OTAGO.

Timaru Herald, Volume V, Issue 112, 23 June 1866, Page 2

OTAGO.

[from our own correspondent] Monday, 18th June. The weather daring the past fortnight has been remarkably mild, considering that we are now m mid-winter. Indeed, a week's continued rain wonld prove a benefit just now; and miners especially have been very much retarded m their

works for the want of a requisite supply of water. j

The last news from our goldfields is encouraging; and from the reports of all our mining surveyors, there seems to be, m our auriferous districts, any amount of moderately payable soil. The only want is the presence of a few thousands of hardy men, come whence they may, who would rest content with an average weekly earning of, say 50s. Gold has verj* recently been found at the Half-way Bush, and about three miles from Dunedin ; and a few parties are now out prospecting the neighbourhood. The discover}' of payable ground near the city would, just at present, prove a godsend, as business of all kinds seems to be at a stand still. The jetty, which, m former stirring times, iised to be lined on either side with shipping, engaged m loading and discharging cargoes, now wears the appearance of a Sabbath quietude. In fact, the long looked for reaction m mercantile and other matters, which has now been patiently waited for during the past two years, seems long m coming ; and the enormous exodus m our population to the West Coast goldfields, lias certainly put the day of reaction still further off.

The criminal sessions of our Supreme Court were opened by his Honor Mr Justice Richmond on the Ist instant. The calendar was unusually light, and the crimes of the various prisoners were nearly all small theft, with the aggravation, m two instances, of previous conviction. In an elaborate and masterly address to the Grand Jury, his Honor took occasion to point out some of the more serious defects and wants m our insolvency laws ; and the Dunedin Chamber ot Commerce, at a wellattended meeting of members held during last week, discussed the various debatable points m these insolvency laws, and passed resolutions, which will be sent to the Assembly for consideration. The members likewise passed resolutions with reference" to the Inter-colonial Postal Service, the Tariff, and other important commercial and general subjects, which will also be laid before the Hfouse of Representatives. The civil sessions of the Supreme Court I were opened on the 4th instant by Judge Richmond, but there were only one or two cases of interest ; m both of which, I regret to say, more than one of our solicitors came m for some rather unpleasant, yet well-merited remarks from the Judge. The litigation of a case concerning a piece of land, has lost the unfortunate and infatuated plaintiff exactly £20 per acre ! One of our Resident Magistrates, who lias all along been held m high esteem, having appropriated to his own purposes a considerable quantity of Government funds, has seen fit to bolt. The Magistrate and Warden I refer to is Mr Charles Worthington, of the Waitahuna goldfields district; and people belonging to that part are quite put about at his absence, as he was a great favourite. During* the past fortnight, we have had no news worth noting.