[BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.] (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) CHRISTCHTTRCH, Wednesday, 4.20 p.m.

North Otago Times, Volume V, Issue 94, 7 December 1865, Page 2

[BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.] (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) CHRISTCHTTRCH, Wednesday, 4.20 p.m.

There is later intelligence from the North. At Poverty Bay, 16 natives concerned in the murder of Mr Fulloon have been tried and condemned to death. Volkner's murders are waiting tiial. An unsuccessful attempt has been made by the rebels at Taranaki to capture the Blockhouse at White Cliffs. The Escort left here on Monday for Hokitika. The Supreme Court sittings have commenced.

We are requested to remind the School Committee that the adjourned meeting for the consideration of npJilications for the situation of female teacher is to be held in the School-house on ne*t Monday evening, at 7.30 p.m. ' A precentor is required for St. Paul's Cliurclu Applications will be received by the Rev Mr Connor up to the 18th instant. It is reported by our Timaru contemporary (whom, by the way, we congratulate on its enlarged size and improved appearance) that gold has been discovered about 20 miles south-west of Timaru. The details of the discovery being rather vague, it will be well to wait for fuller information.

The AlhamVa, from Melbourne, brings files containing the Euiopean intelligence by the September Mail. The London Correspondence of the "Aigus"is chiefly composed of accounts of the cattle plague, the cholera on the Continent, American news, &.c, all of which were refened to in the telegiaphic summary published in last week's issue. .The Alhanibra brings news of a collision in Hobson's Bay between the steamships City of Launceston and Penola. The former vessel was lost, but her mails, &c, were saved by clivers. She was uninsured, and only a year ago cost L17,000. The Board of Navigation cast the entire blame of fcho collision on her captain. The irregularity of the P. a-ul O. Company's steamships is at last -attracting the attention of the Victorian and New South Wales Governments. A letter received fiom Major Cargill 'ast evening states that the Government have been requested to place a sum on the estimates for a drill shed and targets at Oamaru, and that so soon as officer commanding company is nominated, he will be prepared to forward a supply of rifles. The making of the road to the Jetty is being 1 carried on with much expedition. A considerable jjortion of the distance is finished, and a strong body of workmen are engaged at the deeper cuttings, where the road declines to the level of the Jetty. The gradient at this portion of the road will be a very steep one ; indeed, too steep to permit heavy loads being carted or d rayed to town with ease ; but we trust that if found to be unserviceable in this respect, it will not be left in that state. We are glad to-state that no accident of any serious nature has yet occurred on the works. One man was bruised lately by a fall of earthj upon his body, but he is now nearly 1 ecovei-ed. Workmen have also been employed in removing stones from the basin or boat harbor. This, we -understand, will _ prove to be a work of some difficulty. An experiment has been made as to the suitability of the rock for holding the piles, and the result was entirely satisfactory. Of coutse the rock was chosen, while the Jetty piles will require to be fixed as planned, which may happen to be in places not so suitable for that purpose. A commencement was made to the sea-wall yesteulay, and the ceremony of laying the foundation stone will be celebiated on Monday or Tuesday next. We observe that a movement is on foot amongst the mei chants and storekeepers to favor the early closing movement in Oamaru, and we hope to hear that the feeling on the subject is entiiely unanimous. Last week theie were landed here from the Geelong 25 very fine rams of the Australian merino bi eed— the first of the kind that have been inti oduced into this district. They were imported by Messrs Borton and MeMaster, for whom they were 3elncted by Messrs Cunningham and McC edie, of Melbourne, at the last great Skipton show. These rams were bied by Messrs Learmonth, who have devoted 28 years to establishing the type of the merino to which tliey belong. Theie still exists a difference of opinion amongst breedei s in Victoria as to the relative merits of the Australian and the Saxony meiino. Some think that recourse must still bft had to European flocks for the maintenance of a high class of &heep hi the colonies ; others, again, assert that that object can be better secui ed by selection fiom such pure flocks as aic now to be found in Victoria. But of