News of the Week.

Otago Witness, Issue 715, 12 August 1865, Page 11

News of the Week.

[PROM THE DAILT TIMES.}

Owing to the pressure of matter we are compelled to hold over our usual instalment of the story of " Armadale." Mr Lance has been returned without opposition as member of the Provincial Council ol Canterbury for the district of Sefton. The Town Clerk advertises for applications for the office of Assessors to the Corporation. Four assessors are to be appointed. Seventeen new accounts were opened at the Dunedin Savings Bank on Monday. The amount of deposits was L 544 16s 6d, and the withdrawals reached the sum of L 432 5s sd. The " Wellington Independent" of the 3rd inst., publishes a subscription list in aid of the City of Dunedin Relief Fund. The amount acknowledged is LlB9 19s 6d. Their Honors Mr Justice Richmond and Mr Justice Chapman sat in Banco on Monday. Judgment was delivered on the demurrer in Bird v. M'Lean, in favor of the defendant ; and in Morgan v. Pollock, discharging the rule nisi for a new trial obtained by the defendant. A demurrer in Bruce v. Harris (Superintendent) was argued, and the Court ook time to consider judgment. Constable Joseph Albert, No. 226, has been appointed Inspector of slaughter-houses and of cattle intended for slaughter, withia the Tokomairiro District, vice George B. Purdue, transferred. The frost for the past fortnight has been so sever at Mount Ida as materially to interfere with mining operations. Several new races are in course of construction; and when the weather becomes more favorable, there is every prospect of profitable workings. The weather at the Dunstan has been favorable for mining operations on the banks of the Molyneux. The river continues to fill, and is within 15 inches of the level of last winter. In the neighbourhood of the Clyde Township several parties are putting in wing dams, preparatory to working their claims. We give the following on the authority of the Melbourne ' Argus' :—": — " A new diggings has been discovered in the north-east of Tasmania, to which the name Cradle Gully Diggings has been given. In three days, with rude appliances., a party of three men had washed out six and a half ounces of very fine gold." In the recent collision between the steamers Jeddo and schooner Ada, in Sydney harbor, a seaman named Robert Codling, was drowned in the forecastle of the schooner. His body was afterwards recovered by divers. i An extraordinary general meeting of th° shareholders of the Gas and Coke Company will be held in the Masonic Hall, Princes street, on Monday, the 1 lth of September, for the purpose of receiving the report of the Company's proceedings, and other business of importance. The " Waikouaiti Herald," of Wednesday, informs us that " The promoters of the Shag Valley Ploughing Match, which was to have come oft on Friday next, have deemed it advisable to postpone the same to Friday, the 18 th instant, in consequence of an important sale to be held on the estate of Charles Hopkinson, Esq., at Moeraki, on the llth instant, by Messrs Driver, Al'Lean and Co." Arrangements are being made for a Masonic B ill, to be given in the Exhibition Building, on the 7th of Septeraher, under the patronage of the English and Scottish Grand Lodges. The privilege of admission will not be confined exclusively to masons. The ball will be given in aid of the Masonic Benevolent Fund, and a brilliant assembly may be anticipated. The usual monthly accounts of the Money Order Office have been made up, and the results are as follow : — The number of orders issued during the month of July was 419, representing .£1,711 19s 7d ; and the number paid was 243, amounting to £l,! 05 12s 4d. The total number of orders issued since the commencement of the system to the 31st July was 15.630, representing the sum of £76,671 18s 3d ; and the number paid was 5,225, amounting to £25,089 18s Id. A collision occurred on the 27th ult. in the River Yarra Yarra, between the steamers Edina and Gothenburg; the former had her bowsprit and figure-head carried away, besides sustaining other damage. The Gothenburg, which was outward bound, sustained but very little damage, and proceeded on her voyage. Mr Warden Lowther Broad reports from Wakatip : — "The miners at the Twelve Mile have been busily engaged repairing their races, the majority of which were severely injured by a landslip which took place some few weeks ago. I hope that all will be in full working order again in the course of the week. The River Companies having got their new gear rigged, expect to bottom their paddocks in a few days. The proprietors of the Criterion Quartz Reef are about to send for machinery. Upwards of 1500 tons of stone have been discovered, and the reef shows no sign of running out, on the contrary, it appears to be widening. The stone is very rich." The ship Maori, which sailed in February forEugland with military invalids, is reported by the Auckland papers as having had a very irying passage round Cape Horn, with strong Dreezes and thick foggy weather, and for thirteen days was beset with huge icebergs and fields of ice ; she had many narrow escapes, and was compelled to shorten sail at night to avoid a collision. She arrived at Portsmouth on the 26th of May, after a passage of 92 days.

