THE NORTH.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2114, 14 February 1870, Page 3

THE NORTH.

The Wellington Independent says, that between one and two hundred men of the Royal Irish have claimed their discharge from the regiment, and intend to remain and settle in this colony. The death of a well-known West Coast miner, named John Chandler, is stated to have occurred last month at the Result Quartz Mining Company’s claim, Molesworth, Victoria. It seems that a face fell, and crushed the poor fellow to death. The Charleston Times says over twenty different parties, varying from two to five men each, are engaged on the beaches near to the Race-course Hotel, washing black sand. Some of them are making as much as Ll2 a week per man, while all are earning more than wages. From Collingwood we hear that gold has been struck in the Pioneer Company’s ground. A meeting of native chiefs was held at Ohinemuri on the 27th January, at which the following were present : —Te Hira, Reihana, Tukukino, Wi Koko, Wi Kotero (from the East Coast), and Tc Moananui, with about 60 other Maoris, principally chiefs. To Monanui charged Te Hira with encouraging To Kooti, which, however, le Hire denied. Wi Koko begged Mr Puckey to take all the pakehas away. He said that the miners were crowding the hills, aud declared that if they were not removed he should be forced to make them go away. Mr Puckey, in reply, advised Wi Koko to leave the miners alone, and said that it would not ho so easy to remove them. Wi Koko again, in a most excited manner, denounced the conduct of the Europeans, aud vehemently declared that he would at once take steps to prevent the miners prospecting or occupying the district. The Timaru Herald of Saturday reports that in consequence of the scarcity of labor considerable damage has ensued to the grain crops in that district. The Board of Works have appointed a committee to report upon the feasibility of constructing a railway or tramway from Timaru to Temuka. We ( Wellington Independent , February _ 5) understand that Mr Billman, who is renting a section of land on the Hutt road, near Ngahauranga, has sent in a claim to the Provincial Secretary for the reward offered for the discovery of a payable goldfield. _ The claim is founded on the fact that Mr Billman, guided by an old Victorian reefer, dug, some few weeks ago, about 501bs weight of quartz from a likely-looking reef on the section referred to. This was put into a sack and sent to Melbourne to be crushed. The result of the crushing was sent by the Gothenburg, and showed a return of 2dwts of gold to the 50lbs of stone, or 4oz to the ton. Mr Billman has, of course, yet to prove that the field is of sufficient extent to be considered payable ; aud though somewhat sceptical as to his ability to do so, wo cannot but think that the evidences are in his favor.