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Dunstan Times, Issue 302, 7 February 1868, Page 2

There is to be a conference of Agricultural Societies, to be "held in Dun ediu on the 3rd March next Societies are invited to send oue or two delegates. The ' Canterbury Press 1 of the 27th January says,—"The orders for New Zealand (lax rope are increasing so much that ii is scarcely possible at times to me* t them, though a great number of hands are at present employed. Messrs. Jenkins, Jones, and Co. have determined on enlarging and adding to their present plant of machinery to fulfil their numerous and extensive or-'ers." We understand a commission Is a. bout to he appointed to report upon a revision of the Mining Regulations in force on the Otago goldfields. The commission is to consist ofMr. Hughes Mr. Mouat, Mr. Pyke, and a delegate from each of the chief Goldfields elected by the holders of miners' rights and business licenses —"Daily Times'' The Home Provincial Agent, Mr Aulfl, states in his letter, that he has received the Separation petitions ; and proposes to have them printed, with a view to their being circulated amongst Members of Parliament, prior to the petitions being presented by an influential member. The body of a man found in the Bay on Monday last between the Rattray •Hreet Pier, and Steamer Keera, has been identified as that of a seaman named William Keith, who came to fHago as a sailor on board the Warrior Queen, about, twelve monthr, ago. The New Zealand Government Gazette contains the following • appointment, - Richard Francis Badger Esq. to be Registrar of Birth*, Deaths, and Marriages, for the Registration District of Cromwell. IV "Grey River Argus" gives a very uusaasfactory account of mining operations on thr.t part of the West

Coast, it says :—The continued wet weather-has completely swamped out nearly all the claims on Addison's Flat; a> d the diggers who have manfully stuck to the place for months in the hope of ultimately getting the gold they know is in the ground, have been fairly disheartened, and they are now leaving in hundreds. The business people on the diggings, and the wholesale houses in West-port, are also feeling severely the unfortunate turn of affairs. The "Daily Times" says ;—The ven ure of the Acclimatisation Soceity to bring out from London by the Warrior Queen, an extensive importation of Knglish song birds, has proved a complete success under the careful management of Mr. Edward Bills and his son. Gut of those shipped, three are 524 on board, all of which have arrived in fine health and condition. They comprise 110 Mailings, 95 thrushes, 65 blackbirds, 42 chaflinche B 60 linnets, 22 hedge sparrows, 40 gold, finches, 8 greenj linnets, 8 yellowham. mers, 50 larks, 3 house sparrows 2 mountain sparrows, 2 reed sparrows, and 10 red poll linnets There ate also 3 white swans, a peacock, and & peahen. The greatest mortality was among the robins and the sparrows, all the robins having died. Judging by the fine healthy appearance of the birds, and the clean iness of their several apartments, the Society could not have made a better choice in the -ap pointment of a manager, it being apparent that Mr. Bills thoroughly understands the habits of all the different kinds On one occasion, during the passage, a sea l>roke on board, and loft water a foot deep in the deck house, where the birds were caged. Some loss occurred through this. One of the larks had a leg broke, which was amputated by Mr. Bills- It is now healthy, and as sprightly as any of the others. Mr Bills brings out, on his own account, for sale, GO canaries, 8 handsome goldfinch mules, 8 song linnets, and 3 goldfinches. A proclamation in the " New Zealand Gazette, " contains the following alterations in Registration districts. The Dunstan and Wanaka district is abolished, and two new districts are substituted The boundaries are defined thus :—"Cromwell district comprises all that area bounded towards the north by the Province of Canterbury ; towards the east by Oam aru and Blackstone registration dis tricts ; towards the South by the Dunstan registration district; and towards the west by the Dunstan, Arrow, and Wakatip registration districts. Dun stan district comprises all that area bounded by a line proceeding from the northern torner of Manuherikia registration district to the Dunstan Creek at its junction with the Vaimherikia river; thence by the said Dunstan Creek to the Dunstan Mountains ; thence by the Dunstan Mountains to the Clutha River; across the Clutha river and over Cairnmuir Hill to the Carrick Ranges ; and by the Carrick Ranges to the Kawaraii river : thence by the Kawarau river to a point due north of Ben Nevis ; thence by the range to Lorn Peak; thence by the Nokomai and Switzers and Manuherikia districts to the starting point.,' The Tramway Station Hotel, St. Kilda, West Coast has been totally destroyed by fire. The "Westport Times " gives the follow ing account of the disaster-.—The Tramway Station Hotel, kept by Mr. Pierce, was discovered to be on fire about 3 am. and in a very short space of time was burnt to the ground. Some of the inmates barely escaped with their lives, while a son of Mr. Pierce's- a fine little boy of three years—was burnt to a cinder, and Mrs. Pierce so dreadfully injured, that her life is despaired of. The fire appears to have originated in the bedroom of Mr. and Mrs. Pierce, where a candle had been left alight, and the destruction of the premises; and everything that was in it, is complete—Mr. Pierce having lost his all, even to his clothes. Boring operations for coal, are now being prosecuted in Southland. The "Southland Times" says : —" An opinion has long been entertained that coal will be found by boring in the great alluvial basin occupying so large a portion of this Province- It is now in course of being put to the test. A party is, we leavn, engaged at Clifton, provided with the necessary apparatus for prospecting toacondideruble depth. Lignite, or " coal" has been found near the surface in several p! -1 , ces, and it is accepted a3 a gcod, al-1 though not an unfailing indication of

coal measures further down. Our Cromwell correspondent, under date the 30th nit., informs us that in mining matters the district never looked more hopeful, and that the Government of the Province might safely depend upon receiving more revenue from this in future than it has done at any time daring the most prosperous days of the New Zealand goldfields. At Bendigo Gulley quartz reefing is likely to be offectively carried out this year. Last year some work was done in following a " leader," but the work was abandoned for reasons.not generally known Messrs.' Barrett and Logan have resumed operations, and, judging from the quartz already raised, a splendid quartz reef is on the eve of being developed. A very important public meeting was held at Lawrence on the 29th iilt condemning the conduct of the Presbyterian Synod, in reference to Mr. F. C. Simmonds, Master of the High School. The Mayor Mr. H. C. Bar. tings was in the Chair. The speeches made by Messrs Ban nerman and utherland, at the Synod were severely commented upon, and the following resolutions were carried amidst loud applause.—That this meeting condemns the action take'! by the ynod of Otago and Southland, in reference to the Rector of the High School) and denies that the Synod has any right to deal with the subject, for the following reasons :—First. Because it has been a recognised principle that it is most important to the intosests of Otago that the High School and the whole educational machinery of the Province should be as free as possible from all sectarian or denominational influences ; and secondly, becav.se the Synod, representing only one of the numerous Christian denominations which exist in the Province, outsteps its legitimate functions in attempting to interfere in the appointment, reten. tion, or removal of the Rector of an undenominational school. That the present Rector of the High School the entire confidence of this meeting, both as regards his character as a Christian gentleman, and his well known and justly appreciated abilities as an instructor of youth. And this m eting desires to express great sympathy with the Rector, in consequence of the cruel manner in which he has been recently used by certain residents in this Province, and trust that the Rector will remain fi m at his post and abandon all idea of resigning his appointment.