The s.s. Wonga Wonga has lately been undergoing extensive repairs at Wellington, and is now on the slip, having her repair* completed. The Queen, belonging to the same company, after extensive repairs, ha* sailed for Picton, Nelson, and Hokitika. The time for receiving tenders for* alterations and additions to the Exhibition Building, Great King street, has been extended to Monday, the 28th in a tan t, at noon. A meeting of Justices under the Licensing Ordinance will be held at the Resident Magistrate's Courthouse, on Tuesday, the 12th of. September next, for the transfer, renewal, or removal of licenses. A testimonial, accompanied by an address expressing their sense of the kindness and courtesy of Captain Sennett of the ship* Leichardt, has been presented to that gentleman by the passengers and emigrants who> arrived in the Leichardt from London. Tha address with the names of the subscribing: parties appears in our advertising columns. Some very thoughtless persons hare t> cently been improving their rifle practice by firing at some of the beacons and buoys ia the harbor. A few days ago one of the buoys denoting the Channel was sunk by being fired at by some person who had stationed himself in a Rnug position on the shore, and made use of the buoy as a target, regardless of the interests his folly involved, or the lives of people passing in steamers and in boats. With reference to the present Ocean Mail Service as ppr formed by the P. and O. Company, the '• South Australian Register, v of the 27th remarks :—" The shortcomings of the P. and 0. steamers at critical moments are now always under notice. If this is theway in which they are froing to carry out the cheaper contract which they have undertaken, the colonies will be worse off thnn ever. They have given us smaller and less efficient steamers than formerly, because the passeDger traffic, which might have fully employed a better class of vessels, has been discouraged and driven away. All that the company care about is to carry the mailboxes, and they thiuk that any steamer which will hang together will do for this. After recent break-downs, delays, and detentions, the other Australian colonies will be able to sympathise with ourselves in thinking that the P. and 0. monopoly ought not to last much longer." At the Resident Magistrate's Court, oa Thursday, J. S. Robins, one of the passenger* who arrived here oa the 4th inst., by the ship Leichardt, from London, was committed to take his trial bef >re the Supreme Court, for stealing from the person of James Wilson, one of his shipmates, on Sunday last, 20 sovereigns, a gold chain with seals and locket, and a gold scarf pin. — A number of persons were fined in small sums for offences against the Police Ordinance. — Two drivers of breadcarts were summoned by Inspector Nimon, under the Bread Ordinance, for conveying and carrying bread out for sale without being provided with proper beams, scales, and weights for weighing the same. The charges were not pressed to a conviction, as these were the first which had been brought under thi» clause of tha Ordinance. The Inspector stated that these cases were brought for the purposeof informing those whose seat bread out for sale or delivery that it was required by the Ordinance that they should cirry with them a beam, scales and weights, for weighing the bread of any p rson who asked them to do so. The Magistrate said the lowest fine allowed by the Ordinance was 40s, and after thii caution he would impose it upon all who were brought before him and found guilty of this offence. A meeting of the Naval Brigade was held on Thursday night in the Drill Shed, after parade. The principal business was th» election of Petty Officers and Musketry Instiuctors. Messrs Smith, Fen wick, Jacobs Eva, and LI \vd were nominated Petty Officers, of whom the first two were elected ; and Messrs C. Hardy and J. Fenwick were appointed Musketry Instructors. We have received the annual rpport of the proceedings of the " National Colonial Emigration Society," London, for 1864-5, with a list of contributors and a balance sheet. The report informs us that the operations of the Society have been comparatively limited during the year, owing to the improvement that has taken place in the circumstances of the operatives in the cotton - manufacturing districts. The objects of the Society are not only to give assistance to emigrants but to disseminate accurate information relative to the British Colonies, amongst the classes of persons ia Great Britain from whom, the larger number of emigrants is taken. During the past year 1085 applications were made by intending emigrants; under whose auspices 79 went to the British North American Provinces, 196 to the Australian Colonies', 288 to the various Provinces of New Zealand, and 2 to the Cape of Good Hope. Of this number 96 were single women The report accounts for the large emigration to this Colony, from the fact that " the Province of Auckland, until recently, maintained less stringent regulations than any other Colony with regard to the qualifications of persons to whom free passages might b» granted," and, consequently, the agents of that Province were able to select, as eligible for free passages, many persons who would not have been eligible for free or assisted passages nnder the emigration regulations of any other Colony. The Secretary continued to offer free passages to single women to most of the Australian Coloniei. The balancesheet showed thatLl6U 8s 104 had been received in subscriptions and repayments by emigrants— the latter amounting to L 26» 6* 6d. The balancein; i? i m«U of the Treasurer was L 561 13s) L

The City Council met again on Wednesday afternoon. The salary of the Mayor for the current year was fixed at L 450. The different officers were re-appointed — the Clerk as Town Clerk, with LSOO a year salary, as heretofore; the City Engineer as Town Surveyor at LSOO a year, instead of L 600; and the assistant clerk, collectors, &c, at their old salaries. The appointments will, in terms of the Corporation Ordinance, he held "during pleasure" of the. Council; and a resolution •was adopted, declaring that the officers should devote ' " the -whole of their time" to the Corporate service, and not undertake private work. On Tuesday last 3 rifle match took place at the West Taieri, between ten men of the "West Taieri Rangers and ten of the East Taieri Rifle Company. The ranges were 150. 200, 250, and 300 yards— five shots at each distance. After a, very keen contest, the match was won by the West Taieri Hangers by 15 points. At the conclusion of the match, Captain Thomson and Lieutenant iFulton, in name of the members of the West Taieri Rangers, presented Drill-Instructor Stevens' with a purse containing L2O, in token of their appreciation of the services which he lias rendered to the Company. Mr Warden Charles Broad, writing from Hamilton, Taieri, on the sth August, says : — "The population remains as reported last week. Some parties who have taken tip an extended claim at Mount Ida, of three acres, in the Maori Gully, are about to construct a long tail race to the Taieri River, which will be of great benefit to the miners generally in carrying away the tailings. A share in Matthewson and party's claim and water race, at Hy<?e, changed hands lasfc week for L3OO. The continued frosts will have a very unfavorable effect upon the amount of the next escort. The Rise and Shine Company, at Hamilton, who have been ready for some time to wash up, are continually "being disappointed for -want of water. The United Company, who hold the first water right from the Pigburn. intend appl-ying for a lease of six acres at the Shepherd's Hut, in the Gorge, about two miles from this place, and intend to extend their present Whter race for the purpose of it. At Mount Ida, two new hotels have gone up, but the general impression is that the place is now being overdone as regards business people. Wages over the district remain at L 3 12s per week, with a scarcity of labor." A soiree or tea meeting was held in Mornington District School-house, on Tuesday evening, for the purpose of liquidating a small balance still owing on the building. Admission was obtained by tickets, at two shillings each. The room was crowded to an incon venient extent, upwards of two hundred persons being present. A profusion of evergreens and flags, most tastefully arranged on the walls and ceiling, deserved and obtained great admiration. A section of the Wakari