Local and General.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1000, 17 June 1881, Page 2

Local and General.

The total rateable value of rateable property in the valuation roll of the Tuapeka County is 1.54,000.

The next meeting of the Blacks Warden’s and Resident Magistrate’s Courts will take place on the 7th July.

The Rev. J. Lothian will hold Divine service, on Sunday next, at Clyde at 3 p.m. ; and at Alexandra at 7 p.m.

We call the attention of our readers to Dr Hyde’s advertisement in another column. (For further particulars, see advertisement).

In the Warden’s Court, Alexandra, on the 16th instant, a number (8) applications were dealt with. In the R. M. Court, there was a blank sheet. We draw the attention of our readers to an advertisement in another column having reference to the Mountain Race Gold-min-ing Company, Tinkers. A summoned meeting of the Court Star of the Dunstan Lodge will be held this evening. The business to be transacted is

We learn that all the men, including miners and top men, engaged at the Cromwell Quartz Company’s Claim, Bendigo, are on strike, resisting an attempt on the part of the proprietary to reduce the wages. There was a total eclipse of the moon last Sunday evening. As the sky was unusually bright, it was distinctly visible in Clyde and surrounding townships. The eclipse terminated shortly after 8 o’clock.

The Counties Railway Commission have presented their report, and all the members have declared in favor of the scheme. We publish the result of their labors in another column.

An excellent map is issued along with the report of the Counties’ Railway Commission, showing by colours the character of the various blocks of land through which the Otago Central line is to pass.

At the Courts held at Cromwell and Clyde on the 14th and 15th insts., for the revision of the county rolls, no business was done, there being no objections, or applications to be placed on the roll. In our report of the last County Council meeting, we inadvertently stated that Mr Pitches’ motion for 1,30, for erecting a parapet wall to Blacks’ bridge, was negatived. We now correct that, inasmuch as the motion was carried.

The suit, Manager of the Ida Valley Station v. Glass and Sloan, damages for the trespass of sheep on the run, entered for hearing at the last Blacks Court, was settled out of Court, the defendants electing to pay the amount sued for, together with costs.

An important announcement with respect to the 1 ‘ Wonderful Wertheim ” sewingmachines appears in another column. As a furious warfare is waging between the manufacturers of the several machines, it is interesting to note what each agent has to say for the machines manufactured by the company he represents, so we direct the special attention of our readers to Mr Robert Lochhead’s notice.

Now that the Parliament, has* met and a general election is at hand, all who are entitled to vote for a member for this electoral district should lose no time in qualifying. Each person ought to make a point of seeing that his name is on the roll and tho qualification properly described, otherwise great confusion and disappointment will occur, when there is no time to remedy mistakes.

M'Kenzie and parly the new proprietary of the famed (Coleman’s) claim, at Butler’s Point, are making every preparation to test its worth when tho river falls sufficiently low. They are erecting a Ifift. current-wheel, which is to bo applied to the raising of water for sluicing, as well as to drain the claim. Tho cost of tho plant will be somewhat considerable, and our good wishes are with them for satisfactory returns.

More rich specimens have been sent from Blackmore’s claim at Tiki, Corormandel, Auckland. L 175 was offered for eight shares.

Wm. Robinson, late of the 53th Regiment, was drowned at Manganukn Creek, Hokianga, while trying to recover logs. A man named M'Lennan was drowned at Kawakawa.

At a meeting of the Nelson Teachers’ Association a resolution was unanimously carried advocating the establishment of a monthly journal in tho interests of education.

_ At Auckland, there Is great dissatisfaction among the railway employes, relative to the recent alterations in pay. increa«ea have been made regardless to length of service.

