Tuesday.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XII, Issue 42, 6 February 1885, Page 11

Tuesday.

On Thursday morning (says the Cluvrleston Herald Jan. 24) a gentleman, well-known here, brought to this office a small specimen of quartz which, he stated, was obtained from an extensive and well defined reef, somewhere in the Brighton district. The stone, which is of a bluish colour, is thickly studded with gold, plainly visible to the naked eye, and is by far a better specimen than any we have seen from Beefton or Mokihinui. The stone was taken to tbe Back of New South Wales, but as its weight is only about five and a-half ounces it bas not bpen crushed, but the person who brought it to town has promised to bring in a heavier sample, of which when crushed we shall give the result publicity. The exact locality of the find was not disclosed, for reasons well understood by miners. The foregoing not only goes to show the folly of neglecting our mineral resources in the past, but that wealth is actually lying at our very doors and to be had at the cost of a little energy, but without the hardships usually encountered in searching for the precious metal. If thiß find, which proves that gold-bearing quartz reefs do exist in this portion of the Buller County, does not arouse the population from their lethargic condition we are afraid that nothing will. If a desire exists amongst the inhabitants of this district to help themselves now is the time to prospect the country at our back. As sure as attention is given to the matter, so sure •will good results follow. We hope to hear of applications being made within the next fortnight for quartz miniDg leases, etc. Advance Charleston — and overboard with dull times. A man, name unknown, was drowned while attempting to swim the river Tekapo, from Lake Tekapo near its outlet MacKenzie country, on Sunday afternoon. From intelligence to hand it would appear that be attempted the feat out of bravado. There is a bridge just above. Tbe body bas not been recovered. The Times considers that the justice and strength of England's case regarding the claims made against her by German subjects in Fiji is beyond question. < The Powers have decided to guarantee an Egyptian loan without the condition of a multiple control over Egypt. Newshas reached Cooktown that the German war-steamer Mars has been stranded near New Britain. The death of Lord O'Hagan, at the age of 75, is reported. R.I.P. Sir Gavan Duffy advises the Tories to compromise with the Home Rule party. The International Conference on the Congo question has come to an agreement with reference to certain regulations for dealing with the future annexation of territory in the Congo Valley and adjoining couptry. Rules were_accepted in accordance with the views of the British delegates. At the sitting of the Reichstag on Thursday the report of the Committee on the question of granting subsidies to a line of German mail steamers trading to Australia, but not to Samoa, was rejected on the second reading. Mr. W. C. Foster suggests that a Colonial conference should be held in London respecting Imperial defences. Tbe Mahdi has been strongly reinforced, and is still in the neighbourhood of El Metemneh. Several State Legislatures have passed votes expressing abhorrence of the recent dynamite outrages in London, and to render penal tbe hatching of plots for similar purposes in the United States. The Nicaraguan Treaty was under discussion in the senate on Wednesday night, when the report of the Foreign Committee, which favoured the ratification of the Treaty, was discussed at length ; and ultimately the House, by a considerable majority declined to act upon the recommendation of the Committee, and refused to ratify the Treaty.