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Dunstan Times, Issue 333, 11 September 1868, Page 2

The Escort on Monday last took down the following quantities of gold:Cromwell ... 4790z, Cdwt. Dunstan ... 8740z. Odwt. Alexandra ...10250z. 19dwt Blacks 3020z. Odwt. Dunstan Creek... 3630z. Odwt. Mount Ida ... 4890b. Odwt, Total 3.5320z 19dwt. "We understand that Mr Viucent Pyke, E.M. has accepted the Presidentship of the Church of England Committee. As the Hospital Committee is now without a President, no fitter person could be found to fill that office than Mr. Pjke, not only from the position he occupies" in the district, but his intimate knowledge of general matters will doubtless do much to benefit that Institution.

The English mail arrrived at the Bluff at 4 o'clock p.m. yesterday. "We are given to understand that our new Resident Magistrate, Mr. Vincent Tyke will discontinue the practice of allowing unprofessional persons to assist in criminal cases heard in the Resident Magistrate's Court. This measure we are assured ■will give gtneral satisfaction to the public.

Mr, T. Pyke informs us that the jurisdiction of the Resident Magistrate's Court has been extended to 501. In a future issue will bo notified, the days on which the Court will be hsld.

We regret .to record an accident of a serious nature, that occurred to Mr. D. Hanlon, farmer, of Wai Keri Keri Valley, on Wednesday last, and by which he received a very severe fracture of the thigh bone. Dr. Shaw was quickly in attendance on the sufferer. The following morning Mr Hanlon was removed to the Dunstan District Hospital, where, we believe he is getting on as well as can be expected; but it will be some woeks, perhaps months, before he is able to resume work again. Dr. Coarse, of Cromwell, who was called upon, assisted Dr. Shaw in setting the broken limb.

We feel it incumbent on us to notice the laxity that was observed by the Stewards of the Alexandra'races, in not keeping the cour.se clear during the contesting of the events, also in allowing private matches being run without notice being given. During one of these matches, just as the horses were reaching home, a little child was knocked clown by one of them, the other following galloped over the poor little thin},'. Beside the fright occasioned no other injury was done, but the escape was miraculous. We ask, had fatal consequences ensued, who would have leeu to blame 1 We question if the stewards would not have been responsible in some shape or other During the day we noticed several other children narrowly escape being run over. As the race-ci urse is so close to the town, we really think some precautionary stops should have been taken to have kept the children out of danger's way, if not by the race committee, by the parents, who we do not hold blameless for allowing their children to be on the course unprotected From the success attending the working of the dredges on the Molynenx, more especially those in the neighborhood of this town, we, without hesitation, draw the attention of capitalists to the two advertisements in our columns—one signifying that a

dredge is to be lot, the othet offering one for sale. From repeated conversations we have had with men who are acquainted with the Molpncux we deduce that, if the gold which can now be recovered from its bed by means of the dredge is not obtained with as little delay as possible it will not be got at all, for the reason that the bed of the river is being rapidly silted up with the tailings from the numerous sluicing cluim? that line its banks. We are informed, upon undoubted authority, that, in many parts of the river, those parts especially where dredging operations can only be carried on, as much a.s twenty feet in depth of tailings in depth has accumulated. Such being the case, supposing gold to have been in those places, it cannot even be rescued. Tlenty of spots yet remain that are not affected by the sluicing claims, but wo doubt if they will long remain so. Therefore, we would advise action being taken at once, or it will be too late. New Zealand flax seems likely to be applied to other useful purposes than that of rope-moking. The Bruce Herald says : —" We lately had occasion to notice the progress of theTokomairiro Flax Works, and we then stated it was proposed to remove the engine and plant to a more suitable site. This has been effected, and we are glad to hear that the capabilities <»f the mill have been increased, so that a greater quantity of prepared flax can now be made at a reduced expense. The enterprising company are now engaged inmakingpreliniinary arrangements for the manufacture of rope of all kinds, and matting suitable for rooms, lobbies, &c. An experienced rope-sqinner from Sydney has been engaged to conduct the former and a loom is now being made in Milton for the manufacture. of the latter, on the same principle as the epeoanut matting: now s-old in the. stores. We trust that the importation and use of the foreign production will be superseded by the locally manufactured article, which the Company intend selling at from 2s. 6d. to 4s. per yard, of various colors and patterns, whereas the cocoanut matting sells at 6s. 6VI. per yard.

.. We understand that Mr. J. J. Coates, C.E., late Mining Surveyor in this district,-was among the wrecked passengers in the Taranaki.

We would draw the attention of holders of Water-races to an Advertisement in another column, which notifies that bridges or culverts a»e required to be constructed where a race crosses any road in ordinary use. We beg to remind contributors to the Dunstan District Hospital that a meeting will take place at the Town Hall, Clyde, on Wednesday evening next, the 16th inst., for the purpose of electing a President, in the room of Sir. H. W. Robinson, resigned. At the same time will be taken into consideration Rule 15, which provides that any member of Committee absenting himself from three consecutive meetings becomes disqualified to act at any future meetigu. A meoting of the Committee of the " Goldfields' Extension Association" was held on Thursday last at Cromwell when it was determined to petition the General Assembly, and urge again the importance of extending the boundaries in the upper CluthaDistrict The next day a Deputation, Messrs Badger, Clark, and Kelly, waited upon the Mayor, to request that he would be good enough to call a met ting of the Council, to support and recommend the prayer of the petition. The mayor kindly promised that a special meeting of the Council should be called for Wednesday next, to take the matter into consideration.

