OTAGO.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVII, Issue 1727, 23 May 1862, Page 3

OTAGO.

By the Wonga Wonga, we have received Otago papers up to the 19th instant. We extract the followiug froth the monthly summary of the Daily Times:— ARRIVAL OF THE ESCORT. The escort, which arrived in town on Thursday, May 16th, brought down 3,786 ozs. of gold, divided as follows — Tuapeka 2,944 ozs 10 dwts. Waitahuna 842 „ 3,786 10 dwts. On the 16th April the Superintendent opened the Provincial Council. The speech was a more statesmanlike and less personal address thau Superintendent's are in the habit of making. It described the state of affairs as very satisfactory and assuiing. It is unnecessary to refer more paiticularly to the speech, as the subse quent action of the Council, which we will immediately detail will supply it. The first step taken by the Council, was by a vote of want of confidence to cause a change in the Executive. Messrs. Walker, Howortb, and Hardy retired in favour of Mr. Dick, secretary and treasurer ; Mr. M'Glashan, solicitor; and Messrs. Kilgour, Paterson, and Reynolds. The change excited little interest. A message, concerning the postal service, raised a debate, iv the course of which Mr. Ward's couduct was severely criticised, and a carte blanche was given to the local government to enter into what contract it thought-fit for the conveyance of the English mails to and from Melbourne and Otago. The Estimites were also rather hurridly got through. They appear at length in another column, and show the wonderful progress in a general point of view that the Province has made. The total revenue for the half-year, is calculated at £204,082 7s. 7d., inclusive of £25,000, the proceeds of debentures, and £45,000 balance from last half-year. Only three-eights of the Customs' revenue are included. The other five-eights go to the General Government. The Estimates of revenue were understood to be considerably within the mark, J and the Council thought itself safe in voting | away £285,000, or even £80,000 more than the revenue. The scale of salaries was still left at a low rate, and there was no disposition evinced to unnecessarily increase the strength of any of the departments. The largest portion of the appropriatious were for public works, and the expenditure under this head, it need not be said will re-act with a beneficial result on the country generally. The Police was the heaviest of the departments. £16,000 was voted for Police purposes a high opinion lieing expressed of the efficiency of the force. For public works, such as roads, bridges, and buildings, a total of £170,308, was voted. Amongst several iteim noticeable iv the estimates occur the following, —£8000 for a bridge over the Lower Taieri, £6300 for a High School, £5003 for a new goal, £20,000 for the road from Dunedin to the Taieri Ferry, £1250 for a Benevolent Insti tulion, an additional bonus of £500 to Mr. Gabriel llaeu 1 , the discoverer of the Tuapeka Kold fields; Military, £1,680 ; purchase of mns £3,500; prospecting parties, £1,500; extermination of thistles, £1,500 ; and Provincial build ings, £15,000. The arbitration in the Otago and Southland public debt, occupied the attention of the arbi-

