NEWS OF THE WEEK.

Otago Witness, Issue 921, 24 July 1869, Page 14

NEWS OF T HE WEEK.

The Temperance movement is reported, to be making rapid progress in Hokitika.' 4 ; We understand that Mr Carriok does not intend to geek re-election as a representative, of Bigh Ward in the City Council. A boiling-down establishment is about to, be erected at Temuka, in Canterbury, by, a Mr H.*y hurst, > , The Wanganui papers report, that in consequence of ;h« erection of' boiling-down establishments, pigs are at a high premium m that district. .. < . Mr J. L. Gillies, who has officially visited the various goldfields of the province, with a view to ascertain their requirements, tfetamed to Dunedin on Tuesday. A West Coast paper, states that' the Rev. ' William TayloV, the celebrated Wesley&u' minister, has arrived in Sydney from California, and that he intends shortly to revisit New Zealand. > "■ ■■ > Gas works are about to bo ereoted on the' Thames Goldfields. A gas company h'asbeon' formed and a site secured for the proposed' works. The undertaking is said to promise

well. ■ • : ' • ■ '.';'! The London Sun states, under the heading "Gold in Australia," in its issue of April 39th, that •' The Government of Ofcago has offered a reward for further discoveries." This iB the first time we have heard of it. The efforts of the' Acclimatisation Society of Canterbury to introduce sparrows into that province. " appear to be at length successful, several of these birds having been seen in the streets of Christohurch: !

We understand that a mail service has recently been estabished between Dunedin ard the Maori Kaik, via Portobello. Mails close here every Friday at 1.30 p.m., and arrive every Tuesday at -9 30 a.nv

It is said that Mr Travers has been instructed by the Provincial Government of Marlborough to commence an action against the Bank of New Zealand, for the recovery of the over-dratt agreed upon. Among the passengers by the Omeo frpm Melbourne is Mr A. K. Smith, who has been requested bj the City Counoil to prepare a report; with a view to the establishment of Gas Works by the Council.

The Government have agreed to despatch Mr Warden Kobinson to the diggings at Marewhenua, for the purpOße of considering the propriety of proclaiming it a goldfie d, and also of rendering some assistance in prospecting.

A share-list lately published in Auokland showed that amongst a total of 87 mining companies at the Tnainep, there was capital to the amount of L 1,270,201., 270, 201. The advances en the Belli g rates of shares amounted in one week to over L 534 ,175.

We understand thatarequisition is in course of signature, addressed to Mr John Carroll, of the Hibernian Hotel, George street, requestinu him to come forward as a candidate to represent Bell Ward in the forthcoming election.

By|t.he Bangitoto Mr T. Kemp, a gentleman well known in New Zea and as an aotor and scene paiuter, hiß arrived in Dunedin. We do not know whether it is that gentleman's intention to remain here, but from the reputation he has gained in other parts of the colony, we should think he would be an acquisition to the Dunedin stage.

An ordinary sitting of the Supreme Court, in Bankruptcy, was field on Monday. Final orders were granted to William Straohan, cleric, and Stephen Riordan. Several other applications for certificates of discharge were made, bat in consequence of various irregularities, they were adjourned until Monday next.

Lieutenant Saxby, in a letter to the London standard, gives warning that on tb* 7th of October next marked atmoapherio disturbances may be looked for in " all parts of the earth. r> After detailing.. the relative Soaitions of the moon and the earth on that ate, he aayß, " nothing more threatening can, I aiy, occur without a miracle."' Ho promises in September to afford further in* formation on the aabjeot.

Tho Shqrtland papers report that ft fracas took place there a few days ainbe between two Rftntlomen of the legal profels^ton. Both parties, it appears, were dining m a restaurant in that town, when they oomlnenood a aystecn of gentlo bantor, wh'oh roao to sat* I caurn, culminated in quiet abuse, and toraunated m a terrific combat of two, which waa prevented by the judioioub interforonoe of a waiter from terminating fatally,.

