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Otago Daily Times, Issue 610, 1 December 1863, Page 4

We leavn from Capt. -Turnbull, of the steamer Geelong, that the ship Julia Farmer, from Melbourne, had arrived at Oa,naru with a "cargo of valuable sheep for Messrs Campbell and Low. The original shipment comprised 3000 valuable; Ram bouillet and Negretti ra.ms and ewes but pf which! no less than 700 were lost on the passage, as well as a mare of considerable value the property of Mr Low.

The Melbourne "Age" of the 24th has the following with reference to the treatment of sheep for scab by means of Allan's specific :—" Allan's specific for scab has established its reputation in the estimation of a number of gentlemen whose names were affixed to a certificate affirming ifc S curative virtues, on Saturday last. Among these are the names of Messrs Ryan, Goldsborough; Stilling- and Kyte. This document was.signed on the occasion of the final inspection of the sheep dipped on the 30th Oct, re-dipped on the 12th o this month, and pronounced perfectly cured on Saturday. That these aniamls are miraculously transformed since the day they were first immersed in the specific, every one who saw them and will look at them now will at once admit. More wretched objects than they were at that time covered with disease, with but a ragged and dirty scrap or two of wool hanging about them and almost too feeble to stand upon their feet—can scarcely be conceived. Now they are vigorous, lively and stout ; they might .yen have been fat had they been better fed. They discover no inclination to scratch themselves, their skin looks healthy and fresh, and the new crop of wool, which is showing all over them, is in all respects equal to what sheep of the same description who have never had the scab would produce. So far, then, we are disposed to acquiesce in the judgment of the gentlemen above named and others who have signed the certificate, namely, that Allan's specific is what it proiesses to be, a cure for scab."

At the Oddfellows' Hall, last evening, Miss Aitken made her farewell appaarance previous to her departure for Christehurch, where, in conjunction with Mr W.D. Shiels and other members of the corps dramatique, she is expected to inaugurate the opening of the first theatre in the province of Canterbury. A select audience occu pied the seats and were demonstrative of their appreciation of the entertainment, in whicii Miss Aitken rendered several of her best reading selections in such a manner as to excite the most reserved as well as the risible faculties of her listeners, while the vocalism of Mrs White was regarded as* an agreeable interlu le between, the several difficult essays ofthe elocutionist. Mrs White is possessed of a soprano of great compass, but in the selection of ballads chosen in honor of St. Andrew's Day she was debarred the. opportunity of selecting her best songs, yet her Jacobite song of "Charlie was well received, and her substituted national ballad, " The Queen's Letter," created one of the most enthusiastic encores of the evening.

Yesterday, at the Resident Magistrate's Court, Port Chalmers John Kinnear, second officer of the brig Welcome was charged with the committal of a capital offjhee up:n a married woman named Elizabeth Ferguson. According to the evidence of the complamant, who described herself as a married woman with two children, she had booked as passenger to Launceston by the Welcome, and, when on board that vessel at Port Chalmers, on the 27th' 'instant,'"" Kinnear, with whom she had shared "" some drink during the evening, took the liberty of entering her berth and committed the offence ; complained o p. From the evidence of the complainant she attempted to give an alarm at the time, and on the following morning she reported the conduct of Kinnear to the captain. The defendant, she stated, was a married man with a family of six, her own husband, she said, resided in Duuedin. After hearing the evidence, the Magistrate com-, mitted the defendant.for trial, and in doing so, remarked upon the impropriety of the complain ant's conduct, in drinking with defendant during the evening, ,<ind stated that but for the slightly corroborative evidence of the steward, as to some alarm haviog been given, he would not have committed the defendant. For the sake of decency and morality the hearing of the case was conducted with closed doors. At the same Court John and Patrick Bradley were brought up charged with a violent assault, upon James Howie, during a melee, at Port Chalmers, a few days ago, but the complaint was withdrawn. On a second charge of disturbing the public peace, John Bradley was ordered to find two sureties of LSO for three months, and Patrick Bradley was fined L 5, and.required to enter into his own recognisances for LIOO, and obtain two sureties of LSO, for the same period,

The Argus of the 24th says :—■' We are glad to learn that Mr Coppin's enterprise, to which we owe tlie visit of the Keans, is not likely to go unrewarded. At the close of the season in Mel. bourne, Mr Coppin has found that his calculation of the receipts, so far, has been exceeded. It may also be statsd that, iv six successive nights, within a few shillings of Ll 400 was taken at the Haymarket Theatre—a.sum, we are assured, exceeding by about Ll5O the largest sum ever before drawn in the same period by any dramatic entertainment, even in the most golden days ofthe colony, when tickets were sometimes sold at a very high rate. This fact says much for the appreciation of tlie drama in Melbourne, as well as for the popularity of Mr and Mrs Kean."

______ . — .._. . ----~-vk» At the,Stj.prein(r;C3ou?t yp-fcorday,'.. meetings of creditors"weVe.appointed to take place forthe in,' v.sgaticih- bfTnsofvent Estates,-• and • the appoint*' • ment of Trustees in them, under the provisions"of the Debtors and Creditor's Act; but whether it was owing to the day being a partial holiday, or from some other cause, no business or scarcely any was transacted.

