Friday.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XII, Issue 41, 30 January 1885, Page 9

Friday.

We {firommeU Argus) reported some time ago that two or three parties who were working on the Criffell Hill, near the head of the Luggate, were doing very well. Others have since taken up claims in that locality. In all there are at present five' or six parties work* ing, and it h> a ooaed out during the last few days that a good deal of gold has been getting quietly—in fact from what we hear some of the claims must be rich. Several men Btarted yesterday to prospect, and we have no doubt that more will be heard of this new field during the nest week or two. The deposit of gold at this place appears to be one of those things that puzzles both the practical miner and the geologist. The diggings are on the crown of the ridge between the Luggate Creek and the Cardrona River, at an elevation of about 1,500 ft above the Clutha. The gold is deposited on ledges, and the washdirt is loam, with a small quantity of gravel. The question arises how was the gold deposited at this elevation? No quartz veins have been found from which it could be derived, and the great /height above the level of the valley forbids the idea of a deposit from any lake formation. Being on the very top of the range, water is extremely scarce. The first party that found gold has been engaged for twelve months in bringing in a race from the head of the Luggate, but being so high up very little water will be obtained when the rape is brought in, except during the melting of the snow. All the parties have been paddocking by hand labonr. Two or three sledge the wash-dirt some distance to a swamp, where a little water oozes out, and by saving the water in a dam, obtain enough to wash the dirt through a box. The other two parties paddock out the dirt and stack it for washing in spring by the melting of the snow. The gold is nearly the poorest yet found in the district, being worth only £3 9s per oz. One person who is dissatisfied with the price given by the bank here, intends to send his gold to the Melbourne Mint, thinking to get a better retnrn. The Southland Land Board were recently compelled to refuse applications by deferred-payment selectors to complete their purchases, owing to the receipt of the circular from the Lands Department to the effect that the Act of 1884 was retrospective co far as the clause relating to six years' residence is concerned. The Board took the opinion of Judge Williams, and this was read yesterday. He stated that the Act was not retrospective, and that he failed to see how any doubt could ever have arisen on the point. The Board afterwards granted the various applications. The Kingite Natives at Whaliwhatihoe have been holding a aeries of religious meetings. The desirableness of abandoning the Hauhau superstition has been generally affirmed, but what Christian denominational form of religion shall take its place seems not to be so easy of determination. All are agreed on one point, and that is that the form of religion fixed upon shall embody in it the Blue Ribbon principle as one of its .chief characteristics. A Maori named Kiri was committed yesterday to the New Plymouth Lunatic Asylum. He is a Parihaka Native, and his hallucination was of such a nature as to make Te Wbiti jealous. He declared that he was appointed by God to rule the Natives, and that he had power to kill all wicked people—both Europeans and Maoris. Te Whitididnot like this attempted usurpation of his authority, and was the means of having Kiri sent to the Asylum. ' The manager (Mr. Anketell) and accountant (Mr. Burrup) of the Union Bank at Koebourne, Western Australia, have been tomahawked and killed on the bank premise?. The keys of the safe were stolen, but no money was abstracted. At present there is no clue to the murderers. The Commission appointed to adjudicate upon the claims of German subjects in Fiji will meet in London. Dr. Kraull, German Consul at Sydney, will represent Germany on the Commission. The disclosures relative to these claims have caused some sensation at Berlin. Mr. J. F. Garrick (Agent-general for Queensland) and Mr Murray-Smith (Agent-general for Victoria) are urging that Germany should be requested to surrender her recent annexations in New Guiiea. Intelligence has been received that a Bevere engagement has been fought near Gakdul between the British troops under Sir Herbert Stewart and a body of the rebels numbering 10,000. Heavy fighting proceeded for some time, but Colonel Stewart finally gained a brilliant victory, and inflicted a heavy loss on the enemy, fully 800 of whom were left dead on the field. The British casualties are set down at nine officers and 65 rank and file killed, nine officers and 85 men wounded. After the battle the enemy retired, and Colonel Stewart will advance forwith to Metemneh, from which position it is hoped communication will be opened with Khartoum.