A meeting won held at Knox Churoh laat evening, to he*r a looture whiqh was delivered by Mr Roborb Gilliep, 'ont^tlod, ' Tho Martyr, Cburch.of Madagftcar." Thelootiuro wm given iv connection with the in»ug«ration of "Tho Knox Church Miwionary Aa* Bociation." whioh alao took place laat ovening. Thor« waa ft good attondanoe. and a unanimoua voto of thanka w*a aooordod to Mr GilUoa.

Inqueatd wew hold at th* Lunatio A«ylam; at 2.30 pm. yesterday, by Dr H«oh«t.tUa oity coronoV, on tho bodieii of William Dykhoff, a natto of Pnwfli*. 68y*»r« of ao*, and Honry Walkrr, an Bnglii&ntaa, 26 y«an of mo. Tho formor died on Tuesday ov«n» ing, at 0 o'olock. tho Uttor »k 8 o'clook the Ham* ovoning. The- fttry ' Ntnrnod * t ordio* in tho tint o«e, of doatk from paralyiii and oonvoUibnß, and in tho laktor oata, » teraiot ttm rotamad «f dwrth from «pllop»y.

t iTbi pieo*e lt ofjgrotinlbn the ; Wreatiori wiserve af the, south' "end .ofrtlie city,' set apart jfor'tlietise'oi ,the Citizen's Club as a 'cricket' ; ground, ii? now in" cpnrae 1 of ,| f ofmatidn . The | groiirid. forty yards square, 'adjoins that of ;the Dunedin 'Cricket Club. It is being ;formed by Mr Hendley,, and from the evident joare and> att'entioni..bestowed upon j it, pro-, mises, when finished, to make a lawn as level as a .bowling-green. „ , i At a meeting of the ratepayers . of ,the sCavershftmidietriot, held in the Drill-shed, iCaveraham,, on ; Monday evening, r ttie following gentlemen were elected, to fdrm the Dis- ( triob'Road Board for the current year:— 'Messrs' James M'lndoe, Robert! Jackson. Robert Rutherford; William Read, and 'Andrew Boyes.' There were eleven candidates in all, the number of ratepayers who voted'being 6L .. •< ,- ■ The members of the Otago Institute held their firat general meeting in the old Library 1 of the "Provincial Council' Buildings, on Tuesday. His - Honour Mr , Justice . Ward presided* rThe .rules ..of the Society were submitted, and adopted, iand office-bearers, ,were; eleoted / as , follows :— President, His Honour Judge Ward ; Vice-Presidents, Messrs, iSoolea aMJßeverley » , Hon. Sec, Mr , J. S. Webb; Hon. Treasurer, Mr W. D.'Munson. Members ,of Council were also elected. " > ,, According to ,the latest '_ accounts, Tito Kowam has at'ationed himself, at, the Mokau, river, at the liead of 700 followers'. The ex-. pedition under the command bi Colonel, Lyon, which lately started to attack him, has returned to Patea. The furthest poirit reached by the expedition was Waihi. A large portion of the rationß served out to the men was found to be so bad that it had to be destroyed, a considerable quantity of meat being buried at Waihi. ! The reluctance of the Imperial Government to guarantee a New Zealand Loan will be readily understood when we repeat a atatement recently made by Mr Gladstone tq the effect tha^, the English people, sinee ,1863, had paid no less a sum thaji one million one hundred and forty thousand pounds to cover the defalcations by Greece in respect to the interest on her debt, which was guaranteed by Great Britain, and that he was afraid payments must continue to be made by Great Britain until Greece could or would make them for herself.

With respect to education in New Zealand, the tables of the Registrar- General show that among the population of the colony, of both sexes and all ages, there were 45,411 unable to read or write, 15 396 who could read only, and 151,431 who could both read and write. ,To these must be added 6,430, respecting whose state of education the sohedules returned to the Registrar-General contained no information The centesimal proportion of both sexes and all ages unable to read was 2 1 40; who can read only, 7 25^ who can read and write, 7135.