Have you heard of the Milton Pottery Works? Have you seen any of the ware? If not, go to Bogg’s store, Clyde, where there is such a largo variety. The low prices will astonish you. [Advt.-] The Australian “insurance and Banking Record ” says :—“.Taking the Government Statist’s first computation of the census of Victoria compiled, it appears that the 855,796 persons of all ages and both sexes in the Colony possess average bank deposits of L 23 15s per head.” It is singular that “ Zadkiel’s Almanac ” —much in favor with the housemaids—actually prophesied that danger and misfortune would happen to the Czar of Russia about the middle of March. Since the proA has been fulfilled the sale of the lituanac has been prodigious.

From Auckland we have by telegraph the astounding intelligence that three larrikins have been playing tricks upon a Chinese hawker, and that some vegetables belonging to the Celestial have been destroyed 1 Our larrikins could beat that hollow 1

The Native Land Court has awarded the ownership of Little Barrier Island to the Ngatiwi tribe, crushing the claims of the Chief Paul and others, the land being decreed by the Court to be inalienable, save to Government, owing to its commanding position for military purposes in Hauraki Gulf.

A full parade of the Queenstown (N.Z.) Cadet Corps was lately desired. The captain commanding in an advertisement offered this inducement:—“ The new uniform is daily expected, and attendance or non-attendance will be an element in iti issue. ” An element in the issue of tailors’ slops is a pretty way of putting it.- ASgles. There have recently been made at the laboratory of the Technological Museum at Melbourne a series of analyses of teas, obtained from all manner of sources in that city, including all kinds in common use in New Zealand, and the results are rather startling. Out of thirty samples purchased out of bulk from importers, and varying in price from lOd to 3s Gd per lb in bond, not a single one would pass the standard even for a low class genuine tea.

One has heard of a drunken man attempting to light his pipe at a pump. Here is a contrast. On A pril 3rd Robert Bradshaw, cotton operative, went home late at night drunk, and sat down on the top bar of the kitchen fireplace. His wife was awakened by bis screams, and coming down, found him enveloped (in flames. He was dreadfully burned, and was removed to the Oldham (England) Infirmary, where he died from his injuries. At the last sittings of the Central Criminal Court, Melbourne, a boy was sentenced for assaulting a Chinaman. The assault consisted of seriously injuring the Cliinanatnan with a stone, which he threw at him. The presiding judge said “ This was one of a class of intolerable outrages ou inoffensive people which ought to be suppressed, and he should inflict the same punishment as it the offence was committed on a European.” The following information taken from the “ Crown Lands Guide ” will be interesting to many“ The total area of New Zealand is upwards of sixty-four million acres. Of these, fouiteen million have been disposed of in education and other public reserves : sixteen, millinno L„lo„ s the aborigines, or to the Europeans who have purchased from them ; and thirty-four million acres of Crown Lands still remain for disposal. Of the latter, fifteen millions are open grass or fern country, ten millions forest, and nine millions barren mountain tops, lakes, and worthless country.

At the largest meeting ever held in Riverton the question of checking Chinese immigration was discussed. A series of resolutions were adopted, to the effect that the Government be petitioned to adopt remedial measures, and to apply the same regulations to intercolonial steamers as they apply to foreign vessels in regard to the inspection by the health officer; any Chinese on board to be fumigated, together with their effects ; that captains and owners of vessels be held responsible for the importation ofPdiseased Chinese; that all Chinese in the Colony, and to arrive, pay a tax of L2O yearly; and that cooperation in other districts interested be solicited.

A well-known Melbourne “ young blood ” is being sued by the fascinating licensee of an hotel at St. Kilda, and formerlya barmaid, for breach of promise. LI,OOO is the amount claimed. An application was made in Chambers the other day to Mr Justice Higinbotham, on behalf of the plaintiff, for permission to deliver certain interrogatories to defendant, one of which was whether plaintiff and defendant had not lived together as man and wife for five years on a station near Horsham (Victoria), the issue being three children ; and another was whether defendant had not written a compromising letter to plaintiff from Utah (America). His Honor said that the interrogatories had nothing to do with the case, and refused to allow their bein<» delivered.

