LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dunstan Times, Issue 437, 2 September 1870, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

An unfortunate “printer’s error” apperred in our last Issue, in the report of Rennie’s evidence concerning the late gold robbery. Printers are but human, and perfection is not (o be expected. Our report would lead the public to believe that Rennie had contradicted himself, by stating that he was unable to read, The error of the printer was omitting the word it. From some cause or other Reunie was unable to decipher the letter left by M'Lonnan at the Hilf-way Hotel. The word it being left out in our report, many were led to entertain a doubt as to whether Rennie was able to read at all. As an example of tbe returns from some of tbe claims at Pleasant Creek, Victoria we give the following ; From No. 2 claim (Wakehara and Co) containing not more than four men’s ground as per bye-law. there has been taken, during the la« two years, over (55,000/ worth of gold. Ove- 44 000 has been di vided in dividends, and at least 20,0P)/, spent in the lu'.riot in wa ,es and trade accounts.

The Molyneux is steadily going down, and offering an opportunity to the Dredgers to carry on their particular avocation, the which, in all instances is being taken advantage of, and with some, we are happy to say with' marked success. Seidoberg’s Twin Dredge at Sandy Point is on a first rate bank, the dividend it is declaring docs not transpire, but as there are no shares in the market we judge it is paying, The Galatea, which is moored a short distance below the Hospital is doing well, for past few days the average yield lias been about eighteen ounces a day The Clyde and Hartley boats have not been successful as yet, the Clyde had after a week’s dredging just succeeded in striking gold, when some mishap occurred to the working gear that will take a short time to repair. The Hartley is a new boat, and is prospecting in the neighborhood of good ground. The shxicers on the banks on either side of the river, from Clyde downwards are making the best po-sible use of their time The sup ply of wat :r they have had during the past winter was never greater, and we are led to believe the yield of the precious metal is proportionately increased. We are happy to state that with the exception of 5R in notes and a bag of thirty ounces of gold, the whole of the treasure stolen from the Clyde Camp has been recovered. The statements of the informer (Rennie) in the main have proved correct, though it appears he was very diffident in stating where he had planted the last, found parcels. It will bo remembered that in a former issue we stated that the whole of the treasure, excepting two bundles of notes and one bag of gold had been found, and that these the informer (Rennie) said he thought he had dropped during his flight after the robbery. It has since transpired that this was not the case, but had been planted. The locality of these secreted parcels, until the eleventh hour, when we presume he began to consider bis position not over secure, ho carefully kept fiom his custodians. However, he eventually states that one of the parcels lie had taken to Arrowtown, and had placed a portion of the notes in an empty salmon tin, which he secreted in a neighbors yard. The balance lie placed in an empty jam tin, and throw away, he thinks, into the Arrow River. The salmon tin was found, as stated, and contained IGU. The j>m tin, which contains 511., has not yet been discovered. The remaining parcel was found where ho j stated it was, on the Gentle Annie | Track, in close contiguity to where the other plants were made. The missing bag of gold Rennie thinks mint bo planted, but fails to bring to I mind the cxa°t spot. A gentleman informs ns that the road from Cbatto Creek, right along the valley of the Mannhmi - ia, and thence to the Tigroot, is, if possible, worse now than at any other time during the season, and says it is quite plain that the cause of the mail c inch 1 form Dunedin occupying three days on the journey, instead of two as for- ! marl}', is solely 7 ’ the badness of the roads. Hu met the down coach on Monday last, and described it as being dragged through the alou-'h, and the unfortunate passengers, among whom were the notorious M'Lennan and Rennie, perseveringlv wading through the mud after it. Until the weather has cleared up and the ground is drained we admit it would bo an useless expenditure of money to attempt any repairs ; but we hope the Government will see, before another winter is upon us, that, remedial measures are taken to prevent a recurrence. A Taieri correspondent of the Dai'y Tunis writes as fidows :—The weather in this district, up to Wednesday last was all that could be desired, and was enabling the settlers to get in their crops. The sudden break on iVednesday, however, surprised a good many who were busy sowing The rain began gently at first, being accompanied by a thick mist, hut it increased towards evening, and after dark it fell in torrents. Ail the creeks immediately rose, and it was evident that a flood would again take place. On Thursday morning the Hlverstream had overflowed its banks, and gradully increased in size, until towards mid- day it was seen coming over the plain mid no the cut at a rapid rate, besides hacking up the water on the plain. On Friday morning the farms of Messrs Miller, Kirkland, G T. Anderson, and tenants, were hemmed in by the waters, while those of Messrs Donovan, Brown, Stevenson, Law, and others were submerged, the Water being over the tops of the fences in most cases. Many the farms in the West Taieri were in a very similar plight. A mid-day on Friday the water wasstill rising on thefarms, though both the local creeks and the Silverstream were falling The water carried a large quantity of clay in suspension, and the ground will consequently, when the flood subsides, be covered with a layer of sludge that will be detremental to all the sown crops. The water rose to a height of about twenty inches only r below the level of the last January flood. We have received the propectns of a now comic paper, whim will be published early in September. It is to be called the Comisc News, w.'ll b« published weekly, and is intended to be produced much in the same murder as tlie Loudon Tomahawk,