the great conti oversy tiiat has lately been canieel on so ably and so exhaustively on the subject in the Victoiian press, it is genei ally acknowledged that the champions for the Austialian were stronger in argument and in illustration than the champions for the German blood. There seems, however, to be little doubt that the greater length of staple which the Lcai month merino possesses gives it an advantage over its Steiger rival in a vei y impoi tant point ; and although in Otago we have been accustomed to see the preference given for shortness of wool, if combined with firmness and density, we are of opinion that the great Austi alian Breeders show a more thorough appreciation of tho present tendency of the wool markets by viewing leDgth of staple a "sine qua nou" for piofitable breeding. A meeting of the Oamaru Riflo Rangers was held on Thursday last, after drill, at the Star and Gaiter Hotel.. Mr Locke was voted to the chair, and the miuutes of the last meeting weieread and confirmed. The meeting then pioceeded to consider tho question of uniform. After some little discussion, it was decided almost unanimously that it should be a red coat, with blue facings ; blue trousers, with red piping ; and lound caps. On the motion of Mr Fothei ingham, a Uniform Committee, consisting of Messrs J. Lees, Rowlat, O'Meagher, Livingston, and the mover, was appointed, to settle the pattern and details, and to draw out the contract with the tailor, Mr Watson, of Tees-st.. who guarantees that the Company will be in uniform before the end of the month. The meeting then instructed the Secretary to write to the adjutaut for a supply of rifles, the company having now gone through the prehmiuaiy drill, and being ready to leceive them. Theie seemed to bo a strong preference among those present for Lancasters or medium Enfields, and biown belts without pipe clay, if proem able. The Secietary was instructed to wiite to Major Cargill, reminding him of his promise to endeavor to get a sum placed on the estimates for targets and shed. A General Committee was appointed, consisting of Messrs Fotheringham, J. Lees, Williams, Locke, Payne, Morris, atid O'Meagher, with the Secretary and Treasurer "ex officio." Mr Sumpter was re-elected Secretary. After a vote of thanks to the chairman the meeting broke up, the Uniform Committee sitting at the close of the general meeting. We are glad to see that the drills of the Company continue to be so wellattended. The Company seems now to have got fail ly under weigh, and we have no doubt but that in a shoit time it will be at least the largest Company in the Province. The Customs Revenue Returns of the Colony for the quarter ending, 30lh September, 18G5, show the following figures :— Total Revenue, L180.160, as compared LI 40,872 for the coi responding quarter of 1864. The Revenue" received at the chief ports for the quarters respectively was as follows: — Wellington — 1865, L14,064; 1864, L8549; Wanganui -1865, LG121; 18G4, L2180; Auckland -1865, L^3,532; 3804, L4O.382; New Plymouth— 3865, L4560 ; 1SG4, L4054 ; Napier— 1865, JL4791; 1864, L3701 ; Nelson- -1865, L8292; 1864, L5308; Lyttelton and Christclmich-1805, L22.483 ; 1864, L16.055; Timaru— 1865, L1486; 1864, L1053; Hokitika- 1865, L17, 549; 1864, nil; Dunedin- 1865, L46,6GO; 1864, L46.438 ; Oamaru— 1865, L1185; 1864, L552 ; Invercargill-1865, L5436 ; 1864, L7821. The chief increase was on spiiits, tobacco,*tea, and goods by weight and measurement. The following items of intelligence from the West Coast, received per the electric telegraph from the Bealey, appears in a late number of a Christchurch contemporary : — " The rush to the north of the Grey is a decidedly successful one. A new rush has taken place to Donnelly's Creek, eight miles from Jones'. The gold there is said to be the heaviest yet discovered on the West Coast. About 2000 miners on the giound, Reports fiom the Totara and Three Mile aie of the most favorable description. Gold exports during the week, 20,i 00 ounces. Billiard match between Claike and M'Kenna for L300 was won by former by 64 points. Very wefc weather during the week, and Hokitika nearly flooded. According to the "Sydney Herald," the Hartley Kerosene Mine bids fair to turn out a most important affair. Large shipments of the coal are being made to Melbourne and Geelong, and 300 tons more remain in Sydney waiting orders. Experiments on a large scale have been made, and the results prove that a good burning oil *can be produced one ton of coal yielding 100 gallons of refined oil. All the machinery for the Hartley Kerosene Oil and Paiaffin Company is now at the mine, and everything was expected to be in woxking order at the end of last month. For a Btart, tho Company intend pioducing 10,000 gallons per week.

