CANTERBURY.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVII, Issue 1778, 14 October 1862, Page 4

CANTERBURY.

The Provincial Council met on Ist October, when the Superintendent delivered the usual address. The correspondent ofthe Olago Daihi Times writing on October 2nd has the following. A public meeting was held at Christchurch on last Thursday evening, to consider what measures should be adopted to aid in the reliei of the distress existing in the cotton mannfacturing districts of England. The meeting was tully attended, and the warm interest which each one present felt in the object they were assembled to promote, found expression in tbe following resolution, which was cordially and unanimously adopted -.—"That this meeting recognises with deep regret, the great and increasing distress at present existing in Lancashire and the adjoining counties of England, and at the same time thoroughly sympathises with the fortitude and manliness shown by the sufferers in meetinr the difficulties which surrounded them." It was determined that subscription lists should be opened, and a committee was nominated to aid in this collection. At the close of the meeting it was announced by his honor, that £388 had been collected in the room, and this sum has considerably increased by subsequent donations. Bearing in mind that this is the conttibution of Cnristchuroh only, aud the rest of the province will be no less ready to aid in the good work, I think there is every reason to expect, that Canterbury will Jose none ol the credit which she has gained on similar occasions for hei readiness to contribute to those who are in need. Thatcher has come forward very handsomely on this occasion, by giving an extra entertainment on Tuesday evening, the proceeds of which he handed over to the Lancashire Relief Fund. He has been very popular duriug his stay in Canterbury, and this act of liberality, forms a graceful wiud up to a very successful season. . The Diocesan Synod of Canterbury commenced its session yesterday week. It was opened as usual by a charge from the Bishop of Christchurch, aud has since held regular sittings for the dispatch of business. I have heard no account of its proceedings, but understand that several questions are under discussion of unusual importance to the interests ofthe church. The enquiry into the circumstances attending the death of Abraham Stubbs, was brought to a close on Friday. As I mentioned in my last that there was some reasou for suspecting that the deceased had met with foul play, and suspicion attached to a man named Groves, with whose wife Stubbs had been too familiar while her husband was away at the diggings. However, there was no direct evidence to bear out the charge, aud the jury returned an open verdict of " Found Drowned." There is a sort of mystery hanging over the affair, which is increased by the fact that six or eight months ago a man was found drowned in precisely the same part of the river. On that occasion also, though I don't remember the precise facts, I recollect that these same Groveses were in some way mixed up with the matter, and the inspector of police had strong reason to believe tbat the man's death was something else than an accident. The railway has been again made the occasion for a fete. The ceremony of laying the first stone of the tunnel arch took place on Monday, and a large number of ladies and gentlemen were invited to Heathcote valley to celebrate the event. The stone was laid by Mrs. W. S. Moorhoose with the customary forms ; and when that had heen satisfactorily accomplished, the company assembled in a tent erected for the purpose, to enjoy the hospitality of Mrs. Holmes, who had provided an excellent breakfast for all comers. This was followed hy a game at football (by way of training, I suppose,) during which time the tent was cleared for dancing ; the ladies then joined the game, and in another kind of ball footed it merrily till approaching sunset suggested thoughts of retiring, I must not forget to record the success of the whaling stations on the Peninsula. At Mr. Wright's, Island Bay, four whales have been already taken during the season ; and another was struck, but was lost through an accident. At Mr. Buchanan's station, which is ou a smaller scale, they have been in proportion equally successful, having caught two whales. At this rate the pursuit will prove very lucrative to the parties engaged, and will be an important aud satisfactory additon to the exports from Canterbury. OTAGO. The following extract from the " Otago Daily Times," the 7th inst., contains tho latest reliable information relating to the Dunstan and Nokomai diggings.—" Our last Melbourne narrative was published on mh uit. At that time the rush j from Melbourne, or rather the rush into Dunedin. j was at its height; three thoussnd persons arriving within a few days. Since that date there have ! been many arrivals, but no such heavy -influx, and as almost all who have landed have at once started off to one or tho other of tha gold fields, the rush has made as yet little difference in' town. Most of the new arrivals have still continued to make for the Dunstan, but a fair proportion have determined to try the Nokomai, and not a fijw have preferred the lesa hazardous experiment of the old diggings, where the clearing out of so many miners ior the new rushes had left plenty of room for new comers. A decided effect in promoting the Dunstan rush was caused by the arrival in Dunedin of several

