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Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 2005, 8 October 1869, Page 2

The Telegraph.—We hear that the General Government contemplate purchasing the Provincial Government lines. The Trout Ova.—The boxes wore opened in tho presence of Mr Hislop, the agent of the Canterbury Acclimatisation Society, to-day. Of the Canterbury ova about 530 were found in healthy condition. In the Southland box all wore good and the Otago ova were found in splendid condition Mr Clifford’s mission may fairly be pronounced a success. Mining. We understand several miners from the neighbourhood of Waih- mo came to town to wait upon His Honor the Superintendent to present a petition stating that great part of the land offered for sale in Shag Valley would pay for working an I asking that some of it may bo withdrawn from sale. We have been aware some time that a few miners were doing a quiet and lucrative business working in the terraces, but they add that there are several quartz reefs passing through the block. Cricket. —There will be a match played to-morrow, between an eleven lind twenty-two members of the Citizens’ Cricket Club. The following are the names of the players :—The Eleven : G. West, Wills, Peake, Whobham, Pledger, Morrison, Cox head, Woodilield, Thompson, Smith, G. W. Geddes, Clarke (12th man.) The Twentytwo; Fish, Watson, A. W. Geddes, Dunning. Josling, Cohen, Forde, F. A. Coxhead, Woolfe, Seward, T, S. Hardv, Swire. Simmonds, Aris, Taylor, Marsden, Ferguson. Miller, Elam, Leary, Mills, Howard, and Murphy. Princess Theatre. —Lord Lytton’s play of “ Money” was produced by ama eurs last evening ; the performances being for the benefit of the Dunedin Cricket Club. I here was an excellent house. A more difficult piece than that of “ Money” for amat nrs to play can hardly be conceived ; and it is no wonder that those who perform *d in it last evening w<-re unequal to the occasion. With tho exception of the parts of Graves and Sir Frederick Blount, which were played averagely well by Messrs Westropp and Pufflett respectively ; the other characters were very poorly sustained. The small part of the ‘ ‘ old gentleman ” was anything but properly played by Mr Bell. The performances concluded with the farce of “Boots at the Swan,” with Mr Corrigan as Jacob Earwig.

Meat Preserving.—We hear that the gentleman, agent to a large meat preserving now in Timaru, for the purpore of starting an establishment for ineat-preseving, boiling down, &c., has selected a section of land near theWashdyko, and that operations wil shortly be commenced. Prospecting in the Timaru District. —There are now seven or eight parties out in various parts of the southern district, prospecting for gold. M'Meckaii ami party are up the Waiho river, but no information has been rec ived from them regarding th ir prospects. At Fox's Peak, or in the immediate v cmity, there are three or four parties now at work, and at the Kakahu district there is one party out. The Timaru gold prospecting associition propose to equip another party in the course of a few days, so that if go d exists anywhere in payable quantities, it is very likely to be br ught to light. We may me dion that a small patch of poor alluvial ground, sufficient perhaps for 20 men, is reported to have been discovered by Thew and party, but only bare wages could be made, and the ground would lie worked out in a very short time. They did not think it worth tier while to stop on this ground, having unbounded faith in the quartz reefs at Fox’s Peak. We learn from Mr W. S. Howard tha several specimens of gold-hear-ing quartz were washed out of the bed of a creek running into the Waiho, which was turned out by his party. There is no doubt that the quartz is rich with gold, but where it came from is a mystery, as there is not the remotest Hgn of a reef anywhere in the locality. Howard expresses his belief that the reefs are entirely covered by a false rock, and that they will only be discovered by driving. The gold obtained in the Wadio river bears heavy, and very little more to the dish would pay.— Herald. Proposed Grain Duty.—The following letter on this subject appears in the Oamaru Times ; “ Sir,—l regret to see your continued advocacy for imposing a tax on grain and flour for the benefit of a few, unmindful of the wrong and injustice such a procedure would entail upon the majo ity of the population of the Colony. The only parties that would reap the benefit of such a law would be the large landowners, mille's, and corn merchants. The farmers—particularly the smaller class—would bo no better off than over they were, for we all know that this class of colonists (as a rule) are under tiic thumb of the so-called merchants ‘ Usurers ’ would be the most coirect appellation— and that, before their crops are ripe, they are obliged to sell them at the rate laid down for them by the said merchants. With regard to the competition of other countries, which you look at with so much apprehension, 1 do not think that there is the slightest ground for anxiety. Let us lopk at the matter fairly and impartially, without any prejudice or party views, anil we cbail soon arrive at iiip true state of the case. It was asserted in your paper some Httle time ago, that Cali-