The “OamaruMail” is reponsible for the statement that “a petition to the House of Representatives is being circulated for signature amongst the miners and settlers in the district of Macraes, setting out that for many years past, Mr Warden Robinson has acted as Warden at Macraes, and during that time has so closely identified himself with the interests of the adjoining land-owners that he is unfitted to adjudicate fairly in any matter where their interests conflict with those of tho petitioners, his action being more that of an advocate than that of an impartial administrator ; that the petitioners have no confidence in the judicial integrity of an officer whose decisions in the majority of cases brought before him depend more upon the personal interests involved than tho merits of each particular case ; and the petitioners therefore pray that Mr Warden Robinson may be removed from tho district. ”

Iff reference to the work of the present session of Parliament, tho “ Daily Times ” correspondent says It has been decided that Mr Collins, the new member for Nelson Suburbs, will move the Address-in-Re-ply, but it is not yet known who seconds. So few members have arrived that it is premature to hazard any guesses as to tho position of parties beyond what I have previously telegraphed.—l hear that tho Licensing, Charitable, and other necessary domestic bills arc likely to be first introduced, and pushed as fast as possible, to clear a way for the Representation Bill, etc.—lt has been the practice of the County Councils here to allocate sums from their revenues for the purchase of recreationgrounds in various portions of tho districts under their care. A legal opinion has now been given that they have no such power ; the manner in which their funds aro to be expended being clearly set out in the Counties Act, and not mentioning such items as recreation-grounds.

COUNTIES’ RAILWAY COMMISSION. The following is a condensed report of the Commissioners appointed by the County Councils of Vincent, Maniototo, andTaieri in the matter of the Otago Central railway :