trators, Messrs. Dillon F. Bell, and T. B* Gillies, some days, and was finally adjourned till June, when it will be resumed in Wellington. Dr. Menzies the Superintendent, and Mr Pearson the Crown Lands Commissioner, came over fromjSouthland to watch the case on Southland.s behalf. GOLD FIELDS. The escorts duiing the In st mouth have fallen in amount. Tlie circumstance can be accounted for by the sensible diminution of the population. A large number of miners have returned to Victoria with the intention of returnins? again in the spring. Again, many miners are scattered far and wide over the conn try, outside the reach of the Escort offices. Again, on the older fields, the first superficial deposits being to some extent worked out, operations have now to be commenced on a different scale — deep sinking, puddling by machines, and sluicing, are largely being entered into. The results will take time to develope. Still the average earnings of the miners are by no means contemptible, and far in excess of Victoria, albeit in that favored colony there is machinery to aid the miners to the value of a million and a half. In another column will be seen an elaborate calculation based on data supplied by the Argus % by which it appears that the average of the gross earnings of the individual miner in Victoria during the first qaarter of the present year amounted to only £15 14s. 2d.,0r at the rate per annum of £62 16s. Bd. The average here, taking the last seven escorts, the lowest received is far above the Victorian. The total population on the gold fields cannot exceed now 9000. Out of this number after deducting women, children, idlers, and men engaged in business, not more than 6000 are left as absolutely engaged in mining. In Victoria they only estimate a third of the gold field population to be miners. taking it in Otugo as two thirds this gives 6000 miners. Dividing this into the total of the last seven escorts, 34,439 ounces, we have the average for each man weekly of 16jdwts. Bgrs. or, at the value of £4 an ounce, £3 ss. 4d., as the aver age earnings of each man engaged in mining. This is equal to £169 17s. 4d. per annum, against £62 16s. Bd. in Victoria. In other words, without machinery, the Otago miners average nearly three times as much as their brethren in Victoria. The value of the gold in both cases is estimated at £4 an ounce, which is above its value, but on the other hand, no allowance is made for gold brought down by private hand, which amounts to a large qkuyitity. Still, it is very satisfactory to be able to announce the discovery of a new gold field. The new Eldorado is situated on Mr. Saxton's run, near the Taieri River, and at the foot of Mount Highlay. For convenience sake, we will refer to the new diggings as the Highlay gold field. The first news of it that reached town was from Mr Bailey, the fortunate discoverer of an atiriferouc quartz reef. He brought down specimens, and announcing his discovery obtained from the Government an extended claim. He described the place as possessing large alluvial deposits, and that several miners were profitably engaged insluicing. A trooper was despatched to the spot, and from his report, which we print in another column, it will be seen that a payable gold field has been discovered. One uuggefc of an ounce had been discovered, and the men working on the spot admitted to making wages. Gold could also be freely seeu in the quartz. On receipt of this report a great many left Dunedin for the spot, and are still continuing to go. The load lies by Waikouiti, which can be reached by steamer in four hours from Dunedin. From Waikouiti the diggings are about 45 miles distant along a good dray track. It will thus be seen they are very near to the coast. The climate about Waikouiti is quite temperate aud but little rain falls. As winter quarters Highlay will be found more genial than Tuapeka. It is premature to express any positive opinion concerning the prospects of the new field ; it is possible only a " patch " has been discovered, but unqestionably the inference from the large extent of ground over which gold has been found to exist, is of a more cheering nature. There are reports of another new gold field, caused by overtures made by the alleged discoverer of a very large field, to Captain Baldwin, Commissioner at Waitahuna, for a reward of £3000, in the event of the discovery being made known. The applicant was known to be respect ible, and some faith was attached to his statement. He was referred to the Superintendent, and it is believed that he has come to town for the purpose of seeing him. Ou the older goldtields though there is nothing startling to notice, fresh ground is being constantly opened up. A rush near Tuapeka to the junction of the river of that name, is well spoken of, and as there is plenty of timber, many miners will comfortably locate themselves there during the winter. At Wetherstone's satisfactory nrogresss is made, the lead is traced down to the flat. Munroe's Gully is turning out surprisingly well, many rich claims are being worked there. At Waitahuna there have been several small rushes lately, amongst which are one to the High Range and another to the Camp Hill. The raineis it Waipori seem to be contented with their labour — the gold there is coarse, or we should say nuggety, and is found over a large extent of country. Waipori wants a large population to properly de< velupe and prospect it. About 1000 miners have now settled down at Tokomariro aud the Woolshed. They are exposed to great difficulties owing to the field not being proclaimed, but are supposed to be earning good wages. The Mining Board election took place on the 25th April, and resulted in the election of Messrs. sis. Brodie, McMasters, White, Caples, Mclntyre, Savage, and Clarke. Mr. George Brodie was elected chairman, and the Board are about proceeding with the formation of regulations.