THE Otago Daily Times. "Inveniam viam out faciam." DUNEDIN, SATURDAY, MARCH 18.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 1013, 18 March 1865, Page 5

THE Otago Daily Times. "Inveniam viam out faciam." DUNEDIN, SATURDAY, MARCH 18.

We omit our usual leader in consequence of the space occupied by our summary for Europe, and a desire not to interrupt the daily reports of the remarkable trial which has so greatly excited public interest. The English December mail was delivered in Dunedin on the 17th February, the day follovring the departure of the homeward mail from this place. At the hour of our going to press there was no sign of the arrival of the January mail now due. The third day of the trial of William Andrew Jarvey for murder was almost wholly occupied by the evidence of Dr Halme, Provincial Surgeon, and the examination in chief of Dr Macadam, Government Analyst of Victoria. The crossexamination of the latter will be resumed this forenoon ; and it is regarded as certain that the trial will not be completed to-day. A Wellington paper says :—We understand that the Government have completed the purchase of the house and grounds formerly the property of N. I<3rien, Esq., situated on the Tinakori road, for the sum of L 2950. It will now be the official residence of the Hon. F. A. Weld. The Canterbury people seem sorely perplexed to find a practicable road through their own Province. We take the following paragraphs from the " Lytteltora Times " of the 16th:—'*It is rtimourecV on what may be considered good authority, that a pass thoroughly practicable for cattle and sheep, exists between the Waimakariri and Tcremakau, by way of a branch of the former river between the Poulter and the Bealey. Wo believe that the country through which it passes has been known some twj or three years, but its direction has not been recognised till lately. Mr Dobson has been made acquainted with the facts known, anl will examine this pass among others.—lt is far from improbable that the old Maori pass between the Bakata and the Okitild rivers, which is either Mr Whitcorab'a pass or very near it, is one that may be use i with the greatest success, at least at this time of the year. A report reached town yesterday that it had been recently crossed from the westward. As diggers are coming up from the South in great numbers, they will naturally take this route if it be piacticable, and perhaps they may find other means of accesis as yet unheard of to the gold fields.—Yesterday morning, Mr Edward Dobson, accompanied by his son, Mr George Dobson, and Mr Browning, of the Survey Department, left Christchurcb for the Waimakariri, with tho object of prosecuting the explorations between the head waters of that river and the Tcreimakau, which have been unsuccessfully commenced by Mr George Dobson. A party of fifty workmen are engaged by the Government to proceed at once to the statioia nearest Arthur's Pass, there to await Mr Dobson's orders." Our latest items of intelligence from the West Coast gold-fields are those brought by the Gothenburg, and published in yesterday's " Times." The following more detailed particulars are from the " Nelson Colonist" of the Ilth instant: —"The Wallaby arrived from the Okitiki on Wednesday night, with 1900 ounces of gold for the Bank of New South Wales, aud fourteen passengers, diggers, who had about 100 ounces amongst them. There were 1200 ounces waiting to be chipped on board the NelHora. The newp continues favorable when we look to tho quantity of gold, but less so Then we hear that the people are crowding overland from Christchurch to the diggings, and hundreds are going in steamers acid sailing craft. Captain Whitwell reports that a considerable □umber of diggiisrs, who had come overland impropeily provided, besonght