To the Chairmen and Councils of Vincent, Maniototo, and Taieri, in the provincial district of Otago. Gentlemen,—Ln accordance with your request that we should examine and repoiton the area and value of the Crown lands which would be opened by the Otago Central railway, the capabihtiee of the land for settlement, and to what extent its value would be enhanced, and population, production, and traffic in the central district of Otago increased by the construction of the said railway, we have now the honor to report that we occupied eleven days in traversing the district up to the terminus at Lake Wanaka, diverging from the mainline at various points to inspect land fit for settlement and partially settled blocks ; that we examined a number of witnesses occupying the said blocks, and others who|were in a position to give evidence bearing on the subject, and we respectfully submit the result of our investigation for your information.—A general view of the importance of the line may be realised from the following facts: —lt would start from the Main Southern trunk line, only seven miles south from Dunedin, thus having at one terminus a population of 45,000. The district to be traversed contains at present a number of industrial centres, including the boroughs of Alexandra, Cromwell, and Naseby, and the townships of Pembroke, Albertown, Bendigo, Bannockburn, Clyde, Ophir, Drybread, Tinkers, Cambrian, St Bathan’s, Hill’s Creek, Kyeburn, Hamilton, Hyde, Middlemarsh, andHindon. The population numbers about 10,000—all actively engaged in agricultural, pastoral, and mining pursuits, and in the various trades and manufactories necessary for such a population. There are 23 post-offices, 10 branch banks, and 25 schools, having 36 teachers and 1503 scholars. A Resident Magistrate’s Court is held at eleven different localities. Three newspapers are published locally—viz, the Mount Ida Chronicle, the Dunstan Times, and the Cromwell Argus. The annual valuation of the Counties of Vincent and Maniototo, including boroughs, is LB4, 424, although nearly the whole of the land is still part of the waste lands of the Crown. —A more detailed survey of the district confirms the impression of its importance conveyed by the foregoing general statement.—First, as to its agricultural and pastoral interests. There are 39 pastoral runs, with 1,131,666 sheep, the annual revenue from which may he estimated at L 281,458. Mr John Roberts (of Messrs Murray Roberts, and Co.), chairman of the Taieri County Council, in his evidence before a Parliamentary Committee, estimated the return of wool to be 20,000 bales, or about 2500 tons. The extent of agricultural land is not less than 550,000 acres. Of this extent only about one-six*R has been alienated from the Crown, leaving about 450,000 acres of land adapted for agricultural settlement as yet unsold. There are two millions of acres of pastoral land, capable of carrying a much larger stock of sheep than at present. As the leases of the large runs fall in, and the lands are subdivided into smaller areas, -so as to be occupied separately, or by the owners of adjoining agricultural farms, and worked together with the improved low lands, it is calculated that the carrying capacity of the country will be largely increased, and a yearly revenue from flocks will accrue of the value of half a million sterling, and a tonnage for export of 5000 tons, exclusive of fat stock. The various aettleis examined spoke without exception of the remarkable fertility of the soil, and concurred in stating that from 30 to 50 bushels per acre of good wheat have been obtained, and from 35 to 70 bushels of oats. Turnips and other root crops thrive excellently. Such is the superiority of the climate for the growth of cereals, that places situated at an altitude at which grain would not grow in Britain were found to yield productively. Wheat was shown to us at Naseby of good quality, which had been grown at a height above the sea of 2000 feet.