MINING MATTERS AT THE THAMES.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IV, Issue 200, 26 August 1869, Page 2

MINING MATTERS AT THE THAMES.

Abridged from the Southern Cross August 19. Another rich patch has been opened in the G-olden Crown reef, and a large quantity of specimens taken out. In the lower workings the reef is 18 feet through, and it is at this level the reef is showing such an improved appearance. They cannot go any lower at present, because they have no means of getting out the water until the completion of the shaft and pumping gear. A fine reef of blue-and-white quartz has been struck in the Digger's Friend Claim, and some very fine specimens taken out. In the El Dorado Company's ground a rich patch was strack from which stone of a very rich character was taken. Thirty-five pounds of rich specimens from the Excelsior Company are being crushed to day in the amalgamator at the Tramway battery. This method of treating rich stone has been proved most successful. The stone is first burned, and then put into the barrel with the ordinary weights, which grinds the stone to a great fineness, and facilitates the process of amalgamation. The Waiotahi Cascades : Several leaders have been cut through in the various drives, and traced into the adjoining claim", where they have been worked and proved auriferous Two men's ground has been taken up adjoining the Tweedside, Golden Spur, Dan O'Connell, and Mount Pleasant Claims, on_the Karaka ceeek.. The claim is to be called the Kerry Eagle. The mates at once intend sinking a shaft in expectation that the Jupiter leader runs through the ground. r The Excelsior men are following. up .the ; reef from which good crushings have already been obtained. Some promising

specimens are now being taken out of the claim. The'main drive of the Gibraltar is in about one hundred and fifty feet. They are taking out stone from near the middle shaft which presents a rich appearance. The Pride of the Karaka still contiuues to look well. Gold has been taken out of the whole length of the drive, and the reef at present averages somewhere about two feet in thickness. Burnett and Co.'s machine, on the Hape Creek, started to work with the full force of the battery on Monday morning, for the Wandering Star Claim. The tables were cleaned down yesterday morning, after a run of 24 hours, and the amalgam taken off up to that time amounted to 95 ounces.

The total quantity of wool exported from New Zealand during tho year 1868, is shown by a return recently issued, to amount to 28,875, 1631b5, of a declared value of £1,516,548, heing at the rate of about ls. o|d. per lb. The "Colonial youth of the period" who "will a- wooing go," may do well to note a decision recently given in England by Mr. Justice Mellor, An action was brought for breach of promise against a youth called Alfred Ruthven, a cook, who had promised to marry Caroline Hale, both the parties being infants. He did not keep the promise, but married somebody else, and pleaded infancy ; .against which it was argued that an infant can enter into a valid contract for necessaries. Thereupon Mr. Justice Mellor laid down the important legal doctrine that •" a wife is not a necessary for an infant." No doubt, remarks the London Spectator, it would be more plausible to argue that an infant is a necessary for a wife. Bicyclists. — The bicyclist of the day is known by his dilapidated appearance; whenever you meet a gentleman with sticking-plaster diversifying his visage, a bandaged wrist, and a limping gait, that is in all probability one of the sacred members of the movement. Effeminate spirits are naturally deterred from the enjoyment of the bicycle by these examples. One exvelocipedist beyond. the Atlantic writes: — "If you have several pairs of legs, a spare nose or two, pants which you wont to rip up, a doctor whom you would like to oblige,and plenty of arnica for bruises- — then go and buy a velocipede, and use it." Another battered satirist says: — "The best of a velocipede is, you can make one out of bo little stuff that there is enough left afterwards from a single plank to cut into splints for broken limbs and a coffin." And really some of the adventures enjoyed by experimentalists are of a nature to warrant these sinister apprehensions. We read of a velocipedist seen flying down a hill, shouting out " Fire !— Police ! — Stop me ! " till the hapless man subsided with his runaway machine into the welcome softness of a ditch. Another daring performer, practising in a covered " velocidrome," ran his bicycle out of a French window, down the roof of a house, over a ten-foot lane, through a steep gravel hole, raid over another roof — bringing up finally, with his errant instrument, on the top of a mapletree. — Daily Telegraph. The Canadian House of Commons has taken the earliest opportunity of expressing its viewß on the relations between Great Britain and America. On the 26th of April Mr. Gait made a speech in which he showed that, whatever the sentiments of her people, Canada as a State adhered to the Northen side in the war, had repressed raids organised by Southerners witbin her border, had passed an Alien Act to help the pursuit against the murderers of Mr. Lincoln, had suffered 40,000 of her people to join the Federal Army, and had allowed the transit of incalculable supplies to the North. On the other hand, the American Government has not prevented the Fenian raids, for which Canada was as much entitled to damages as America could he for the losses caused by the Alabama. As for the Dominion, if separated from the mother country she would not become American, but " would claim the right to dispose of her, own destinies." This speech was reported to the Tribune by telegraph, and seems to express the feelings of Canadians.— -Spectator. What is the difference between a beehive and a person looking at it ?— The one is a be(e)-boldeiy and the, other a spectator. m i