MANIOTOTO COUNTY.

Otago Witness, Issue 1777, 12 December 1885, Page 12

MANIOTOTO COUNTY.

December 6. — We are now having summer in earnest ; several days during the past fortnight having been intensely hot, vegetation is becoming parched, and unless rain falls shortly, everything will be stinted in growth. Oats and other cereals, which should be now 18in to 2ft high, are barely the half. However, a similar state of things has prevailed in this district in former seasons, and still a good crop resulted ; and a little more moisture, which, from present appearances, is not far off— in fact, while writing this it has commenced to fall— will soon se 1 matters straight once more. Owing to the unseasonable weather in spring, the fruit crops will not be heavy, and the flower gardens do not present their usually attractive appearance at this time of year.

School Matters. — The good people of Rough Ridge, Idaburn, Wedderburn, and White Sow Valley are considerably exercised over educational matters. It was hoped that when the new school at Blackstone was erected, its position would have been shifted lower down Ida Valley, where a school reserve exists, and a larger number of pupils would have been able to attend, the distance now being too great for many youngsters. But country people are slow to act, and the question was not raised until after the contract for the erection of the new school building on the old site was let, so the chance was lost. A meeting was held at Wedderburn on Saturday night last, and it was pro-

posed to apply for a school to be erected in White Sow Valley, at the eastern foot of Rough Ridge, so as to accommodate the three localities. The rising generation of those places is rapidly increasing, and the want of the " free and compulsory " is becoming very apparent. The Literary Committee of Blackstone have applied' for a section in the township of Hill's Creek, whereon to erect a building for an Athenasum and Public Library. As town allotments have not yet reached a startling figure in that slowly-rising village, it will surely not strain the generosity of the Government to grant the favour requested. A public library in a dull country district is a great boon, and, in fact, has a considerable educatipnal effect. Hitherto this one has been kept in the school--house that has been lately burnt, and the new one, I believe, will not offer any facilities.

Swac4Smen. — Our worthy Resident Magistrate lately mentioned, as a sign of the depression now existing, and the scarcity of employment, that at one station he had lately stopped at " 17 men applied for employment in one evening." During the shearing season this is a customary experience, and possesses no particular significance. There have always been " sundowners," and the fact of 17 men men applying in the " evening " at a station shows that we have them still. I remember, in 1859, staying one night at a station in Victoria, when 84 men were supplied with shelter and food on application. Work was everywhere plentiful at the time, and the Mount Alexander railway contract was in full swing within two miles of the place. The proprietor told me he thought it was getting "rather too sultry,." but the " whalers "— generic germ for swagmen — knew him, as they averred, to be an adjective "good sort," and bestowed on him their fullest patronage, and would not be denied. If the hospitable resources of our New Zealand squatters were attempted to be taxed to the above extent, we should probably hear much more of the " depression." Some time ago I relieved a "whaler"; four months afterwards he again presented himself, all the money he had earned — so he said — was £2 10s. Being a tradesman, he thought it infra digfto take a job at small wages and lift himself out of the slough ; and lam afraid manj of those noticed by our R.M. were of the same genus. There is plenty of gold in the country yet, and if affairs were properly managed on the goldfields we should not hear of such complaints, or at least, if we did, know how to appreciate them.

Mining Inspection. — Mr Gordon, inspector of Mines, passed through the district a few days ago, presumably collecting material for his annual report. Among other places he visited the Otago Central Company's mine at Rough Ridge, and clambered through all the workings. I believe he expressed himself pleased with the general look of things there, but being a " pawky chiel " he was not very 'j demonstrative ; he said little — perhaps, like the j Highlandman's pot, he " thinks the mair." It is to be hoped some benefit will eventually result J from these expensive trips of inspection. Pro- ] fessor Ulrich did not seem to think it worth his while to extend his trip from the " New Ophir " ! so far as this place ; perhaps it was " not in the bond." No doubt we should have been very glad to have seen him, but as it is we must try to survive. It is a new experience to find | geologists fighting shy of geological problems, and it is popularly believed there are many in , this district which want solution. The Professor may think differently, however. It is getting monotonous to be writing about these, ctri bono? I will leb them rest. — [Perhaps the worthy Professor may visit Rough Ridge on his return journey from' the head of the Lake. — Ed.] County Council. — At the last meeting of this body, Cr Preston brought forward his longthreatened motion for retrenchment in county i official expenditure, but it met with no support I whatever, the rest of the members thinking, apparently, that everything was being conducted on the very lowest economical scale. This is very satisfactory, and those refractory ratepayers who lately spilt ink over the subject may hide their diminished heads. When the effects "of the " general " depression in Otago are being discussed in future, Maniototo may be counted out. The wave has not reached here, yet. On the principle that, " to be poor is bad, but to appear so is worse," our council put on a bold front and stoically make no sign. The council also voted £200 for prospecting purposes. This sum, with the Government subsidy, will make £400 to be spent during the year, I suppose, according to the regulation? made and provided at the last sitting of Parliament. I don't know if it is intended that, under certain circumstances, timber, tools, &c, will be provided for 'prospectors in deep leads, if not, I do not expect much good to result in that direction. There are places which require such adjuncts for careful exploration, and the want of them has hitherto proved the sole drawback. Fifteen shillings per week will hardly, 1 fancy, tempt really qualified prospectors, however liberal this sum may appear in the eyes of certain mining critics in this district. Those parties might be asked to try the work themselves on the terms. They would find that the pick and the pen are widely dissimilar weapons. A true prospector should be a thorough and experienced gold-digger, with a little more knowledge of the pursuit than appertains to the modern " miner," and if he possesses the true esprit de corps, I think he would prefer to decline the proffered alms, and strike out on his own account, untrammelled by " regulations," and whatever discoveries he made would redound to his own credit and benefit. As it is to be, I cannot yet see that any great good is likely to result from the proposed prospecting vote, to be expended under cast iron regulations. The money will be spent, of course — that is something. I may be wrong, but at least I am not alone in the presumption. Many miners I have spoken to express similar ideas, and in a more forcible manner. If a " new Ophir " or new Eldorado should result, I shall welcome the fact and admit my blindness. Mining. — In reefing matters things are strangely quiet, the Otago Central Company being the only one at present showing signs of ■ life. Their heap of quartz is increasing, and the stone is of very fair quality. The lodeis very fitful and capricious in its behaviour, pinching, widening, and splitting into veins and leaders, but when the hill is pierced further doubtless it will assume a greater regularity of width, &c. I notice that portions of the battery which were "on the road to Dunedin " a week ago are still lying at the roadside; I suppose waggons are mostly loaded up with wool now. Last year in Victoria alluvial mines produced 326,3050z, and quartz mines 432,9970z of gold. I should like to live to chronicle a similar jresult in New Zealand. There is nothing new to report as to alluvial mining. Sluicers at St. Bathans, Naseby, Kyeburn, and all the outlying fields are busy at work, and the water supply is beginning to slacken as the store of snow on the ranges decreases. Taken altogether, the season has been very propitious for the alluvial miners, and a very fair Christmas escort will leavo here.

As I finish heavy rain is falling, and the farmers are right once more,