—Cultivation, beyond what was necessary to supply local wants, is subjected at present to the prohibitive drawbacks of distance from market and the cost of carriage. We found in several instances two years’ crops on hand. These were the only complaints made by the settlers.— In the face of the existing difficulties a flourmill has been built at Ophir, in which the amount of wheat ground is increasing every year. The proprietor, Mr Jones, expects to be able to keep two pairs of stones constantly going. The quality of wheat and flour on hand was remarkably good. Mr Jones stated as his opinion that betwixt his mill and St. Bathans there is a length of 20 miles of as fine land as any farmer could wish to put a plough into, and that he had no doubt it would pay to grow wheat in the district to be ground into flour and sent to Dunedin for export, provided there was a railway to carry it. A large flourmill is now in course of erection at Luggate Creek, Upper Clutha, and a third has been built on the Maniototo Plain.— In addition to its agricultural capabilities the district can produce fruit and vegetables of all kinds of surpassing quality, the consumption of which is at present limited to the immediate vicinity. The cost and delay incident to land carriage by heavy waggons are prohibitive of fruit being sent to Dunedin. The total cost to the Colony for imported fruit is above LIOO.OOO annually, the greater portion of which might be supplied locally. Near Clyde we saw vines growing in the open air loaded with grapes, which were ripe and well-flavoured, some of the bunches weighing 31b each. Peaches, plums, apples, pears, nectarines, strawberries, and other fruits were all growin profusion, of large size and of excellent quality. At Clyde we were much gratified by an exhibition of fruit, vegetables, and grain, the produce of the neighborhood, which were all of remarkably excellent quality. This fruit-bearing zone extends as far as Pembroke, on Lake Wanaka. The giowthof fruit might be infinitely extended leading to local manufacturers. MrJ. D. Fcraud, Monte Christo, near Clyde, carries on a considerable trade in spite of the expense of carriage, and sends fruit, wines, bitters, and liqueurs to Dunedin to a considerable extent. He has obtained a large number of awards for his productions at the Sydney and Melbourne Exhibitions.— The Strath-Taieri Plain commences 34 miles from Dunedin. It is 20 miles in length and contains 37,000 acres arable, of which 18,173 have been already sold. The total area of the plain and adjoining tableland, capable of being classed as agricultural land is 97,250 acres, of which 56,550 have been sold. It is estimated that in addition to stock and wool, Strath-Taieri is capable of exporting 6000 tong of grain annually.— The Maniototo Plains contains 150,000 acres of arable land, of which only 31,236 have been sold by the Crown. We examined settlers from the Eweburn and Sowburn blocks, and from the Kyeburn Hundred. _ The probable export of grain when the district is fully cultivated may be estimated at 30,000 tons annually.—The Ida Valley contains upwards of 60,000 acres adapted for agricultural settlement. It is about 20‘miles in length, by between five and eight miles in width. Several blocks

