BULLER GOLD-FIELDS.

Marlborough Press, Volume VIII, Issue 30, 24 July 1867, Page 3

BULLER GOLD-FIELDS.

Ccrious Discovert.—A present made to the Hobart Town Museum thirty-four years since, has only just reached its destination. The Tasmanian Times says : —“ Some time since, at one of the auction rooms, a man bought a job lot, principally rubbish. Mr Kelly, the plumber and glazier in Collins-street, purchased from him an article rather curiously marked, under the impression- that it was rosewood, and a piece of fancy wood. On scraping off the dirt with which it was thickly encrusted he found that it was ebony, and hollow. With some trouble, he found that there was a sliding cover, which being drawn out disclosed an empty space containing a letter from Mr Commissioner Betts, in India, dated 1832, to Surveyor-General Falkland, stating that he had sent the article, one of the spinning jennies used by one of the hill tribes in India, as a present to the Hobart Town Museum. Mr Kelly, having thus strangely discovered its intended destination, has handed it over to the Museum, where this strange-looking machine, rendered far stranger by the history of its discovery, may be seen by the curious.”

We take the following from a correspondent’s letter in the Nelson Examiner of July 20th : Westport, July 16. Long before this you will have heard of the Ahuriri s.s. being run on the South Spit, since which time, owing to the freshes and the springtides, she has gone much higher up, so that at low water anyone can walk round her. No appliances being in this place to launch her, it will be some considerable time before she is again afloat, and a serious expense to the company. The road to Waite’s, Pakihi, is now nearly completed from the opposite side of the river to the entrance of the bush before you arrive at the first township, after which the walk through the bush is anything but pleasant, for every step you take is up to the knee, and the same is the case in the township. Very little gold has come down, and business, both here as well as on the diggings, is very dull. This, I am told, is owing to the diggers not having washed out, but in many of the sinkings good prospects have been obtained. Some parties obtained from two to three pennyweights to the dish on Friday last, at the Upper Pakihi. The diggers generally are very sanguine of striking the gold that leads from Charleston to the Ivaramea; others are going to great expense and labor in races and sluices ; and indeed it is a fine sight to a novice to see the engineering difficulties overcome in so simple a manner, as well as the neat and strong workmanship in slabbing these shafts. I was much gratified with my walk to the diggings, although so fatiguing, and I trust the Government will see the necessity of at once completing | the road through the second township, as it will

be a great inducement to the digger to persevere when he can get his provisions on the spot at a comparative trifle over town prices. There is a very strong feeling for a township to be laid out, and which I could see the necessity of—in fact, if done at once it would bring in a very heavy sum to the provincial chest. Reports have reached this place of a find up the north beach, about four or five miles from this, and many have left here for it, Nothing further has come to hand since, but the favorite place appears to be the “ Pakihi.” There is a strong feeling against the Government selling Buffer land at Nelson. They say if sold on the spot, it would realise five times more money.

How can a Country Import twice as MUCH AS SHE ExOItTS ANI) YET PROSPER ? “ To the Editor of the South Australian Register. —Sir, —l wish to call your attention, and the attention of the Protection League, to an article in the Times of March 19, on the trade of England, which says—‘ While we are selling goods to the amount of £200,000,000 to foreign countries, we are buying goods in a similar fashion from them. In fact, we buy more than we sell, and the imports of last year will probably be found to exceed the exports by nearly £100,000,000.’ Perhaps this will help to expose the fallacy thatmoney mustbekept in the colony, in order to make the best use of it. —I am, &c., William Kent.” “ And ye have taken the teetotal pledge, have ye ?” said somebody to an Irishman. “ Indade I have, and am r.ot ashamed of it aither.” “And did not Paul tell Timothy to take a little wine for his stomach’s sake ?’’ “So he did ; but my name is not Timothy, and there’s nothing the matter with my stomach.”

A Queer Start. —“l am astonished,my dear young lady, at your sentiments ; you make me start.” •’ Well, 1 have been wanting you to start for the last hour.”