fornian wheat could be brought into the New Zealand markets, and sold for 3s 6d per b-ishcl. Now, in order to prove the fallacy d such a statement, wo have only to institute a comparison between the two countries to ascertain that California possesses no enormous advantages over New Zealand, enabling her to sell her produce u o much cheaper than Now Z'-alan). In the first place, the wages pa d f <r labor in California are as high on Th; average as the rate of wages here; and, in the second place the average yield tier acre is ranch less than that of New Zealand. INow sir, under these circumstances, •ow is it possible for the American farm r to compete successfully with NewZ -al md producers on their own ground, without speaking of the cost of shipping, insurance, commission, brokerage, and earring- by land from the interior to the port of shipment. Ai for the Australian colonies, the f >ct of <mr expo-ling breadstuff's so largely during this past winter to Victoria ought to he conelu--ive evidence that we have nothing to fear from that quarter. So, taking everything into consideration. I am fully convinced that the Assembly acted wise ! yand judiciously in rejecting the measure of Protective pol cv submitted to it; and I am convinced that to allow agriculture to stand on its own merits is the surest and safest plan to ensure its future stability.—l am, &c., G, G. M.”

The Citizens’ Cricket Club give a ball at the now Post office hall this evening. As tho object is a laudable one it is to bo hoped that there will bo a large attendance, The orchestra is to bo filled by M. Floury’s band. One of the most important announcements respecting a sale of land by the Government that has boon made far some time, appears in our advertising co’umns to-day. On the 20th inst. 11,000 acres of rich land in Shag Vafley will bo open for selection. The importance of this sale is not to be measured so much by the quantity as the quality of the land and its proximity to a good road ; and, in aldition to tlmse advantages, it will be seen that arrangements have been made for depasturing cattle on the unsold lands within the block, in terms specified in the advertisement. We only express what we are sure will be the public feeling, that Mr Talbot has added another claim to the public regard of the inhabitants of Dunedin by his generous offer to gi ve a night’s entertainment for tho benefit of tho Benevolent Institution. Mr Court, too, has emulated this liberality by placing tho theatre at his disposal, and we are sure that the efforts made by those two gentlemen to aid the funds of the Institute, «ill be responded to equally freely by the public, who in thus contributing to their own amusement will be adding substantially to the power of the Ins itute to relieve the distress, d. The piece selected by Mr Talbot is Tom Taylor’s comedy, “Still waters run deep,” in which he will appear as John Mildmay. We learn that seats are being rapidly taken up, and that it will be necessary to he on the alert to seen e places. As it will be Mr Talbot’s last appearance, should there be any who have not seen his admirable performances they will do well to avail themselves of the opportunity. It is hardly needful to say mo-e in favor of the public privilege of contributing to the Institute, for the inhabitants of the city are always forward to help ; but one thing is often forgotten, or is not perhaps generally known, that every one who contributes his mite on such occasions, secures an addition to the Institute of twice as much over expenses as he himself gives. So that a contribution of that sort of five shillings from himself is equivalent to a gift of fifteen shillings,—because, for every shilling that finds its way into the treasury of the Institute, the Government gives two. Mr Talbot, in leaving Dunedin, will have the more pleasure in remembering it, if through his effort a handsome contribution to the Institute can be secured.