of land have been recently opened for settlement. In the lower part of the Valley, at Poolburn and Tiger Hill, 5000 acres have been taken up, and in the upper end 2377 acres. We found that good averages of cereals prevailed equally here. One settler (Mr M'lntosh) said s “ We can’t get any sale for our produce. Wo have all last year’s oats here yet, and wo can’t sell them. That is how wo are placed, and why we want a railway.” Another said he would be prepared to increase the extent of his farm and cultivation if there were the means of sending away his produce. He had had 1100 bushels of wheat of good quality from 45 acres last year. Some of the settlers here possess considerable means from their mining industry, and are very desirous to extend their agricultural holdings. The ridges of hills which surround the valley are well adapted for being divided into suitable areas as pasture land in connection with the arable land. The probable export of grain may be estimated at 12,000 tons annually.—The Manuherikia Valley is an extensive plain, containing a large amount of valuable land. It is estimated that the agricultural area is not less than 160,000 acres ; of this 30,000 acres have been surveyed, and nearly onehalf of the surveyed land has been sold. A great deal of land superior quality is yet to be surveyed. One farm of 1250 acres, of which there are 280 under cultivation, was an excellent sample of the rolling downs at the upper end of the plain. Wheat gave 30 bushels to the acre, and oats 30. But in this instance it was the excellence of the root crops which specially attracted our attention. The crops of turnips, beet, and carrots sown on the first furrow were most remarkable. At the lower part of the plain there are 30 settlers in the Spottis Hundred. One farm, containing 500 acres, is nearly all broken up, and there are about 170 acres of English grass. Butter and cheese-making have been undertaken here, but beyond supplying the local demand, there is no encouragement at present to extend the manufacture. The grain export may be estimated at 30,000 tons annually. —On the Eamscleugh Station, near Clyde, there is a moderate extent of agricultural land, on which good crops of wheat and oats were grown this season. The Bald Hill Flat has been nearly all taken up and cultivated. The Valley of the Clutha narrows to a gorge between Clyde and Cromwell, but there are numerous fertile patches where orchard-growing could be carried on profitably. At Cromwell the valley opens out into a wide plain stretching 30 miles, as far north as the lakes. The area of agricultural land is not less than 150,000 acres, of which 20,000 acres have been alienated. The Hawoa, Tarras, and Wanaka blocks are all of good quality. In the Mount Barker block the average yield of wheat was 35 bushels per acre, and in some places the yield of oats was 70 bushels. On the Hawea aide of the Clutha several settlers were examined. They concurred in the estimate that there were above 100.000 acres between the Hawea and the Lindis, on their side of the river, all suitable for cultivation. - The average yield of wheat was said to bo 40 bushels to the acre, and oats 35. In the words of one of the witnesses, sown grass “grows aplended.” We were struck by the into ligence of the witnesses, and the total absence of complaint on their part, except that they were shut out from a market by distance, and thus prevented from doing justice to the productive capabilities of their farms. The export of grain from this district may be estimated at 30,000 tons annually. In estimating the tonnage of grain for export which the district is capable of producing, only one-third of the arable land has been taken into account, and allowances has been made for local consumption. We believe that as settlement proceeds a large area of what is at present considered pastoral land will be found well adapted for settlement and cultivation. The total annual tonnage, estimated at 100,000 tons, is under the limit of the capabilities of the country.—We have unanimously come to the conclusion that the pastoral and agricultural resources of the district to be traversed by the proposed railway are of great extent, but production is at present limited by the want of means of sending produce to market. It is not too much to say that were the railway carried through it would secure an immediate and large traffic in stock and produce, and the result would bo the rapid settlement of a fine tract of conn • try, and a large increase of revenue and population. The yearly value of the produce, if facility of communication were afforded, cannot be estimated at less than a million sterling.—ln addition to the agricultural and pastoral resources of the country, the timber trade from the extensive forests in the vicinity of Lake Wanaka, which reach back as far as the West Coast, may be referred to. At present no more is cut than is necessary to satisfy local wants, but a supply at a modeiatecost would lead to an increased local demand for building, fencing, and mining purposes.—The next important source of production is that of gold-mining. The whole of the district which would be opened up by the proposed line is an established and productive goldfield, The quantity of gold, the produce of Vincent County, exported last year was 23,7850z5; of Maniototo County, 15,8550z ; of Lake County, so far as it is affected by the proposed railway, say SOOOoz ; and of Taieri, 18S7oz. Making allowance for the gold retained in the Colony, it may bo safely averred that the value of the gold produced in 1880 in this district was not much under L 200,000. The importance of the industry is shown not only by the value of the produce, but also by the amount of capital engaged in it. According to a Parliamentary return, there are 1741 miles of head-races in Vincent, Maniototo, and Taieri, and the cost of construction of works is valued at L 370,985. This large capital would be made still more productive that is by the extension of mining consequent upon improved communication. An important branch of gold-mining—namely, quartz-crushing—may bo said to bo only beginning in this district. The Cromwell mine, with a capital of L 74.000, yields paying dividends, and there are good prospects in the undertakings in the Carrick Range, Rough Ridge, and the Serpentine. Near Hyde we saw a party engaged in turning the course of the Taieri River for a length of 60 chains to secure the golden harvest in the old channel. Arrangements have been made to place four new dredges on tlio Molyneux near Alexandra. These are indications of the spirit and energy which would be evoked by the better opening up of the country. The whole of the railway route is within the geological formation named by Professor Hutton “The Wanaka, ” and stated by him to be “ the main gold-bearing formation of Otago.”— Although the precious metal has hitherto been the main object of pursuit, the other mineral resources of the district are becoming to command attention. In Vincent and Maniototo Counties there are eighteen collieries under lease, and the supply of brown coal of good quality is abundant. Some of the seams are 25 feet in thickness. Grey antimony has been found in various places. A fine lode is situated in Carrick Range, regarding which Professor Ulrich in his essay on the goldfields of Otago, writes is obtainable, which contains 134 per cent, of metallic copper. ” Cinnabar, containg 82 per cent, of mercury, has been found in the

