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New Zealand Mail, Issue 867, 12 October 1888, Page 28

The Government have received a report upon the damage done by earthquakes at the Hanmer Hob Springs by recent earthquakes. No further information is contained in the reports, however, than was published at the time.

Me A. McKay, geologist, has furnished to the Mines Department a report on the Makakipawa diggings, which he. has recently visited. Mr McKay is satisfied that there is a prospect of getting gold at no great depth toward the upper part of Cullen’s Flat. There are terraces on the south side of the valley up to 350 ft above the sea, and in the two lower of these good gold is being obtained. Tho terraces further up where the stream gorges, however, have not been proved, and the gold is lodged in the bottom of the narrow valley. Mr McKay is nob of opinion that it will pay to work the stream where it is choked, though he thinks it undoubtedly will be worked. Toward the source of the righthand branch there are large blocks of schist and rubbish in the creek, hut gold has been obtained there ill such quantities as to lead to the pegging out of the whole bed of the stream to its source. The highest alluvial claim he visited was 1800 feet above the sea, and the top of the source of the creek is 2600 feet above the sea. The quartz reefs are not yet opened up so as to indicate what they really are, but in quartz taken from a small leader parallel with the main reef, Mr McKay saw gold freely, not very coarse, and clearly corresponding with the reef gold found in the creek further down. Mr McKay’s opinion is that there must be several distinct reefs running parallel to each other, otherwise the known reef must prove a very rich one. The upper part of the Waikakaho drains the south side of the range in which the reefs have been found, and, from the strike of the reefs, they should be seen within the watershed of the Upper Waikakaho and of that branch in which gold has already been found. He thinks that if the reef finds its source on the north side of the range -it will appear at the source of one o f the creeks draining into the Tuamarina Valley, and it is probable that in that, or in some of the more easterly branches of the Waikakaho, gold will be found, and in that direction a temporary rush might set in. In conclusion Mr McKay says there are, in his opinion, more men on the field than it will at present, or for some time to come, support; but he can see clearly that for a number of years the several creeks in the district will support a considerable mining population. He points out that a road in the shape of a horse track is badly needed to open up the right-hand branch of the MahakijpaWft*

The Government have received the following tenders for the supply and delivery of 45 miles of rabbit fencing material at LytteltonAccepted : E. W. Malls and Co., Wellington, LB7 Is 6d per mile. Declined : J. Anderson, Christchurch, LBB 12s 3d per mile ; A. Briscoe and Co., Dunedin, LBB 15s 9d per mile ; S. Naslielski, Christchurch, L 96 17s 8d per mile ; National Mortgage Company, Dunedin, LlO5 10s 8d per mile. Miles and Co., Christchurch, tendered for wire .netting only, and North and Co., Dunedin, for barbed wire only.

The Conference of the Sheep Inspectors of the Colony has now concluded. The various inspectors and the Minister of Lands has for several days been discussing stock questions and the general administration of the department, with a view to uniform action. The inspectors have now returned to the various districts in which they will under the new arrangement be located.

The Returning Officer for Cook Ward decided to include the name of Mr C. F. Worth among the candidates whose names appeared on the ballotpapers at last Friday’s election for the City Council. Mr Ames, while holding that Mr Worth’s nomination was informal, considered that the duty did not rest with him to pronounce the candidate disqualified ; but that it was open to any other candidate, or any person, to raise the question, and to challenge the validity of Mr Worth’s election should he be returned.

It is with feelings of deep regret that the people of this Colony will read the melancholy particulars of the sad accident which happened to that fine steamer the Mararoa on her voyage to Sydney. A frightful sea runs off' Sydney Heads, and instances are known of the sea breaking with such tremendous force against the rocky headland that the waves have been carried over the 300 ft cliff at the South Head into Watson’s Bay. The exact position of the Mararoa at the time of the accident is not stated, but she was probably well up with the land and within theinfluence oftheshallowwaterseas. The drowning of Mrs Henderson and her baby is melancholy in the extreme. She with her three children were on their way to join Mr Henderson, who left Auckland some little time ago to start in business in Ballarat. • His unfortunate position will elicit the sympathy of every colonist.

A somewhat curious proceeding occurred in the Resident Magistrate’s Court on Monday during the hearing of the case against James White for horse-stealing. One of the constables, who was a witness for the prosecution, acted as interpreter for a Maori, who was also a witness for the prosecution. This, if not wholly irregular, seems to us a very objectionable practice and open to grave abuse. We do not question the fairness of the constable’s interpretation. Still it is manifestly improper that one witness should he called on to inteprot the testimony of another witness on the same side. The possibilities of abuse and wrong which are offered by such a proceeding are too obvious to need specifying. There are plenty of competent interpreters available without employing constables concerned in the case before the Court.

It is understood that on the abolition of the Public Works Department, which is to take place at an early date, all the public buildings of Wellington and throughout the whole Colony which are not under the special care of some particular department—such as the Postoffices, &c.—all, in fact, which are used for miscellaneous Government purposes, will be placed under the charge of the Colonial Secretary’s Department, and to that department will also be transferred the duties previously vested in the Colonial Architect’s Department.

The rumour is revived that on the abolition of the Public Works Department the Engiueer-in-Chief, Mr. J. Blackett, will retire on his well-earned pension, and that the Under-Secretary for Public Works, Mr C. Y. O’Connor, will be one of the new Railway Commissioners ; hut at present it wholly lacks official confirmation.

We understand that several District Engineers are shortly to ho dispensed with, but it appears doubtful whether solarge a saving can be effected by the Public Works reductions as has been talked of, viz., £IO,OOO.