The Dunstan Times FRIDAY, 30th August, 1867.

Dunstan Times, Issue 279, 30 August 1867, Page 2

The Dunstan Times

FRIDAY, 30th August, 1867.

tleneath the rule of men bntirkiy jusi, tin pex isMiOHTiKR than the sword!”

The late -wanton destruction of mining property at Mannherikia—tlic malicious •damaging of the framing of the Ovens Water Eace—is, we are happy to say, the first-outrage of the kind that lias as yet occurred on the goldfiekls of the Dusstan Mining District It, however, shows a vicious phase of society -which we scarcely thought could exist among a prosperous and well-to-do community, and no thinking man acquainted with the character of the miners, and the high rate of -wages which they are enabled to earn, cannot but deplore the circumstance of there being any one person so fiendishly wicked as to -wantonly injure the property of another. The matter is one that intimately concerns every resident on the goldfiekls, and the inhabitants of Mannherikia especially, for where such an outrage lias occurred there

is a probability of a repetition, and the result is a depreciation in the value of milling property, by reason that people will hesitate to invest their money where there exists the remotest chance of gratuitous malicious injury. Ihe loss is not confined to the parties immediately interested, although they undoubtedly feel its moreim mediate effects; but the ultimate result is a want of confidence and security, and where such is the case, enterprise must necessarily become confined within very narrow limits. We all fully understand the fact that upon the success of the water race companies depends our prosperity, for without water we can do nothing The •days of the "long torn" and "tub and cradle" have loT>g since passed away, and, unless by superior appliances to assi-'t labor, the amount of gold now obtained from the soil wou'd be but small. Water is the great moving agent of our prosperity: to it we are indebted for our large escort returns, and for our thriving townships and little mining communities, and we cannot afford to suffer any idle malicious vagabond to wantonly destroy this prosperity. As yet the strong arm of the law has failed in its mission to bring to justice the first man who has so disgraced the miners of Ctago, but we feel assured that ultimately that •ei.d will be secured, and, for the credit of the miners themselves, there is little doubt but that they would gladly assist in bringing that condign punishment upon the cowardly offender which he so richly merits. Nothing is so unmanly as a "dti& in the dark," and anyone guilty of snob practices deserves to be ousted from civilized society as unfit to participate in its benefits. The following quantities of gold were taken -down by Escort-en Monday last, — Queenstown 556, Arrowtown, 141, Cromwell, 1000. Dunstan, 1425, Alexandra, 190-1, Black's 550 and Hamilton 43G, making a total of GOIB ounces. >On account of the severe weather, and the vast accumulation of snow both at bt. Bathans, and Mount Ida, mining operations have been stopped for the past few weeks, thus accounting for the absence of the names of those places in tlieabo v e list. We place before our readers the substance of a Bill passed -during the present Session of the General Assembly, to make special provision for the salaries and expellees of certain Judicial Officers and Courts on the Otago GoMfields. After the preamble and title, it goes on to say,— That from and out of the revenues and receipts arising from fees, fines, rents, royalties, or in any other manner under any Act for the time being in force for the management of the Goldfields, there may be issued and applied any sum not exceed ing £5225 to defray the salaries, contingencies and expences of the following departments, that is to say,—Otago Goldfields ; S Wardens, .£2325; 12 Clerks £2900. We see by the Gazette, that His Excel lency has disallowed the following Ordinances passed by the Superintendent, and Provincial Council of the Province of Otago " The administration of Justice Ordinance ISG7 " The Provincial Wardens' Courts Jurisdiction Extension Ordinance 18G7, and the Fencing Ordinance, ISG7." His Excellency lm assented to '-The Southern Trunk Railway Guaranteed Interest Ordinance, (No. 2) ISG7. In the " New Zealand Gazette " of the 12th inst. appears the following : nn mncemeut, —"That His Excellency the Governor by abvien of his Executive Council, has Leen pleased to r.ppoiiit Mr Henry J. Cope of Clyde, to be Official Agent for the Otago Goldfields, under the provisions of the Mining Companies' Limited Liability Act, 18G5. It is rumored that Mr. Dillon Bell, on account of ill health, will retire from political life. Mr.jßell's retirement will be a serious loss to the province, as he is a politician in the strict sense of the word, besides having the advantage of being in a perfectly independant position. The nomination for the Cromwell Mayoralty takes place on Wednesday next, the 4th September, and the polling ou the following Saturday. It will be seen by our advertising columns that a meeting of importance to miners is to be held at the Royal Mail Hotel, Alexandra, to-morrow evening. There were no Warden's Court cases heard on Monday at Alexandra. Several civil cases were heard in the liesident Magistrate's Court, but they were not of any special public interest.

A meeting of the Clyde School Committee was held in the School Room on Friday last, the 23rd inst. Present, Messrs fastie, M'Pheraon, George, Hazlett, M'Connochie, Christophers, and Dr Shaw. Mr Hazlett occupied the chair. The minutes of the previous meetings were read and confirmed. Several letters from Mr Hislop, Secretary of the Education Board, were read and received, also a letter from Mr W, L. Bailey; asking on behalf of the Dunstau Masonic Lodge, the nsc of School Room for meetings twice a week. The Clerk was instructed to acknowledgo receipt of letters from Mr Hislop, condoling with him on his late accident, and expressing the thanks of the committee for his services in securing the grant of £l3O for building purposes ; also to acknowledge letter.from Mr Bailey complying with request of Masonic Lodge, subject to a rental of ten shillings per month. The visiting committee repoi ted that the sale of Schoolmaster's late residence realized .£3O 15s Od clear of all expenses, and that they had ordered sundry repairs and alterations to the present residence. Accounts amounting to £ll Is 7d were passed for payment. A Vote to the Chair concluded the proceedings. Messrs. Campbell and Low, of the Galloway Station, Manuherikia, have posted up notices that they will place no difficulties in the way of persons wishing to take up agricultural areas on their run. This magnanimous conduct siwrald be followed by other squatters. The Auckland Diggings.—The ' Southern Cross " says : —The news from the Xaraka goldfiehl is not very satisfactory, wherever the ground has been tried, the color has been got but nothing payable as yet, indeed it is a well known fact that the .gold field on the Thames is situated further inland ; but any attempt to prospect this country would only be attended with difficulties and danger, and perhaps lead to a collision mth the natives. Mr Commissioner Mackay is on the ground, and is doing his utmost to induce the natives to permit gold prospecting without reserve. There are about 200 persons on the field, and not above CO at work. The new rush at Myer's Creek, near Sandhurst, Victoria, appeal's to be progressing most satisfactorily, it is supposed to be the old water course, which in times past received the drainage from Sailor's, Peg Leg, and other gullies, and there appears but little doubt, but that a well defined lead of gold has been found, the sinkiitg'is from seventy to one hundred feet in depth, and is likely to go deeper ; the best claims are yielding from two to five ounces to the lead. The population is estimated at 2,500 Europeans, and about GOO Chinese. The place is very badly supplied with water, and measures are being taken for the erection of dams, till a supply can be obtained from the Coliban.