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Otago Daily Times, Issue 913, 23 November 1864, Page 4

We clip tlie following from tho " London Observer," of September 11th:—"itVom the reports of the several gold mining assodalions in Wales, it appears that the search for this precious metal can hardly be profitably prosecuted in the Principality. There are traces of gold, but nit sufficient to pay for the expense of separating it. The Vigra anil Oh gan mines were unusually successful for a time, and then they fell off in produce, and now again it is reported that they are improving a little. At Cattail Cam Dochan ilia yield of gold has been good (luring the last lew weeks, but at the St David's, Cambrian, and other mines, where n large outlay of capital has been incurred, the case is different ; and, instead of any hope of a dividend, some of the shareholders openly advocate the abandonment of the properties." HAMS AND BACON,

The Canterbury "Tress" of the 21st sa y S : —« Our agent at Kaiapoi informs us that he has been permitted to extract the following information from a private letter from the West Coast respecting the new rush that had taken place .10 miles south of the River Grey. The Maoris are reported to have procured 19ozs ot gold in one week with a tin dish only. Some white men succeeded in getting three pounds weight of gold in three weeks. Nearly all the diggers havo left the Greenstone Creek for the new fields. The gold that has been found is rough and coarse, and the ground where it has been found is of a slaty nature."

We have been requested to draw attention to the meeting of the Philharmonic Society this evening. It will be seen by the advertisement in another portion of the paper that the committee have found it necessary to change, the place of meeting from St. George's IlaU to the room in which the practices were formerly held, namely, the Cafe of the Theatre Royal in Princes street. We are also requested to state that the committee trust that the ladies of the society will rally round and assist (as ladies alone can assist) in furthering their efforts to re-establish firmly so useful a society ; as, should a better attendance of ladits fuil to be secured for the future than has recently been accorded, the committee will be reluctantly obliged tc discontinue any further efforts for the present. The performing gentlemen members also will do well to take ii hint on this subject. The " Messiah" will be rehearsed.

We are indebted to the courtesy of a gentleman for some reliable particulars concerning the new rush which has taken place in the Ida Burn Valley, on the run of Messrs Stafford an 1 Bell, in the vicinity of the Poolburn. The accounts are most satisfactory, and our informant speaks very highly of the prospects of this new gold field. Ou Monday the Warden laid out a township, and every business site was speedily taken up, and about 1500 persons were on the ground, and numbers were leaving the Blackstone rush for the new field. The sinking varies from two to twenty-five feet_. and the prospects generally are good, the gold appearing to be well diffused.

As an evidence of the confidence that some of the sluicers on the banks of the Molyneux have in the payable character of their chums, we may state that a few days ago ten pounds per week was ottered for a head and a-h.ilf of water, by parties holding a claim near the June ion at Muttontown Creek, three mile 3 below the Dunstan townsliip. , The earnings of most of the claim-holders, notwithstanding a scanty supply of water, have for the last six months in that district, averaged ten pounds per week per man. Yesterday afternoon, the Diorama of the Explorations of Burke and Wills was visited by a large number of. the children attending the public schools of the city. The hall was quite full. During the exhibition a glare of fire was seen behind the curtain, an alarm was raised, and a large proportion of the children rushed out ot the hall ; but as the appearance of fire almost immediately disappeared, they returned to their seats, and the exhibition continued. No accident occurred. The cause of the alarm was simply this : In the course of one of the scenes a chemical preparation for the production of red fire is used. This is usually burn&d on a plate in a man's hand with perfect safety, but yesterday it happened that a little too much was used, and it sparked over and burned the hand of the man who held it. He immediately dropped the plate, and it unfortunately fell into a box of the same composition, which ignited, and caused the red glare which so frightened the children. It was at once extinguished, and no damage whatever was done to the Diorama.

