Correspondence.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 77, 2 April 1867, Page 2

Correspondence.

OUR COAL MINES. To the Editor op the ' Evening Mail.' . Sir— l call upon you, Mr. Editor to prove that I was the first man who told you that Mr. Curtis would be Superintendent, because he acted upon the policy of good old uncle, the celebrated shipchaudler. You know, uncle was always able either to give ah opinion about the system of Copernicus, or to measure the distance from the moon to the Devil's grandmother's private parlor, simply by using his own rule. Mr. Curtis has brain enough to make half-a-dozen Superintendents, but he was forced to use chloroform during the difficult operation of election, and I hope he will give me, in consideration of the valuable information about uncle, the situation of railway iuspector, as soon as the million is found to make the line. As we will now have a railway, it is natural that we should come to the coal question, and I am very glad to see how red tape steps iv to settle it at once. A letter in to-day's Examiner about Pakawau coal and signed A. Dudley Dobson tells us^all about it. There might be some ignorant people who do not know who Mr. A. D. D. is ; I will tell them. Mr. A. D. D. is first a great geologist (because he is the brother-in-laAv of our celebrated Dr. You Haast) ; and secondly lie is a Provincial Government officer. These two reasons are sufficient for rushing into print to tell how much he knows about coal-fields, and to show how-to open them. If there are sceptics, who will not think these reasons sufficient, I must remind them of the sacred Chinese proverb, which says, "Every man who gets a government situation from the Deity, receives sufficient intelligence from heaven to sign the receipt for his salary." Will anyone doubt* that the Deity is less merciful in New Zealand ? Now then Mr. A. D. D. tells us the working of Golden Bay mines is an important subject. Very good Mr, D., very good, so far. God has been kind even to a man who is not a Chinaman ! But what does Mr. D. propose to do for the sake of opening coal mines in Massacre Bay ? He proposes to do nothing, that is to say he recommends not to spend any money either in sinki?ig or boring, but to test the value of carbonaceous shale (Lapis Haastii?) first, which can be found in great quantities on the surface! If uncle had been alive he would have said, "To test the value of a bottle of Chateau la Rose, you must kiss the first pretty girl you meet!" You Mr. Editor would say perhaps : Can a man not drink and kiss at the same time ? In answer to this, I must say that my uncle was never wrong, and that I will defend his logic as long as I remain, Uncle's Nephew.

The Okarita Times has the following account of mining operations in the district: — On the south end of the beach the population is gradually increasing, several parties having worked out their claims in other places have taken up new ones on this ground, which has been for a long time deserted, and in all cases are making good wages. The grouud lately opened at the back of Canty's store is turning out well. Tom the baker's claim, the first to strike gold, it is 'reported will pay £15 per week. Next to him they are washingsome promising dirt. Two other parties are stripping. Surfacing, since the late spring tides, is. paying extremely well. Some excellent surfacing has likewise been obtained on the Three-Mile Beach during the week. On the Waiho Beach there are about twenty miners at work, averaging from £4 to £10 a week. Some parties came in from there last week and sold a large parcel of gold. It is their opinion that that beach is yet in its infancy, as any man willing to work can make fair wages and a chance of better. From Gillespie's, Hunt's Beach and Bruce Bay the accounts are favorable. On the North Beach, a rush took place a few days ago. The ground is situated about a mile from Bird's garden, and a short distance, from Abbott Head. The prospectors' claim will pay at least £1 per day ; and strange to say, no other party has struck payable gold, although the sinking is very shallow, not exceeding three feet. According to the late intelligence from the Haast River (says the Grey River Argus) the overland journey from Otago to Westland has been again successfully

