MANIOTOTO COUNTY.

Otago Witness, Issue 1731, 24 January 1885, Page 12

MANIOTOTO COUNTY.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

January 19. Thb Weather.— The early promise of 1885 in this matter hai not been fulfilled. The dead year passed away in rain and storm, and its successor on the first <!ay Ot its birth brought lovely weather; a lew fiercely hot da} s followed, and the past week has been cold and wintry. Bain fell on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, with a. pretty heavy snowfall on the ranges. So far, Jack Frost ha 3 stayed his relentless hand. If he koeps in this mood all may yet be well ; but the crops are very backward, and the golden harvest tinge is a long time making its appearance this season. Farmers say it is fine weather for the " turmits " It may be so ; but I fancy if those excellent esculent roots are indulged much longer It will be at iha expense ot the cereal crops. However, lam not aw fait at agriculture, and may be wrong in this idea. Fataii Accident. — New Zealand has baen very proline in this H»e of late. On January £ a young man named Thomas Law was drowned while bathing in one Of the Wascby dame. The inquest on the body elicited little but the apiarent fact of a great want ot pluck on the part of the deceased's companions, who were in the water and Close to him when finally sinking in bix feet of water. I may be in error, but I think s» better effort might have been made to save tne young man's life ; certainly thoie ia no chauco whatever of the Humane 1 - ociety's medal being awarded in this instance. The victim was a promising young fellow, greatly liked by all who knew him, and universal regret is felt at bis untimely end.

More Light.— A meeting of the Committee re School of Minea wjs huld last Wednesday week at Naeaby, and was, mirobile dictu, largely and influentfaUy attended. It was decided that "a school of minea to be successful should have its headquarters in a mining centre, and distribute its teaching in equal sessions over the various mining centres uf Otago," and the chairman (Mr fit. J.. S. Mackenzie, M.U.R.) was instructed to communicate with the Uovernme. t and University Council on the subject. lam gl.td tn find that this important matter retains its hold upon the winds ot tho community, and have littln doubt, if the agitation Is puvisted in, and vhe bubjact " kept steadily in vli>w," grtat good to the miuiug indiistiy div -fc eventually result. If the School of Mines ia located on the <?oldfiel'is, I would augueati Clyde as the moat fl tinir Bite Ib is vh roughly cen ral, and easily a-CiiSaible from all the orhcr O.aga i>oldfißld.->, whicn Tuapeka certainly is not, from iis geographical position.

Bb*d 'Lbvbii.— l understand that Mr Warden Stratford has mgnalhed bis adve..t by catling nhe G.>rdian k.ic,t rf thid peculiar difficulty. He ban necld< d that mi i: era can run water into the channel, but not un iuj co f tailings ; the element must not even be vt the consistency of pea-soup, or a trespss.s will be commuted. Saftkespeare redivivus, but villainously paro ied: - " Take than thy certiflaat", take thou thy claim ; Bub in the sluicing, if . hou dost shed ' Ono drop of tailings th\ lands and goods Are, by the laws ot Venice, confiscate Unto the State of Venice." Tailings are evidently '• not in the bond," and, like Shylouk, the litigants take very little b,- their action. However, as tho gist ot tbe demionb hltheito ha 9 been of a eimilar attain, I think it is time for miners to shy clow ot the Bead Level Company, and leave the to eujoy unmoksieil the monotony (not monopolj ) indicated by the name of tho channel, and of tha noiitary on ) exclusive right to tha cujoymeiit of ilaorl Gully and tu<> surrounding 1 auriferous areas. '

Salvation aruy,— Are we too good, or altogether pabt redemption? There is Bomethiitg wanting an explanation. 1 uan't understand wh<> the Army huß neier invaded the peaceful al.lvana I . lvan retreats of Cc .tral Otac-o. M<»d, this mu;c not be taken in the iiirht of an invitation ; I am merely speculating on the lauw. If the " Bl" od and tire" diHciples did v sit us I havo no doubt tht/y would be kindly treated, and would at least be fieatfited by the change of air. Wo would net, I ohiuk, be likely to follow Shylock's advice to his daughter : •' Hear you me, JV aa'ca I Lock up my doois, and v-heu you shall h r ar the drum And the vile pq .caking of the wry-nocked flfo Olambar not you v.p to tlio casements then, Sot thrust your head into the public street To gnze on Chrißtian fools with varnished faces." No, I fancy a good many recruits wo'ild join tho " Army." " Captain " Burfoet, or whoever wields the baton at prest-nt, inubt hod imagine that all the sin in located in tho towna — the harvest U ripe for tho sickle inlul.nd Otngo as on tin co-.st. It is pieußint io 1 am in this connection th^t the New Z aland hnw<min has bßcaine a C'ltivct, and has been raised to the lank ot ".lio'.tie.iant 1" Surge, bA. ; (ioiiD Mikin». Owing tj ttie growing reticence of (i'aiinholdu-w, it is difficult nowadays to ge<i an anflwoffsfrita fEiitaa^ vi tlio sc4u*Btf of go& Iraa w&&<

ings-us ; but, on the whole, I believe thoy have been exftptionally good this year, Xwing principally to the continuous water auppiy. I learn that Messrs pufflo and Inder s claim at tbe Burster diggings has yielded lOOOoz for the Christmas wash-up, and 600oz previouaiy from a paddock left over from last season. As this only represents about four months' work in tho claim, it may be accepted as an excellent yield. I have no doubt when the next escort is despatched, we shall find that the yield of this field has been above the average this season, despite the rapidly narrowing area of operations within reach ot the present water supply. Tho Otago Central Oompsny at Rough Ridga will Boon have solved the question of the vulue of their venture. The contractors have now pierced over 180 ft of the tunnel, in which the rock is now excessively hard. About 7Cft more will expoje the reet, which, I trust, may realise the moat sanguine hopes of the shareholders. If the stone to be met with proves only as good as that left underfoot at 401b from the surface, the O6ago Central Company have a srood thing in hand. I notice the gold yield of Victoria keeps up its annual increase of about 40,000 ounces. When will Ota>;o be able to point to such a cheerful fact ? If Mr Larnach can achieve this, the appointment will not have been made in vain. 4MABONB.— I think this would be an appropriate name for those of the fair sex. one occasionally meets in this county, taking equestrian exercise a let clothespin. , I don't know whether this style ol riding obtains in other places, and I can't say much for the gracefulness of the position, however convenient it urny be ; but if allowed, I should like to suggest tho adoption ot the " divided skirt " to these strong-minded fair equestrians, as a convenient habit in which to indulge theli peculiar leanings to the customs ol the sterner sex. A friend of mine says, " Wny don't they wear the breeks ?" Ah ! why not, indeed. Perhaps they do. Maniototo J.O. Races.— The annual meeting of thia Club was held on the Naseby course on Friday last. Fortunately the weather was Al, and the attendance larger than on previous years. Tolerable fields of horses came out for each event, and as usual at upcountry meetingß, they went strictly on their merits, and good honest racing was the result. I will not infringe on th« domain of your spotting contributoi, but leave him to furnish particulars of the days sports.