ENTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

Grey River Argus, Volume IV, Issue 269, 3 October 1867, Page 3

ENTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

Frequently since the opening of the telegraph lines in the Middle Island communication has been interrupted, by the falling of dead timber on the wires, to the • annoyance and inconvenience of the <>§public f The Government, however, have resolved to obviate the difficulty, and therefore have ordered that the "bush on . either side the various lines shall bo cleared. The line from Nelson to Blenheim is almost cleared, aud the other Jines will bo proceeded with shortly. . The natives at the Chatham Islands are at present suffering (Jreadfully from the measles. It is stated that at least one native dies every other day from thas complaint. The contagion had spread all over the islands. _ The Timani JTerald thus describes a sudden death that occurred on the 14th instant :— " Last Tuesday evening a man named Fowler, a coach builder, in the employ of Messrs Flocton and Co., went to the door of the Assembly-rooms for the purpose of taking a ticket fur the dramatic performance, but finding he had no money with him returned to his lodgings, at Mrs Simpson's boardinghouse, for tl\e purpose of getting some. He entered the house and left again, but in a few ■ minutes returned, holding his pocket-handkerchief to his mouth, and asked for water. Mr Massey, who was present, went to his assistance, and tried to seat Mm on a chair, but in endeavoriug to do so the Handkerchief dropped from his mouth, and blood spoutud out in a large quantity. Before, the unfortunate man was seated he dropped back quite dead. Breaking a blood vessel in the heart is supposed to have been the cause of death. The poor man leaves a wife and family in Tasmania, to whom ho had that very morning aeufc a remittance of money. . Tho Dunedin Star, of the Idth instant, says that trustworthy intelligence has been received from a gentleman just arrived from Moeraki, to the effect that three men, claimholders on the Beach Diggings, recently obtained three ounces of gold from one hole in less than an hour. There are parties of men working all alone: the beach, and the whole of the ground is rapidly being covered, and satisfactory prospects are being obtained by the diggers employed. In the absence of more specific information, it would bo unwise to allude. more, particularly to the nature of the workings ; but, judging from the accounts frequently receivod as to the payable nature of the ground, there . is every probability, if the mining population steadily increases, of the district whereon the diggings are situated being proclaimed a gold field. Messrs Robertson, of Lake Wakatip, have laid down the keel of a new paddle steamer of about 40 horse power. The designer is Mr Turner, who has executed a very fine model. Tho breadth of beam of the steamer is to be sixteen feet, and her steaming capacity not less than ten knots an hour. She is intended principally for the timber trade from the head of the lake. One thing, however, is certain, the plying of such a steamer will lead to the settlement of the thousand {md one fertile and beautiful patches of ground in the bays that line the wide extent of shore girding Lake Wakatip. £V The Dunedin Evening Star writes :— .-^"lt will be remembered that about six months ago a discovery of platinum was reported in several parts of the Province of Southland, aud in some instancos indications of that valuable motal existing in large quantities were observable. In order to ascertain its market value, Mr L. Lpnguet, of Campbelltown, commvnicated with Messrs "Johnson, Matheson and Co., one of the most eminent manufacturers of platinum in E.urope. By the last English mail, says the Southland Times, Mr Longuet received a letter in reply, from 'which the following is an extract :— f We are duly favored with your letter of the 10th of April, and have great pleasure in sending j r ou prompt informa-' tion on the subject of your inquiry.. The samples you enclosed to us are varieties of impure platinum, to some extent a rare metal, though the produce has greatly increased of late years. vWe need hardly gay that any large discovery such as has now been made will naturally affect the market value of what now finds its way to us, and we would be very glad to receive large arrivals. The inarkdk price has been for the last fifty years very variable ; ftoiaetimes 3s per ounce, sometimes 'much higher. We should be glad to learn to what extent the supply is likely to extend, ' whether it can be s.ent forward in pounds, hundredweights, ov tons. . If you can forward to us a working sample, say of one or two tons, of the cleaned metal like your sample, we should be glad ; and for such we authorise you to draw upon us at tjie rate of fifteeu hundred pounds (L 1500) per ton (22t)1b.), payablo in prompt cash upon receipt and examination of the consignment". The., business, if promptly taken up by you, might doubtless, prove of great value, and be a satisfactory one in every respect.' The Southland Times understands that a company is about heing formed for the purpose of collecting and exporting the metal to England." The following letter- from the Dunstan, dated 20th September, will doubtless interest many of OAir readers :— <'The first applufefcions to wind up mining companies nnderiihe new Act were made before His Honor, Wilson Gray, in the District Court "at Clyde, on Wednesday last. • An application on the petition of Messrs Edward M^Glaahari, James Hamilton, William Fuller, and Edward Barber, to wind upthe affairs of the Shag River Water Baee Company, was presented on behalf of the by Mr. ,Cook, solicitor, of ■Dunedin. The petitioners alleged that was indebted to them in the of L 2500, cash lent from time to There was no opposition, and an o wind up was made. The second was on the petition of William wind up the Wetherstone's Water the said Company being to him in the sum of L 414, which been paid, after the three weeks' reduired by the Act. -A similar made in this case. Mr Cook for the petitioner.— The main of road to the Lakes District is opened for tram c on Wedthe 25th inst. The event is by a public luncheon, to by the lessees of the punt, -Bridge, Owona,, and Edwards. this road must prove of not only to the Lakes to the Dunstan also, and timber and farni produce will at more reasonable rates. ought also to receive a

considerable impetus, as there will be increased facilities for travelling and the transport of mining material. It seems a strange thing, but it h nevertheless true, that when everything has to be conveyed by pack-horses, nothing seems to go. ahead or prosper, and the population dwindles down to almost nothing ; bub where there are good roads, although the diggings may be ever so poor, there are life and activity. At the. present time the grave-yard stillness which prevails along the whole course of the Ivawarau iJiver, from tho Gorge to Frankton, is something painful. There are miles of auriferous terraces, ami plenty of water supply running to waste ; thousands of acres of splendid alluvial land almost crying out " come and till me," the grass growing long and rank for want of being eaten clown ; and the means of supporting a-, considerable population imavailed of, and nature's best gifts unused and discarded. — A race meeting will be held tins year, at Cromwell. The largo sum of L9O has already been subscribed towards that object. The meet i 3 to como oiFon the 26th -and 27th of December.