THE GOLD FIELDS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11, 27 November 1861, Page 2

THE GOLD FIELDS.

The latest news from the Gold Fields informs us that Weatherston's Gully (divided by a single range from Gabriel's) has now become the centre of attraction, and that large numbers are leaviug the Waitahuna for it. The sinking in and around the gully is about the deepest on the diggings, and for a considerable time past has proved very remunerative. Some heavy finds are reported. The following letter, referring to the value of Otago gold; has been permitted us for publication : — Royal Mint, Sydney, ; ; 29th October, 1861. ' Sir,— Having received sundry applications foi information as to the price given at this establishment for Otago ' Gold, I have the honor to communicate, for the information of your province, the following particulars :- — <•' The Mint regulations require that alb Gold7imported to tlie establishment shall be melted,'

assayed, and valued, previous to being received for coinage. The charge for coinage is -£ths per cent, on the value of the Gold, for lots under 1000 ounces, and f ths per cent, for lots above that weight. At such charges the Gold has hitherto realized £3 18s. 3d., or £3 18s. s£d. per ounce nett, according as it has weighed less or more tha^TlOOO ounces, The nett price is uniformly paid within two days of receipt of the Gold. All Gold sent to the Mint must be sent secured under the seal and accompanied by the certificate of the Customs of New Zealand, otherwise it will be liable to a duty of 2s. 6d. an ounce. I have the honor to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, (J. M. Ward, Deputy Master. His Honor the Superintendent of Otago. ' & RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT. (Before J.H. Harris, Esq., R.M.) Monday, 25th November. Mary Ann Robinson, Mary Ann Archibald^ and Mary Allen were charged with being drunk, and were each fined 20s. or 48 hours' imprisonment. Mary Ann Robinson was further sentenced to 9 days' imprisonment, it being the fourth offence since October 6th, and to 20s. or 7 days 1 imprisonment for using profane, indecent, and obscene language. Mary Ann Archibald was also fined a similar sum for the same offence, and 9 days' imprisonment, it being the fifth offence since the 3rd of August, and a similar term of imprisonment was allotted to Allen, it being her ninth offence since 9th March. She was also fined 20s. or 48 hours' imprisonment for using obscene language. J. Smith, J. Keely, A. Burke, and A. Patterson, were also convicted of being drunk,' and the usual fine was inflicted, Burke being sentenced to 9 days' imprisonment, as it was his eleventh offence within two months. J. Johnstone, of West Taieri, settler, was charged with having stolen a crowbar, value 205., from the Government road work about two years ago. The prisoner was defended by Mr. Cook, but as the case was adjourned till Wednesday we reserve our report of the evidence until its conclusion. W. Sherwood and J. Urwick were charged with behaviour calculated to provoke a breach of the peace, and were each fined 20s. Charge of Embezzlement. —Mr. South, solicitor, formerly of Melbourne, was brought up on a warrant from Melbourne, charged with embezzlement. Mr. Cook appeared for Mr. South, and entered into a long statement of the whole transaction, from which it appeared that Mr. South, had been engaged in an action for libel by a Mr. Alexander of Castlemaine ; that £75 damages had been awarded to Mr. Souths client, and that, after deducting the costs,; he had, paid over the balance; that the costs were afterwards taxed, and that there then appeared to be a balance due to Mr. Alexander ; that Mr. South was about to leave Victoria, and after several interviews with Mr. Alexander's solicitor on the subject, he had left instructions with his agents to settle this amongst other transactions. Mr. Cook characterised the conduct of Mr. Alexander, in issuing a warrant, and thus changing a purely civil case into a criminal one, as most extraordinary; he also produced several documents in proof of his ■■■statements.- The Magistrate said that if the documents produced were genuine, and he saw no reason to doubt their being so, the matter would finally resolve itself into a money transaction, and that the proper course would be to institute a civil suit instead of a criminal one. He would remand the case for a week. (Before J. 11. Harris, Esq., R. M.) Tuesday, November 26. Gus Fox, and William Dundas were fined 20s. each, or 48 hours imprisonment for being drunk. Thomas O'Donnell was fined os. and 7s. 6d. costs -for leaving his horse and cart unattended to in the streets. Another charge against the same person of having an unregistered dog was withdrawn on his promising to register it at once. James Bennett was charged with cruelly torturing and ill-treating a dog by cutting its throat and leaving it alive in that state. The case was dismissed, the Magistrate saying he was sorry that there was no law in existence in this colony to punish such offences, but that if the owner of the dog could'be found, he could make the prisoner pay handsomely for the cruel and unjustifiable way in which he had acted. William Cooper was charged with having set fire to some scrub in one of the streets in Dunedin; fined os. and 7s. 6d. costs. J. Bruce for throwing stable manure on one of the streets of the town was also fined os. and 7s. 6d. costs. The same fine was inflicted on J. Switzer in obstructing the thoroughfare ; an information of the same nature against R. Wilson & Co., and one against Win....Stone for leaving a horse. and cart unattended to, were dismissed. J. B'arnes was fined < 2s. 6d., and 7s 6d: costs, for having a horse at large in Walker Street. William Walker was charged by Geo. Clark with having feloniously taken away with intent to. steal a horse, value £40. The evidence having been gone into, the p--prisoner was discharged with a severe reprimand from his Worship, who told him that ' he had had a very narrow escape of being committed for horse stealing.