OTAGO.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XXI, Issue 31, 12 April 1862, Page 6

OTAGO.

Our files of Otago papers reach to the 3rd April. "We give the following extracts from the Otago Daily Times :—: — On the 17th March, the Aldinga sailed on her return voyage to Melbourne, carrying with her a heavy mail, and 13,473 ounces 10 dwts of gold. On the Ist April, the Oraeo took 1,168 ounces. The principal matter of local importance during the last fortnight has been the Dunedin Jockey Club Race meeting. This occupied four days, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday last, and we may safely say that they were four days of excellent sport. The amount of the prizes to be run for was not very considerable, being under altogetrrer; nevertheless, horses from Victoria, Canterbury, and Southland appearad to contest the victory with the Otago lot, and in some cases with signal success. The Otago horses, however, did better than had been expected of them, and took a very fair proportion of the prizes. The Provincial Cup (presented by Mr. Jones, of the Provincial Hotel) was won by Mr. Julius's " Kaurie Gum." The races went off in excellent style, and the management of the stewards gave the greatest satisfaction. So well pleased indeed were the sporting men attending the races, that when it was proposed that a Champion race should be got up for next season, Mr. Jones offered to head a list with <£100, and to guarantee 4H ,000, and before night he had the full d>l,ooo promised by different gentlemen. He has most liberally undertaken to lodge £1,200 to the account of the Champion Race Fund, so that the stewards may advertise the race without delay. As showing the productiveness of the Otago Gold Fields it may be interesting to mention that up to the 28th March, there have been exported 357,091 ounces of gold, worth nearly a million and a half sterling. There has been some little excitement amongst the miners relative to the reported gold-field at Coromandel, in the Auckland province, and some hundred or two left Dunedin for that place ; but reliable accounts prove that there was no foundation for the extravagant reports that had been circulated. A Garrick Club has been formed in Dunedin, and arrangements tore on foot for an early performance. On the 18th March, three arnied men, with masks, robbed a tent at the Waipori. They got clear off at the time, but have since been captured. The names of the men are Williams, Bficly, and Lawler. The first regular fortnightly escort from Waipori came in on the 27th of March, bringing. 1,144 ounces of gold. A large quantity had been received by private hands previous to the escort, and it may be expected that the next escort will be considerably heavier. The Deep Sinking Association at Waitahuna have at length succeeded in striking payable gold in their deep shaft, a very rich patch having been found in one of the drives. This seciety was formed expressly to test the existence of gold in the deep ground, and their success has, therefore, a significance far gr.eater than the mere value of what they themselves may obtaip. It had long been said that deep sinking could never pay in Otago, but it is expected that the Deep Sinking Association will very soon v be in a position to give the most convincing contradiction to the statement. A rush of some importance has set in to a place known as the Black Rock, about six miles distant from Waipori. We have not as yet received any reliable particulars respecting it, but a few days back there were over 300 men on the ground, aud othere were flocking id. The working of the coal and lignite in different parts of the province is likely to be vigorously prosecuted ; already a considerable quantity has been raised at tbe gold-fields, and is being stored for winter use, to be retailed to the miners at cost price. At the Clutha, also, coal is being raised with a view of shipping to Dunedin. The navigation of the rivers of the province is at present engaging attention. The Clutha, or Molyneux, to the south, and the Cattlin to the north of Dunedin, are both likely to prove very valuable in this respect. A Melbourne firm has offered, through an agent here, to place a steamer on the Molyneux 1 , and to run it as. far up as the ferry, and thus to open cheap and easy communication to a fine tract of country, and to cheapen the transit of goods to the diggings. The ten-derer-offers to do this for a subsidy 0f^6500. He also offers to remove snags at the rate of £9 each, as is being done in the Taieri river. The Cattlin river is proved to be navigable for a distance of some six or seven miles, but boats can go higher up, and it may doubtless be capable of improvement. Messrs. Smythurst and Hill, at the Wirebridge, Waitahuua, having taken the contract for the raising of coal on the flat, which they are carrying out in a first-rate business style, under the management of Mr. E. F. Curtis, the working foreman of the party employed. There are about 200 tons now already raised, aud a store is in course of erection to contain it. ■ The workmen only strip seven or eight feet before they come to the coal. The vein is nine or ten feet deep, and leads across the Waitahuna river. It looks to be a very good quality, and is taken up in large blocks, which are full of chrome. It is to be hoped that a company to work the coal will be formed at Waitahuna, as well as at Wetherstone's. A very considerable trade in timber has been established between Otago aud Auckland. Scarcely a week elapses without one or jnore vessels bringing large quantities of timber. Within the last few days we have had the Rita, Albatross, and Salcombe Castle, the latter vessel arriving on March 3 with 120,000 feet Jimber. At a meeting of the Town Board, held on the 31st March, one of the members present expressed his opinion that 00,000 would be required to construct main sewers in this city, aud whence, asked he, "is that money to come from ?" It was stated, further, that the sewer in Rattray-Btreet cost ;£BOO, and that, for the present, the Town Board could only turn their attention to the formation of side drains. A short time since we drew attention to the great want in QUgo of aa asylum for the re*