A challenge has been foi warded from the O.imai u Ciicket Club to play a match against the Dunediu Club at the end of the present month, on the ground of the Litter. Tt is understood that the challenge will be accepted. The Oamaru Players have not yet been finally determined upon, but we believe the eleven will be chosen out of the following members of the club, viz. : — Roxby, Sumpter, Fothermgham, Young, Smith, Prentice, Fenwick, Wade, J. Lees, Kowlat, E. S. Lees, J. Wilson, Every, and &hipton. It is probable that several of these will be unable to absent themselves from their businesses or occupations for the necessary time, and that, therefoie, the ''team" which proceeds to Dunedm will not be s>uuh a formidable one iis we could produce were the match played on their own ground. The flock of pui e Cheviot sheep belonging to Matthew Holmes, Esq., at Awa Moa, have this season given an increase of 140 per cent, of reared lambs. Now that attention is being directed to the long-woulled breeds of sheep, it would be very desirable and interesting to have the returns from the owners of any other pure breeds, such as Leicestcis, Romney Marsh, &c. Mr Holmes' Cheviots are running on native grass,' and the above increase has been obtained at one lambing. Their wool at the last August sales in London realised 23id. per lb. Notwithstanding the unfavoiable character of the weather for early fruit, it n ay be interesting to mention that ripe strawbeiTie 1 ? weie plucked in the garden of Captain Godf tey here during the last week of November. In several other gardens, we understand, strawben ies are lapidly ripening, so that it would seem that the appearance of two or three at so eaily a date is not to be regarded as a freak of natui e, but rather that our climate and soil aie only maintaining that enviablo "piesti-e" over those of other places to which they have hitlieito attained. After a long and persevering search by the Maories, the body of the unfoitunato man John Wright, who, alon^ with Mr Bailey, was drowned on the occasion of the late melancholy accident at the Kauroo Feny, has been recovered nine miles below the scene of the occurlence. The body was found lying on its face, and, as was to be expected, it was much decomposer], though not beyond identification. The name of the finder is a maori named Billy Blue— or, rather, that is the name by which ho is generally kuown amongst the settlers. The body was found on Tuesday afternoon, 28th ult., and the burial took place on the Thursday following. This is the fifth burial at the Ferry — four of the deceased having met their deaths by di owning, and the other having been killed by accident, being diagged along the plain by his horse. Mr Meyer, of Station Peak, and Mr Colin M. Campbell, manager for Messrs Douglas, Alderson and Co., Kauroo Station, aie about to fence in an acre and a-lulf for a burying-groursd at the Ferry. On Wednesday last the wiie lope being again put into proper walking order, a large paity of tlie residents in the distiicttooka tiip across the river in the punt. Eveiything went well on this occasion, and bagpipe music and dancing enlivened this what may be tei med the inaugural tiip of the punt, which has been chiistened " The Maid of the Waitaki." On the pievious evening, Mr Chiistian Hille gave a dinner in honor of the occasion We sincerely trust his enterprise will n'o.t only be a successful one, but that it will be the means of preventing finther loss of life on a river which is by all admitted to be one of the most difficult and dangerous to cross in New Zealand. Tae cause of the giving way or slipping of the rope, as mentioned in our last issue, was its further tightening on the '"drum" or tr.msveise log to which the guy is fixed on the Otago side of theiiver. With the appliances at command, it appeals that the rope could not be strained sufficiently to prevent its ' giviug wav a little under the powerful influence of the curient, which therefoie has had the effect of happily rendering the whole affair more secure than otherwise would haye been the ca&e. We have before us a schedule of the llural Land Reserves for educational purposes, from which we perceive that the number of sections setapait in this .and the adjacent districts are as follow : — Oaniaru, 45 : Otepopo, 24; Moeraki, 22.; Hawksbui y, 19 ; Waikouaiti, 6. The average act eage of these sections is about 40 acres each. A list of the sections resei vetl for similar pui poses in this township appeared in our columns a few weeks since. Fi om a return emanating from the Coiimissioner of Customs, Wellington, we observe thut the total quaitity of gold exported from New Zeal md up to 30th June, 18G5, amounts to 1,974,667 ozs. valued at L7,G16,809. During the quarter ending 30th June last, tho gold exported from the vaiious Piovinces wasas follow :—Auckland, 16 <8 ozs. ;- Nelson, 4272 oz3. ; Canterbury, 57,010 ozs. ; Mai lboi ough, 2554 ozs : Otago, 55,559 ozs. The totals expoited fiom the following ports now stand thus :— Auckland, 12,451 ozs.-j value, L3S,56S. Nelson, 98,367 ozs. ; value, L381.252. H-welock and Picton, 29,629 ozs. ; value, Li.13,797. Lyttelton, 23 ozs. ; value, L91. Hokitika, 5i,214 ozs ; value, L215.680. Dunediu and Invercargill, 1,779,930 ozs. ; value, L6,897,424. „ From all .accounts, the weather presently experienced in Invercargill must be unprccedentedly severe. Lust Tuesday w.is to be observed as a day of humiliation on that account, business being entirely suspended, and divine service held in all the churches of the town. The Commissioner of Police, Dunedin, offers a reward of L5 for information as to the pi esent whereabouts of Robert Allison, a farm servant, about 28 years old, 5 feet 4 or 5 inches high, stout build, fair complexion, light brown hair, whiskers, and moustache, a Scotchman, dressed in blue cloth shooting jacket, light grey tweed trouseis, and light cloth cap ; was last seen at the Molyneux Ferry, seeking employment, on the 4th of October last. Allisou has been " missing" since that date. Mr Robert O&tler, of the Royal George Stables, Dunedin, has been dangerously injured by being driven against a post, while trying a lestive horse in a dray. The Criminal Session of the Supreme Court at Dunedin commenced on Monday last. The calendar was an unusually light one. John Gleeson. on a charge of theft was fouud not guilty, and discharged ; Thomas Rogers, for larceny, was sentenced to 12 month's impiisonment ; John Hutchison, for forgery, to 3 year'b imprisonment with hard labor ; Harriet Yarwood, for theft, to 9 month's imprisonment, with hard labor. The fo'lowing prisoners were also tried and f jund guilty on Tuesday :— Donald McDonell, for'stealing money at Upper Taieri Hotel ; W. Deudney, for uttering x cheque ; Win. Heyden, alias Kerr, for horse stealing. R. C Shaw, pleaded guilty to two charges of forgery at Dunstan. Creek. Sentence w,vs deferred till the following day. The " New Zealand Gazette," of the 25th ult., recoids the appointment of the following postmasters in this pro--vinco: — Henry Norman, Albert Town; Richard Watkins, Alexandiia ; Christian Hille, Upper Waitaki Ferry (The authorities h.ive mistaken the sex of Mr Hille, and have appointed him pobtimsti ess ! ) ; J. Yeulett, Franktown ; C. Woodney, Eden Creek ; Samuel Johnston, Arthur's Point ; Andrew Peters, Taieii Feny; J. M. Mai riot, Hiudon. The Chief Commissioner of Crown Lands announces that applications for rural lands received between 21st November and 12th December inclusive, will be brought before the Waste Land Board on Wednesday next, the 13th instant ; when the applicants must attend to pay for such portions of the land as may be granted, or the application will be declared abandoned, and the land re-opened for application on the 14th instant. The last fortnightly escort, which reached Dunedin on the afternoon of Fiiday last, brought C654 oz. 15 dwts. of gold fiom the various fields. This shows a large falling off, which for this season of the year is rather \tnaccountable.' 'The DunstaTT~and Queenstown journals speak hopefully and cheeringly of mining matters genelally.

