CLYDE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2199, 23 April 1896, Page 23

CLYDE.

April 20.— A rather sudden and unexpected change of weather took place during the past week, and cold winds, accompanied by cold rain, visited us at short intervals. Snow has fallen low down upon the mountains, and altogether we are having a foretaste of winter. Warden's Court. —Several mining applications came before the court on Saturday last. For some time past our Warden's Court has had quite a large amount of_ business to occupy its attention. Several applications for extended claims in various parts of the district were a feature of laßt court day, and this goes to show that the working miner is not quite an extinct personage in the Dunstan.

Experimental Nursery.— The Banstan Times of last ..week contains a reprint from the Tuapeka Times to the effect that Messrs Ritchie, of the Department of Agriculture, and B ackmore, Government pomologist, passed through Lawrence on their way to Coal Creek, with the intention of selecting a site for an experimental nuraery at the latter place. Why is it that our dsitrict has be L n overlooked in this matter?— especially when the vote was placed on the Estima'es for the founding of an experimental nursery in Central Otago. Does Mr Blackmore imagine that young fruit trees reared in the Roxburgh" district will be suitable for planting throughout the interior of Otago ? I can scarcely credit that Mr Blackmore imagines the plants could be grown with any show of success in different parts of Central Otago.

Lignite —Last week I had occasion to refer to the quality of the lignite that is now being worked upon at the Dairy Creek pit. Since then I have been conducted to the face workings by Mr Kyle, the manager, and I must say I waj very favourably impressed with what I saw. The seam of lignite has been reached by" tunnelling a distance of 765 ft, the greater portion of this distance being through unusually hard schist rock that resisted the force of explosives to a moat exasperating decree. The last 150 ft of the tunnel pierces a seam of lumpy pipeclay th*t *sts as the footcasing to the deposit ef lignite, which dips, at a rather acute angle, eastwards. When the lignite was ieached it was with no little difficulty that ■work was kept on, owing to the want of ventilation. A fanner was placed in position at the mouth of the tunnel, and to this piping was attached and conducted to the face workings, when a splendid circulation of air was communicated whenever required. A shaft is now being put down to tap the end of the tunnel, and when this is accomplished the air circulation will be all that could be desired. Ihe lignite, as exposed in the face, is both bright and clean, and shows a compactness that speaks volumes for its quality and age. From what I saw of the seam lam quite confident that this lignite is the oldest deposit of its kind in the Manuherikia basin, not even excepting the well-known lignite deposits at Cambrians.