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Dunstan Times, Issue 286, 18 October 1867, Page 2

In the House of Representatives, in committee of supply : on the item District Court, Otago Gold Field-, £I4BO the following debate took place. Mr. Reynolds asked if it was not possible for the Clerks to the Resident Magis. tnitcs on the Goldfields, to act also as Clerks to tills Court Mr. Main explained that they did this duty. Mr. Maeaudrew thought as there were no such Clerks before, they might be done away with, and proposed that the item should remain £I2OO the same as last year. Mr. Mervyn considered the salary, £3f>o a year quite sufficient for these Officers. Mr. Reynolds would move a reduction of .£IOO for the four Clerks, and .£l2O for four Bailiffs Mr. Stafford said he was not prepared to say that there should be any reduction in the item for Bailiffs, as the people would be unable to have thei r Summonses served, and that would be an inconvenience the people would soon feel, but thought some reduction of the < 'lerks might possibly be made. Eventually the item .£IOO for four Clerks was reduced by £IOO making their salaries £365 per annum. The item for Bailiffs was agreed to. The sub Committee of the Dunstan District Jockey Club appointed to draw up the Programme for the ensuing Race nieet-ing, held their meeting on Tuesday evening last, For the result of their deliberations, we refer our readers to the Programme in our advertising columns, The Cromwell Town Council held its general meeting, on the 14th inst. at the School House, Cromwell, the Mayor, Mr. W. J. Barry and full Council present. The minutes of the previous meeting having been read and confirmed, a letter was read from the Chief Postmaster, Dunedin, respecting the present inconvenient postal arrangements, promising that the matter should be brought under the notice of the Postmaster General. Several other letters were read and re-

caived. A report from the Town Surveyor was read and received. Proposed by Councillor Smitham ; —That a resolution passed at a meeting of the Council held on the 12th Angt. last appointing Messrs_ W. 'Grant and J.' S. Burrowes, valuators, bo rescinded; seconded by Councillor Kidd, and carried. Mr. Thomas Carpenter and i Mr. P. KeKy were appointed valuators. Mr. B. Badger was re-appoint-ed Town Clerk for the ensuing year, at a salary of £GO par year, and ten per cent on all rates collected; he was also requested to enter into a fresh bond, himself in £IOO, and two securities in £SO each. A vote to the Chair concluded the proceedings. Mr Warden Stratford, writing from the Nokomai District, on Sept. 30th, says:—"There has been a rush of miners to a creek running into the Waikaia, and immediately under the Titran Bocks, marked on the map of Otago. About 100 miners came' across the ranges from Alexandra and thereabouts, and about fifty from the neighborhood of Swi'tzers. 1 have been informed that those who came across the ranges .only remained a few days, and then returned to a gully two miles below Campbell's Gully (a distance of ten miles from the Waikaia rush), and have set to work there. I visited the Waikaia rush last week, and found 22 miners on the ground. The creek is named Welshman's Creek (after the prospectors), and is a mountain torrent, containing about 20 sluiceheads of water. Its widtli at the diggings is about 30 feet, with a very rocky bottom, and perpendicular banks of boulders, and rocks. The prospectors washed three or four grains in a tin dish, and again about the same out of' a shovel while I was there. From all I can hear I believe the run of gold is confined to an area of about a mile by the width of the creek. Very difficult to get at owing to the rocky nature of the ground. The tools chiefly required are the hammer and gad, blastin" powder and fuse. I have no doubt that the few there will do well, but 1 do not think there is room for many more. The easiest track to the place (round the compass) is from Switaers, j and the route is as follows: From j Switzcrs, a dray-track to (low's hut, through the home station of Messrs M'Donald and Co. : distance 1 ! miles. From thence, six miles along the banks of the Waikaia, on the east side, by a fair bridle track. A( that distance you cross the Waikaia, through a lon» but shallow ford. [mmediatelv on landing on the west bank of the Waikaia, you plunge into a thickly timbered country, with undergrowth and scrub, which you continue through for at least seven miles, rising gradually a high range, nearly the whole way, until you arrive within a few hundred yards of the diggings. Seme old workings on the Waikaka. twenty miles below the Pyramids, on the Waipakee road, have been re-opened recently. There are about 20 men on the ground but I am notable to report as to thensuccess at present. A very interesting demonstration in the shape of a complimentary dinner was given on Wednesday evening last, at Ryan's Bendigo Hotel, Clyde, to MiMichael Kitt, the Manager of the celebrated Frenchman's claim, at Frenchman'sßeach, Alexandra, Mr. Kitt hj 'ing about to visit Victoria to recruit his en orgies after three years unremitting exertions as manager of the claim. The Chair was taken by Mr. J. D. Feraud, Mayor of Clyde, and one of the shareholders in the claim ; about twenty gentlemen likewise sat down to a most sumptuous repast provided in host Ryan's best style of art. The ample spread having been done justice to. and the cloth having been removed the Chairman in an appropriate speech setting forth the, feelings of gratitude expressed by himself and brother share holders towards Mr. Kitt, and highly eulogising that gentleman's efficient management, showing that when everyone else had doubts as to the payable nature of the claim, he alone posessed unbounded confidence, and by dint of hard work. skilfully applied labor, and strict attention to minor details, had brought things to their present satisfactory issue, concluded by acknowledging, or behalf of himself and other shareholders the eminent services of their manage] Mr Michael Kitt. Mr Kitt made r suitable reply, which was well received The Mining, Fastorial and Commereia Interests; the Press, the Ladies am other toasts, after the usual authordoj fashion, followed, and met with suitabh responses.

At the Residents Magistrates Court, Cromwell, on Wednesday last (before H. W. Robinson, Esq., R.M.), the following eases were heard :—Barry v. O'Neill, for £5 18s Id; judgement for £5 14s 4d and costs, Ralston v. O'Neill, for £2 18s ; nonsuit. O.Neill v. Barry, for £ls 8s Cd ; dismissed. O'Neill v. Horrigan, for £l9 19s lis; dismiescd. Turner v. Dunkius, for £G ; dismissed. Foote v. Fraiicessoir, £l2 9s fid; judgment fur amount claimed and costs. Perrian v. Brown and Kelly, for £lO Is 4d; judgment for amount claimed and costs. Werner v. Smyth, for £.'3; judgment for £2 and costs.