Volunteers, in full dress, kindly consented to act as stewaids. After tea the Chairman (Mr E. De Curie) opened the proceedings, and introduced Mr Roy, who made an excellent address on the advantages of education, concluding by stating that he had attended many similar meetings, but never before felt soch thorough gratification and satisfaction aa in beii g present and addressing so large and enthusiastic an assembly. Several gentlemen then addressed the meeting, including Messrs John Sibbald, J. Matthewson, and Wm Barr, the speeches of both the fir*t and last-named gentlemen being exceedingly humorous. Eatables w ere supplied abundantly. Several ladies and gentlemen enlivened the proceedings with appropriate songs, and at 11 pm. the mec'ing dispesjd, having, as all acknowledged, spent a mott pleasant evening. Under the head of minirg intelligence, the «' Wakatip Mail" of the sth, repons:— " The weather this week has betn of a vny severe nature— retarding more or less all mining operations. The snowstorms have almost put an end to communication with the interior, and in some places the snowdrifts have been very deep, especially in the direction of the Moonlight aDd Moke Crocks. The news from the Twelve -mile (Arrow) ia extremely favorable, and at this place there are more extended claims than at any other within the entire district. Messrs Wright and Millet, mining surveyors, are Liying down the boundaries of two applications for leases on the Arrow quartz reef. The machinery for Skippers is still in town, and is likely to remain here until we have roads. It is again and again repeated ihat Government will do nothing in this direction until their favorite pet scheme of a lease of fifteen acres of virgin quartz ground is granted to Perry and Co. At Arthur's Point things have been more cheering during the past week. The Morning Star Company are into some very good ground, and things generally are looking better than they have been for some time past." The " Sydney Morning Herald" has the following :—": — " The discovery in this Colony of mineral shale producing kerosene oil is more extensive than is generally supposed. Notification has already been made of the formation of a company — ' The Hartley Kerosene Oil and Paiaffine Company/ and the tracks of their raw material forwarded to Sydney have for some days past attracted the attention of passengers by rail. The district of Hartley appears to be very rich in this mineral wealth, lor other localities have been discovered said to be quite equal to that now being -worked by the recently-formed com pany. This new land has been taken up by Messrs Stanford and Co, (importers of keroaene oil to this and the neighboring colonies), and Mr William Jelly, of Sydney. The experiments and examinations which have been made during the past few months are said to justify very sanguine expectations * ]

The " Southern Cross" of the 21st July, says :—": — " The cutter Elizabeth Ann, , which left the Thames district on Sunday last, arrived here yesterday morning. She brings a specimen of gold quartz found by a prospecting party at Kauaeranga. So far the prospecting has been earned on by private enterprise, and one of the party, Mr Middlemas, is endeavoring to induce the Provincial Government to assist them in their .further prospecting operations. The party of four men, whom we mentioned as having left Coromandel to prospect the same district, arrived there on Sunday last with a boat load of provisions." The first anniversary services in connection with the Hanover street Japtist Chapel, were held ou Sunday. In the moraing,the Rev. D. M. Stuart conducted the service; in the afternoon, the pastor of the congregation, the Rev. J. L. Parsons, preached from 2nd Chronicles, 24th chapter and part of the 23rd verse — " At the end of the year." In the evening, the Rev. Richard Connebee conducted the service, and chose for his text Luke, 24th chapter and the 47th verse — " And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." At the conclusion of each of the services a collection was made in aid of the liquidation of the debt on the chapel. The schooner Jeannie Dove ip reported by the " West Coast Times" to have been making 8 or 9 inches of water per hour when outside Hokitika bar, and it was expected she would have to be beached. Previous to the departure of the steamer Wellington, on Saturday atternoon, a deputation of the inhabitants of Port Chalmers waited upon Mr James Macandrew, at Dodson's Provincial Hotel, and presented him with an address, congratulating him upon his i return as member for the County of Bruce, and bespeaking his attention to the interests of Port Chalmers until the time when the Port should have its own representative in the General Assembly. A numerously signed memorial on the latter subject was also handed to him for presentadon to the Assembly, along with some memoranda on the constitution and encouragement of the Naval | Brigade as a force for colonial defence. Mr Macandrew warmly thanked the inhabitants for their expressions of congratulation, and briefly referred to the circumstances of his election, to the present important period in the history of the colony, and to his earnest desire to promote the neglected interests of Port Chalmers, while attending to those of his constituency and of the colony at large. Subsequently a number of friends sat down with him at dinner in the same hotel, and, after a few toasts were given, the members of the Naval Brigade Band musterei and accompanied the party to the steamer Peninsula, by which they were conveyed to the Wellington, the band plaviug appropriate tunes, and the company giving three parting cheers as the vessel sailed. A schooner named the Industry, which was sunk in *-. squall off Takapuna, has been raised, ani brought to Auckland. Her owner, Captain Yates, lost freight to the value oi: L3OO. The Big Beach Mining Company Works, Lower Shotover. were formally christened on Saturday, 20th July. Prom 150 to 200 persons were present. The works are on an extensive scale, the parties having found it necessary to construct a dray road two miles in length to a gully well timbered, from whence from 5000 to 6000 pieces have been taken, varying in length from 15 to 20 feet. On the bt ach itself many tons of material had to be moved, and much of it being rock required blasting. A line of crates or piling was then found necessary, and 55 chains of channel work had to be completed. After this had been accomplished a side wall was j found necessary in order to fix securely the piles or crates. This has been very strongly built, and forms an agreeable promenade. | The dam that has been constructed measures 478 feec long, 30 feet broad at its base, 10 feet at the top, and averages 12 feet high. The labor of 51 men wn% required 13 weeks ; to complete it, and 1700 tons of stone were used in filling the crates. Breakwaters are built inside to provide against damage should the river rise sufficiently high to flow over. Inside the wall is the tail race, three-quarters of a mile long, into which the leakage aud bottom water of the claims will have to be ! pumped. The cost of the tail race was LIOOO, I and the total amount invested up to the christening was L 7386 98 6d. Another thousand pounds will most probably require to be expended before the works are fully completed. The brig Phillis, which was recently snagged at Wanganui, when there with a cargo from Adelaide, has proceeded to Nelson for, the purpose of going on the slip for repairs. The " Canterbury Press," of the sth inst., gives the following account of a shocking occurrence :—": — " Information reached Christchurch yesterday morning that Mr Leith had attempted suicide, and Dr Turnbull and Mr Duncan, the solicitor, at once proceeded to Leithfield to render assistance. Mr Leith, it appears, has for some time past been much' harrassed about money matters, and on returning from town on Thursday evening he found that his daughter, who had been for some time nnweli, was dying. This approaching affliction threw Mr Leith into a great state of excitement, and under its influence he attempted to kill himself by firing a loaded pistol at his chest, against which he placed the muzzle of the weapon, but by some cause the slugs with which it was loaded, instead of penetrating, diverged and passed round the breast, causing a frightful wound. Dr Turnbull returned to town last night, and, we are happy to state, holds out great hopes of Mr Leith's recovery."

