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Otago Daily Times, Issue 3249, 5 July 1872, Page 2

The Timaru Herald Bays :—"A company is being formed on the Rnngitata to buy the pneumatic apparatus lately employed in sinking the cylinders of the Kangitata bridge, in order to utilise them in the i Molyneux River, Otago, for the purpose of gold prospecting in that river. The Molyneux has the reputation of being the richest gold-bearing river in the Colony f but the depth, and the exceedingly strong current prevailing, have baffled hitherto all attempts at systematic prospecting of its bed. The trials, though, which from time to time have been made by dredging in favourable positions, have proved, beyond all manner of doubt, that the bottom of the river is exceedingly rich in gold, and it is thought that only by means of cylinders sunk on the pneumatic plan could thesegolden treasures be thoroughly brought to light. There can be no possible reason why, under this cylinder-sinking process, the river should not be explored in its every part; and if no unforeseen difficulties occur, there is every reason to anticipate a splendid return to a company prospecting under such conditions. One of the chief promoters of the new company is, we hear, a gentleman well versed in mining matters, and he, moreover, has a thorough knowledge of the river whose depths are about to be ransacked." A Sydney paper states that the pliomiium tenax " grows like a weed, almost anywhere," in New South Wales, and that its cultivation for industrial purposes would be "well worth a trial" by the farmers of the Colony. " Old Honesty," and " Asmodeus," were presented at the Princess Theatre last evening. ________________

Willie Steel, " Southland's Natural Songstor," has been giving "friendly social concerts "in Napier. In the advertisement announcing his performance, ho says that he "only invites the lovers of plain natural singing and benevolence. Unch&ritable people, please take the hint."

The want of a cemetery is reported to Le " seriously felt" at Coromandel.

The Southern Cross has the following : — " We are informed that an English company has offered to construct a line of railway from Point Russell to the Thames. The offer has been forwarded to the Minister of Public Works, but the terms are for the present kept Becret."

On the subject of vaccination, theTuaptk v Times has the following :—" There is now an ample supply of vaccine lymph in the possession of the medical gentlemen of tho district, so there now remains no excuse for parents not having their children vaccinated. Why Chinamen arc not compelled to be vaccinated is a mystery. They are just a? likely to be attacked with the small-pox as other races ; and should that fell disease break out amongst them, it would assure dly spread amongst the European population. The Chinese are extremely averse to undergo vaccination, but it is far more important that their public health should be preserved than that their prejudices should be respected."

The following is the calendar of prisom r j for trial before His Honour Mr Justice Chapman afc the criminal sessions of the Supreme Court, commencing on Tuesday next, the 9th, inst.:—

Hyman Cohen ; ottering a forged cheque at Dunedin ; two charges. Henry Stewart M'Coll; embezzlement at Stony Creek; three charges. Peter Robertson ; stealing a watch at Alexandra. Joseph Capstick; stealing cattle hides at 1 mnedin. Ann Sutherland (on bail) ; attempting to commit suicide at Dunedin. David Jones, and Henry Francis (both on 1 bail) ; cattle Btealing at Hawksbury. The "gloriouß 4th of July" passed off very quietly throughout, apparently the only notice taken of the anniversary of American Independence being the display of the stars and stripes above the business places of a few American citizens. A ball in connection with St. Patrick's Brass Band was held in the evening at St. George's Hall, which was well filled with pleasure-seekers. Excellent music was provided by Messrs Lynn, Sykes, and Bailey, and dancing was kept up until an early hour this morning. A requisition, to which 385 signatures are attached, was presented to Mr H. S. Fish, jun., yesterday, asking him to again come forward as a candidate for the office of Mayor at the ensuing election. Mr Fish said he was very much gratified to receive a requisition so numerously signed, and expressed his intention to accede to the request made. Further particulars will be found in another column.