The pressure upon our space compels us to defer our theatrical notice until to-morrow. The house was full, and the performances were very successful. The same programme will be repeated this evening, A meeting of the rate-payers of South Ward' convened by advertisement, was held yesterday evening at Mr Watson's Royal Hotel, for*the purpose of meeting Mr Barnes, one of the candidates for Ihe representation of that ward in the Town Board. Mr L. B. Coleman having b-.en chosen chairman, the advertisement was read and Mr Barnes explained his views relative to the duties of the Board, He was proposed as a fit and proper person to present the ward by Mr Watson, and seconded by Mr Price. No amendment being moved, several questions were put to the candidate, theauswers to which appeared to givesatisfaction. The meeting was numerously attended, and the proceedings closed with a vote of thanks to the chairman.

We have been favored by Mr Thomas Redmayne with the inspection of several specimens of mineral products from the district of Moeraki, about three miles from Hampden, which lie visited lately to arrange with a number of diggers, who, having prospected his property, have discovered and are working for gold upon it. En passant we may observe tbat they are realising, wages, which though moderate satisfy them. The specimens consist of gold, black sand, pearls, Moeraki bould.rs, and malachite. The gold was obtained from the bed of the creek, and is of good color and flukey. The digging is shallow, but there is every reason to believe that the bottom has not yet been reached, for at Mr Redmayne's suggestion, after one portion of ground was considered to be worked out, a man sunk only eighteen inches ' • deeper and came upon a iresh deposit, of wash dirt which yielded remunerative wages, • and even then it seemed doubtful whether a lower depth would not reveal fresh treasure. The black sand resemble j that obtained in Victoria in the Ovens ' district, but is more finely divided. Specks of gold are plainly discernible in it, and tested by tne magnet, it appears to contain about 12percent, of iron in combination. It has not yet been chemically tested, so we are unable to state what the analysis is, but, judging by analogy, it probably contaius a quantity of tin; and if so,although valuabl-Vn account of the gold in it it is rendered still more so by the presence of the other metals. It is found in large quantities on the beach of Moeraki Bay, and ten or twelve men are working it, and are said to be doiug well. The pearls varied in-size from a large pin's head to that of a large sized pea, and were picked up on the Bay by Mr Redmayne, who informs us that he has seen larger in the han Is of other parties than any he has brought with him. But the most curious specimens submitted to us was a Moeraki boulder, in size and form very much re. sembling: a moderate pumpkin. It consists of a crystalline globular shell, which appears to have been worn smooth by attrition externally, but judging from a portiou of one that was broken, the .interior is studded with beautiful large well formed crystals. We are given to understand that when burnt and pulverised, these curious deposits produce a cement superior in quality to the Portlaud Cement. The Malachite was a good sized specimen, with beautifully variegated radiations. We need hardly say that being "Nitric Carbonate of Copper," it is indicative of Copper in the immediate neighborhood.

The holiday which was kept by the Banks yesterday in honor of St. Andrew's day, was only partially observed by merchants and tradesmen. The GoA'ernment and merchant's, offices generally, closed about two o'clock, but the shops were kept open as usual, though the amount of business transacted was limited. The cricket match attracted a good deal of attention, Notwithstanding the cold north easterly wind whicii blew ; His Honor the Superintendent was on tlie ground a short time, and.the play went on., with spirit. The provincial band marched on tp the grouud about three o'clock and played admirably several lively airs. The cold breeze which . blew s eemed to inspire rtlie spectators to m.re active enjoyment than merely looking on,- aud various groups might be'seen in different-parts of the" recreation ground engaged in a variety of athletic, sports. Iv one part there were competitors striving to excel each other in jumping," in another in " pitching the.bar," in a third races were run, in a fourth we observed a friendly wrestle; in all parts good humor, and this in spi.te.of dark clouds threatening rain. Several.ladies .were on the ground amused spectators of the match and the activescene around them. ,;

The following singular story-respecting the Colonial gunboat, ..Pioneer, is published in the " Sydney Morning Herald" of the 16th ult. It s purports to be an extract from- a letter.from the chief engineer on: board :—"'Since I wrote you last a good many changes have taken place with the gunboat and everybody connected -with her. some of theni, I am sorry to say, not very creditable to the parties concerned with it." Two or three days after we arrived here the Commodore refused to have anything to do'with her unless she was handed.over to the Imperial Government, This the: New Zealand-Government would not consent to ; however, after a great deal of talk and letter-writing,, the Governor took it upon . himself to hand her over without the consent of his Ministry, the consequence of which is, they : have resigned. On the 10th October she was formally handed over to the Imperial authoritle. •and all hanfls discharged. I was the only one they asked to remain with her, which, after seeing the Minister of War and Mr Dillon Bell, I declined to do. They have hacked and cut up. the .boat in such a manner that you would scarcely know her, and would tliink. shame.to own that you ever had anything to do with her. They took the second and third engineers of the Eclipse and put them into her. The day/before she was to leave for the Waikato they/got up steam and hid a turn about the harbour./ Next mornmg.they lelt for good, and had only been away about two hours when they burnt the boilers aud burst the donkey engine pump, and had to be towed back to the Eclipse. They had' all the men they could get from the ships and the shore working night and day for eight days before they got her repaired again. They did their best to conceal the whole affrir, and even; said that they had made the chief engineer of the' Eclipse examine the boilers, and that he did not ' consider them sufi-ciently stayed, and recommended extra stays to be put in; and that they had come back to get it done ; but all was of no ' use; the truth will* be out some way or other, and I have taken good care that the truth is known in Auckland, at any rale. The Ministry have made a good handle of it. I believe it will ' be the subject of some very hot discussion in the Assembly next week," '"■'•••

