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Dunstan Times, Issue 366, 30 April 1869, Page 2

A special meeting of the Committee of the Dunstan District Hospital was held at the Council Chamber, Clyde, on Thursday evening, the 22nd inst., when the tender of Mr. W. Atkins for 57 1, was accepted for the lining of A lexandra Ward.

An important judgment, relative to the efficacy of miners’ rights, has been given by the Chief Judge of the 1 Vurt of Mines, in the case of Cawley v. Liny. A mining claim had been taken up at Smythesdale, in which several of the partners held more than one miner’s right, and claimed each to occupy ground proportionate to the number of miners’ rights so held. Cawley and partner being of opinion that one man could only occupy the area allowed by the bye-laws for one

man, no matter how many miners’ rights he possessed, jumped portion of the claim. The warden, before whom the case was heard, submitted the following question to the Chief Judge:—Can one person by obtaining say five miners’ rights in his own name make application for, obtain registration for, and take possession under provisions of Mining Statute, 1865, and Bye-law 3 of the Mining Board, Ballarat, of five men’s ground. His Honor was of opinion that he could not: that eacli individual could

only take up the quantity of ground allowed for one man.

Winter appears now to have come upon us, what moisture fell upon the plains in the shape of rain during Sunday and Monday last, was in the form of snow upon the high mountains, and which is not likely to melt away till spring the earth being now thoroughly cooled, higher up the country the fall of snow was very heavy on the rangesi The supply of water for sluicing purposes has been considerably increased. Some ingenious individual on the West Coast has just completed a model of the Galatea. The Charleston Herald, writing on the subject, says:— We were yesterday shown the model of the twenty-six-gun steam frigate Galatea which surpassed anything of the kind we have yet seen on the coast; she is complete in every respect, all her sails appear set, the guns are mounted including eight how and stern chasers worked on a swivel, the life-boats are hung at her davits, with lines attached for hoisting and lowering away, with the name in very small characters on the same. At her figure head is a unique piece of carved work representing the Queen with a sceptre in her hand. The Loyal Standard is flying at her peak, and the numbers 1 0 4 7 which indicate her name, at her inizen, The whole work has been executed by Mr. Chas. Holmes, and cost him in time nearly six months’ labor apart from the cost of the material used.

We learn on good authority that up to this time there have been received forty essays on the subject of the settlement on the goldfields, and in competition for the prizes offered by the Government. No decision as to the prize essay has yet been arrived at.

About two hundred Chinamen .vere landed at Dunedin by the Tararua, which arrived from Melbourne on the 19th instant. It is said that they will proceed to the Tuapcha district.

The consecration of the now Masonic

Hall, Dunedin, was performed on the evening of Friday last, shortly after G o’clock, by the P.G.M. Yinceiit Pyke (S.C., D.G.M. J. Hyde Harris (E.G.), P.G.E.. Charles White (1.0., assisted by the Provincial Grand Lodge of New Zealand, the District Grand Lodge of Otago, and officers and brethreh of daughter lodges. The Dunstan Lodge was represented by Bro. Pyke, R.W.M.' and Bros. Hazlett and Robinson ; Bro. W, Grumitt represented the Mount Ida ; two Bros, the Lake Lodge of Ophir; Bro. Capstick, Tokomairiro; Bro. Graham, St. John’s, Milton. About two hundred and fifty Brethren attended, in full Masonic costume. In the evenihg a Masonic banquet was held, when between fifty and sixty brethren were present, P.G.M, Vincent Pyke in the chair..

By the English mail wc learn that the wool-sales are seriously depressed. Prices are 2d. lower than they have boon since the November sides.

The outbreak of the Maoris, and their yiolence, as reported hy the last mail, has drawn from Her Majesty, through her Ministers, an expression of sympathy with New Zealand. Her Majesty, however, re-asserts the principal which associates the obligation of self-defence with the right of self-go-vernment.

There are rumors afloat that some of the extreme Ritualists are considering the propriety of an immediate secession, with a view to the establishment of a Free Church of England. The 11 hitehaven Herald writes:—“A London comtemporary even goes so far as to say that the “Free Church” would elect Bishop Jenner, who is returning from Dunedin, as their Bishop,” and adds, “whether the Ritualists will secede or not, time will show; but one thing is certain—it would be the most honest course to

pursue.” The Evening Star , which is doubtless a good authority, writing about the rumors of the resignations of Messrs. Yogel and Burns, says:—The wretched dulness of the weather has not prevented a liveliness of rumor—and of invention—with respect to the Government. We have no more to say as to these rumors than this—we believe that Mr. Yogel has tendered his resignation, as, also, has Mr. Burns: but that neither has been ac cepted. With regard to Mr. Yogel, we may add this—We understand that he will shortly leave for A uckland, and that he will remain there in connexion with the Southern Cross newspaper.

There appears some probability of a payable goldfield being at last discovered in Tasmania. A Launceston paper says;—“ Gold has been discovered in the neighborhood of Pert Cygnet by two men, Robert Thorpe and John Stanton, who are described as experienced Australian miners, and whose character for veracity is good. The country around is barren and water is scarce in summer. The men have applied for the Government reward for their discovery. At Kingarooma, near Capo Portland, a more promising goldfield appears to have been found. Some sixty diggers were encamped there, and were getting gold runningfrom one to three pennyweights per bucket of washdirt. This discovery has led to a claim being put in for a reward by T. G Williams and R. J. Richardson. The goldfield is seventy miles from Launceston, and fifty-four from Bridport.

Private letters have reached Sydney from the Gulf of Carpentaria, announcing the discovery there of a very rich and extensive goldfield The locality is on the Cloncurry River, near where the copper mine was found, and about one hundred and lift. miles from Burke Town. The fortunate discoverers, it is stated, have, among other nuggets, secured a thirty ounce and a forty ounce lump ; and there have been already brought into Bourke Town three hundred ounces although there are but thirty diggers at the place. It-has been long known tha the ranges for three hundred miles around the gulf are auriferous, but this is by far the richest yield on record in that region. We shall look with considerable interest for the public confirmation of what is hero stated on the authority of A private letter. By our advertising columns it will be seen that Tenders are invited by the committee of the Dunstan District Hospital for a residence for the House Surgeon. Plans and specifications are to be seen at the oflice of the Treasurer.

The contractors for the new Tnwil

Ha l are pushing ahead with the work In a most spirited manner ; in all, there are about twelve hands engaged. As nearly the whole of the material is on the ground, there is every prospect of the building being completed within the guaranteed time.

The late heavy rains have had the effect of rising the river considerably, and the whole of the dredges have been stopped, consequently, a nUmbc'r of men have been thrown out of vmk. The dredge owners appear to iflPk that they will be than injured by the flood, they presume the large body of water will remove the \body of tailings that has accumulated during the summer.

The news from the Port Natal Goldfield is very discouraging; the diggings are between eight hundred and one thousand miles from Natal. Such miners as have visited the field declare it to be nothing better than a “ storekeepers’ rush ” A number that left Melbourne are returning.

Tlie New Zealand Gazette notifies that the Governor has delegated the powers under “ The Protection of Animals Act ”to J. Macandrew, Esq., the Superintendent of Otago.

A Correspondent writing to the Australasian says, that a billiard table, furnished by Messrs. Alcock of Melbourne, has lately been put up at the Criterion Hotel, Levuka, Fiji; the first game of English billiards was played there on the 19 th January, between Mr. Henry Ryder, of the island of Mango, and Mr Wrn. Connell of Levuka. This is the first billiard table introduced into the Fiji group, and we need hardly add has given very great satisfaction.