The Alleged Goldfields.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4750, 21 July 1883, Page 3

The Alleged Goldfields.

From reliable accounts to hand the gold discovered on the Ninety-mile Beach is likely to turn out payable to the extent of £3 or so a week ; but until proper appliances are used to prove it, many people are sceptioal as to suoh a reßult. There are, we are informed, one or two residents and old diggers here, making the neoessary appliances, and expect to make a start at the beginning of noxt week, when more authentio information may possibly be obtained. Most of the current reports are of suoh a vague nature as not to be deserving of muoh attention, especially as, when investigated, they prove to be founded on tho most slender basis. It appears, however, to be a faot that not very long ago a good sample of gold, said to have been procured at the Malvern Hills, was shown to some persons in Ohrietohuroh by an individual who declined to make known tbe locality whenoe it had been obtained, but who is believed to be at presont making further researches in order to ascertain whether that much-longed-for thing, a payable gold field, exists on the eastern slope of the hills.

American millionaires are remarkable for the ready way in whioh they spend the " almighty dollars "j but a case which is now occupying the New York Courts is worthy of note, especially as the money was not earned by the spendthrifts themselves. The story runs as follows :— ln 1869 Mr William Tiiden died, leaving two and a half million dollars to be divided eqaallv between his four boiib. There is now not half a million left. The four came to Europe, and in a couple of years contrived to run through nearly 200,000 dollars. Tbo two eldest sons have been paid 170,00 D dollars more than their share,and have cxponsied most of the money. Ono of them, when in Germany, purchased a mansion, and with it the title of baron.

In the collection of tho marvellous the Yankee journalist lioks all creation. In a recent issue of a New York paper appeared tbo following :— " Captain Augustus G. Hall and tho crew of tho sohooner Annie L. Hall vouch for the following: Oa March SOth, whilo on tbe Grand Bank, in latitude 40deg lOmin, longtitude 33deg, they discovered an immense live trunk turtle, which was at first thought to be a vessel bottom up. The sohooner passed within 25ft of the monster, and thoso on board had amplo opportunity to estimato its dimensions by a comparison with the length of the sohooner. The turtle was at least 40ft long, 30ft wide, and 30ft from the apex of the back to the bottom of the under Bhell. The flipperß were 20ft long. It was not deemed advisable to attempt its capture." Quito appropriately, this mat little story was headed " A Whopper 1" atd we should think it was one to.

CLIPTOMANIA.

"It is really quite amusing," remarked a London dude laßt week. "I am used to being admired by the women, yen know | but to* dry, as I oame down the steps of the Broad street Btation, a dozen men began exolaiming ' Hansom, hansom, hansom,' in suoh a loua tone of voice that I oonld not help overhearing,"

A shrimp salad, we are told by Figaro, is our mashers' latest food fad. They have taken it from the American "dudes," who took it up, seemingly, because it gave President Arthur indigestion when he was down Bouth.

People who wish to find a plaoe where the wioked tax-gatherer ceases from troubling should (says England) emigrate to Notown, in Vermont. The oomers of Stookbridge and four other towns approaoh this remarkable place, but do not touch, leaving a mile square of land which iB absolutely free from the taxoolUotors.

The World publishes an extract from a private letter, whioh shows what great numbers of sentries were posted to guard the railway to Mosoow, before the coronation. Ihe writer says :— " As we entered the oharmed cirole of Gatchina, the military precautions I had heard of began, and sentries every hundred yards lined the railway embankment, raised there (as very nearly all the way to Motcow) a few feet from an endless morass. It was a strange and weird sight, all that long moonlight, to watoh the endless and monotonous succession of pine woods, moors, and hungry wastes, with hardly any cessation of stagnant pools, a few yards from the road. Not one Bentry did I sco lying down, save at the oamp fires and the tents (every mile or so). The nearer one got to Mosgow, the thioker the sentries got (fifty yards hardly separating them), and at bridges, culverts, and oroßsings, and away at crossroads, they were often as thiok as flies round a pot of honey— fine sturdy follows well dressed."

Apropos of this subject, the People says : — "Tbe laßt joke in relation to the coronation of the Czar is somo what grim. A oanvasser of a groat Life Assurance Oompany scoured an introduction to one of the members of the French mission, and stated that his Company, in view of the gentleman being the father of a fawily, and considering tho eventualities of the coronation, thought it well to romind him of the prudence of insuring his lifo before he started."

Tbo Echo, commenting on the largo amount spent during the files, say b :— " It has been roughly estimated that the money expended directly and indirectly by the Government and peoplo of Bussia, and by tho other Governments of Europe, on the Moscow coronation oeremony will be about a million and a half sterling, or a third of the oost of the last Egyptian campaign. Most of tho money absorbed by the ceremony was spent, and not wasted, whilst most of the money expended in tbo Egyptian campaign was irretrievably wasted.

Among the "swells" who made a good thing out of Epsom week are Lard Alington, Sir Frodoriok Johnstone, and H.B.H. the Prinoe of Wale?. The World says tbat Lord Alington's roported winnings on tbe Derby amounted to £9000, Sir Frederiok Johnstone a trifle over £10,0000, and tho Prince of Wales — who aocompanicd them to Kingsflcro to sco St Blaise tried with Gehtimnisß, Bhotover, Incendiary, Condor, and Energy on tbe Friday previous—won £5600. All the partj baoked Bonny Jean for the Oaks.