Gold in Canterbury.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 1008, 30 July 1883, Page 2

Gold in Canterbury.

Should the news which has been debated so eagerly during the past few weeks, concerning the alleged discovery of gold in this province, prove to be well founded, it will have such an important bearing upon the future of Canterbury that it is no wonder the rumors just now filling the air have caused considerable excitement. Otago owes her present position entirely to the fact that the precious metal was found to be plentiful there in the early days, and had it not been for the advent of the Victorian diggers Dunedin would probably now be but a humdrum Scotch town, instead of the important city it is. Canterbury has never had a similar advantage, and no one therefore can be surprised that when it was learnt there was a likelihood of a payable goldfield being discovered in our midst we were a good deal excited. We must confess, however, that the intelligence received from Southbridge and the Ninety-mile Beach is not of a kind to make us particularly sanguine as to a second Gabriel’s Gully being found in this province. The ruby sand which is now and again washed up at the beach certainly contains gold, but it is doubtful if it exists in such quantities as to make it worth while working it, while the verdict passed upon the Southbridge find by the typical “ experienced digger ” is by no means favorable. It would, of course, be premature to offer a decided opinion on the matter, but certainly nothing has yet been determined which would justify the slightest semblance of a rush. If gold is to be found in this province in payable quantities, we think it will be among the ranges rather than in the neighborhood of the sea. This opinion is fortified by some excellent specimens of quartz brought into Ashburton on Saturday from the Alford Forest district by ja very old resident in that locality. Anyone examining these specimens can discern unmistakeably evidence of the presence of gold, and further news as to the discovery will be anxiously awaited by people in this portion of the province. It has long been an article of belief among men experienced in mining that sooner or later gold would be found on this side of the ranges, and it may be that we are on the eve of a new era in our history. Still, it would be unwise of us to buoy ourselves up with hopes that may prove delusive, but we think that we have received

sufficient evidence of the existence of gold in the ranges to justify a vigorous prospecting being carried on, and we trust that more than one party will be ready to leave Ashburton for that purpose as soon as the weather will permit.

Telegraph stations are now open at Tinwald, in this County, and at L'ncoln in the Selwyn County. •\n announcement with reference to the forthcoming Poultry, Pigeon, and Canary Show will be found on our fourth page. Mr H. Dempsey is to read a paper on “ Falstaff ’’ at the Debating Society’s meeting this evening. The Governor will deliver the annual address to the New Zealand Institute on August Bth. We learn from Christchurch that additional applications have been made for prospecting licenses in the supposed diamond fields. The Wellington - Manawatu Railway Company has repaid to the Wellington Loan and Investment Society the L3J,000 advanced. Bishop Moran leaves Dunedin for Wellington on Wednesday, t» give evidence before the Committee to whom the Catholic petitions on education were referred. At the Police Court John Whiteside was brought up before Mr Alcorn, J.P., on a charge of lunacy from drink. The accused, who was still suffering from the effects of liquor, was remanded on a medical certificate for eight days. A public meeting was held at Timaru on Saturday, which was very numerously attended by leading runholders, farmers, and others in South Canterbury. It was resolved to form a refrigerating company, with head quarters in Timaru, meat to be shipped from Timaru direct Home.

News from the Terawhiti on Saturday reports that the Golden Crown crushing is proceeding satisfactorily. The plates show splendidly, and yielded sozs to the ton as predicted by experts. Shares in the Company have risen greatly, and all other stock has also advanced. Washing up is expected at the end of next week. The clergymen at Port Chalmers who desired to take up the work of religious instruction in schools have abandoned the idea. The Committee would only grant the use of the buildings between 9 and 9.30 a.m., and it was considered any attempt to bring children out at such an early hour would only result in failure. An entertainment, which promises to be of a varied and most pleasing character is to be given in the Oddfellows’ Hall on Wednesday evening. Combined with the pleasure of a couple of hours capital enjoyment, the object for which the proceeds will be applied—namely, to augment the funds of the St Stephen’s choir—should secure a bumper house. Hazell, an expressman at Avondale, Auckland, who found what he thought was a piece of coal in his loft, put it in his kitchen grate, when an explosion took place, and he was seriously burnt about the head, face, and arms, and is in a critical condition. The supposed block of coal appears to have been Gib of blasting powder. Its presence in the loft is explained by the fact that Hazell’s son-in-law was some time ago employed on the Kaipara railway, and, it is believed, the powder becoming wet, he brought it home with the object of having it dried, and forgot all about its existence. A meeting of settlers was held at Thornbury, Invercargill, to discuss the proposed increase in the property tax. Mr Hamilton moved a motion disapproving of increasing the t£x, and expressing an opinion that instead of raising the tax the exemption should bo reduced to LIOO. The speaker admitted the fairness of a property tax, but held that with the present exemption of LSOO only one third of the population contributed. It had been said that Government were afraid of being turned out if the exemption were reduced, but they were unworthy to hold office if influenced by such considerations. Mr Mclntyre agreed with the motion so fas as to lowering .the exemption, but he did not think the property tax fair, a land and income tax would be preferable, and it was simply a question of time when the change would be made. The speaker said the Celonial Treasurer might be a iood clerk, but was no politician, ai was shown by what he told people at Invercargill, namely, that if they did not like they could sell out and go elsewhere. The speaker held that exemptions should be abolished altogether, and predicted that Major Atkinson would yet come out as the apostle of land nationalisation. In the event of settlers not being able to pay he would give them 10 per cent over the valuation of their land and take it over, leaving them free to go elsewhere. Another speaker in considering the property tax mentioned cases where settlers with horses worth L6O returned them at Ll 5. Other speakers urged the reduction of exemption, and some also favored an income tax. No amendment was proposed, and the motion was passed by a large majority, a copy to be sent to the Treasurer.

The Hon. Colonel Brett (observes a Wellington contemporary) prides himself on the fact that he resembles the MoorishYenetian General Othello so far that he is “ rude of speech, and is little gifted with the set phrase of man.” Ye terday, from bis place in the Legislative Council, he characterised the City Council of Wellingtm as being a “lazy body.” This rather brusque accusation arose in a short discussion relative to a notice brought forward by the Hon Mr Nurse, that certain suggestions made by a of members of Acclimatisation Societies laid upon the table of the Council, should be printed. The remarks of the gallant and hon, member were scarcely d propos to the notice, inasmuch as it referred to fresh-water fish and acclimatised English trout. Colonel Brett, however, is never at a loss for a subject upon which to address the Council, and he on this occasion brought forward a complaint that New Zealand waters, and more especially the waters of Port Nicholson, would very soon be quite void of flounders, owing to the fishermen forcing small and quite unsaleable fry upon the retail fishmongers ; and, as a factor in his argument, he stated that he had that day been shown a quantity of flounders, whose size did not average that of a Spanish crown, whatever the size of that coin may be. This assertion few who are conversant with the tricks of fishermen can gainsay, but it was scarcely polite of the hon and gallant gentleman to designate the Municipal Corporation of the Metropolis as “ a lazy body.”