A meeting of the Dawn, of Light Division, No. 70, of the Daughters of Temperance, was held on Wednesday evening, in the Congregational Hall, Moray Place, for the purpose of installing the officers for the ensuing term. There was a large number of the Sisters present. The following officers were then installed :—Brother Sinclair, Acting D.M.W.P., and Bro. Wicks, M.W. Cond. ; Rev. T. Roaeby, W. P. ; Agnes Sinclair, W.A. ; Helen Nicol, R.S. ; Annie Graham, A.HB. ; Agnes Atcheson, F.S. ; Euphemia Kroon, Treasurer ; Margaret Adams, Conductor ; Margaret Sutton, A.C. ; Jane Etcheson, I.S. ; Bro. Wise, O.S. The Division is progressing very favourably, having a membership of 78, being an increase of 12 since the end of last quarter.

Petitions to both Houses of the General Assembly, asking that Mr Smythies may be re-admitted to practice, are in course of signature in somo of the up-country townships.

A meeting of the General Road Board was held yesterday. There were present—Hi* Honour the Superintendent (in the chair), and Messrs Reid and Bradshaw. It was reBolved, with respect to the complaint of Mr M'Coll, of Brighton, that the surplus of the rates remaining after the bridge over Taylor's creek had been erected, be expended in the manner requested by Mr M'Coll.

In the Daily Times of the 17th February f 1871, we recorded a gallant rescue of a drowning man by the second mate and one of the apprentices of the ship Otago, while that vessel was being towed to sea. We then expressed the hope that the circumstance might come under the notice of the officers of the Royal Humane Society, as eye witnesses described the act as one well worthy of notice by that Society. We are glad to find that, although after a lapse of 14 months, the gallant conduct of the two men has been rewarded in the manner mdi cated by us, as will be seen from the follow" ing paragraph, headed. " Royal Humane Society," which we clip from the Times of the 22nd April last:—" The case of the two seamen, M'Gruer and M'lntosh, of the ship Otago, from New Zealand, has come before the committee of this Society, which has awarded them the bronze medal and velium testimonial, in acknowledgment of their noble conduct in jumping into the sea and rescuing from, drowning a passenger who had fallen overboard, while the ship was under good way and in heavy weather. The officer, M'Gruer, liad sailed on an outward voyage before these awards were decided. The presentation to the apprentice, M'intosh, wan

made at the last general monthly meeting of the Gaelic Society of London, at their rooms io Bedford-row."

The Arrowtown correspondent of the DtiTistan Times writes j — "An extensive piece of auriferous country has l>een discovered tip the Arrow River, some seven miles above Maeetown ; a rush on a large scale is expected in the spring. Between the Arrow river and Lako VVanaka the attention of miners is much directed, and I should not wonder to see something valuable discovered in this direction ere long ; ifc i« all, comparatively, untried ground."

The Waikouaiti Herald utters the following bitter complaint regarding the state of the roads in that locality :—"The roads in the district are in a most miserable condi* dion. Go where you will, in whatever direction you turn your footsteps, the same difficulties beset you. It i« mud ! mud !! mud !! 1 ankle deep, knee deep, and via-t-trmi. How people manage to get about and attend to their own affairs is perhaps a wonder to themselves. It is seldom in the early days that we have experienced a more cheerless, disheartening, or miserable state of things. The main road is one sheet of puddle, and the bye-roads arc oven worse, for in place of, at all eventa, a sound bottom, you have to plodge through a stiff tenacious clay, which threatens at every step to engtilph yon. We hope, however, that we have arrived at the worst;, and that the weather will improve and the roads become a little more endurable than they arc at present."

With regard to the Cat-rick Reefs, the Cromwell Argus says:—"We have news from the Carrick reofa up till Saturday night. Tho Royal Standard battery was then off work, waiting for stone ; and the Star-and-Oak battery has ceased crushing in consequence of the frost interfering with the action of the mercury. The Elizabeth Company are putting through a crushing from their own claim, and will clean up to-night. The Elizabeth, Star of the East, Heart of Oak, and llob Roy, are all busy raising atone. The Duke of Cumberland shareholders have commenced sinking a new shaft, with the object of striking the main reef, which they expect to cut at a depth of 70 or 80 feet. Several new claims, and one or two formerly abandoned, including the Black Home, have been pegged out during the last week or two ; and altogether the prospects of the locality arc of a cheering character."