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Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 7, 2 December 1862, Page 2

The 300 lbs. weight " extraordinary" goldfield appears to have caused a great sensation in Dunedin. The following is from the Otago Daily Times of the 28th ult.:— The Evening News, evidently misled by a statement which appeared in an extra issued by the Southland News, caused considerable excitement last night by the ' extraordinary ' statement that Mr. M'Uregor had disposed of 300 lbs. weight of gold in Invercargill. This gentleman called on us last evening, and authorises us to contradict the statement. He took down with him to Invercargill 210 ozs. of gold, not 300 lbs. The Sotithland News had an ♦ extraordinary ' jumbled story about 300 lbs. weight. It appears to have been hoaxed. The Invercargill Times, on the other hand, gives a correct account of Mr. M'Gregor's proceedings. Amongst other things, which we trust will be forwarded from Southland for the Provincial Exhibition shoitly to be held at Dunedin, is a very handsome brooch belonging to Mr. J. Stirling ; the stone is a pebble found on the Bluff road, which on being cut proved to be a "very beautiful crystal, perfectly transparent ; it is an oval, about an inch in length and half an inch in width, and forms a very hancUonio brooch,

In consequence of the pressure on our space, we are obliged to hold over two letters, at preseut in type. The Jetty presents a very lively appearance from the numerous arrivals of large and small craft. We observe that the contractors for its enlargement, after a vexatious delay for the necessary apparatus, are noAv in a position to proceed with their -work, and are using their utmost endeavors to push on their operations as speedily as possible. The large pile driving ram being now in position, we trust that ere long the very necessary additions will be completed, and so facilitate the business of the harbor, the want of sufficient jetty accomodation being a decided drawback to the interests of the port. The danger of entering a thick bush without a compass, in cloudy weather, was exemplified by the narrow escape of Mr. Collins, an old settler in the Invercargill Hundred. He entered the Seaward Bush, on which his land abutts, about 12 noon, on Saturday last ; not returning, assistance was sent for, and he was found at 10 a.m. on Sunday. It seems that the day being cloudy he lost himself, and it was only by hearing the guns fired by those who werelooking 'for him that, in all probability, Ms life was saved. The boat for the navigation of the Waikatip Lake, purchased by the Associationleft Invercargill on Saturday ; it was securely fastened on a dray, and notwithstanding its size, there can be little doubt that it will | reach its destination in first-rate order, and be able at once to lighter the goods and passengers -which have already left this for the foot of the Lake. Another boat of smaller dimensions will be sent up from this immediately, while one of similar size has been already despatched from Riverton. We have been requested to call attention to the government sale of Town Land, which, owing to the banks being shut yesterday, will beheld at 12 o'clock to-day, at the Land Office. We are indebted to Capt. M'Lean, of the j screw steamer Aldinga, for files of Dunedin papers to the 29th ult. j We would direct attention to an advertisement in another column from the Bank of New South Wales, by which it -will be seen that every facility is afforded to parties wishing to transmit money in small sums to nearly all the principal towns in Scotland. It is amusing to read the Otago Daily Times special correspondent's letter from the Dunstan Diggings, published in that paper's issue of the 28th ultimo. Speaking of the site of the recently discovered diggings to the north of the Wakatip Lake, he coolly states that " in a straight line they are only 100 miles from Dunedin, while from Invercargill they are 1 1 0." He forgets that taking the "straight line" to Dunedin the road would have to cross the Silver Peak Hills, Mungatooa, Lammerlaw Ranges, Knobby Ranges, Raggedy Ranges.part of the Umbrella Ranges, Dunstan mountains, and a few rather awkwaid hills on the wost bank of the Clutha, &c; while the road to Invercargill is a dead level. As regards the navigation of the Lake, the boats which have already gone up, and the steamer which wiil shortly be built there, will render that part of the route easy and safe. Were flying machines in vogue, Dunedin would, doubtless, have a tolerably fair chance of competing with Invercargill ; in the absence of such, we fear that the majority of diggers will prefer the Invercargill route. The amiable manner in which he speaks of Mr. Roes would induco one to believe he is of the same opinion also. The fact of Mr Rees going to the expense of building a boat, obtaining his sup' lies f >-om and biinging down his wool to Invercargill, would indicate that he rather prefers the level road to taking a tour over the hills by the " straight line." The Otago Daily Times of the 29th inst., says that " all hopes of floating the steamer Victory are at an end. This unfortunate result of the enterprise of the shareholders, and the skill of their engineer, will be a subject of of general regret, the more so, that only a short time ago, the success of the operations was considered all but certain. It will be remembered that the Victory was actually afloat, and would ii* all probability, have been steaming out to sea in a few hours, when the chain cable to which she was secured snapped, and the unlucky vessel drifted again ashore, into a worse position than she was before. We now learn that she has broken in two near the main gangway, is full of water, and is rapidly filling with sand."