DUNEDIN.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1236, 16 July 1872, Page 2

DUNEDIN.

(fkom our own correspondent.) July 8. Friday, the 12th inst., hasbeen-fixed as the date for the nomination of candidates for the Mayoralty during the ensuing municipal year. As the time draws near probable candidates become fewer, and at present only two are before the public, and only one of these for certain. The probable one is Mr George Duncan, but as he is altogether new to Municipal honors, I am afraid he will stand but a poor chance against the certain candidate —no less a man than the . already twice elected Mayor, Mr H. S. Fish. This gentleman has as usual lost no time in displaying his intentions. On Thursday he was presented with a pretty numerously signed requisition, asking him to come forward and again stand for the office. To this he replied in his usual gracious style, and acquiesced at once in the request. It is very probable, however, that there may be a candidate yet in the dark, who may give Mr Fish a proper tussle for the chair and its emoluments. But whether or no, it will be very hard to get another gentleman who will be more eligible than Mr Fish, who, though perhaps not ornamentally, has at all events filled the chair worthily, and has worked very hard during his tenure of office. The Gas squabble mentioned in my last has as yet produced; ngjfruits beyond the publication of a long correspondence between the Corporation and the lessee of the works by his attorney. The whole affair partakes very much (too much) of a personal nature. The Corporation are very overbearing, and dogmatic in the matter, and are evidently going out of their way in arbitrarily fixing the price of gas to private consumers. The lessee engages not to charge private consumers more than a certain rate per 1000 ft, but reasonably enough wishes to.be left to make his own arrangements in that behalf. But this does not suit the Council, who wish to bind down the lessee by ,a strict bond in due form of law. The correspondence on the subject betrays an amount of bitter personality between the moving spirits in the matter which is not at all creditable to them as public men. ■ An inquest into the circumstances of the fire on Messrs Calvcrt and Campbell's premises last week, was held on Monday before the Coroner and a jury. A good many witnesses were examined, but their evidence threw no light on the origin 'of the fire, beyond that it commenced at the back, in the office, : and thence communicated to the staircase, Srom the nature of the stock the destruction was complete, for what the fire spared was spoilt by lie water. It is a singular thing that a few cases, of kerosene standing in the very hottest of it, escaped uninjured, although the outside wooden covers were burned.

During the past month or two quartz reefs have been discovered in a great many different localities in the Province. There has since arisen a sort of quartz fever on a mild scale, and a good many people are investing quietly in shares in the various companies formed, or in course of formation. A good many of these, companies are more or less in an embryo state, little or no actual work having been done in the claims. Indeed the late severe weather has almost completely put a stop to all work on the bare ranges, where most of these recent discoveries are situated. In the Dunback district, south of Waihemo, there is quite a large group of claims, and several crushing mills are in progress of erection, with the intention of starting operations at once. Down the Peninsula, abut ten miles from Dunedin, two reefd are to be worked upon whenever the machinery is ready. Farther up country, between Tokoraairiro and Tuapeka, are several other quartz companies at work. At most of the older reefs operations of a more or less extensive character are going on. The prospects in all of these are of a very encouraging nature. I have seen samples of stone from some of these reefs. Gold can be seen by the magnifier, but not by the naked eye, though in the cracks glittering specks are not uncommon. The color of the rocks varies from a brownishyellow to a grayish-white. The Provincial Government have started a quartz-mill on the reclaimed land, for the purpose of practically testing specimens from newlydiscovered reefs, in order to save the heavy expense of sending'to Melbourne. This machine was expected to have em ; bodied all the latest improvements in crushing, and. to have acted as a model; but, according to practical men, it has turned out quite the reverse, and has been erected on an entirely obsolete system'; This is a great pity, as well a3 a mistake.Accounts from the different auriferous districts have been very much chequered of late, the severe weather acting as a check to the miners. The last escort brought d >wn only 9996 ounces. After a pretty fair week of weather, a change for, the worse has come on, and snow fell to a small extent last night and early this morning, whitening the ground for a short time. Yesterday was very cold. Frost fiah are very common on the coast, and selling in town at from iTs to 8s each. . t