him to ghre them a passage in the steamer gratis. These,:of course, are exceptions, and we may expect to find numerous instances of this kind. The men con'inne to ru*h on, and it is impossible to control them. There are at present in town about four hundred men anxious to secure passages to theQkitiki. The Claude Hamilton has gono with two hondred o»» board, whom she must land; by means of one of the small steamers; several small Bailing vessels h&vc also left for the same plaw. The Storm Bird, which left Wellington direct for the digging!', haa returned; to Nelson with all her passengeni on board, being uniiblo to enter the river. The steamer Nelson, too, found she could not pass the bar, and had to go back to the Grey ri.vcr with her passengers. Here she touched on the bar, and though for some time, we are told, broadside on to the sea, eueceedi'd in getting inside the bar, and v&» und-.-rktood to be lying safely in the river. The heavy gale which we lied all .Thursday night and Friday, has kept the Wallaby, ibe Eleanor, and Lyttelton steamer*, of light draft, from leaving the lmrbor. On the diggings there is a good supply of provisions cf all kinds except flour, -which is exceedingly scarce, and at famine prices ; but with the continued influx of diggers by sea and overland, there is some danger of a great scarcity of provisions in an inhospitable country, nnd depending solely on the two Kelson steamers, which are the only ones that have yet en» sed the bar, and have fully more than they can accomplish. By the Airedule, from Auckland and Taranaki, which got into harbour this {Friday) evening, one hundred and ten diggers hare arrived from Auckland, bound for the Okitiki. A Challenge Cup, subscribed for by merchants and others in this city, will shortty be competed for by the members of the Volunteer Artillery Company. Tbe terms of the competition are, that it shall be shot for annually for two successive years, the highest scorer in both years to be the winner. Shouldi however, the highest scorer in the first year be beaten the second, his name will fee engraved on the cup, and also that of the highest scorer in the second year, thus enhancing the value of the prize. We understand that the amount already subscribed is L 45, and it is expected that a further sura will yet be collected. In oar report of tho Bhooting match between the officers and members of the Naval Brigade, Petty Officer Smith's score wns stated as 28. This ought to have been 27, and tho result was a tie. In yesterday's issue, we mentioned the death by drowning at Cuversham of Mr Hugh Calder'a infant son. The boy's name was James Alexander Caldrr, and Ire was unfortunately drowned by accidentally falling into a duck-pond. Yesterday was St. Patrick's Day. It would have been observed as a Bank holiday, but, in consequence of the departure of the English Mail to-day, tbe banks were kept open for the public convenience. Throughout the day flags were floating from a number of the hotels and other places in honor of tho occasion. The "Xyttelton Times" of Thursday, gives prominence to the following notice, which it published by request, and which was placarded throughout the town : —" Lakes Station, March 13.—Sir—Hundreds of people are coming here without provisions. I am much afraid I shall not be able to keep my provisions. Something ought to be done to impress on the people that there is nothing to be had at Taylor's. Everything is eaten up except the stock.—l nm, &c, Walter Blake. Hon. J. Hall. P.S. I have rent a man hack with notices to let the people know we have nothing here." The Committee of the Dunedin Races will meet at half-past seven this evening, at the Provincial Hotel, for the purpose of ascertaining the gross amount already on tho subscription lists, and considering various necesuary arrangements for carrying out tho Annual Meeting with due eclat. f Messrs Rolleston,Revell and Rochfort, and Capt. Gibson, accompanied by a large number of passengers, arrived at Nelson by the Wellington, from Lvttelton and other places,, on the 11th, but were unable to proceed onward for want of a steamer for the Okitiki. The "Lyttelton Times" says:—"The town was crowded, not only as full as it could hold, but much fuller. Every hotel, pot-house, and lodging was positively crammed with visitors, and about 300 were encamped in the outBkirts waiting for the steamers to be at liberty to take them. In this atata of matters, the Canterbury officials, in spite of every hospitality that could be shown them, for some time found great difficulty in obtaining ordinary accommodation. And iresb passengers were arriving by every opportunity, all bent in the same direction. We have several separate accounts of the state of things in Nelson, but all agree in advising thnt intending diggers and visitors should pauiie before taking the Nelson route, as besides the discomfort to be endured there, and the uncertainty as togetting further, the trip becomes *cry expensive. The cost of remaining in town for a week: or two must be added to tbe passage rates ; and as the latter has reached LIO per head, the jonrney could not be done for nothing. If there were sufficient steamers drawing a light draught of water of four feet and under, the diggings might be better worked from Nekon ; but as it is, the steamers are far too fully employed, and cannot get backward and forward in time to meet the demand for passage or for supplies. A correspond ant from Nelson, writing on ths 13th inst«.nt, says :—'lt is no ose for passenger* to come here expecting to be forwarded to tlieir destination, or to find accommodation. Every house and hotel is full, and not even abakeaoww«etobehad.'»