large parcels of gold brought down by private hand. On the 29th, 100 lbs weight was brought down for ono party, and 25 lbs. by another ; on the following 201b5., and on the two days succeeding, 20lbs. and lOlbs., besides a number of small lots, on the whole making not less than 2500 oz. within a few days. -S'his put the diggers and others in good spirits, and they were thus led to disregard the fact of the river having risen, or at any rate to attach but little importance to it, and many went up only to find thpt the story was too true and that the rise of the river had seriously altered the aspect of affairs on the new field. With regard to this rise we may state that it had | had the effect of Bwamping the miners out of much of the best ground ; indeed in many cases the river had swept away large piles of rich wash dirt. Many thought that the river might soon be expected to fall, but old settlers held a different opinion and maintained that as die rise was caused by the melting of the snow the river could } not be expected to fall to its level until tho approach of winter. While waiting for the river to go down many of the miners were led to turn their attention to the tunnelling of the banks above the water level, and good prospects were thus obtained. Others tried the flats and gullies around with varying success, and employment was thus found for numbers who would otherwise by the rise of the river have been thrown out of work entirely. With regard to the prospects of those who have thus set to work to develops the resources of the district, a variety of accounts are to hand, but the general tone warrants the statement, that the district will for a long period maintain a very large mining population. Of theso reports, the latest will be the most interesting to our readers. By it we learn that the river still continued high, and that there was consequently an almost total suspension of work in tho bar claims, but that the country around was getting more and more settled. For several miles along the Manuherikia, parties were settling down, and in most instances making wages. The gold found in the Manuherikia is like that of the Molyneaux, mixed with iron sand. In one place where a tolerable prospect has been obtained, the facilities for sluicing are described as being very good. But while some aro woiking along the . valley of the Manuiherika to the east others are pushing to the west, up the Kawarau, where they appear to have found something worth working for. The first escort from the Dunstan, arrived on Saturday, bringing 6031 ozs. It had heen confidently anticipated, that the first escort would have been not less than 10,000 oz. and much disappointment was therefore felt when the smallness of the quantity became known. It must however he taken into account that the quantity brought down by private hands has been considerable, and further, that the buyers have been terribly short of cash up there, aud that in consequence there has been a great deal of gold offered that could not be purchased. The escort from the old diggings came to hand on Thursday, the quantity being 53G4 ozs. 15 dwts. This is very good, considering how much the population has been reduced of late, and tends to confirm the statement of those who say that the old diggings are still not fairly surpassed. There can be no doubt that the miners must on tho whole be doing well there for not only do the escorts tell a tale iv proportion to the population, but cases of individual success are not wanting. One party, last week at Monroe's washed out 143 ozs as the result of seven weeks work, at sluicing, and an eighth share in a small race at Gabriel's, was sold for .£2OO. Many are making hack to their old haunts from the rushes, although intending to have a "go in " at the Molyneux again as soon as the fall of the water will allow them to get at the rich golden , sand. With this object, many parties are shepherding their claims on the river. The latest reliable account from the Nokomai is dated the 20th September, on which day Mr. Pearson, Crown Lands Commissioner of Southland, visited the ground. This was only four days after the visit of Mr. Branigan, mentioned in our last narrative. Mr. Pearson found about 250 men in Victoria Gully, as it has been called, most of whom were shepherding. There was a difficulty in getting down with claims, owing to the quantity of water, but those at the upper end of the gully, where the sinking was shallower and not bo wet, were doing well, and seemed contented. One party of nine were averaging .£ls per week per man. A party of maoris from Jacob's River were also doing well in a blind gully leading into Victoria Gully. Part of Lamb's prospect claim had been jumped. A nugget of an ounce weight, and one of seven pennyweights, had been found. Several parties were out prospecting in various directions. Provisions were cheaper than at the Dunstan, flour and meat being each ls. per pound. Vague reports of a gloomy nature have been current during the last day or two, but we have failed to trace them to any reliable source, although we are aware that j many miners have returned from the Nokomai, and, as in tho case of the faint-hearted who have turned back from other rushes, "they have tried to give the place a bad name. We arxiously look for reliable accounts af a late date.

The files we have received to the 9th instant, give no further information.