The two Judges sat again in banco yesterday. 'The argument in the case of llussell v. Munro and others, wns continued and terminated in the afternoon. Judgment on the injunction motion was reserved, but an order was made for the appointment of a receiver. In the case of M'Leau v. Chapman, which was a motion of decree, judgment was reserved. The court adjourned to Friday next at eleven o'clock, when it was announced that the Judges expect to be able to give judgment in all the cases which have been reserved during the present sitting. A meeting of the Caledonian Society will be held at M'Cubbin's Otago Hotel, this evening, at eight o'clock. AND COMPTON'S

At the Princess Theatre last night the " Court and Stage" was repeated, and Miss Joey Guugcnlieim appeared to equal advantage as on the previous evening. There was a very fair house, and the performance was well got through. Miss Gougenheim wns several times called before the curtain, and greeted with hearty applause. " Court and Stage" will be repeated this evening, to lie followed by the farce of " The Quiet Family." By the Queen we have Auckland papers to the 12th, and news to the loth via Wellington per ri.M.S. Eclipse. The intelligence is not of particular interest. The announcement we were able to muke the other day, that Sir Frederick Gore Ousely had, in compliance with a commission from the vestry, appointed an organist for 'StPaul's Church, will have been received with satisfaction bj' the congregation of St. Paul's, and by all who feel an interest in the progress or music in Dunedin. The high reputation of Sir Frederick Ousely is a sufficient guarantee that lie will have selected a gentleman thoroughly qualified for the post, and who will be able to assume the position of conductor ol the Philharmonic Society, which is for the present languishing for want of efficient management. It is a matter of regret that hitherto tbu efforts which have been made to establish an efficient and strong amateur inu>ioal society have only been partially successful. Various causes could be assigned for this nonsuccess, but it is undoubtedly to the want of a thoroughly competent conductor that the present languishing state of affairs is to be | attributed. This obstacle, it is to be hoped, will soon be removed ; and we would desire to impress upon the committee and members of the Philharmonic Society, the necessity of hearty co-operation in the work of constructing a Society which, under the expected new conductor, will do credit to the City and Province. Even under the present disabilities, the Society can effect a good deal in the way of practice, and the members should endeavour to work themselves up to as high a state of proficiency as possible. We think nlso that the Committee should give great encouragement to the enlistment of new members. It should not be forgotten that the legitimate object of the Society is the cultivation of music. Every facility should be afforded to musical persons to join, and no restrictions other than those necessary to preserve the respectability and musical character of the Society should be imposed. We feel sure that there are sufficient persons in Dunedin, who have a knowledge of music, to make a really powerful Society—one that could, with sure probability of doing justice to the composers, undertake the performance of most of the works of the great masters. We are certain that the public desire to see a really effective Society established, and would be liberal of its support to it. It would be an interesting feature of the Exhibition season, if the Philharmonic Society was to give a few concerts ; in fact, a musical festival on a small scale might be got up, as there will in all probability be a good many members of the Provincial Societies present in Dunedin during the Exhibition, and by that time also the expected new conductor will have arrived.

There will be a compulsory drill of the City Guards this evening, at half-past seven o'clock, and a general meeting immediately afterwards.

The Naval Brigade will parade at the Drill Shed on Thursday Evening, at half-past seven o'clock, for inspection of arms and the nomination of four seconj-class petty officers.

A meeting of A.O.F. Court Pride of the Leith, C.8., 3992, will be held this evening, Wednesday, at Mr D. White's Royal Ho tel, Great King street.

The " Now Zealand Herald" reports a newdiscovery of gold in the Auckland province. It says :—"A flue specimen of gold, a good-, sized nugget, his been found at Mangatanawai, close to Maori land. It appears that some persons, for reasons of their own, wish to keep the discovery secret; but we have had it stated to us on good authority at this office that such gold has been found, and that there is every probability that an extensive gold field exists in this locality. The presence of a few thousand gold miners in the North at the present time would be most salutary.

The "New Zealand Herald" says :—" One of the largest Sting ray ever seen in this harbor was captured yesterday by one of the watermen, named Tiios. Hunt, just off the Waterman's T, at the wharf. It was caught by means of a harpoon, and in its desperate struggles to get loose, completely bent the iron double. After come considerable, trouble it was at length got up on the wharf and killed by means of a lance. It measured 7ft Gin in length, sft Gin in breadth,tail 3ft long, and lft 2in round the butt ot it; it was of the female sex,ind upon being cut open was found to contain five young ones,"