Mr John Augus, a well-known storekeeper at Queenstown, is in gaol upon an attachment for contempt of Court —refusing to obey an order of the Supreme Court. Mr Angus was taken into custody on Tuesday; and on the previous evening Thomas George Dugard, a young man, was apprehended for the same reason. We believe this is the first occasion on which imprisonment for contempt of Court has occurred in the history of the Province . A good deal ot interest has been excited, nnd a good many rnisreprespntations have naturally been current. In the following statement of what has led to the imprisonment of Messrs. Angus and Dugard, little will be stated except what is to be gathered from proceedings before the Court in Banco or in Chambers. As to the real merits of the original dispute or debt, which has ended so unpleasantly for the claimant and for his agent, we know nothing, and we should avoid an expression of opinion even if all the facts were within our knowledge. We have said that Mr Angus is a storekeeper at Queenstown ; and there also dwells, or has dwelt, a butcher and cattle dealt r named Clements. Angus commenced proceedings against Clements ; he obtained judgment ; and issuing a writ, he seized 211 sheep and a horse, belonging to ClemeDts. Dugard wag I put into possession as special bailiff. On the 25th April, in Chambers, leave was obtained, on behalf of Clements, to plead; and on the 12th May, it was ordered that the proceedings in Angus v. Clements should be set aside, the defendant being allowed to plead within 12 days, on bringing L 39 into Court — costs on both sides to be costs in the case, and short notice of trial to be accepted by Angus. On the same day, there was a motion to set aside. the writ, and the summons was dismissed, with 21s costs. On the 30th June, there was a further motion to make the execution money payable to the Sheriff instead of th» plaintiff; and this was granted, subject to the production of a consent by the plaintiffs solicitor. About this time, the Sheriff, acting in obedience to the previous orders of the Court, wrote an order to Dugard to go out of possession, and its delivery was entrusted to Clements. Dugard, on seeing the order, refused to recognise it — stating, we believe, that he doubted whether it had been written by the Sheriff; and when Clements sought to assert his right to the sheep, by attempting to take possession of some of them, he was given into custody on a charge of attempting to steal them. Taken before the Magistrate at Queenstown. he failed to get the order recognised or his story believed, and he was remanded for a week. It is noticeable that when the gentleman who appeared for Angus, was asked by the Magistrate under what Ordinance the information was laid, the answer was — according to a report in the " Wakatip Mail," which was read in the Supreme Court — to the effect that " it was under no particular Ordinance, but that he had made the information out of his own head." Clements being in custody, information was sent to Dunedin ; and on the 12th July, Mr Barton obtained a rule nisi calling upon the Sheriff and Dugard to show cause why an attachment should not issue against them. It was stated that there was no intention of proceeding as against the Sheriff ; but that it was necessary to include him, soa9 to get", through him, at Dugard, who was, for all legal purposes in the case, the deputy of the Sheriff. On the 14th July, the Sheriff 1 personally applied in Chambers for payment of the bailiffs charges; but a postponement was ordered, fur further affidavits or explanations. On the 19th July, Mr Gillies appeared, during a sitting in Banco, to show cause against the rule for an attachment; but there was an adjournment until the 3i«t. On the 21st, iv Chambers, an order was granted ex parte, ordering the plaintiff, the Sheriff, and the bailiff, to return the goods levied on — that is, to return the sheep to Clements. There is no reason to doubt that at this time the sheep had actually been sold and some of them slaughtered, so th-it to return them was simply impossible. A few days later, the order to give up the goods was ma<ie a rule of the Court ; and Clements being now at liberty, the service of it upon Angus and Dugard was entrusted to him. On the 31st July, Mr Barton was unable to be pre&en t, being ill, and the motion for a rule absolute for attachment against the Sheriff and Dugard was further postponed. Between the 31st July and the 7th inst. (Monday last), Clements served the rule of Court upon Angus and Dugard ; and on Monday, Mr Barton moved for a rule for attachment, on the ground that both had refused to obey the order of the Court. A rule absolute was granted ; and Angus and Dugard were arrested, as already stated. The rule nisi of the 12th July was discharged as against the Sheriff without costs, and as against Dugard with such costs as he had incurred in consequence of its service. "We presume that some motion will be made on behalf of Angus and Dugard at the next sitting in Banco, on the 16th inst. Mr Warden Wood reports from Nbkomai, under date the 22nd July: — •' Several new claims have been taken up on the creek, Moffat's party having struck a good run of gold below the junction of bullock Head Creek. There was a small rush to a gully down the Mataura, leading from the Dome; but I do not anticipate that it will turn out anything, should it do so it will maintain a large population." On the 29th ho further said :— " Many of the river claims continue to return good dividends to the shareholders. Moffat's party are said to have obtained a very good prospect; their ciaitn is the lowest down the river' that has bottomed. The Spurs are turning out more gold the last fortnight, the raceholders having a good supply of water . I believe the Nokomai will retain its present population, notwithstanding the good accounts from the Grey."