The advisability of New Zealand transferring its allegiance from Great Britain to the United States, is referred to by the Wairarapa Mercury as follows :— The colony has appealed to the country whioh, with sach bitter satire, is still termed the Mother Country, and has been mot with a cold refusal to assist us in its troubles. Let us ask tho Republic, whose institutions we all so much admire, to aid ua in protecting our lives and property, We may be certain that we should be received with outstretohed arms and with alnarty welcome.

The proceedings . of the Government with referenoe to the 18th Regiment, aa Btated in our telegraphic intelligence, seem to indicate an impending crisis. Intelligence of an alarming character has evidently been re ceived by them. It will probaMy bo found that Kewi's movements have been correctly reported, and that he is acting on iehalf of the King. The rising of the tiibot, it would seam, nan been deferred till the departure of the troops; and the' approaching removal of the 18th Regiment has been ap. pointed as tho time for action. Tho Goyernment has acted •wisely in the matter. i During the past fortnight no admiasiops have taken' place into tha'Otago Benevolent Institution, bnt 1 girl haa been discharged Outdoor relief has been afforded to 4 old men, SB -women, and 90 ohildren, making a total of 129penK>na. Of these 43 belonged, to tho Churoh,of. England, • 48.,w0re Preabyteriane, 2>». Roman Catholjca,, $ Wcßloyaua. and 6, of, oib.er. 4enonv,na,tiona not apoojfiod t >The •weekly,, anm diaburaed was LID. 14a, 'Thepreaent uimatea number 53— viz,, 3 old men, II 11I 1 woman, 28 Txiya, 'and 23 girla. H those 31 aro Episcopaliana, 8 tVabyterians, 8 Roman Catholics, and 3 Wcaloyana, tho renaining M 3 belonging to other unapeo fied denominationa. ■ , In tho. Legiaiative Council on tho B,tfc inat., the Hon. .NJU 1 «if borno. Jfltrodttood. ft.BUUo amend tho law relating to paaaongers. H«> aaidiia»t Jt waa found , in Otago, , on tho report; of" themodical olßoer, that it had been tho prfthtioo In many oasißa' for mraoatin England to'ahip luriaticainviaseli going to Otago,, particularly' from Scotland; and to allow thorn te t«ke their ' chanoo in that Provinoo. ' Tneqneation waaroferrodtothe Atterney.GoQorftl.aßdhoaaidtherovaaftlawon the aubjoot in Canada, Viotori*. and other oolonioa, and, he tbouiht aeimiUr Aot ahouM be, inttodiioedin thia colony, applying. "J»<> to deaf,,dawvb, and blind peraone. The Bill he aake<i leave te intK^u.a&.WM, framed with orprovantfng thia praotioo frpm going on, olampping poraoui from England orelaewhoraintbia way. In England they won very partiouUr ; if. a lonatio waa found in any rjirtan or obunty, ho waa aeut back to the pinan or county from whioh be orlglnftUy oamo.

