BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

West Coast Times, Issue 178, 14 April 1866, Page 2

BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

iFBOM OVIt OWN COEBEBPOHDENT.] CIIRISTCHURCH, Thursday, 3.30 p.m. The Star of tho South arrived from Dunedin and sailed for Hokitika last night. * The Lady Bird sailed for Northern ports at noon. Arrived — Claud Hamilton, from Dunedin.

We nro given to understand that, pursuant to an advertisement which appeared in our issue of yesterday, a meeting was held at the Prince of Wales Opera House, for the purpose of organisinga society to be called " The Brooke Amateur Dramatic Club." Tho meeting was rather thinly attended. Amongst the few resolutions passed was ono to the effect "That tho Club bo formed expressly for charitable purposes." Wo are requested to state that a meeting will be hold at the some place this evening, at 8 o'clock sharp, when wo hope, considering the objeot of tho club, to find a fuller attendance. On Tuesday last, 2140 oz. of gold was passed through tho molting pots in Mr Proctor's establishment, and turnod out in tho form of splendid ingots weighing from 200 to 250 ozs each, and tho appoaranco of tho gorgoous cakos testified to tho caro and skill of tho operator. On this occasion Mr Proctor molted for tho Bunk of N.S.W., but considorablo parcels pass through his establishment ovory week from tho difforonfc beach workings on tho coast. Thursday night, thoFiro Brigado mustered, and turnod out for practice, although tho attendance of mombors was not so full as the Captain desired. Tho practico, howovor, was oxcollont, and only requires keeping up to ronder tho Brigado a most efficient ono. Wo obsorvo that their building in Rovoll stroot is completod, and wo must noods confess that it is a most creditable structure, and an ornament to tho streot. lv size it is soinowhat considerable, boing 40 foot long by 20 foot wido, and consists of two storios — tho lower one constituting tho cngine-liouso : whilst tho uppor is intended as a meeting-room for tho Brigado. Tho front olovation of tho building has a height; of 28 foot, and tho facade displays a considerable amount of architectural design and finish. Wo congratulate tho Brigado on tho progress it has made, but trust that fow opportunities will prosont themselvo3 whoroby a display of its ofiioionoy oau bo made. Notice is given that a special mooting of Justices will bo hold at the Court House, Hokitika, on tho Ist May, for tho purposo of hoaring and determining applications for Slaughtering Licenses. Applicants must give notice in writing of their intention to apply to tho Clerk of tho Bonoli boforo noon on Saturday, tho 21st inst. Ono hundred claims for Eegistration hayo boon sent in in Ilokitika ; ono hundred and twenty-ono at Grovmouth; and sfctcon by residents in other districts. Wo understand telegraphic communication with Groymouth may bo oxpeetcd to bo oponed about tho end of the prosont month. Surveyors have within tho last day or two boon activoly ongagod in taking tho lotols of Gibson's Quay, tho formation of tho streot being at onco to bo proceodod with. Wo havo to correct an error in our last issue. Instead of Constable " Leary" it should havo been "Pory" who was Gazetted as Inspector of Slaughtor Yards, in tho Grey district. Yesterday evening a deputation from tho Improvement Committee, consisting of Messrs. Anderßon and Palmor, waited on Mr Sale to ropresont to him tho disgraceful condition of 13 each street, and to solicit tho assistance of tho Government in draining and making it up. Mr Palmor assured tho Comni'ssionor that tho streot was a standing eosspool and hot bod of disease, and that it was imperative somo moasures should bo quickly adopted to reclaim it. Mr Sale said that if tho Improvement Com. mittco would send him an estimate of the cost of tho work ho would immediately tolograph to Christohurch and asoortain what amount tho G-overnmont would grant for tho purpoßO. Thoro was a vory fair attondanco at tho Corinthian Hall last night, to witnoss tho first appoaranco of tho well-known comedian Mr Tom Fawcott. Tho performance commenced with tho play of " Only a Clod" in which Mr Fawcott appeared to advantage. Tho oharming petite comedy of the " Swiss Cottage" followed, and the entertainment ooncluded with tho laughable farco of " Nan the Good for Nothing." It i» needless for \|s to com*