The steamers Yarra and Uno, lately purI chased by Messrs M'Meckan, Blackwood and' Co. for the Hokitika and river trades, left Hobson's Bay oa the 27th alt. They are well rigged, and in first-rate trim for thevoyage. A public tea meeting in connection -with the first anniversary of the Hanover street Baptist Chape) was hc'ld on Tuesday nifrht. The i Clmpel was w-H filleii. Aft j r tea, Mr ThomasDick was called to the chair, aud he was 1 supported on the nhifc'onn by the Revs.. Richard Connebee, J. L. Rirsons, T. S. Forsaith, and J. Alfred. The chairman mentioned that several friends were expected to be present and address the meeting who weTe unable to attend. Mr John Bathirate had gone on a visit to Wellington, the Rev. D. M. Stuart had a meeting in his o^n chnrch, and the Rev. W. Gillies and the Rev. D. Meiklejohn begged to be excused for various reasons. After some remarks of a general nature, the chairman called upon the pastor of the congregation, the Rev. J. L. Parsons, who proceeded to give a sketch of the operations of the Church during the past year. He said that the average general attendance at the chapel on Sundays was good, but always largest in the eveniDga, when a number of strangers were often present. During the past year there had been received in the fellowship of the Church 63 new members, and during the same period they had lost ten> members, five of whom left for other Churches, and five had left the town. This lefc a permanent addition to the Church membership of fifty-three persons. They had two especial causes for thankfulness. The first -was that; there ha r l b<'en no deaths among the members of the Church during theyear, or, indeed, since he became connected with them ; and the second was that they had happily been spared any dissensions among themselves,, and had all worked amicably together for the good of the Church. As to the financial position of the Church, he wis happy to say that they had prospered beyord the hopes of the most sanguine among them. Their tot;sl debt had now been reduced to LISOO, but against that they could set off promises to the amount of L3OO, which brought the actual debt down to LI2OO. But part of this sum was not connected with the building of the Church, but were expenses incurred in connection with his coming to Dunefiin and settlement amongst them. He confidently expected that by the end of the year the debt would be reduced to LIOOO. Within the past eighteen months they had collected upwards of L2OOO towards defraying the debt on the church, aud lie believed that he would be able to keep hi 3 promise that before the end of the three years their Church ! would be entirely free from debt. He was happy to st Ue that the Sunday School in connection with the Church was steadily progressing, the attendance being from 70 to 120 scholars, according to the state of the weatherHe referred to a number of other spheres of Christian usefulness in which several of the members of the Church found employment, and conceded by thanking the large number of friends from other Churches who were present for their attendance. Addresses were afterwards delivered by the Eev. Messrs Forsaith. Connebee, and Aldred, and during the intervals the choir sang several sacred pieces in a very admirable manner. The choir was conducted by Mr Fleming, and the harmonium was presided over by Mr Little. An the conclusion of the proceedings votes of tlvinks were given to the Chairman, to the ladies who had provided the tea, and to the choir for their services. The unsightly hoarding, dirty and decayed, which has so long surrounded the Cargill Monument, has been replaced by a wooden railing, octangularly arranged, and standing about lOtt. from the base of the Monument. This is decidedly an improvement, although the railing seems unnecessarily high and closely arranged. The ground is being levelled for a width of lOit. along each face of the railing. The contractor for the work is Mr John Campbell. The "Taranaki Herald" states the following: " We understand that by the s s. Storm Bird, which arrived on Saturday last, an order was received for the immediate release of Mr Joha Henderson, brewer, who was sentenced on the 9th June to one month's imprisonment for an assault on Peter Gay. The order of release was dated at Wellington, 24th June, but from the steamer being detained by bad weather at Wanganui and on the passage thence, it did not arrive until thirteen days after date, and within one day only of the expiration of the full term of imprisonment. We understand also that his Excellency the Governor has been pleased to commute the punishment of L. Y. Provost, sentenced to two years' imprisonment at the Criminal Sittings of the Supreme Court held in New Plymouth in February last. He was released ou Thursday." Mrs Alpenny has been making a tour through some portion of the gold fields, for the purpose of aiding female immigration. Her principal object was to obtain information, so as to be able to judge of the class of persons most likely to do well in those districts. In the course of her tour she delivered lectures at.Laurence, Wetberstone 8, The Blue Spur, Tuapeka Flat, and Waipori, on the " Moral and Intellectual Influence of Woman on Society." The proceeds of the lectures were presented to the Hospital and School at Laurence. Mrs Alpenny was well and hospitably received, and speaks highly of the generally respectful treatment which women receive in the mining districts. It is that lady's intention to embody an account of her visit to the gold fields in a report for the Home p ipers, with the view of inducing a respectable class of- women to emigrate from Home, and of urging a more careful selection of assisted emigrants.

