COUNTRY NEWS.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2169, 20 April 1870, Page 2

COUNTRY NEWS.

During the last week the quiet streets of Lawrence have presented a very lively appearance. An unusual number of Blue Spur miners are daily to be seen on the streets. This is consequent upon an important lawsuit before the District Court involving an amount of L4OO. About 30 men have been idle in consequence of the dispute, for the last five weeks, and the loss to themselves individually and the community at large will be somewhat considerable. 'Tis a pity that matters should be thuß, but it is feared it will be the rule for some to come. His Honor Judge Gray and four assessors have been engaged for four days in one case; there are other cases from the Blue Spur, which cannot be overtaken at this sitting, and it is the intention of his Honor to return and get them disposed of.— Brace Herald. A Chinese miner near Lawrence has discovered a pure nugget of gold weighing lloz ; it is believed to be the largest ever discovered in the district. The Chinese are very reticent upon the point, but Bungtown is supposed to be the spot. About 100 Celestials have left Lawrence for Cromwell.

A flour mill and a flax mill are to be started at Lawrence. A Tokomairiro settler who recently returned from a tour round the interior goldfields districts of the province, informs the Bruce, Herald that within three miles of the Sepentine several new quartz leads have just been struck, which promise exceedingly well. 13 ozs. of the stone crushed with a hammer yielded f gr. to the ounce, and would probabably have gone 1 gr. to the ounce, if properly tested. Mr James Maben, of Mokereta, Matura, has decided upon erecting a ilax mill upon his property. Three cases of probable fire raising, the work of incendiaries, have occurred in the southern district during the past week. A hut at Wangaloa, belonging to Mr Cushion, was also burnt on Wednesday last, and reported upon by the mounted trooper from Milton, who visited the scene. Mr Hayward also informs us that an unoccupied house belonging to him, situated on the road to the big bush, Tokomaiairo, was burnt on Wednesday last, and as two men were observed loitering near the building, this confirms the probability of its having been maliciously set on fire. The harvest at Moeraki is reported to be now over. A good deal of thrashing has been done, and in most instances the yield has been very good. The potato crop seems to be very poor, except those on new ground, which are said to be very good indeed.