I 'Thecoricertin honour "of the fifth anmyer; ; s'ary'/of l 4tiftPort Chalmers Naval Volunteers-todk-pfaoii sin'the Masonuv Hall there,/ on. Wfedn^sdayilevemng, f and.,prpved. a, deputed, success. , ,The whole of the. performers bein^ amaieursi it would, be invidious to mention; Dataes^oß'all did' their parts well, and were encored and highly applauded^/; The, CompanyVbrasa bandjw.as in attendance. and acquitted .themselves, creditably, .. Mr D Rolfe, the Mayor elect, occupied the chair, and introduced the performers, amongst whom were some well-known amateurs , from Dunedin,, who are ..always enthusiastically received on such .occasions., Ait-or the concert, an impromptu .ball was got up, and fully enjoyed by those whd remained.^ ■• "We regret to learn that an accident took place at l'brt Chalmers last 'week, resulting in "the drowning of a man,named,. Jiimes Dickenson.- It appears that, s the deceased was engaged in lifting the anchor, of the lighter Monitor,' when the handle of the winch aspect off, he lost his balance* and ■the , deck being slippery, . he . fell into. ., the (water. ,. His mate, immediately ,put off in r a dingy to"save, Him^but was unsuccessful, as 'DicKenson' bid sunk before the boat reached ithe spot where- h'e was last seen] . His -body has been! dragged for, .but has not yat be,en recovered. , The -deceased is said., to, haye, come to the province in the ship Stornoway, and way familiarly known by the name of '** Old Jilnmy."" '' " ' ' ' ' • The Bafolutha correspondent of the Brucq Standard again draws attention > to' the danger to which, that towns nip !is Bxposed,, in the event of a flood in the Mqlyneux. He says :— As a proof of the threatening danger, it will be sufficient to mention that withm, the last six months a strip of land from the upper bank has been' washed away to the breadth of 20ft. . ., A Bn^g, which, a few yeara, agowasraised.by Capt. Cleverly, and deposited high and dry on the left bank, looking up,' is now kept on the right hand by the ateamer Tuapeka on her np-nver paßStge. With these hard faots staring ub jn the face, inactivity is almost criminal. Something must *>c done, and done quickly. 1 We learn that there seems a considerable prospect of a valuable goldfield being found in the Marewhenua district, about 40 miles 'from Oamaru. Mr Ashoroft, M.P.C., is now in Dunedin for the purpose of urging upon the Government to comply with a petition frpm the minors tp declare it a gol'dfieldi About 100 men are at work, and doing very well ; and with water rights, large races would bebrought in, and a large, amount of ground worked. Some very good specimens of auriferous quartz have bepn found ; and as the district joins on the Mount Ida district, no doubt a similar formation will be found to exist over a wide extent of country.

In a recent issue we published an account of the sufferings endured by Cornet Smith in his escape after the surprise at Opepe. The following particulars regarding the escape of j;h'(j other survivors of that event are furhished by the Tauranjra correspondent of the Auckland Herald: -The four poor fellowa who escaped from Opepe have lOBt their toes from frost-bite. The youngest of them, Leany, with Stephenßon,, reached Galatea in twelve and a half hours ; Lockwood and Dette some days afterwards. Lock-, Ivood had to crawl about on ' hia , hands and knees. Sergeant Dette fought his way through a large number of natives, the bullets, after he got away from them, flying all round him. 1 Captain Harold of the schooner Margaret, which arrived on Monday from Stewart's Island, informs us that the goldfielda on the Island are progressing favourably. On Mason's Boach and Raggedy Ranges, the prtoreat of tho miners were making wages. Provisions are easily got to the BCene of operations from Invercargill, and a plentiful anpply of good fish can be caught in close proximity to the mines. Tho gold on Mason's Beaoh is very fine, whilo in the ranges gold in. quartz predominates. The great draVKadk on the laland is want of roads or ptoper.ferapkß ;, aa an instance. o( thi», » Jarmer named Frederic^ , WjallahlftKor WO nt out; in, searoh pf cattle^ about four weeks, ago, and has never »if"y lawu heard of. ; . i A mooting, of ratepayers in tho Anderson's Uay district waa bold on Monday evening,., at the School House, forth© pnrpoaoof electing a R«nd Board for the ensuing 12 mouth*. Therewas ft large attendance, upwarda of 60 persons being prea«nt. Air P O. NeiU presided, lynd great intereafc waa mawfeated in. the proceedings. .Thirteon gentlemen were, nominated, of whom the following u wqre okoted s^rMeiaa W. P..»twpt»- Ad *» 9W» Jamos^cott, J, M'PoaaloV.and, A. NiahoJ. At the clobo of tho bpaiueas in with the Road Board, opportunity waa taken of tno large number ofeettlcrf pre««nt to. discuss" tho. propriety of holding monthly auction arilea of atook in tho district. It was unammonuly resoved that in »*°"«.. •"! monthly auction tale of atook be hold at tno Market, Andoraon'a Bay, instead. .of q«M* terly, as heretofore A voto of Uwnka to tho Chairman terminated the proceedings. 1 Te^ooti^ objootin visiting RfngTawWao ia referred to by tho Auokland Herald in t)io followittß terras t— That ho cam© Attendedby only tome 30 followers, shewed dearly enoußh that bia errand waa. not,. one, cl wolenoe, J>ut qf diplom«oy j that ho oame thro«gh- tho apooial portonal intenrentioa ©*"aswi7 ahowithat %\» objeot ia likoly to be' suooWttl. Tb^t objeot it »ppo»rs ia neither mow nor leaa, than to .p«wu»do Tftwhifto to abdioaie his aoTftfe/gnty ftnd the King pftrty tb ftcoapt blmaeH «» to* atead ol TftwluftOMKLogofMaoridom, TbatTftwhifto