The " Waikouaiti Herald " of Wednesday e&ys*— -«' A very fair average meeting took place at Beat's Royal Hotel, on Friday evening last, to discuss the matter of the formation of an Agricultural and Pastoral Association for the Waikouaiti and Shag Valley Districts. Mr M'Gregor was voted to t!ie chair, and Mr Mnllach to tho vice-chair. Owing, however, to the unavoidable absence of three or four of the principil promoters of the scheme, nothing more was done than flaking initiative steps, one of the principal ot npfoich was that more than a dozen gentlemen >put -down their names as members at LL Is Kper annum, thereby forming the nucleus ef •what <onght to become a highly important body. It was proposed by Mr Robert Mit«hell that the Association should embrace "within its scope the Provincial Electoral District of "Waikonaiti, viz , from the Waitaki to its source ; thence in a direct line to the Taieri <River to its 'junction with the Kyeburn, running up to its source ; thence "to ' the IXakanui and Horse Ranges to the sea. This was carried. A committee of four were elected, consisting of Messrs R. Mitchell, M'Gregor, Mallach, and Whina / ai, to canvass ■support*; and it was further agreed that the meeting be adjourned to Friday, the 18th instant, at the Palmerston Hotel, the Ploughing Match coming oft on that day rendering it a suitable time, as no doubt all the neighboring settlers would be gathered togeth r on that occasion. We must not 'Oinic to state <that host Beal lias provided a first-rate spread, ■which was done ample justice to before the meeting commenced business, and notwithstanding parties being brought together who were opposed in electioneering durin? the day, a very pleasant evening was spent, which broke up at an unusually early hour." We are requested on behalf of Mr Thomas Robertson to acknowledge the receipt by him ofL22, from Captain Machin, of the Prince Alfred, P.KZ. and A.R.M. Do.'s steam-vessel, 'Collected by him for the City of Dunedin Wieck Relief Fund from the passengers and ■•rew of the Piince Alfred during her voyage. The "Wakatip Mail" informs us:— "A very heavy fall ot snow took place on Monday •night and yesterday. So far as this district is concerned, it is the heaviest this year." Another instance ot kindly feeling towards new settlers in addition to that, a notice of which lately appeared in our columns, has been communicated to us by a correspondent. It took place at Warepa, on Saturday last, the Sth instant : — "To-day, to show you that the Warepa good foiks are not behind hand in .giving help to a new court, Messrs Porteous and M'Caig were the worthy recipients on the occasion of the kindness shown them, and although but a fortnight in the district it became so well known that they were about to settle here, that a great nu.nher of ploughs were volunteered. Fourteen made their appearance at an early hour, and went to work with a will, and at the close of the day you could see twelve acres of first class ploughing, which did great Cielit to both horses and men. Many more who had promised their assistance were unfortunately unable to come, but they fully intend to give a day's work in the coming week. Messrs Porteous and M'Caig provided liberally for the occasion, and everything went off satisfactorily. The day was unusually fine, which is something new of late, as the weather for some time past has been very rough. The roads are in a fearful state, and I may tell you that a bridge (known as Andrew M'Neil's bridge) has been awept away completely. It is time the Government put up one in its place, as I believe the tender is accepted ; no time should be lost." The " Wakatip Mail,' ' referring to further discoveries of auriferous quartz, says : — " Late last evening we were informed by Mr Warden Beetham that the continuation of the j reef at the Arrow had been struck beyond the | ground now being surveyed for lease. The stone was discovered close to the surface, and the crushing by hand yielded splendid prospects." The Maori Point correspondent of the "Wakatip Mail," of 4th August, says: — " Things are going on quietly at the reefsnothing of importance having taken place eince my last, but things are going on smoothly, and all are preparing for the coming spring. The Aylmer Race Company will wash up this week with fair results, considering the many stoppages they have had through the breaking away of their race. Ferguson and party are going through the Gorge .steadily, and are making very good wages, with a prospect of something better in tho course of a week or two. The other parties working on the creek are receiving fair returns. Several important mining cases have been disposed of this week in connection with the reefs and disputed ground at Skippers, and it is of the utmost importance that we should have a Resident Warden on this promising gold field. At the right and left hand ' branches of the Shotover things are steadily improving, and no doubt in another month or two will speak for themselves. At the Sandhills, several parties are at a standstill on account of the hard frost. The same complaint is made on the Shotover generally. In the river bed all i 3 activity; everyone striving to make the most of this favorable opportunity, and most of them are getting good gold. The tunnelling parties are doing well with several years' work before them. It gives me great pleasure to inform you that Divine service was renewed here last Sunday, and it must have been very gratifying to the inhabitants and miners of this locality to assemble once more on such" an occasion. All the books belonging to the Church were placed in the hands of Mr Ross, sub-agent of the Bank of New Zealand, and, consequently, were burnt at the late fire."

A few days ago an account appeared in the ' Daily Times of the attempted suicide and gallant rescue of a roang female at Waipori. On the day following she was charged before Major Croker, the Resident Magistrate, with attempting to destroy herself, when a young man entered the Court, and offered to marry her, on condition ot' her bsing released. The Magistrate, after sonic consideration^ acceded to the request, but insisted th.it the ceremony should be completed btlore she received her discharge from custody, and this having been done in the presen°e of a constable, the bridegroom took away his bride. By our late files from Sydney, we learn that the revenue of New South Wales, for the year ending June last, falls short of the expenditure by L 420.469. The income was L 1,462,009, and the expenditure L 1,882,478. The revenue returns for the island colony of Tasmania do not appear to be in a more nourishing condition. The " Launceston Examiner" remarks as follows with reference to the income and expenditure of the first six months of the year :—": — " The duties collected from that period amount to L 65.423, or L 7467 under the Ministerial calculation. This, we own, is a less falling off than we apprehended some weeks since ; bat it was nevertheless such a falling off in tlMt portion of the year which has usually been found to be the most productive, as ftill to justify the fear of a deficiency to a serious amount in the year's income as compared to the estimate of the Treasurer." , There are rumours at the Dunstan of a I rush to the head of Lake Wanaka ; but nothing certain is known concerning it. Gold has been found in payable quantities both there and at the Makarora River. Mr Warden Stratford reports as follows from Cromwell, under date August sth :—: — " I have this week visited Quartz Reef Point, Poison Creek, Sandy Point, and Newcastle (Albertown). At Quartz Reef Point tlie sluicing companies are barely earning wages, but, nevertheless, seem determined to continue working out their claims. The Nil