We observe that a match is on the " tapis" between seven of the Dunedin volunteeis. armed with Lancaster Kifles, and a like number armed with Long Enfieldj • The "Evening Star" says:-" The conditions of th e match aro that, whatever be the result of the first con. test, the competitor will change rifles, and the match will lie shot over again, in order to determine the merits of the respective weapons. This match will no doubt be regarded with gi eat interest by all our Volunteers, as well from the f.iet that a difference of opinion exists amon* the "cognoscenti" in these mattets as to which 1 ffl c B the best, as, fiom the fact that the best shots in the Pi 0 vince are to compete on either side. The majority o f companies will be lepreseuted. It is pioposed to lia\ e the fust match shot in tho course of a few days, so tli^ the return match may take place before the meetiug 0 { the Rifle Association, thnsgiving any who may beunce> tii n as to the best weapon to use the best possible guidu t 0 their choice. The ranges decided on are 2C0, 500, and GOO yaids, five lounds at each lango, Wimbledon target and scoiing 1864." Coiporal J. E. Stevens of the Dunedin City Gunids lias, up to the present time, lnaflt the best score for tho battalion badge, having made 48 uiiiiks in his second class and 26 in his'fiist, making total of 74. a It is stated thabthe difficulties in the way of properly preparing, the "phoniiium ttnax" into a maiketablj commodity have at last been overcome. Northern journals report that a patent has been applied for by two Auckland expeiimentors, and tlvit the samples exhibited were excellent in quality and fi ee fi oin gum. It will b 0 giatifying to learn that this difficult nut has been cracked at last; but as repoits of the above nature seem to spiing up peiiodieally fiom different paitsof the Colony, it may be wise to wait for the issue of tins Auckland discovery before too much dependence U placed upon its importance. The foil -wing acts of the General Assembly have been lately leceived by us :— Post Office Saving's Bank Act 1865; The Distillation Prohibition Oidinance Amendment Act 1865; The Provisional Juiy List Act 186}; The Provincial Constabulary Act 1865 ; Electric Telegraph Act 1865; Master and Appi entices Act 1865; Volunteer Act 1865 ; Bailois' of Sheep and Cattle Pro teotion Act 1865 ; Debtors and Cieditois Act Amendment Act 1865; Canterbury Waste Lands Act IS65Provincial Corporations Act 1865 ; Lost Licenses and Leases Act 1865 ; Provincial Councils Power Extension Act 1865 ; The New Piovinces Act 1865 ; The Law Piactitioneis Act Amendment Act 18(35; The Deeds aid Titles Registration Amendment Act 1865 ; Building Societies Amendment Act 1865 ; Injuries by Dogs Act 1865 ; &c , &c. * The Port of Taieri is no longer a port of entry.