QCKnylrtat^a^ Wis hardly likely.-He*hiwn©v«rbeenmore than -a puppet in thehanda of such m'ea fl« T&mati Ngapora and R«£wi,4«d now^ that Te Kooti, [flushed with success, and comJßg in the name, .and- as thftchoßenjyesseloffjbhe Haanhftu&odp .calls f upon Jhim to abdicate m his. favour,, Tawhiaq'is scarcely likely to do riiore .than it is reported'hebas done 1 , namely I ,' to caution • hio people to hold no intercourse with' Ta Kboti, more ; especially if, the demand be backed, up by the fanaticism of the Hauhau party. , . ,- A decision pf : som&importance to brewers, and others "interested in the sale of malt liquors', was given by Mr Fulton, B. MI, at the Resident Magistrate's Court, 6h Thtirsday week. On the 6th inst. Messrs Marshall and Copelaudappeared.inanswertoaninformation of having committed a breach of the Licensing Ordinance ; y, .selling a hogshead of ale: On that occasion Mr Harris, counsel for paa defendants stated" thafc they had uedesire to commit a -breach of, <the 4%w^ attd, 'bade- per* mitted themselves, to be ..summoned, merely for the purpose of having the legal question involved tried. After the facts of the case had 'been"- elioiied. ■it waa> adjourned :f or ♦ yesterday ..the Magistrate stated i that he^nsideredjthej f aot ( of the .defendants tiavine (l oi>mpUe,d,.w}th the provisions, of the Distillation Aot; 1868, did not >oflblye them from contplying with the provisions of "the Otago Licensing- Ordinance r 1865». the forme* beings in his opinion, simply for distillation purposes, and not interfering in any way with* the provisions of the ,Otago Licensing Ordis nance, under which the information walaid. The defendants were therefore fined L 5, together with,, costs.* , , , „ A correspondent of the Wanganui Times, writing from PaVa regarding the "native p'HBoneTg there, says r-^The following, >• the number 6i these rebels nowreoeiving rations and comfortably housed at the expense of thi colony — Prisoners, 7 men ; rebels, 84 men ; women and, children, 144 : , total, 235. Mr Booth has ordered that the children from a few weeks old and upwards shall receive rations k the,same as the women, contrary to all previous practice in such cases. -I know many of those men : they have fought against us, and,-, some ..of them, devoured the, flesh of our fellow countrymen.' They stare, at us, with defiant ferocity, as much as to say, " Look* 'but when we catch yon." To be obliged to wait upon those cannibals. -with their , rations, - knowing that they will.be shortly off to join the rebels again, .drives many of our men h*lf wild This day our old man-eater Wari Matangi has come in with 15 men and 24> women and children. We aie ordered, to, draw, rations and provide quarters for them. , The remainder of his m^n ar,e expected in shortly. Of course the few old guns they bring in and deliver up are not thoae they . fight with . They and their tomahawkB r ammunition, &c. are carefully stored away until the opening of the next campaign. The first invitation concert given by the Dunedin £ rivate Musical Society, took place , on Wednesday week in the Post Office Hall. It was eminently successful in every respect. The, hall and if» annexe w,ere crowded, ,there being scarcely sufficient Btanding.room for the auditors. The various pieces ofmusio, vocal and instrumental, were withoutexception' well executed and* favourably received -t tile choruses and part) songs being especially rendered with .great taate and care. The first part of the programme consisted of sacred, and the second, of secular music In amateur performances, particularly where the names. of persons taking park are not specified, it would be an ungracious task to single out any particular performer for special commendation. But wo may go bo far an to men-, tion that among the selection* obtaining perhaps the heartiest encore, was a fantasia— Rye Bloom— for the flu to, and piaao, admirably given by the performers on both instruments. For. the encore they substi». tuted "Ah oho laj morte,!', I A .pianoforte , solo,, " Les Hirftodeilea,!' by Mis* jBelL was also niuoh' applauded, being played with ad- , mirable precision and taste. Tho vocal solos were, aa a rule, very nioeTy executed, and met with^enthuaiautto rosponß«a from the. audienco, ; while the , part umibio was . really , excellent. _ ( , . , , 'Tlw BQirae.oj! yroloo™ 8 - *° tf 16 f"R?v David , Johmtouei hold on Tuesday at tho Oongregatibhal Churoh, w»b very largely att*nd«d, Tho ohair was taken hy Johnßathgato,E«q., < who re,MWwe4 (l the career of , ,th^u wyerendi gue«tduripg^w i»bo.un,M a.oity miMionary in thoi^aat end of piasgow, whore, great 'Aitfdess attendod- hw- preaching* 'both m hitownohurchandonGlatgow.Green, FaMtng i health :wmpell»d ton* to re»ign *hi« charge, . and Providence had, ,d^J^otf»d hia .ttepa to Dunodin. Tho church how had boen •ome tamo without a pastor, and on Mr John* tone ■ arrival, » letter was lent to.bim** th» H«ada with an io^^qn.,to ,th« v»oant..o,bft««J, Mr J. W..Jago, aUetoho^.the of th« Oongreg4»onalCharoh»inoeitifirttMUbluhmeat'in Dnnedin'; and wm followod Uy Mr M'F«e, who had been intimate . with thair. pMtor.Biooa 18^--; He hwbly oulogiaoi hm at a h»r4 worker in the oauaoof tho GotpoL The Roy. Mr Johnston©, who wat greotod with onthniiaatio »ppl»a«e, traced th» duidaneb of. Providenoo. through Wtowreor,sn^. hit.- arrival in Otago,,, w+ew uw>x. Sflctodly bo., had. found a nleaMnt fi«tp forhi«'l»bburi Ho tluhkod them for the cordial Welborao which had b««ft' aooorded him, »ad aiAough h» w« not y«t rortorod to p»rf«t Jwal*, fc» hop^l/to-rftnoaln long .onopgttt^?^ and to giva th«m oontW«nw. Tho mooting wm then Rtldrwuiodby tho Kov*. D. M. Stowart, J. WUlUmi nod other*. Daring tb* evening, Dm proondugß w«rt

