DUNEDIN NOTES.

Cromwell Argus, Volume III, Issue 156, 5 November 1872, Page 6

DUNEDIN NOTES.

By 0. P. Q. A company has been formed in Dunedin within the last two or three weeks to commence operations in one of the quartz claims at Rough Ridge, some three or four years ago worked by a company called the "Great Eastern," who had the stone which they raised crushed at the Ida Valley Co.'s battery. Through great mismanagement, the working of the claim Avas stopped, although the average yield from the stone was very large—about 36 dwts. The reef was subsequently taken up by Mr C. F. Roberts, of Mount Ida, who lately came to Dunedin to float the company. A meeting of applicants for shares was held the other evening, and it was resolved that the company be registered under the Mining Companies Limited Liability Act, under the name of the " Energetic." Before proceeding to the erection of machinery, it was considered advisable to raise 40 or 50 tons of stone, in order to test the expense of getting the stone to gras3, it being in its nature very hard ; and in the event of the result being satisfactory, the shares which are at present not taken up will, it is anticipated, be absorbed by the present sharehoiders, and the erection of machinery be proceeded with without delay. " By rail to the Port" is now an established fact, although the line is not yet regularly opened for traffic. The first train brought up a number of the members of the House of Representatives who had arrived from the North, and there have been one or two invitation trips since with a number of ladies and gentlemen from the Port. It is understood that the jubilee day on the occasion of the formal opening of the line will be Monday, the 11th inst., which is set apart as the holiday in honour of the Prince of Wales'.birthday, owing to Saturday, the 9th, being an inconvenient day on which to display the loyalty of the citizens. Wednesday morning's issue of the Daihj Thru* rather astonished the public, containing as it did English telegrams only a few days old, brought by the Melbourne steamer. It seems strange indeed to be brought into such close communication with the old country, separated as it is from us by so many thousand miles of water. There really seems little more for the scientific men of this century to accomplish—unless it is some method for enabling the inhabitants of this sphere to take an occasional trip to the moon. The Mayor and some of the Councillors had an interview yesterday with his Honor the Superintendent with reference to Municipal matters, and among other things the important project of blocking up Gaol-street and then carrying Cumberland street right through what was once Bell Hill into High street, was brought under his Honor's notice. What now remains of Bell Hill is fast disappearing under the enforced labour of the prison-gang who have so long been expiating the various offences against the country of which they were guilty, and there is no question that Cumberland-street must eventually occupy a portion of the ground removed. His Honor promised to lay the matter before the Executive.

Mr W. J. Barry is at present in Dunedin, having returned to New Zealand after a brilliant few months' sojourn in the Australian Colonies, and with (as Mr Barry informed a friend of mine) the satisfactory knowledge that he is now in a fair way of obtaining his rights in reference to the valuable property he claims in New South Wales. With a present satisfactory balance to his credit in the Bank, and the now almost certain possession of thousands to an extent I hardly dare venture to name, he will no doubt be cordially welcomed by the inhabitants of the Municipality in which he for three years occupied the distinguished position of civic chief.

It is said that Mr Donald Reid has declined to again take the position in the Executive from which he was dismissed by his Honor the Superintendent when he held office in the StafFord Ministry, although his Honor offered to reinstate him. Mr Reid no doubt calculates that at the next meeting of the Provincial Council he will be able to reinstate himself, without being beholden to the generosity of his Honor in the matter.