FRIDAY, MAY 12, 1876.

Dunstan Times, Issue 734, 12 May 1876, Page 2

FRIDAY, MAY 12, 1876.

Dr Button, who at the last meeting of thcCominittee of Management was elected Resident Surgeon of the Dunstan District Hospital, intimates in another column that he may he consulted daily at the Institution.

With this issue we publish a Supplement, containing list of names objected to be retained on the Electoral Roll for the Dunstan district, besides other reading matter to which we draw attention of our readers.

We are requested to draw attention to the Sale of Pat and Dairy Cattle on Wednesday next the 18th instant, at Kemp’s Hotel, Bald-hill Flat—Mr George Fache, Auctioneer.

The dredge called the Perseverance, but better known as the John Wesley, sank at her moorinss on Saturday night last, a little below the Teviot. Although she is lying in a place where there is no current, it is feared she will he filled with sand and break up before she can be raised. It will be as well for holders of publicans, wholesale, Billiard, and all other licenses dealt with under the Licensing Act, and persons desirous of obtaining new licenses, to bear in mind that all applications must be lodged with the Clerk of Licensing Couit on or before Monday next, the 15th iust., being 21 days before the day of the sitting of the Licensing Court, viz., Tuesday, the Cth day of June next.

In the sale of the Gorge Creek Water Race, mining claim and plant, by Mr Chappie, on Monday, the 22nd instant, at the Criterion Hotel, Alexandra, a first class opportunity for investment is offered to a party of working miners. As the water is at a high elevation it commands a great extent of country. The fine, open weather we have been enjoying of late is a perfect God-send to the ground sluicers in the neighborhood, it enabling them to work constantly and with a good supply of water. Hastie and party, and Lawson, Lindsay, and party, on the commonage, are taking advantage of the season and are washing away a lot of ground; their prospects are good, and they anticipate a large parcel of gold when they wash up. From Devonshire, Tinkers, and Drybread similar good accounts reach us, and we shall expect large returns by the next or subsequent escort. We have to acknowledge receipt of the May number of the Australian Journal, published in Melbourne. Its contents are tales, poetry, answers to correspondents, and a variety of other useful reading, forming a whole well deserving a place on any table. On Monday evening next we hope to see a good attendance at the Town-hall to hear Mr Vincent Fyke’s lecture on "Old Victoria.” As, in all likelihood, Mr Fyke will take advantage of the occasion to give his constituents a shadowing of the lino of policy ho will take during the coming Parliament, a double inducement is held out to attend. Mr Fyke’s ability as a lecturer, and the thorough knowledge of the country (Victoria) his lecture will be on, and its various institutions, should bo guarantee sufficient that the lecture will be a treat and one that none should miss.

On Thursday night last, the 4th instant, the residence of Mr \V. Wescott, at the Dumbarton Rock, near the Tcviot, had a narrow escape from fire. Mr Westcott, on entering his kitchen in the morning, found the chairs, the paper on the wall, and a portion of the floor on fire. As the house is built on piles, and a strong wind was blowing at the time, it is a wonder that the building was not destroyed.

On the West bank of the Molyneux, above and below Clyde, four or five sluicing claims are in constant vvoik. and from what we can hear all are turning out most remunerative returns. A most decided want of system is observable in the working of all, and we imagine that if they are paying with the present poor system and appliances for saving gold, that they would pay most handsomely if another system were adopted.

We were shown during the week a basket of quinces of fine growth, not one of them weighing less than lib. Whether the past season was particularly favorable for the growth of fruit, wo cannot say, but of one thing we are certain, that the neighborhood of Clyde and Alexandra has turned out, this year, finer fruit, including every description, than ever it was our fortune to see. At the present time the growing of fruit is a no mean industry in our midst; in the course of a few years, when a railway runsthrough the valley of the Molyneux, it will bo of greater importance. We learn from the letter of a Correspondent at the Nevis that a Mining Association and Progress Committee has been formed at that place, whose first self imposed task will be the establishing of monthly Courts at the Nevis. The rest of the letter is so direct an attack on the Officials administering the Dunstan District Gold-fields, both past and present, we must refuse to publish it. We must inform our Correspondent once and for all, that the columns of the Dunstan Times are ever open for the exposing of any abuse, and lor all other purely legitimate news, as also for the expression of opinions on the current topics of the day, but to lend itself to calumniate the character of any person whether a public or private man, it never will whilst under the present proprietary. We have struglod so far successfully against the stream without following such a course, and we hope to continue to do so.. These remarks will apply also in another quarter. On Saturday last an inquest was held at Cromwell before W. L. Simpson, Esq., Coroner, to enquire into the origin of a fire which took place on the Monday previously and totally consumed a dwelling-house, the property of Miss Gieives and insured in the Norwich Union for L 250. Evidence was taken at considerable length, when the following verdict was returned—“ That the house of Mary Graves was set fire to on the evening of the Ist inst., but there is no evidence to show how it originated.” Our correspondent who supplies us with the above particulars says ;—“ I cannot view this other than as a most singular finding, inasmuch as it covertly implies that it was the act of an incendiary, and insinuates, when judged by the evidence, that it was done with the view to defraud the Insurance Company. It is not sought to read the jury a lecture, but rather to point out that if the testimony adduced would support the one finding, there was ample to say where it originated. Under the circumstances the more correct verdict would have been “Accidental,” and that it was such is a matter of grave question.” He further says— ■“ I took copious notes of the evidence, but purposely abstain from handing them to you for publication.