accomplished, as on the 15th ult. a party of seven men, headed by Mr. Thompson, a well-known Otago run holder, arrived at Haast Town from the Dunstan. It appears from their statement that a pass leading down to the Wanaka country exists at the head of the Haast River, and being free of snow 'at this season of the year is comparatively easy to traverse. A Maori, named Jack, also arrived overland from Otago last week, but by a pass at the head of the Okuri River. A few days ago Mr. Thompson and two of his companions left on their return to Otago by the way they came. The latest advices from the Fiji Islands (says the Wellington Independent) show anxiety on account of land securities ; there being no settled form of government, no secure title can be given to landholders. Cotton and coffee are grown in fast increasing quantities, and the settlers have sanguine hopes of high remuneration. The Christian religion is spreading among the natives, and a vast number of schools are well attended by ready learners, of European civilisation. Our correspondent, who has been some years well acquainted with the islands, fully expects that New Zealand will ere long be closely connected with the Fiji group. It is the natural port for Fijian produce, oranges, corn, &c, while cotton, oil, &c. could be shipped from Wellington to England. By steam these fine islands would be only four or five days from Wellington, and settlers in Fiji think it would be a remunerative undertaking to establish a store there, and cotton and coffee plantations, with steamengine for cleaning cotton, and a small vessel like the Falcon, or larger, making the trip four times a year, with passengers, fruit, &c, and there is good reason to believe that a very lucrative trade, now monopolised by Sydney, would be largely shared by Wellington. The Wellington Evening Post gives the following extract from a letter received from the East Coast:— When at Mr. 's, he mentioned to me that his son had found a boiling spring quite close to the house. We went to the spot. About half way up the ranges is the well, which is five feet deep ; it makes a noise which can be heard some thirty yards off, resembling a pot of boiling water. The ground all round is hard, dry fern land, aud very stony ; the mouth of the well is about, six inches in circumference. On applying a match to the hole it ignited instantaneously, and burnt fiercely for half an hour, when we extinguished the flame by closing the aperture with fern. My first impression was that it was kerosine, but I afterwards found that the liquid, cold, will not burn. I brought a phiul full home, and now send it to you. In taking what is now sent from the well, it was skimmed off the surface, and if allowed to stand for a feAv miuutes, a thick sediment falls to the bottom. The flame emitted rises to a height of from two to three feet, and resembles that from spirits. We (Wellington Evening Post) have been favored by Mr. Peters, a gentleman recently arrived from Melbourne, with a view of one of the improved. Henry's breech-loading rifles, a species of firearm used by the Federals at the close of the American war, and apparently a more murderous weapon than either the Snider, or that far-famed needle-gun which committed such havoc among, the Austrian ranks during the recent campaign on the Continent. The rifle is patented in America, and its main feature is a lever under the lock plate, which in two motions cocks, loads, and fires the piece, besides ejecting the empty shell of the cartridge. Its advantages over other firearms consists in the rapidity with which it can discharge fifteen shots in succession without removal from the shoulder, the simplicity of its lock, and its range, which is equal to that of the Enfield. Its cost would, ■we understand, in this country be about £20, so it will probably never supersede the Enfield, but doubtless several outlying settlers will in time find means to supply themselves with a weapon so well adapted to a bush life in this island while the natives remain unfriendly. By the published report of the Immigration officer at Canterbury, we (Wellington Evening Post) see that no sooner do emigrants arrive at Lyttelton than they are eagerly sought after and employed. As a, case in point the Himalaya brought eleven married couples, eighteen single men, and twenty-six single women. Within forty-eight hours of their arrival • at the Immigration Barracks in Christg church, all the single women, with the exception of two nurse girls, were engaged.

The same remark applies to the single men. The married couples were also readily engaged. The following may be quoted as the current rate of wages. Married couples, with rations, £65 to £70; without rations, £108. Single men, with rations, £50 to £60. Single women, £20 to £35. A correspondent of the Southland Times, writing from Riverton, states that an immense flock of mutton birds came up the river a few days ago. They came up in such numbers as perfectly to exclude from view the opposite shore and darken the atmosphere. They were evidently following a shoal of small fish. Their appearance caused quite an excitement in the place, and induced numbers of sportsmen to turn out with their fowling-pieces, who soon caused great destruction among them, the birds beiug so numerous the worst shot could scarcely fail of hitting them. The bay soon swarmed with crafts of every description, from a cockle-shell to a brig. Their occupants, not confining themselves to guns, succeeded iv making great slaughter among their winged visitors by knocking them down with long sticks. The sport was kept' up till nearly dark, when the birds made use of their wings and flew away, the sportsmen returning heavily laden with their spoil. A very successful crop, of tobacco has been grown near Daylesford, Victoria, by a Mr, Schmidt, who had au acre aud a half under crop, which he calculates will yield a ton and a half of tobacco, for. which he anticipates obtaining £120 per ton. A letter received from the Gulf of Carpentaria gives a very discouraging account of affairs at Burketown. Sickness, in the shape of malignant fever, was very prevalent. The majority of the inhabitants were stricken down, and several deaths had occurred. Mr. Landsborough was unwell, and his wife dangerously so ; death had bereft them of their children. Mr. J. P. Sharkey was also, seriously ill and unable to write ; the letter contained a message for Mrs. Sharkey, directing her not to proceed to the place ; the lady, however, started by the Hero. It is rumored that the Government are not yet resolved whether the settlement will be abandoned or not. There appears to be some negligence on the part of the authorities in not offering inducement to a medical man to settle in the place. The South Australian Judge Boothby has ruled that a probate issued by the Chief Justice is invalid, as the Chief Justice, so-called, was not a legally appointed Judge of the Supreme Court.