Tin; memorials that have been forwarded to the Government in favor of Mr. Inspector .Dalgleish, and pray insr, that he may not be made to suffer from the treachery of a subordinate, will, we trust, carry with them that weight it was intended they should. The attempt to divert the proper course of justice by an irregular action, we would nob for a moment recognise, neither would wo allow ourselves, from any private feelings of friendship or po'icy to be led to take a false step. In this case, from the pure conviction of being unbiassed ourselves, wo fool assured that every man who attached his signature to the memorials did so in the concious belief that if they allowed Mr. Dalgleish to report hims u lf to head quarters without some assurance of their sympathy, and without an expression of confidence in his integrity, they would not only be injuring a public servant who has for many years com mauded the respect of the public and the confidenc 1 of his superiors, but wool I be acting most ungenerously. As wo said bi fore, we hope the memorials wdl serve the desired purpose, and be the means of restoring Mr. Dalgleish to bis former position among us. At the Town-hall, Clyde, on Tneseneiiing last, Mr. William Pyle, for a second time, exhibited bis Dissolving Views to the entire satisfaction of his audience. The evening’s entertainment included a variety of songs bv gentlemen amateurs, followed by a Mesmeric and Clairvoyant Seance ,” also given by amateurs, in imitation of sundry professors of those mysterious sciences. The performance ot the father and son elicited roars of laughter and well merited applause. There was a fair attendance* Telegrams can now he forwarded from any station in the colony to En gland and the Continent of Europe via Sau Francisco and York. The charge is £2 4s. for ten words, We are requested by Mr. Fache to draw attention to the auction sales to be conducted by him on Tuesday next.—See advertisements. The man Wa'slie, who was charged before the Resident Magistrate, on Tuesday last, with assault on a young woman, was remanded till Tuesday next, the principal witness (M‘Naughtou) not being in attendance. The tender of Mr. MTlae for 61/. for the lease of the Inch Olutha punt for the ensuing twelve months has been accepted. “The Westport Times says;— The Chairman has prorogued the County Council. lii referring to the cause of the dissatisfaction of part of the County I Mr. Moos said:—This lias risen chiefly throng'n the unprincipled persons who I manage the Press of the County of Westland.' A part of the Press, in the most scurrilous way possible, has published articles that are not only a disgrace to themselves, but to the Press of the colony, and, indeed, the whole press of the world. They have thus done immense and incalculable injury to the inhabitants of the County of Westland. They have brought about the threatened dismemberment of the County, which, if it comes to pass, will be chiefly due to the selfish and sordid motives that have actuated the gentlemen who have the conduct of the same. A few days ago (states the Launceston Examiner) it is stated, Mr. Goodall, was out prospecting on the Fingal side of Ran Lomond, and met with a man wholly clothed in skins, and who had almost forgotten his native tongue. Mr. Goodall received the impression th it this being had been living in bush solitude for a dozen of years or so. W - presume the police will be set on his track. He is most likely an escaped prisoner Tlie Wellington Independent says:— During the discussion in the House of Representatives on Mr. Gillies’ motion relative to the disability of colonial officers to hold seats in the House, Mr. Carlton, in the course of his remarks on the motion, took occasion to say that the Provincial Councils and Secretaries were subordinate to Superintendents, to which the Superintendent of Otago, Mr. Macandrew, replied softo voce, 'I wish they wore,’ causing some little amusement. No doubt this was a sincere and hearty aspiration on the part of the honorable member. The Wellington correspondent of the Bruce Herald, in a telegram, says: The Otago Hundreds Regulation Act Amendment Bill, with Mr. Driver’s amendments as reported Irom the Waste Lands Committee, was carried by a majority of fifteen votes, there being twenty-five tor and and ten against. The majoiity of the members refused to vote The Bill, as now passed, is worse than the Hundreds A.ct passed last session. It however, can easily he repealed next session if the constituencies return the right men. Messrs Driver and Macandrw have withdrawn their Iree selection resolutions. Tho Evening Star says:—We are glad to learn that this time-honoured mode of congratulating His Worship the Mayor, on thebirth of a son during his mayoralty, will not bo neglected, 1 but that a. committee of gentlemen has been formed to take steps to render the presentation tho gift oi tho rate* I payers, »i.d worthy of the most imI por!ant City in New Zealand.