ception of those who, by sickness, old age,_ or other causes, have been reduced to destitution, and incapacitated from earning their own livelihood. Shortly afterwards we were able to announce that a few gentlemen in Dunedin had taken up the subject warmly, and that they had with praiseworthy zeal determined to at once set about the organization of a Benevolent Society, and the erection of a building suitable to the more immediate requirements of a young institution. It is now our pleasing duty to state that the original promoters have so "far advanced in their arrangements that they solicit the contributions of those willing to assist them in their self-imposed task. Last night (March 31) was a great night at the Theatre. It had been announced that a gentleman would for a wager leap a horse over a five-barred gale on the stage, and there was a3 might be expected a very large attendance of people anxious to see so novel an exhibition, novel at least in New Zealand, where, we believe, the feat has never been attempted before. In due course, Mr. Waldock made his appearance on the stage with a large piebald horse belonging to Mr. S. Jones, and without the slightest apparent difficulty, made the animal leap the gate or hurdle which had been fixed on the stage for the purpose. The extension of the Pelichet Bay jetty is being rapidly completed, and numbers of men are busily engaged in levelling and clearing the road from the jetty to Great Kingstreet. J We understand the long-disputed question of compensation for the run on which the Waitahuna gold-field is situated, is at length, settled, by Mr. John Cargill, accepting the offer of the Provincial Government for This is at about the rate of eighteenpence per acre for the whole term of the lease, about ten years. The tender of the Union Bank for the Government account, and for the financial agency of the province at Home has been accepted. Each of the banks put in a tender. The first of a series of weekly flour sales was held at the stores of Messrs. Dalgety and Co. On Tuesday, April 1, a considerable quantity was offered, but no sale was effected, the whole having been bought in at £17 10s. Holders of flour generally are asking for prime Adelaide flour. The men charged with the sticking-up at Waipori were, on Monday, April 1, brought before Mr. Worthington, R.M., and St. John Brannigan, Esq., J.P. A considerable amount of evidence vfas taken, and three of the men, named Brady, Fliun, and' Lawlor were committed for trial. The fourth man, Williams, was discharged. The usual trip of the Lady Barkly steamer, running between Dunedin and Port Chalmers, was yesterday interrupted for want of coals, of which articles in the local market there is a very great scarcity. Sydney Smith once said of railway carriages, that no doors would be built to them until a Bishop was killed, and, by a parity of reasoning, it may be averred that the public thoroughfares of Dunedin will continue in their present dangerous condition until some member of the Town Board shall emulate the acrobatic feat of Caius Marius and leap into the very centre of a quagmire. We are disposed to believe that crossing-sweeping would turn out a profitable occupation in this city, especially if there were more foot-paths. We understand that the prisoners inside the gaol are occasioning a great deal of trouble to the authorities, who are compelled to call in the services of the visiting Justice to deal with frequent cases of insubordination aud misconduct. In connection with this subject, it may be mentioned that there are, at present, twenty important cases on the register for trial before the criminal sessions to commence early in May, and as some of the offences are of a heinous character, it is not improbable but [ that the sentences, contingent on conviction, will extend to the utmost rigour of the law. In the v event of any heavy sentences being passed, the obvious difficulty will present itself, of how to deal with the criminals. If they are put to breaking stones with the labour gang, we question if they could be efficiently guarded, or whether the experiment would not jeopardise the public peace; and then, again, there is no penal yard large enough in the gaol to accommodate the number of men who may be sentenced to task work. A match for -£100 a-side, between Mr. Black's g. g. Sultan, and Mr. Stewart's b. m. Deception, was run on the 2nd April, on the Race Course, half-a-mile, catch weights. Deception was ridden by Waldock, riding 9 stone, and Sultan by F. Gillon, - who rode 7 stone. The match was won easily by Deception. We are very sorry to hear that the evening before the Aldinga sailed from Melbourne, the Lady Bird struck on a rock in the river Yarra, which knocked a hole in her bottom and caused her to sink in shallow water. The old Custom-house at Port Chalmers has been removed, and the ground left unoccupied for a number of days past, but as yet there is no appearence of preparations for the new building being made.