KARAKA GOLD-FIELD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume V, Issue 1343, 6 March 1868, Page 2

KARAKA GOLD-FIELD.

(FROM OUB SPECIAL COKBBSPONDEXT.) Shortland, March 5, 1868. I observe in your contemporary an elaborate explanation of a very small hoax attempted here by Mr. Stevenson and others. I am not aware that there was anything wrong in Mr. J. H. Clifford " getting up" a nugget to appear on the stage in " Aiaddin in the Wonderful Scamp;" nor do T think very much the worse of the correspondent of your contemporary, if, in these happy moments when he is relieved from the onerous duty of serving Police Court summonses, he was taken in by the said nugget and hoaxed. I send you the proceedings in the Kesident Magistrate's Court; and you will see that Mr. Mackay is proceeding to hold a Court, and I believe I am warranted in saying that all the ground taken up on the ground that Mr. Mackay, not being a warden, had no right to issue a miner's right, and that such right waa not good in law, has beeu abandoned, rfot, so far

as I know, because the parties had any doubt) as to their position in law ; but they have grave doubts as to the advantage of making an appearance in the District Court at Auckland. One of the "jumpers " as they are termed has come to considerable grief. Mr. Walter Williamson, while going down the side of a range, lost his footing and fell a sheer descent of some thirty feet. When taken up he was insensible, and his right eye and nose were badly bruised, his teeth being all loosened by the shock of the fall, and one of his eye teeth knocked out. He is now rapidly recovering. A claim called the Manukau Claim, the one from which Mr. Williamson was returning at the time of the above accident, has had 2"201b5. of stone crushed. The yield is 95lbs of amalgam, or 400 ounces of gold. [The remainder of our Thames correspondent's letter is crowded out.] Superintendent of Sunday Schools.—A meeting of Superintendents of Sunday-schools is called by advertisement for 8 o'clock this evening, at the Young lien's Christian Association .Kooms. Deception His Excellency.—The officers of the various Friendly Societies and public bodies are requested to attend a meeting of the Boyal Eeception Committee, to be held at 4 p.m. to-day, in Messrs. L. D. Nathan and Co.'s stores, Shortland-street. Masonic (United Sebvice Lodge).— An emergency meeting of this Lodge is convened, to take place at 7 o'clock this evening, at the Masonic Hotel. Sale of Hobse Stock, Conveyances, &e. —We observed that Mr. A. Buckland has received instructions from Mr. S. Hague Smith, who is relinquishing that portion of his business, to sell at the Hay market to-morrow, at noon, the well-known Onehunga teams, consisting of superior draught horses, waggons, drays, express, shaft and leading harness, &c. The following draught horses will be offeredDarkie, Nugget, Prince, Dolly, Grey Prince,, and Jack; also, an iron-grey gelding, 3 wag«gons, 3 drays, 4 sets shaft harness, 3 se'cs leading harness, &c.—Advt.

Royal Reception.—A meet ; ; n g of the Executive Eoyal Reception Committee, is announced take place at 2.3 r j p . m . this afternoon at the City Board office., f u ll attendance is requested by the sec-^^™ Police. The \j us i ness a t the Police Court yesterday was an un j m p o rtant character. Resident jy; AG .isTBATE's Coust. —The business ot t ki s Court yesterday was of an. character. The only defended were those of J. Miller v. H. Anderson, <)ing a claim of £6 damages arising out of a collision between the cargo boats Tweed and the cutter Catherine. The defence was, that thedamage was caused by stress of weather, and : causes over which defendant could not besupposed to have control, or in other wordsj " perils of the seas." The bench gave judgment for plaintiff. A nonsuit was rendered in the case of P. T. Baynton v. R. Graham, claim £20 for detinue. In. the case of Pillenger v. Wilkinson, which was a claim of £1 12s. for boat hire, defendant being the shipping reporter of the Southern Cross, judgment was given for plaintiff.

Acclimatisation. —We are glad to see that Captain Forsayth, of the Waveriey, succeeded in introducing about a dozen-Java sparrows out of twenty. Considerable credit is due to Captain Forsayth, who is an esteemed and old favorite in this port, for the care and attention exercised by him on this, as well as other occasions, in promoting acclimatisation in Auckland. We understand that these beautiful birds will be handed over to Mr. George Cruickshank, who intends to liberate them at Papatoitoi. Another cargo of wheat and flour arrived in harbour by the schooner Onehunga, last evening, from Dunedin.

Auckland Rifle Volttnteees.—A meeting of No. 3 (Parnell) Company A.8..V. was held at the Alexandra Hotel, Parnell, on Wednesday evening, when the following appointments were made : Ensign Hunter to be Lieutenant; Col.Sergt. McConnell to be Ensign ; Corporal S. M. Mandeno to be Sergeant, and privates D. Osborne and A. Sole to be Corporals. Salmon Ova.—Mr. Auld, the Hqme Agent of the Otago Province in a letter which was received by the Mail, states that the ship Celestial Queen had been finally chosen to bring out the Salmon Ova. She was to sail on the 15th January, and she may be expected to arrive here early in April. The Viola sailed from Glasgow, for Port Chalmers on the 3rd December amongst her passengers being equal to 64Jadult assisted emigrants. The England which sailed from London on the 11th December, has amongst her passengers, equal to 10'- adult assisted emigrants.— Wellington Independent. Feb. 27.