THE LAKES. (from our own CORRESPONDENT. August 29. The excitement about the gold robbery, and its perpetrators, Ronnie and M‘Lennan, lias somewhat died out, a« all nine day wonders usually do. Should Rennie ever obtain a free pardon I think he had better choose fresh places and pastures new for the display ot his particular talents for, in public estimation the robbery was bad enough, but the manner of execution was far worse. To do evil it is as well that it should be done cleverly as clumsily A fool and a thief are both contemptible scoundrels in public estimation. The newly elected Board of Wardens under the depasturing Regulations, held their first meeting on Thursday last, and gave the promise of sharply looking after tho sheep and cattle interests for the next twelve mouths 10 come. Since the establishment of the Depasturing Board here owners of cattle and sheep have been placed on a more satisfactory footing than when the country was common to everybody. A division between sheep and cattle must be preserved, owners of the hitter being quite at the mercy of the other. I see that you are about establishing a Board of Wardens at the Dunstan, and I. can assure you that every owner of a milch cow will find the benefit of the Board. A Public Pound will be established here very shortly. This has been a long felt want, and,although atfirst strenuously opposed, its most violent opponents have come to the conclusion that a Pound will be advantageous to all parties. Mr. William Pyle of H, Bathan’s, has been making a tour of this district, with his dissolving views, but his success was not so great as could have been desired, one thing, his coming was not known until he had almost arrived, and the first performance was to take place, and another thing a phantasmugorical exhibition by itself is not sufficient to engage an audienc°. It must have something else with it to please the public, there must be something sensational. We can hardly conceive the idea up here of the Molynenx keeping up so high, when the Lake and the tributary streams of the Kawaran, let alone that river itself, is at an extremely low level. It must bo tho fault of the Ciutha, the water is certainly not coining from the water-shed of the Wakatip. The weather has sot in very cold of late, and there appears to bo almost a return of winter. The roads are happiß drynig up, and locomotion has become much easier. The crops promise well for the next season, bat, happily for the farm-rs, local demands are largely increasing. Some very tine gardens have been laid down about the neighborhood of the Arrow, and we sh ill be in a position to supnly ourselves with nursery stock, instead of importing it from Dunedin. Floriculture and arboriculture has not been forgotten, as visitors to the Lakts will acknowledge this coming summer.

ALEXANDRA. (from our own correspondent.) Smiling faces ami sunny days are what we are now enjoying to oar hearts’ content, and hope to do so fur some months to come. Everyone is sanguine that we shall have a good season, though a late one. In my last I stated that the Hit or Miss Claim, at Frenchman’s Point, had bottomed their tirst paddock, and were satisfied widr the results, hut I forgot, to mention that they wore on a false bottom, and they do not intend to sink deeper this season. The claim is in full work and rumour says they are obtaining about forty ounces each shift! Long may it continue f I Michael Kitt and party have not ' bottomed yet, but i am informed they are on the gold and that the prospects are good. It is said that as high as nineteen pennyweights to the dish is frequently obtained. Stanbrook and party, at 'Butcher’s Point, are in full work, hut, from what I can learn at present, are barely getting enough to pay the wages men, although they have reached the bottom. This party have been most unfortunate. Each year they get about enough to pay working expenses, and little or nothing for the shareholders. Theie is nothing new to report from the water races. They are all in fu 1 work, with a plentiful supply water. The dredges are all on payable gold.’' Beattie’s is doing very well, as is also the Kersage, at butcher’s Point. The Alabama has shifted from the claim I reported her on last week, and taken up a position on the claim of Roberts and party. This is the party I reported last week as having had their paddock filled in by a slip of earth from the bank. The two parties have made arrangements to work the claim with the dredge, and yesterday they obtained jiayable prospects. 1 visited Butcher’s Gullv a few days since, and took a ramble.and was surprised to sec the quantity of ground the Chinese have turned over. They \ take everything before them, good or > i bad, and have first-class tail-races, very

’neatly 'built. M'Ginnes, Murphy ami 'party, and Jenkins and party are all ‘sluicing away, and at present have a plentiful supply of water. Rosendale and party are in hot water with some Chinamen about some cold water, but as there is to be an appeal to the law 1 will reserve any remarks I have to make until the case is settled. At Blackman’s, Tnnnell and party are doing very well. This party have expended a long 'ime in constructing a tail race, and are in hopes of being well remunerated for their labor. At Conroy’s,Tv as m's and Dawson’s parties are in full work, hut there is no talk of washing-up yet. Our Town Council met. on Friday la t, for the purpose of electing a Town Clerk. There were three candidates. Mr. Reid, our schoolmas er, was appointed to the office, and you may imagine the consternation there was on Saturday when it became known. For uiv part 1 think it was bad taste of Mr. Reid to make the application, and still worse taste on the part of the Council in making the appointment. Mr. Reid is the ;s Tract of the G v rnnient and the School Committee, consequently, I think, has no right t • take another appointment without resigning th l one he now holds. It appears to me impossible for him to attend to his duties as Schoolmaster and Town Clerk at the same time. It will tke him all his time to do justice to his pupils, without being at. the beck and ’call of the ratepayers whenever thev may want anything from the Council Chamber.