enlivenedubjfthe^cho^^whoi rendered inf an able mana& : eeverAr 'seleotions from fchei "Messiah" *— "^ I <,tl T^ne'foiio'w^ Of a race and gates for drafting sheep, designed i>y \ Mi* '"' Dl^SfttnVrlarid'^ manager-" for --Messrs Youngr and, Daljiety v ©9miir&ma- Station,) lift given, by then*. >am&ro> Times :-~The race! or passage to' the yards ,is flanked on • ono side ; by-Tails;' and on. the other by upright rollers, which play the" pressure of 'the sheep rubbing, 1 » so' that" two'. Small 1 J sh'eep; cannot jam the passage.'' .'There is 1 "'also a toiler on the " corner "of the' railed "aide, ion

the , n near -hand.- * 'As * the , ,rape has] to , be, wide enough, in allf oases to, admit of >the paßsage: of a- large full^fleeced sheep, ib often : happens; > in' yards' constructed on* the |old plan, that two small sheep get -jammed' and i bl6ck«tip'th» way \ .bat' this' becomes animpossibility upon Mr Sutherland's' plan,; as -the sheep : -riext l the" rollers 'easily drAws' a- head of ;the one nex^, the rails, ■ and there-fore-comes,, to .the swing gate first. " Another , feature* ofn -the ' plan before i us* isj ; that instead, of one gate at i the end ■of the j race; there/) fere^twoj ' whioh' 'when > open are J parallel with 'the '•sides 1 of 'the- raqev ■ giving'* 1 paWtfgef between" ! %hem into a -yard, •for lambs.' while the opening' of either gate closes „ this*; passage r. and opens ;a space sufficient to allow ,a. single, sheep' to pass either. into • a yard- for,, ew.es 11 -or t wethfers.The tplatt'jifli-very cotnpletej and of it the inventor says •:*-'* l> firmly berlieve'^it is the best? We» fot drafting f it ! prevents the sheep jamming in the race 1 , as the rollers play with •the pressure 6f the-eheeb' rubbing. - 1 hive a double jgattfon the yards here, and anyone who sees orsawone iwork would -never use

*he single .gate ; ' bat' < the 'person ii drafting : annat have the necessary I 'flavey;' and have his wits about him; and be quick at eatcMcg the' different ear-marks as the sheep run up .*heTaee.'" l ' _ ' '" , " , A new goldfield, said to have been disoovered near the Gulf Of Carpentaria, has of late attracted some attention in this colony. As yet, however, many diggers have not left for the acene of the reported. El Dorado, t>e recollections of the late Gympie rush being no doubt fresh in their minds. Independent; of the oountry being almost wholly unknown, the climate appears to be ijuoh as to render it advisable' for intending " diggers to p'nusi ere tnakine up +h»>ir minds to pro. oe I thither. Some idea f t may be formed by the following extract from » late issue of the' Souther* Cross : — The district in which the discovery has been made is'situated far within the tropics, and many miles inland.' even from the enclosed sea of Carpentaria. The heat can therefore be well imagined. Indeed, a survoyor who was not long ago working hia traverses in an interior part of Queens land, many hundred miles farther south and therefore in 1 all probability considerably cooler, or perhaps we ought rather to say less hot, informs us that for many consecutive •weeks the index of his self-registering thermometer 1 never stood'r,elowl3odeg. in the daytime. Daring several months which he passed in that delightful climate not • • single cloud had een seen, and for twenty months not a shower of rain had cooled the parched earth. The stagnant water-holes •which remained in what had been the rivers were putrid, and their stench unbearable. The Hah had ceased to exist, and indeed the only animals remaining wore the wild dogs whioh fattened on the dead carcases of the flocks and herds. And this we are assured : is not by any means an unusual state of things in the far interior of that country, but rather its normal condition. Moreover, as is the case with all newly opened countries, the scourge " fever and ague" rides rampant, and in the more northerly p^arts of the colony in question the ravages committed by this dreadful complaint have in some coses been so terrific as almost to have depopulated

