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New Zealand Tablet, Volume III, Issue 151, 24 March 1876, Page 13

HYDE.

March 9, 1876. Nothing new in mining matters, since I last wrote to you, concernmo- our auriferous resources. The dry weather, seasonable of course, has altogether curtailed the water supply, and as witness the sayino-, "no song no supper," so it> is here no water no gold. This does not apply to the tunnellers or shaft-sinkers at the "Four-mile," who are still pegging away. Their labour, however, is but preparatory to the gold-getting part of the performance. The rock having to be pierced, and the sh^t punk, ere the hidden treasures are disclosed. Tne Star of Otajo Company are over 200 feet in the solid rock, without, a break ; it still < o itinues soft, and seems to indicate a speedy entrance into the alluvial gutter. The other company— "Scandinavian"— are engaged shaft-sinking. When

the water comes, sluicing companies will all again resume operations. The harvest is cut, carted, and stacked. The weather having been most propitious, the yield is expected to be unprecedentedly great. In the matter of the Strath Taieri block, which Messrs Reid and McKerrow inspected, with a view to considering its suitability for agricultural occupation, no reply has yet been received pro er con. Some answer should be given without further delay, as it is wanted for crop-growing this year ; and unless soon begun at, the fine weather will rapidly give place to winter, without a stroke of work done towards reclamation. The government should not display laxity in the matter, nor should it play " fast and loose " with a people who certainly are more friendly to Provincialism, with all its faults, than to a despotic Centralism. The up-country people have a horror of Centralism in its latest development, and a persistently prosecuted agitation just now would work ■wonders on behalf of existing institutions, or separation, which is in high ropute, and seems to be "the one thing needed." The government school inspector's reports of school and examinations hereabouts are, with but one exception, but slightly creditable to parties concerned. They are mostly couched in that " faint praise which damns" style that speaks volumes against one. The secularism, pure and simple, does not compete favorably with denominational education in these neighborhoods anyhow, and so Mr. Petrie would have found if he had taken the trouble to inquire. A project for agitating for a railway via Strath Taieri is on the tapis, and is likely to cause much excitement and discussion in our quarters. I think it can be shown it would be a great public benefit and conduce materially to extensive and prosperous settlement. More of this by and bye. St. Patrick's Day is drawing near. You Dunedin people are making mighty preparations for its arrival. All true Irishmen, everywhere, should do likewise, as it is an ever memorable and glorious day, and one always awakening sacred memories of the dear old country. Nothing yet in the way of marking, in some special manner, its appearance amongst us has taken place, but it is not likely it will be suffered to pass by altogether unnoticed.