Among the numerous changes of locafe of the various officers on the go.ldfields we are given to understand the following are to take place :—Mr. A. I): Harvey is to removed from Clyde to Cromwell; Mr. R. E. Field is to undertake the duties of both Clyde and Alexandra; Mr. 11. A. Stratford relieves Mr. T. S. Harvey at St. Bathaii's, Mr. Harvey being appointed Receiver at Wuipori. Viewing these changes from the light of retrenchment we perfectly agree with them; but we cannot see that either the public service or the public generally will be benefited by removing officers from districts with which they are thoroughly acquainted, and placing in their stead gentlemen who are perfect strangers to both the district and the inhabitants.

The Hokitika Celt is again indulging in strong language against the British Government. Tho West (Joast Times asks the authorities to interfere, as language has been employed which is disgraceful wherever the British flag flies. One of the Northern papers says,— " A gentleman has arrived from Sydney on behalf of an extensive paper manufactory situated near that city, for the purpose of leasiug a couple of thousand acres of Government land in the WaiKato, where it is proposed to grow flax on a very extensive scale. The flax will be prepared in the best possible manner, and will then be exported to tho manufactory at Sydney for the purpose of paper making. ,We are requested to call attention to an advertisement which appears in another column, announcing to intending purchasers of land held under agricultural leases that proper forms and, all necessary information may be obtained upon application at the Warden's office. The West Coati Times notices the opening up of a new trade, between Hokitika and Melbourne. That journal says:—"The next vessel that leaves Hokitika for Melbourne will take away a goodly shipment of timber,|the growth of the forests. Any person who choses to visit the upper end of the wharf, may observe a pile of immense red pine and lancewood logs, which have been cut to the order of Messrs. Cohen Brothers, and brought down bj Mr. Smith, lessee of the Kaniori Tramway. These are to be sent to the Melbourne branch of the above firm, for furniture purposes, for which these descriptions of timber are eminently suited—in fact, they are considored superior to any of the Australian woods. We hope this is but the commencement of what will in future be doyeloped into a most lucrative export trade."

In answer to a communication from the Dunediu Chamber of Commerce, respecting the necessity of the Government still keeping up the subsidy to certain postal communication between New. Zealand and Etiroj>e, via Suez, the Postmastor General replies to the effect, —" That tho finan cial condition of the Colony renders it impossible to continue to subsidise a steamer to bring to New Zealand letters by the Suez Mail; but that mails for that route will continue to bo sent and to bo received, by unaubidised steamers."

Mr. Parkes, the Colonial Secretary of New South Wales asserts that,— The Government possesses affidavits proving that the Duke of Edinburgh's attempted assasination was preconcerted, and that one man in the secret was murdered to prevent the discovery of the conspiracy.

Dkker's Mining Record says:— Messrs. Fulton and Co., of Flindersstreet west, Melbourne, have invented a machine by which screw fluting can be done- This screw is used in machines for grinding maize and other coarse grain. Previous to this invention, when the screw was worn so as to be useless, it could only be replaced by a new machine altogether, which cost something considerable but by this invention a new screw can be placed in the machine at any time, at a very small cost. The machine for screw fluting can be seen at Fulton's foundry.

We extract the following from Dickers Mining Record: —A company under the title of the Australian Central Wine and Agency Company has been projected in Melbourne. The capital is put at 100,000/., in 20,000 shares of 51 each. The object of the company is to form a large and commodious depot for the storage, treat* meat, and sale of wines; to make advances on and provide a general mart for the sale of colonial wines.

We learn from the Mining Record that a tunnel has been drireu into Italian Hill, Daylesford, for a distance of 2580 feet. The miners are still lengthening' it The total amount of public debt on the Ist of June was 2,043,500,0005, the cash in the Treasury 133,500,500?. The debt has increased by 4,000,0(0 and the cash decreased by five and a half million dollars.— Mining Record.

A paris correspondent of the Minh g Record write* as follows:—" Rapidi'y of printing has just been carried out in France to a degree far exceeding anything which has been accomplished iu machine work- Marinoni has put up ill the new printing office of tho Petit Journal a marvellous machine of his invention, which print* GOO copies a minute. Four of these powerful machines turn out 14-4.000 copies an hour, tho whole impression being 446,000 dailv.

It will be seen by the Mining Record that an interesting copyright question has been decided before the House of Lords. The case was that of Routledgn ami others v. Lnwe and others, and' tht precise point to be determined wag whether an alien, publishing in Loudon, during the time of his or her temporary sojourn in a british colony or possession, an original work, is entitled to the protection of the English law as to copyright. An .American lady, Miss.Cummins, had published in London, while resident in Canada, a book called Haunted Heart?. Messrs. Lowe were the publishers, but the book continued to be sold by Messrs. Routjedge, who denied the copyright. The Lord Chancellor, however, decided that the lady's residence in a British colony was sufficient to entitle her to the act.

In California the Attorney-General has given an opinion to the effect that all mining claims ought to be taxed. In Victoria only machinery used fo • crushing for the general public is subject to ta>a'.iou.