Pbince Alfkdd's Deception in Wellington. —We understand that (if funds are available as expected) the following will form part of a programme, which will give four or five daya or rejoicing to the people of Wellington, on the occasion of the visit of his Boyal Highness to this city. 1. On his landing, a grand procession, in which we fr-iist all the societies in town will muster in force, and those in the country will be well represented. 2. Caledonian games. 3. Regatta and dinner to the crews of her Majesty's ships in harbor. 4. A champion prize race at the Hutt Races. 5. A ball and supper to the Duke. The undermentioned are some of the principal subscription!)already obtained:—W. B. Rhodes, £50; E. Pearce, £25 ; Jacob Joseph & Co., £21; J. Dransfield, £20; J. Plimmer, £20; Peter Laing, £15 15s ; W. &*&. Turnbull & Co., £15 15s ; Bethume & Hunter, £15 15s; Turnbull, Reeves, & Co., £15 15s; YV. W. Taylor, £15 - K. W. Mills, £10 10s ; D. Anderson, £10 10s • P. Sidey & Co., £10 10s; G. H. Venncll, £10 10s ; Owen, Smart, <fc Co., £10 10s ; G-. Crowford, £1010s; E. W. Stafford, £5 ss; J. C. Richmond, £5 ss; W. M. Bannatyne, £5 ss; Gascoyne & Parsons, £5 os.—Wellington Independent, Feb. 27.

Regatta Ctjp.—By the following letter received by the Panama mail, it will be seen that Messrs. Shaw, Saville & Co. intend presenting a silver cup, to be completed for at the A nniversary Kegatta of next year:—London, January 1, 1868, A. H.Hickson, Esq., Wellington.—Sir, —We beg to acknowledge reeeipt of your letter, dated loth October last, and in reply, request you to convey to the Committee of Management of your regatta our full concurence in the suggestion. made to us. Time, of-course, prevents our doing anything in the matter for the present year's anniversary, but we shall have mueh pleasure in getting a suitable silver cup (similar to what we offer the Auckland Regatta Committee) put in hand and sent out to you in good time for the Anniversary in January, 1869.—We are, &c., Shaw, Saville & Co.—Wellington Independent* Feb. 27.

Sheep-Sheabing by Steam.—The Pastoral Times states that a machine for the purpose of sheep-shearing by steam is being constructed in Melbourne, and that it shears skins beautifully, but wants some further improvements before being generally applied to the living animal. Those who have seen it have no doubt but that the gentleman who is working out the idea will bring it to a successful issue. It cuts quite close, and cannot injure the skin of the sheep, makes no second cut in the wool, and will do as much work as three men.

A. Militia Pensioner writes to us on the 4th. inst., asking how it is that the militia pensioners are kept without their pay so long : the pay due on the sth January last being not yet paid. There are many men in Auckland, he says, who have been brought from the other Colonies, and have been disabled in the war, and pensioned by the Government, who are almost in a state of destitution because they cannot obtain the pension due to them from the Government.

Pbovincial Council.—The Council sat yc terday at the usual hour. The City Board A Amendment Bill passed through Committe Mr. Hurst being absent, Mr. Webster toe charge of the Bill. The Auckland and Drui ItailTay Bill, giving power to tlie Gorernmet to mortgage, sell, or lease the land with a vie to a completion of the line by private persons < a public company, was read a second tim passed through committee, read a third time an passed. The Hospital Endowment Empowerin Bill was read a third time and passed. The Sa Water Bath Company Lease Bill was read third time and passed. The Provincial Lai Officer then released the members from furthe attendance, and said that the Council would b prorogued to-day by proclamation. The Counc: adjourned at 25 minutes past 4 o'clock. Aitle Tbees.—New Zealand gardeners ma; learn a wrinkle in Victoria, where farmers hav lately adopted with success the plan of growin; flax around apple trees, to prevent their beini affected by blight. Some of those who hav thus succeeded contemplate planting rows of fla: between each row of cabbages, in tho hope tha it will prove equally advantageous. Anonymous Litkratuke.—An anonymou pamphlet, entitled " Reasons in support of i proposal for the amendment of the constitutioi of Victoria," is creating not a little excitemen in Melbourne. Probable Incendiaktsm. —Again "we have tc chronicle the destruction by fire of an unoccupied dwelling-house. The fire was discovered about 6 o'clock, but had taken such a hold oi the building, that all attempts to extinguish il were of no avail. On Thursday morning a bouse belonging to Colonel Kenny, situated on the Mount Smart road, near Onehunga, was totally destroyed by fire under circumstances which leave little doubt of its being the work of an incendiary; tho house was unoccupied and quite detached from any other building. There vras a little furniture in the house which Colonel Sonny was about to remove. We understand it was insured for £150. The Bishop of Sydney on CiruECii Music. —At a meeting held at Orange, on Monday last, on Church matters. Dr. Barker said :—" He was pleased the members of the congregation had such an efficient choir to lead the praise of Almighty God, and more so he observed on the previous Sabbatli the congregation joined,making the praise congregational, instead of choral. It was ever painful for him to hear an organist and a few select friends warbling a tune none of tha conerregation could join in, and he was always glad to unite bis voice in praise witli the congregation."