DUNSTAN. (FROM THE DAILY TIMES CORRESPONDENT.)

Otago Witness, Issue 642, 19 March 1864, Page 10

DUNSTAN. (FROM THE DAILY TIMES CORRESPONDENT.)

Dunstan, 13th March, 1864. The glorious weather we have at present augurs well for the future prosperity of this place, and should the same continue for about two weeks longer, the fliolyneux will be as low as at the time of the first rush to the Dunstaa, The oft repeated query or problem of "will the river go down" is now almost solved ; but we must all bear in mind that should a hard day's rain come, we would quickly find ourselves as "we were," however, the large population who have settled on the Molyneux and its tributaries are, by this time getting almost acclimatized, and prepared to put up with any kind of weather; they know very well the gold is in the river, and they are satisfied to watch, an'l pray the river may go down. We are already beginning to notice a pretty large access to our population ; the streets on last Saturday eveaing appeared more crowded than they have been for many a day.

The impression of a great many ii, that for a few months the Dunstan will be very good both for the miners and storekeepers, and as soon as the river rises next Spring, the place will be what they term " cooked." This, however, will not be the case : the Dunstan will be a flourishing ■own when other — perhaps at present more pro« mising places, will be forsaken.

On Wednesday last the new self-acting punt, belonging to Messrs M'Pherson and Edwards, was completed, and is a decided success. Nearly one-half the townspeople turned out on the occasion. The pleasing ceremony cf christening was performed by Mr Thomas Munro, who, in an appropriate speech, said that the ceremony he was then about to perform was without exception the most interesting and the most pleasant duty he had performed on the Dunstan ; that from the first opening ot this gold field a bridge or punt was our greatest want. Government has been repeatedly applied to tor either, but they have delayed so long that private enterprise had to step in and supply us with a* want long felt. He congratulated Messrs M'Pherson and Edwards on the success of their undertaking, and said that in benefiting themselves they conferred a benefit on the whole district, and deserved the thanks of the community. He also complimented the builder, Mr Edgar, for the workmanlike manner in which he finished his work. Mr Munro then stepped forward, and broke a bottie of wine over the forepart of the punt, naming it the " Pioneer," amidst loud cheering. The health of the spirited proprietors was then drank, and the punt left the shore (having near a hundred persons on board) amidst deafening cheers, and made the first tiip across the river in about one minute. This certiinly is a move in the right direction.

The news of the rise of flour in Dunedin caused some little stir in that article in this place. A few of the " knowing ones" went round buying up ; however, not more than five or aix tons changed hands, as the stock? are very light, and should a heavy rush set in before we get fresh supplies we may anticipate a great rise in flour. Business generally speaking is very dull, but we have at present good hopes, as the river is going down steadily from three to six inches in the 24 hours, and requires to go down from fonr to six feet to be at its very lowest ebb. A great many places will however be workable if it goes down three more feet. It is a great pity the Government does not take more active steps in placing a bridge over the Clutha River, at its confluence with the Kawarau. The road is nearly completed, but will be of no earthly use* ho far as vehicles are concerned until a bridge is made,