whole districts. Further particulars regarding tho quartz reef lately reported as having been ditoovered in Banks Peninsula, are given by the Lyttelton Times of Monday last That journal says :— We regret to state that the reef does not fully bear out the favourable report which was brought to Ohristchnrch. Two prospectors are employed on tho land, and on Thursday last they struck a reef whioh bad a very promising appearance. It is on the wontorn slope of the spur round wbioh M 'Queen's old track winds after descending from the hills, eastward of Gebbie's Paso, and it within a ?ery short distance of the summit. Its direction is from N.W. to d.E., and although hardnets of the casing prevented muoh impression being made upon it with the limited appliances at hand, tho general appearance of the pieces' detached induced hopes of a good result, The colon r of gold was not, however, observed, nor had it been discovered up to Saturday afternoon. Other favourable indications were certainly visible, aud we aro informed that further tost* will be appliodjdnring the present woek. The reef, where struck, oomes to a sharp angle, somewhat like tho point of » wedgo, and this rendering it more diffioulb to operate upon, farther proceedings were euspended, until proper driving tools were procured. Pending this, further search was made for quart* reefs, and a second, of somewhat more promisiag appoaranoe, was discovered on the opposite side of the spar. This rani almost due north and south, and on Saturday evening, one of the men oame to town express y for the pnrposo of obtaining a fall eqnipmentofdrivingamterial*. By this mean*. s> proper test will be applied to both reefs,' botitwiU be falyn week or a fortnight before anything definite can be lopkid for; Dnrinff the past day or two, many practical diggers and others We visited tho locality,

) and :of *he metal.- n> «On 'Saturdayrthere.'werefj two >ros. , 'peotihgi parties; » besides -the bne;ahready|re ferred to-riear M'Qtaedn'sjfatidfbri-'the flat 'were two h&lea'elose to the track which. ;httve but recently een tested- for " alluvial ''a^W To a Btrange|r-the lopality is rather difliqult to find, and if some, of the wayside Badges tion's of a " short cut " acrosß the bills hre adopted, the journey is certainly, attended with danger. ' We have been shewn a spedmen of quartz , which gives very favourable indications, and whioh was brought from the locality" of M 'Queen's by Messfs H. Atkinson and Goldsmith. ■ i The Council of the Acclimatisation Society held an ordinary meeting on Thursday, in the lower room' of the Athentenm." Present: — Mr-W. D. Murison, in the chair, and Messrs Oarriok,gMason;»nd Thomson. Several let:ters'were read and accounts passed. " Mr G-. Buckley, manager at the Hon.'Mr M'Lean's station at MorVen Hills, stated in a letter, which was read, "that the'poir of deer turned out,- -now-lS^months "back, seemed 1 to be doing .well,' but. "he was not able- to" 1 say whether there was^ony increase They ran near a small bush in the hills, about 30 acres, and* when disturbed; they immediately made for cover. 'The Bb.epb.erds had often seen them by approaching' the bush against the wind. Sometimes there was only •one, and never more than two together ." A r letter was also read from the Queenatown Corporation acknow 1 edging with thanks the intention expressed by the Society to furnish them with 1 a supply of trout. In connection with the acclimatisation of trout, it was stated by the hon. see. that it was intended to m«ke the' first experiment next year in the Qa eaatown district!. He further intimated that 12 deer hod been received from Canterbury. , He was instructed some time ago to arrange for the purchase of them, the question of price being left an open one. It was expeoted that the deer woald involve a cost of from L 7 10s to LS per head, but the price charged was LlO 10s each. The cost price exceeded L l l . After some arrangement, however, witjaMeasrs Driver, M'Lean and Co. , the'prioe was reduoed to L9 los Der head. The deer were placed in the possession of Messrs Wentworth and M'Eellar, and they were to i-e set free in the Tapanui distriot. There was a probability that ultimately the gentlemen to whom the dear had been consigned would give the Society the price they coxt, and the gentleman who Bold them to the Sooiety intended to contribute a donation to its funds. After a brief discus* sinn it was decided to liberate the pheasants in the Clutha distriot, Messrs Murison and Carrick being authorised to select the locality. The President stated that the ruleß of the Sooiety hod been sent to Wellington for registration. It was also mentioned that Mr Clifford would most probably obtain a l»rger supply of trout than was secured on his previous visit to Tasmania.