HAMILTON. (FROM A CORRESPONDENT.)

Otago Witness, Issue 741, 10 February 1866, Page 5

HAMILTON. (FROM A CORRESPONDENT.)

29th January.

As I anticipated in my last, the sluicers here are taking advantage of the plenteous supply of water, and are working night and day by shifts. The Rise and Shine Company had a washing-up since the- holidays, and offered I60oz; their party comprise eight working shareholders ; and another party at the Sowburn washed-up and realised 12Ooz -within the same period; and one shareholder of a party of three ■who have been working here for a long time, leaves to-morrow for Dunedin, en route to Victoria, of which colony he is a native ; he has not offered his gold to the Bank agents here, preferring rather to

convince the Victorians by ocular proof of what can be done in Otago by steady perseverance. I hear of many other parties being busily engaged with preliminary washings, so that for the next two months large parcels of sold will be offered to the Bank agents. Yet by some unaccountable anomaly the gold procured from these workings is included iv the Mount Ida returns whilst the parcel from Macraes, Hyde, Fulkrtous. ami adjacent digging-, are entered as Hamilton in the escort list. By such a strauge procedure, it is impossible for the public to distinguish the gold producing fields from the gold banking districts. This township, which formerly boasted of three established bank branches, is now snubbed by the occasional visits of itinerant agents, who keep a strong scent upon these diggings; and, as if by instinct, they know to a day when the sluicers are washing up ; consequently, they buy up large parcels of gold for their houses at Mount Ida, and include them in that district's escort returns, although it has to be conveyed back again to Hamilton, for safe keeping in the Receiver's offjee. It was rumored that an agency of the Bank of Otago would be established here. It would be an act of sound policy on the part of that institution if they carried out their intentions, and at the same time confer a boon on the district.

Mr Warden Broad visited Mount Ida on Monday, the 22nd instaat, and disposed of tkree cases in the Resident Magistrate's

Court, and 29 in the Warden's Court, and in the evening that gentleman delivered a lecture in the Union Chuch, for the praiseworthy purpose of strengthening the Church funds. Mr Draper, an indefatigable member of the Church Committee, was in the chair, an in a few remarks, introduced the lecturer. The subject chosen by Mr Broad was, " The reminiscences of an Immigration Officer in Victoria." I need not describe to your readers the effect that such a subject" would have upon an audience composed chiefly of Victorians, and who, perhaps, recognised their former characters as the new chum landing in Melbourne at the beginning of the golden era, with most damaging complaints against the ship, captain, doctor, purser, and even the length of the voyage, all of which grievances the Immigration Officer is expected to entertain, which, if Mr Broad succeeded but half so well with doing at Williamstown, in 1856, as he did at Mount Ida in the year of grace 1566, he deserves to be as popular as the late Premier. There were from 150 to 200 persons present, and the amount realised from the sale of tickets alone, at 2s 6d each, was £17. I hear that Mr B. will be requested to lecture for a similar purpose at Hamilton. The Lee Minstrels gave an entertainment the same evening ; therefore, your readers will understand that we Alpine residents know how to amuse ourselves.

I don't know how the citizens in Dunedin fare with regard to weather, but I can assure them that we have it parcelled out to us in beautiful variety. From Monday morning till Friday at noon, we are lounging in the tropics, and merely want some of " Gunter's" or " Verey V incomparable ice creams, to add to the illusion ; after which time, till Monday, we light our fires, draw the window curtains close, wheel the sofa — or draw the emigrant's chest to the stove, and entertain our wives aud families with " Shadows on the Snow," the Home News, or an old Saturday Review (not Grant's.) Despite the one or two days that Saxby bequeathed to us, we Ilamiltonians could make ourselves very comfortable if the good lignite in our neighborhood was come-atable, instead of having to send to Dunedin for coal ; but more of that subject in a future letter. I believe the Taieri River has risen considerably since my last communication, consequently interfering with our dray traffic, but I have not heard of any serious casualties arising therefrom. Thursday, Ist Feb.

From private information, just come to hand, I learn that the new rush at the head of Macrae's Flat, is taking every one there by surprise; and that the gold is much coarser than the usual character of the gold found lower down the Flat, but lighter — that the stripping is six feet, with from 6 to 18 inches of wash-dirt, and there is plenty ot water to wash with, without being inconvenienced with too much for working. But as I shall be in possession of more authentic information on Saturday, I will give your readers the benefit of it in my next. The weather here so far tropical — gardens delightful — and what's more delightful still, the mail leaves here tomorrow, with a positive assurance that the bags will not be detained on the road till the Tuesday morning as formerly.

An English paper states that, a player at whist may hold 635 thousand millions of various hands; so that continually varied, at fifty deals per evening for 132 evenings, or 15,650 hands per annum, it might be above forty millions of years before he would have the same hand again.