease, the application for open'ng up the bind had already been before Gkrtvrninent, but bad been declined, as it was deemed unwise to grant licenses except in exceptional or wherp large areas ware to be thrown open. It was nolsufficient that tbe ; runholder his "onsen-, tip the G-overnmerd, --- V, P t . T . ■ . • w*cr« not inclined to sanction ice opening of . sm;i)l sections. P-ovituou h;-/!, however, been 'made'for land to be given up by leaseholders whan' required for mining purposes. Mr. Roberts said that such was no doubt the c,.se. - but ouly by eompeusation being paid. . His ±L-•*"■'<r sa«d that s-ich land w;js to be given up without compensation. Mr. Hughes explained that no alteration had yet been made in the law. but that, one of the Wardens had reeonvmended that a clause to that effect should be inserted in the 'esses, which would satisfy the miners. Mr. Roberts said that what was asked ' by the petitiora-s was that-a distance of fcur miles from Naseby should be exempt from ftgrieiiltv*?'' 1 - leases. If the miner? were assured by his H'.ao'r thai their views vo Lhia rafttier would he vjet they would' be satisfied. Hi 3 Honor said v-'.k'-t one "ori'ueiole eke ixoveni merit were incline-'? to.ac'opt- that no .iigrieulturai leases should be granted here unless an" area ware proclaimed, which, however, would hot be done, without first" consulting the people of the district. After some further remarks from Messrs. Oliver and Hughes, his Honor stated that he had no doubt the petition would receive due weight from the Government when dealing with applications. The deputation having thanked the Deputy-Superintendent for his courtesy then withdrew. . . .