Desperandum Company have now completed the upper breakwater (or dam), and I was enabled to walk dry footed from the main land to Scrubby Island, a distance of about 800 feet, across the main channel of the Clurha, and with a draught oi water on the current side of about 2£ fathoms in the centre. The construction ot this dam is worthy of description; and this gigantic piece of work is illustrative of the unflinching determination of the bone and sinew of Otago, in developing the resources of the Gold, Fields. la September, 1864, twenty miners formed themselves iato a company, and chose among themselves ten of their number to turn the course of the Clutha, for a distance of about three-quarters of a mile round an island of about that length, which has hitherto divided the river into two branches at Quartz Reef Point, each branch bearing abouc the same body of witer, and the same strength of current. The width of the branches is about 650 feet; force of current, 6 knots; and average depth in midstream, 2to 3 fathoms. In December, 1864, they commenced operations. One pirty were employed in cutting and rafting timber down from Lake Wanaka (a distance of 35 miles), to make tramways; and the remaining five in preparing a road from the Quartz Reefs on the neighboring terraces to place the sleepers and rails for the trucks. After constructing a tramway of about 400 yards, they commenced forming a foundation to the breakwater. To do this they had to blast a great deal of solid ' rock ; and to give an idea of the magnitude of their work, it is as well tj relate that the foundation is formed of huge stones, weighing from 15cwt. to 30cwt., that were conveyed down in trucks of their own building, and thrown into the river, as they encroached into the stream. The dimensions of the stonework are as follows : — Length of stonework, 888 feet ; width of foundation at its base, 24 feet ; width at the top, 6 feet ; height, 15 feet (being just above the water's edge). And to complete this breakwater effectually, they have yet to run out another one, somewhat similar, inside it (to refaist the j summer floods), which, when completed, will give the whole dam a width of 48 feet at its foundation, and 24 feet on the top. Added to which, they will be obliged to run a line of embankment, 400 feet in length, along the outer or western side of Scrubby Island, to prevent the river from bursting through, and to reduce the amount of percolation. These, which only may be considered as preliminary operations, they expect to have completed in four months more. They employ a secretary and treasurer to keep their books, pay expenses, and collect calls weekly ; and I have ascertained from the Secretary that the amount actually expended to 31st of July ult. is L 2076 14s 2d, to which should be added L 720, being half wages at L 4 a-week, a sum generally restored to the funds by the working shareholders, who decline to take more than L 2 a-week. In the vicinity of Poison Creek (a place nearly opposite the Lindis Pass) there is a party of six sluicing ; and at Sandy Point (both sides of the river) about 18 miners and one storekeeper. They seem to be doing very well, and are not likely to abandon the Point. At this place I was shewn a windmill, invented and made by a Greek named John Kelly. It is a most ingenious contrivance, and I am told answers splendidly for working the Californian pump. It is built of Lake Wanaka wood, and stands on a frame of about 8 feet square. The mill itself is a square frame, and works horizontally, like an English round-about. On each corner a mast is stepped; through the sheave at each mast head haulyards are rove, and the standing post bent to an iron traveller with a hook for the becket on the gaff of the sails. The sails are dandy-cut boom-mainsails, with Blab reefs, and are hauled out to booms of about 10 feet in length, fie reefs his sails and

shakes them out according to the afo 'ength of the wind ; and this is the only plan ho nas °* increasing or reducing the power of ttk* ma " chinery. Having no pall or compressor oa the machine, the side of the mill is fitted wiv h cogs, which interline another set of cogs ofl the drum (or roller) of the pump, and by this method keeps the band -working steadily while there is wind. The pump can be nsed in two ! ways, either t& draw water from the river, and branch-piped for sluicing", or to drain wet paddocks before working. The inventor told me, that with a good stiff breeze and fie present appliances, he thought it would pump out ten to twelve tons an hour. I was also shewn a cradle with a attached to it ; and it is so fitted th it as the cradling continues, the pump woks also, throwing a good stream of water info the cradle, and saving the miner from tho tedious labor of hand baling. At Newcastle (or Albert Town), which stands on a pmnnntory at the junction of the Wanaka, Cl.rha, and Girdrona, there are two hote?s, on- of them (Mr Henry Norman's) a two-stor-v house, and fitted up in a most comfort.. We and costly style; a post office, and sure. The mining population numbers in all, .iiout 18, and they may be looked upon as permanent residents. The everlasting complaint (that is so proverbial at the Dunstan), the river wont go down, is changed into a marked contrast here ; for they anxiously look forward for the rising of the river, as, having no races, they are compelled to carry all their washdirt down to the beaches to cradle it ; ' and as the recession of the river continues the distance of conveyance, and consequently their labor considerably increases. The only other people residing in this locality tire the timber cutters, who (about 18 in number) are employed felling trees, and floating them n rafts to Cromwell. The rumour of a rush to Hawea (Gladstone) is entirely without foundation; and having ascertained that there were only a few persons there, and that there had been no great finds, I considered it unnecessary to proceed further. The distance to the locality of the reported rush i« about 15 miles from Newcastle. I am now in a position to give an approximate estimate of the mining population of the sub-district of Cromwell, from information gathered oa my visits to the various localities in tho district, viz — In the immediate vicinity of Cromwell say — 60 miners ; Bannockburn, 30 miners ; Smith's Gully, Adams's Gully, Shepherd'a Creek, Pipeclay Gully, Doctor's Fiat, 90 miners ; Kawarau Gorge Township, 50 miners ; from Kawa.au Gorge to Krtlebum, 50 miners ; Quartz Reef Point, f><> miners ; from Quartz Lieef to Rocky Point, 18 miners ; Bendigo Gully, 130 ; Poison Cr.i< k, Sandy Point, and Albert Town, 45 miners ; total, 533 miners. The number of pers .us otherwise employed than mining, w mien and children, the number of races and extended claims, the style of working, and machinery, are subjects I will reserve- for a future report. Wages for hir-jd Libour in mining, average L 4 a w-^ek, aud have remained steadily at ttint mark, for some months past, Messrs Siedeburg and Co. are working their new dredging machine on the Jlawarau with success. ladeed, we may expect, before very long, to see other capitalists emulating the example of this worthy, enterprising man ; and by this means giving employment to a lan;e number of tried men, and extracting gold (all the year round), independent of the rise and fall of the river. Th firat cost of a dredging machine (built like Mr SiedeburgV) I believe to be about L 400; and, if propeny worked near the well-known beaches, the profits (clear of all expenses) should average about LlO a week. In spite of the several days' rain, the Clutha and Kawarau have remained at the winter level, and are still receding. The cradles are busy at work all the way up and down the rivers; and we may