MANIOTOTO.

Otago Witness, Issue 1584, 1 April 1882, Page 13

MANIOTOTO.

(FROM OCIS. OWN CORRESrONDKNT.)

HamiliTons, March 27th.

The glories of tummer have departed, and tho beauties of autumn now reign inst-ad; and although the trees and plants are fast fading into the sear and yeliow, aiill nature liaa not concluded her finishing touch prior to the adveut of winter. Although the morning* have baen accompanied by old King Frost on several occasions during the past week, wo still live in hopes of the flno weather lasting for tho next three months before winter with all its hardships sots in in earnest. Tho welcome rains which havo fallen siiico my last letter have renewed tho grass, and novr the general aspect of the tlbt/ict w more aa!.i»ta<:fcory to tho oye of the squatter and fanner ; i/idced, had wo not had i\iin, booncror lator It would hive been a poor look-out for Maoiototo iloclcj during tho iioxti winter, espcciiilly now Mi a our yjnaitwa aru lObinif the b.'Kt of then winUr cuwinry frince our county election lh«:iioMi iiiteasUnif event has boon llio past r.tl crist- which uua for sn nut tinm the miijeci of (ho any. X ii", wii )i.«l n iiiu.ill uv latfj it|tini<iii losivi'Ri.i!J"l' n., ;Jic ihi.i-17/H, iroiii tho i-quatt'jr d.j.vij t.o the tf,\ ion cooK'i i»;Uo. No dmibt tho '•qnnUiT. us? v <liiss ()-h;i\i-d in ,vn honi'iiivibloniid bn.ih'Jih' "i.'u.iwr u> tnrrt- wi'h t.t.Ur (lining the coui|iofiti«H for the oidM/itf at ihn tun-; and enoh itji ■ ohla.i/ici) hK iv- a «< «<1 da 1 tlj.onj.h liis soinlihy o' ijMjira.ul.fci 1 as w«.ll ;t-] for th« faolid routlio had' to paj in order to retain liis j ropej-ty for tbo nuxt four Or ilvo juaw. A gcntleruen, well known :»= ai station mnnti"o>, tolls mo thit it is utterly iimiossilik to make some rn»s in this disfcriuL pay afe the psesont high rental and that present occupiurs um-t succumb eventually unless tho rents fall considerably bolow their present standard. Mining is still progressing slowly but surely, and though the scarcity of water in proverbial, still gold is being found in Hamilton in something moro than the usual proportion to be obtained now-a-da.\a. Should the authenticity of reports be sufficient aecuricy for facts, one well-known claim in thai, township mu.-t be ronpinj? a golden harvosfcin tbo real sense ol" tho term. I rofer to Messrs Newton and Chinch, who havo not long puiulmsed iheir extensive tunuol claim known as tho "Band of Hope." This cl.dm has been one of tho bu-t in tho dKlriso, and at periodiavl intervals of several j ears ifc again wjems to illustiateits auriferous depu-its by fuvnisbing a subject tor mining onteiprisons well as conversation. I truat all reports may pi ove comet, and that Mosßrs Ohurch and Newton may be able to add the words " Golden Hand " to whatever " hopes" thoy may entertain of Dame Fortune having a fair share of her liberality in store for them, Messrs

Rouse and Geach are cutting a head-race from Deep Gully down the slope of the big hill below HamiltOD. The distance i?, I believe, about three miios, and to accomplish this great, undertaking is will take the enterprising speculators three lot.g months. " Pluck" is their rnottoj and with good pie'es and shovels thero ia but littlo four but their labours will he rewarded, being men of tho correct stamp where mining difficulties have to be contended with.

Wool-washing is just about finished, and tho last load of that neecumry 1 article will soon be consigned to Duaedin agencies to ba fin warded to the London market;, where I hope to hear of satisfactory prices beiojf roallmtd tor a Colonial production which i 4 ao invaluable an aitiolc of manufacture amongst our British brethren in the Homo country. Tho racing season in this district has at last been brought to a close, and not without success. Hydo furnished the concluding: scone of the season. The races wore well contested and the day most enjoyable, owing to tho line weather. Pooping Tom and Skipper contest ed the two principal cents— the Cup and District Handicap. Tno welter weight, however, was too much for Skipper, and ho succumbed, after hard fl-jhtiiitf, to ihe horse named after the celebrated hero of Coventry fame. Skippor looked cherry ripe, and hie iwfeful training reflects great credit on his jointowner and trainer, Mr Monk, who I trust will come in for a "square round" of aucness next season, to reward him for his piuck in running Skippor undor such a heavy weight at tho late meeting at Hydo, It is raon liko Mr Monk who keep up sport, and not those fellows who run i.heir hones for tho special purpose of grabbing the stakes. I think our up-country clulx* might introduce a special race for this claim of men with a fair chance of success, tho "favourite," of course, carrying the weight as well as the money; and us most of these men are " weight-carriers," they ini»liri fetch a fair prico in tho labour market as "nimpora."