same range. Wo saw a sample of specular iron in the County Museum at Clyde which is found in quantity at the Old Man Range, and which on_ analysis is reported to bo capable of yielding 80 por cent, of pure steel. The following minerals are also found in abundance in the Dunstan district, viz.,— Rhodonite, or manganese spar ; raanganite, or the grey oxide of manganese ; bouruoaito or grey copper ore ; and specimens of galena, graphite, native copper, zinc blende, and silver have also been obtained. We saw at the Museum at Clyde a specimen of stalactitio marble,beautifully marked and semitranslucent, which was taken from a vein discovered betwixt Cromwell and Clyde, said to be capable of being quarried to a large and profitable extent. To sum up briefly the result of our careful consideration of the whole matter submitted to us, wo have to report:—l. That the construction of the Otago Central railway would bo the means of opening for sale and settlement an area of not less than 2, 500,000 acres of Crown lands, about 500, 000 acres of which are suitable for cultivation, and 2,000,000 of acres may at present be classed as pastoral and semi-agricultu-ral lands. The selling value of this large estate would bo increased to the extent of at least half a million sterling, and its letting value enhanced to a corresponding degree, while the value of adjacent Crown lands would also be largely augmented. 2. That the construction of the line would lead to the whole of the agricultural lands being immediately purchased and occupied, to a large addition to the local population, production and traffic, and to the profitable occupation of the pastoral and semi-agricul-tural lands in blocks from 2000 to 10,000 acres by families residing on the land. By these settlers cultivating sufficient to grow winter feed for the stock, the industrial population employed on this class of land would bo largely increased, and the carrying capacity and production of the land at least doubled. The settlers already located in the interior, and those who have taken up lands there recently, would also be enabled to farm their lands profitably. 3. That if railway communication with the interior were established, the delay and cost in conveyance of goods and passengers would be largely obviated, the expense of living would be reduced, and new enterprises created and stimulated. It would lead to an increased development of gold-mining, as well as mining for other minerals, affording employment for a larger population, adding to the wealth and general prosperity of the community, and lightening the taxation to the rest of the people of the Colony. That a sum of about L 115,000 has already been expended on the construction of the railway, which sum will be entirely unproductive until the line is extended to Strath Taieri. It is important in connection with this to note that nearly the whole of the lands to be opened by the railway are still Crown lands, the enhanced value of which will go to recoup the cost of the proposed work. We have no hesitation in affirming that if the first section of the line, to Taieri Lake, were completed, the revenue which wou'd bo immediately available from the sales of land would be sufficient to construct the next section, and thus the line might be gradually completed by the proceeds derived from the sale of Crown lands in the district, without any further addition being made to the debt of the Colony.— For these reasons we are unanimously of opinion that the welfare of the present inhabitants of the interior, and the profitable settlement of a large and highly productive area, thus aiding the prosperity of the Colony, imperatively require that the construction of the Otago Central railway be proceed with and steadily carried forward to completion without delay.—No objection against the prosecution of the undertaking can reasonably be taken on the ground o? expensive works. The first 20 miles—in course of completion—is the portion on which the most expense in proportion to the mileage will be incurred, the total cost of the section in hand being L 213.000, or L10.G50 per mile. The line has been authorised as far as the Taieri Lake, 40 miles farther, which latter portion can bo completed for L 257,000, or LG4OO per mile - making a total for the 65 mites from the Chain Hills to Taieri Lake, already' authorised, of L 500,000, or L 7700 per mile The remaining part of the line is singularly free from heavy works. It traverses stretches of fine agricultural plains, where the earthwork is remarkably light. There are no tunnels or costly bridges, the line through the Clutha Valley having been judiciously laid out on one side of the river. The estimate for this portion, 115 miles, is LCSO.OOO, or say L 5900 per mile. The total estimate for the whole line to Lake Wanaka, 180 miles, amounts to LI, 180,000. The highest point in the lino will attain above the sea level, 1510 feet will be at the entrance to Poolburn Gorge, 100 miles from the junction. The ruling gradient does not exceed one in fifty. This on the part already constructed. The greater portion of the remainder is remarkably easy, and free from sharp curves. It would prove to be the cheapest considered, and in our opinion it would not be the least remunerative.—The great advantage of the lino forming a convenient means of access between the East and West Coasts would be felt immediately on the lino reaching Lake Wanaka, cheap water-carriage being then available for 20 miles, a steamer having been built and recently launched there through the enterprise of one of the settlers. There would thus bo, after reaching the head of the lake, only a distance of 40 miles on a comparatively level road to complete the through communication from sea to sea.—The nature of the country is such throughout the course of the lino after reaching Taieri bake, that side traffic with the townships five, 10, or 15 miles distant from the railway could be conveniently and economically carried on by means of light tramways, or the improved road-engines now coming in to use.—As a whole, we have been deeply and favorably impressed both with the present and latent wealth of this important and magnificent district, and we cordially recommend the completion of the Otago Central railway, as not only being an absolute necessity for the prosperity of the existing population, but as in itself holding out every prospect of a lucrative return, and being certain to exercise a beneficial influence on the future progress, of the Colony. In our opinion it is a matter of Colonial concern, which should be removed beyond the region of local jealousies or prejudices, and should command general support.—We are, etc., John Bathgate Henry Clark Donald Reid Horace Bastings.