•At a" recent meeting of the Royal Society of Victoria, Mr Ligar directed the attention of. the members of the society to a-scientific question which he deemed of considerable importance— namely, whether quartz reefs were richer at th surface than at the lower depth? During his recent visit to Wood's Poiut Diggings he found that the quartz in that district was of exceeding richness, far surpassing anythingin ,the Ballarat.. Castlemaine, or Sandhurst districts. These diggings were between 4000 and 5000 feet above the level of the sea, while Ballarat was only about 1000 feet; and it appeared to him that while Sir Roderick Murclrison, Mr Selwyn (Government geologist), and Professor' M'Coy, might be right in their opinion that quartz reefs were richest at the surface, it would also be found that the reefs were richer in proportion to the height of. their elevation above the sea—that the higher tir" quartz was found, the richer it was.

The prizes in the. lale Calcutta Bwoep,;in tbe' Melbourne Cup, were handed over-last night to the lucky winners by the treasurer, -MrS. Jones' the Gothenburg having brought the news in the. morning of Banker, one of the least thought of horses,having' been the victor. _ Several ofthe leading Dunedin sportsmen were present.

We call the attention of our sporting readers to an advertisement in our columns ofthe Christchurch Maiden Plate, whicii is a purse of 100 soys with a sweep of 6 soys added. The prize is handsome, and there is an excellent chance for.two or three of our Otago nags putting in a successful appearance. !:

An overflowing house greeted Mr Foley last night, at the benefit he claimed from the Dunedin public in consideration of his able management of the Californian Circus. The performances went off surprisingly well, and perfect uproars of applause greeted most of the clever equestrian and. acrobatic feats, The intense fun, however, was created at tlie attempts made by theboyjockeys to ride the trick pony, Tom Thumb,three times round the ring and leap over a bar. Lad after lad, and many of them well.used to the pig-skin, tried hard to win the handsome whip oflered: to him who could slick on the pony's back, but all were chucked off, until a youth well known on our race courses as Billy, ably contrived to keep his seat for the required time. The audience was fairly convulsed with laughter throughout the trial,, and well might the gentleman who presented the whip on the part of Mr Foley,, wittily remark, that the said boy had fairly won it by his a-billy-ty'. The catching the pig, too, by the. volunteers who entered for this prize, 'was extremely amusing, for each man was blindfolded andhad a bell round his waist, the unfortunate porker also carrying one, and the confusion caused by mistaking whether the ringing was " human" or "porcine," made the crowded arena absolutely shake with cacchination.; To-night, at particular request,,the same merriment is to, take place, and those who were turned away from the doors of the crowded Circus will therefore have ai,. chance of making up for the jollity they lost by being too late to secure seats. We notice, moreover, that this is advertised as the last week of the stay in Dunedin of the talented Californian Troupe. L

The first sod ofthe Southland Great Northern Railway was turned, amidst much ceremony, on Wednesday last. The " Invercargill Times," of the 27th, gives the following account of the proceedings -.—"'ln order that the great event might be duly honored, nearly all the places of business were closed during the whole of the day, and throughout the town and suburbs a- general holiday appeared to be observed. On some of the large stores and premises their owners sported the gat. est bunting procurable, while on the large Exchange Buildings in Dee-street a great profusion of flags were displayed. The site selected for' turning the first sod of the line was in the Government paddock, at the lower end of Eskatreet, and at that point, shortly after noon,.a very large assemblage,—a great portion of which were ladies,—had met to witness the ceremony. About half-past 12 o'clock, everything being in readiness, N. Chalmers, Esq., the Deputy-Super-intendent of the Province, took the spade—a highly ornamented piece of, workmanship—and in^a style that would have passed muster with ' navvies' themselves, quickly turned not only the first, but a large number of sods, from the surface, which he dexterously transferred to the barrow—also a handsome article of Provincial manufacture —which he wheeled along the plank to the place of deposit,—the feat being greeted by a succession of hearty cheers from the people around. The example of the Deputy-Superiu-tendent having been less cleverly followed by other gentlemen standing" by—who had to pay a 'footing' to the workmen for displaying tbeir energy—Mr .Chalmers formally declared 'the first sod of the Great Northern Railway to be turned,' the brief, but expressive, announcement being received with' three enthusiastic cheers. "A Luncheon.and Ball completed the inauguration ceremonies.