SUMMARY FOR EUROPE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 232, 17 September 1862, Page 4

SUMMARY FOR EUROPE.

THBla*t month has principally been noticeable for the renetved go\d mining excitement— greater, if possible, than that which existel

after the first discovery- of the Tuaj»eka was

made known, The theory that gold was'

confined to a limited district round the Tuapeka, wbs effectually disproved by the dis-

covery of payable ground during the winter, in the neighborhood otWaikouaiti; stilt people were not prepared to find the enormous ex-

tent of country over which it is now certain

payable gold fields exist. The renewed ex-

citement alluded to was caused by two men bringing in eightt-sevex pocxds weight of

gold, which they had obtained on the bara of

the Molynenx or Ciutba River in little over

two months space of time.- A. tremendous

rush at once set in, and two or three thousand

people arrived there in advance of the provi-

siona, which the difficulties of the road de-

talned on the way. Many in consequence had

to return, but some three, or four thousand

hare permanently settled down on the new-

field, known as the Daa3tan, and are pro-

curing good resultsjfora distance of thirty

miles along each side^of the Molyneus River. For further rdetails concerning the field we refer to the article "under the head of "Gold Fields," and to our correspondent's letter. Meanwhile we may add that the climate of the new field is mild thrbaghbut the year, and there is very little rain. Next winter before the snow melts, when the river is lower, fabulous results are anticipated from the river I bars riot workable now. " - "

Following on the Dunstan, a new discovery was announced on the Kokomai, a small tributary of the Mataura. The prospector*3 party obtained 21b3. 3oz«. of coarse gold in a few days in a large gully three miles in extent, bordering the Nokomai. No further news has yet been received of it; but, considering the indications, and the feet that the district has for along while been expected to prove remunerative, no doubt is felt bnt that it will prove a payable gold field; From the older gold fields the news is satisfactory; the last escort showed a sensible increase, and in short it is generally believed that Otago only wants population to develop Tmworkeddoelds as rien as auy of Victoria or California.

We have thus dwelt in our opening remarks on the prospects of the gold fields, because the gold fields at present form the all-absorbing topic of cdnsiieration. In other matters there is little of an eventful nature to record; but we proceed to chronicle the most noticeable incidents under their several headings.

POLITIGAL-GENERAL.

The heavy work of the session has been for some time over, and the next mail from, Wellington, is anticipated to announce " the prorogation of the House. As far as the Middle Island is concerned, the result of the - session has been most / unsatisfactory. Native questions have absorbed the almost exclusive attention of the House, and besides the immense drains which native affairs make on the Middle Island revenues, the latter has the additional mortification of finding that all its domestic requirements are entirely ancared for. , The present tariff is admitted on all bands to be utterly unsuited to the commercial requirements of the colony; but when it was proposed to amend it, it was found that members having exhausted the time at their disposal on native affairs, had no leisure to give to other matters. Another pressing want felt by the commerciat community was laws to deal with case* of insolrency,-none of which exist at-present,— in their stead the only remedy being imprisonment for debt. This subject also was. left entirely unattended to. Againthe establishment of lines of electric telegraph has also not been provided for, although an ntimation thst itwould be was contained in the Governor's speech on the openiag of Parliament. Whea^it is considered that Parliament may not. meet again for two years, it may be estimated how highly unsatisfactory the work of the present session has been to the Middle Island. We have referred to the drain that Native affairs make on the Middle Island revenue.' This will be better understood when, we state that the expenditure is divided amongst the Provinces according to the relative proportiohs of their Custom-HoussTreceipts. The Middle Island during the next year will-probably contribute from two-thirds to three-quarters^>f the entire Custom-house receipts ol the colony, and consequently will have to pay fromjtwothirds to three-quarters of the entire General Government expenditure, including that for Native affairs. When it is considered that the money is nearly all sp^nt in the"Northerns * Island, it will be further understood what good cause the Middle Island has to feel dissatisfied. Otago, although the most numerously populated, and largest contributor to the revenue of any of the Provinces, had only five representatives in the House of Assembly, whilst Auckland had fifteen, and Wellington twelve. This disparity was reformed only to the extent of allowing Otago an addition of four members by special Act, passed for the purpose. Notwithstanding the stnallness of their number the Otago members took up a very influential position in the House. Mr. Gillies spoke well and forcibly on several occasions, and the honor was absolutely forced on him of assuming the Attorney r GeneralshiD. during the session* his engagements preventing him fromtakin°lt for a longer period. Mr. Dick was in de^ mand for committee and, besides, distinguished himself by bringing on the one debate of the session on. the subject of the removal of the seat of Government. The less said of this, however, the better, as the course proposed of making Wellington the head-quar-ters of Government, would only postpone the separation of the two islands for a longer time whilst it would neither render due iustice to t! c North or the South. It would be nS fatisraction for instance to Otago to know that t y the rttnmral of the seat of^ Government Auckland was equally inconvenienced witk Of the three other members, Captain Fraser was away, Mr. CargiUwent up at tfcTeuoTf tbesessioivana Major, Bicoardsaa deserves something more than a-me^J^/aIK? Hjavc ma* say, was thc^Sssof the s^oiv-themoreso, thitJwyond the circle ofhispr^ivatefheiidsjt^unexpected. Th.c House was *otprepared to-find in the neS of debate scarcely second* to those of any' member- of the House, He spokl Z S l^dmg questions, and won golWopfcons Major^chardsm^as Tesiguld. since WS - tura. Captainl Fraser'* seat has been declared vacant, owmgto his non-attendance througS out the/session^ Without re^mgTr lotJS?Wvord bf apolo-y to Id?conlti£eu£/ Captain Eraser to England. It need sot