calculate upon a rich harvest for about three weeks more out of the beach claims. I kno «■ of no place in the district where the miners may be said to be doing remarkably well, but rather on the contrary; yet, nevertheless, it may be considered a permanent gold field for men who are contented with fair wages ; and as a proof that the gold is pretty evenly sprinkled all over the terraces, nearly all the* miners are men who have been living aearly in the same spot for more than two years, still woikiig away on their original claims, with comfortable and substantial houses to resid ' in. Mr Shanley, of Cromwell, has cultivated a large garden to supply the town with market •vegetables; and miners, in all parts of the district, are applying for half-acre areas for similar purposes. The first girder of the Government bridge, at Cromwell, whs planted on Tuesday last; and it is anticipated that Hill's bridge will be no longer in requisition after the end of August inst." It appears that the Tasmanian gentleman whose Victorian Government Debentures, to the value of upwards of LIO,OOQ, were recently found abstracted from the box in which they had been deposited for sale keeping in the Union Bank, Melbourne, was Mr Richard Lewis, of Hobart Town. The " Geelong Advertiser" states that the report that " the employes of the Union Bank intended to refund the property abstracted by the absent clerk is without foundation. This denial is given upon the authority of Mr D. Lewis, of Tasmania, who is now on a visit to Ballarat, and who is a son of Mr Lewis, whose property was stolen. This gentleman states that the whole matter has been referred to the head office, in London, for the opinion of the directors. 1 * The "Lake Wakatip Mail" of the sth, reports : — "A nngget weighing 11 ounces is reported ' to have been found lately in the vicinity of "Waitahuna, which has caused some excitement in the neighborhood, and parties have set out prospecting in the hope of finding a quartz reel"

The Wellington " Advertiser," quotes ttur following- — " By the s.s. Otago, which arrived this morning, we have later news from the North ? and front the " Nelson Examiner " we learn that another victim has fallen to Maori vengeance atWsfrea inTaranaki Capt. of the 43rd Light Infantry, in charge of the redoubt iefc at Warea by Colonel Warn" na^ S one w^ u a P art y °f mea *° tne " edge of * I>ie forest for firewood. There a body of She enei n y> w^° must have expected the^ party, lay it* ambush, and fired oa them as they 'approat ned - Captain Close w.is killed by the fikafc v<&' e y> an<i two soldiers and one friendly native 1 v were wounded. The troops on being fired npo 1 charged their assailants, bat the latter im lrie g JO(J t!leir retreat. Whether they Bustw' ine(l any loss i 8 not known." At Mount Banger a rs-V heavy fall of snowtook place on Thursday last > which covered the ground to a consider* ble deptli. _ The river is low, and thus a g&ju opportunity is affjrded to the parties working- oa the banks to obtain gold from them. Sjvet."*! are doing very well . A new Court of Forestere wag opened at the house of Host Capstick, of the White Horse Hotel, Tokomairiro. The District Chief Ranger Brother Ainswortb, the Sabchief Brother Woodland, and Secretary W. GGeddes left Dur.edin early on Saturday* morning, and with the assiscance of the C.B. and other Brethren of Court Pride of Danedin, initiated twenty-three members. This: new branch is named Court Bruce, and is destined to become a very influential Court of the order. After the initiations, 23 in. number, the election of officers was proceeded with, and resulted in favor of the following eentlemen : — Chief Ranger, Brother J. Daniels ; Sub-chief Ringer, E. Campbell j Secretary, E. Gillcn ; Treasurer, J. M. Bryee ; S.W., G. Anderson; J W., E. Jackson; 5.8., J. Whvtlock ; J. 8., W. M/Millen ; Surgeon, Dr Weber. The officers bsing duly installed, concluded the business of the evening. On the 19th of July, the " Southern Cross" states — "As soon as if. became known that Sir Duncan Cameron was shortly to take his departure from this Colony for England, the inhabitants of the Province of Auckland felt that they could not allow the gallint General to leave without >v befitting: mmifestation of their esteem for him, and their high appreciation of the important services which he has rendered co New Zealand. A preliminary meeting, largtly attended by the principal merchants and! influential citizens of Auckland, was held at three o'clock yesterday^ ia Mr S. Cochrane's building-*, Fort street, for the purpose of considering the most suitable way of giving expression to the public gratitude and respect on the occasion of the General's departure from our shores."' The same paper, of 22nd July, also says : — •' A very numerously attended and influential meeting of tne citizens of Auckland was held yesterday afternoon, at three o'clock, in Mr S. Cochrane's Land Mart, Fort street, for the purpose os receiving the report of the preliminary committee appointed to consider the best means of carrying out the presentation of an address, and sword and belt, to Lieutenant- General Sir D, A. Cameron, X C.8., prior to his leaving the Colony for England. His Honor the Superintendent, Robert Graham, Esq., occupied the chair. Resolutions were proposed, and unanimously carried, to the effdct that General Cameron was deserving of the beat thanks of the community of Auckland for the manner in which the war iv this Province had been conducted ; and it was resolved that an address should be presented, adrift copy of which was read. It was also decide 1 that arrangements should be made for the presentation of a sword and belt to be procured in, England, and to be selected by the General." The correspondent of the " New Zealand Herald," of July 20, writes from Coromandel : " There can be little doubt that our diggings are in a very prosperous way; and judging from present indications, it is only to be supposed that their bounds will soon be considerably extended — that is to say, that the mining operations will not be ao confined to the Driving Creek vicinity that they have been. The Kapanga Company, as usual, continues to get out fine stone. A few days since, I had a considerable quautity of rich specimens from this company's ground, and if the m nth concludes as it has begun, the ingots for July will be pretty weighty. Of No. 1, I hope soon to be able to write something of interest, and there is no doubt that the fact of gold being struck in this claim will give a great impetus to the place. The opinion of nonintcested and competent persons is that this will prove a very gold-producing claim. The chimney of the Coromandel Company 1 a claim proved unequal to withstand the force of . the gale on Tuesday night last, and is amoagsc the things that were. The bricks composing this defunct piece of masonry were, 'ormerfjr embodied in the chimney belonging to Keven's machinery, which will be reraempered by many as an ornament to Kapanga. II It is an ill wind that blows none any good;" the gale has saved the company the trouble of pulling down the chimney, as it is stated that such was their intention. I understand that the Auckland Quartz Crashing Company's battery is not likely to be working again for some time to come, and that Murphy's Reef Gold Mining Company had made this company an offer for the machinery. The offer, I believe, was not such as to satisfy, an 1 therefore I fear that Murphy's claim will j be registered ior machinery, and the A. Q, C. Company's battery will not be working. Racurring to the Coromandel claim, it is.flwd that the registration applied for will be of a very temporary nature. Some good specimens were again to-day taken out of the Kapang*. Company's ground.'