ment upon the acting of Mr T. Fa-wpe'tt, who has only to bo onco Boon to be appreciated and as ho makes his hut appearfcneo tonight* wo would advise those who desire to spond a really enjoyable evening to visit the Corinthian Hall. /The following yarn, from tho Salt Lake Telegraph, may bo of interest to our 'digging friends :— " Tho biggest thing yot in the goldmining lino, surpassing tlio Mont Cents story, is roportod discovered at Dry Gulch, four milos from Holona Montana. The Peat talks of ' millions lying around loose/ and the vast amount of gold discovered ' affecting the standard of gold valuation throughont tho commercial world,.' It is stated that Mr Brown, a German or Norwegian, has discovered a gold deposit, which for riohuoss and extent has porhaps no parallol iv the history of gold* mining. Tho ledge has been traced fully 75 foet. We give the following glowing description of tho Past : — « Gold in almost solid iuas3Oß glitterod boforo his bowilderod vision* For two weeks longer, unknown to othen, he tunnelled into tho golden wall. Sooreted about him, ho had accumulated several gunny sacks literally filled with tho prooious metal j whon longer sooreoy bocame impracticable, from the vory extent of his unexpected wealth, Mr Brown proceeded to record and sooure his property, when tho publio woro infonnod of tho great discoTery. It is said that ko now koeps a strong guard, night and day, over his seomingly incomputablo woalth, while ho himself, unassisted, drivcß into tho goldon wall around, and continues multiplyiug his socks of prooious ore. One person who was admitted into Mr Brown's drift, states that it presented a scene of wtalth moro akin to a picture of the imagination than aotiwlity. Gold ! gold ! gold ! met the view on ovory side — abovo below, and all around — and reflected baok its rich hues in the glaro of tho candles, as if this subterranean vault had boon hown out of a solid ledge, fully fifty feet in width. The gold vein is threo feet wide — threo-fourths of the entire sub* stanco therbin being puro gold ; the remainder mainly bismuth. On oaoh sido of this voin, there ia a easing of ono foot of quartz, whinh will assay from 500 dollars to 2000 dollars to tho ton. The vory wall-rook is rioh. 1 "S Wo feel compelled to call attention to the disgraceful condition of the s'reets, — Revell-street, our prinoipal thoroughfare, in particular, which, were it not for private enter£<rlso, would absolutely bo unerossable. From end to end it is far over the auoles in mud ; and as this has been caused by the few slight showers that hava fallen lately, we aro almost raid to hazard conjectures as to what its condition will be after a few such wet days as wo were favored with last winter. There is no blinking tho fact that the street requires metalling ; and as good blue stone is not to bo procured, we must per force fall back upon the coarse shingle supplied by the sea beach. No time should be lost in commencing the work. Besides Revell street there are two othtrs whioh require immediate attention; and »a one of them faces the Government buildinSs, we tro astonished that it should have so long remained unreclaimed. We allude to Sewell and Weld streets, both of whioh would be impassable were it not for private enterprise. Sowell-strcet ia immediately under the nose of the Government ; heads of departments (traverse it daily, to the detriment of their highlows and inexpressibles, and yet it would have remained in its pristino state of marsh and supplejack wero it not for the goaheadiam of a fow private individuals whom all the red tapo in Now Zealand would provo insufficient to bind. Wo havo beforo alluded to the improvements effected by Mr 8. Lockhart, whilst at tho other end of tho street Mr It. Beeves has almost metalled tho whole width of tho streot opposite his two magnificent stores. Messrs Edwards and Co. have also rendered tho approach to their wharehouse equally passable. Wo wish the Government wonld take a lesson from suoh enterprise, and pay a little more attention to its own frontage in that street. As for Weld-3treet, its present condition is scandalous, and none but tho most odventurous and daring earo about oxploring its muddy depths. Formerly it was a favorite resort of stray horses, but now tke instinct of those sagacious animals warns them to seek higher an drier localities.