SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1886.

Lyell Times and Central Buller Gazette, Volume VI, Issue 290, 11 September 1886, Page 2

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1886.

The usual monthly cleaning up took place at the Alpine battery on Wednesday last, and gave a result of 766 ounces retorted gold from 943 tons of stone treated for the month. The directors met on Thursday, and declared a dividend of one shilling per 32,000 th share, equal to £I6OO, payable on and after to-day. The battery started again on Thursday morning. Messrs Hewitt and Jacobs, contractors for bridge and fluming, have completed their work in a very creditable manner, and to the entire satisfaction of the battery manager, Mr Waters recommends that the head race connection with the battery should not be taken in hand until Christmas, when the latter will require to be overhauled, and then both works can be done simultaneously. The extraordinary meeting in the Croesus Quartz Mining Company, which was appointed for lasti'Tuesday, stands adjourned until this evening at seven o'clock. The tributers in the United Italy Quartz Mining Company, Fantella and party, are now putting through a crushing at the Italy battery, which will be completed to-night. The next sittings of the Resident Magistrate's and Warden's Courts will be held at Lyell on Wednesday next, 15th instant. On Wednesday last, Thomas Latham was brought before H. G. Youngman, Esq., J. P., charged with drunkenness and disorderly conduct. For the first offence he was fined 5/ and costs; and the second 10/ and costs. A miner named James H. Wallace, while travelling from Longford to Lyell, found a silver lever hunting watch on the road, and on reachiug Lyell handed it over to Constable Bowden with a request to cause the necessary enquiries as to ownership. The advertisement appears in another column. The reef in the north end of the Alpine is still looking well, although not so large as some time ago, and shows nice gold in patches. In the centre, where the new make of stone came in some time ago, the mullock in the middle of the reef is getting very large, and likely to cut out the hanging wall stone altogether. There is also another new make of stone coming in further south. At the south end the reef is apparently running out but seems to be making overhead again, and a large body of water is coming out of the hanging wall. The manager intends putting in a small crosscut here, as there may be a new make of stone further south. The total length of cross-cut east from No. 0 level is 70 feet, with no sign of reef as yet, although the

country looks favourable. The small cross-cut from one of the stopes north is now driven a distance of 40 leet, and is near a large body of water, which can be plainly heard, and as the same indications were observed in the cross-cut above, it is more than probable that the drive is now in the vicinity ot the reef. The tail-race at No. 3 level, for the purpose of cutting off surface water, has been driven a distance of 45 feet, leaving 25 feet yet to complete the work. Filling in at the north end of the mine was taken in hand early in the week. The contractors for No. 7 level are making fair headway, having driven for the last four weeks. A subscription slist is now in circulation in the district for the purpose of raising funds for the family of the late Mrs White, Upper Buller. The object is a most deserving one, and we trust that it will be liberally responded to. The following gentlemen have been appointed to receive subscriptions:—Messrs J. Cullen, J. Edge, and E. Carroll, Lyell; F. Harrison, Lyell Creek; J. Keys, Alpine Hill; and J. Kelly, Eight mile. The National Bank representative, jfrom Eeefton, will visit Lyell to-day"sn his usual monthly business. An officer from the Westport branch of the Bank of New South Wales, will arrive in Lyell to-day for the transaction ol usual banking business. We received a telegram yesterday evening stating that Mr Eugene O'Conor, County Chairman, was leaving for Lyell and would arrive here this evening or to-morrow.

A considerable quantity of rain has fallen during the week, and the Buller river has been flooded to such an extent as to cause the detention of the mails on Thursday and Friday. Services will be conducted at St Matthew's Church, Lyell, by the Rev Mr Inness-Jones, next Friday evening at 8 o'clock and the following _ Sunday morning at 10.30. An entertainment of a rare and varied character will be given at Fennell's Hall this evening. One of our Westport contemporaries writes as follows concerning the merits of the performance:—" Mr John D. Foley gave his ' Facetious Festivities' at the Theatre Royal, on Monday and Tuesday evening, and to say that he was highly successful conveys but a very faint idea of the excellence of his entertainment. Mr Foley is a performer gifted in a remarkable degree, and his changes of character—dress, voice, amd visage—are so complete and rapidly executed as to fill the beholder with amazement. His delineation of character is very clever and varied, and it is hard to say in which he is most at home. Trading features of the performance were ■ ■■■ xhibition and his s upon £ g qx\x\ atft °° bottles. As a venMr Foley appeared particularly liappy, introducing some local hits which took immensely with the audience. In his performance, Mr Foley has a commendable system of not hanging too long upon any individual representation, and as consequence, always carries the sympathies and appreciation of the audience with him. The entertainment is one that shonld draw well anywhere, and we hope Mr Foley wherever he goes will meet with the success which his inimitable genius deserves." When Rowlands, the Gisborne murderer, was informed by the Sheriff of Napier that his sentence had been commuted, and that his life would be spared, he received the information very coolly, merely saying, " Oh, very well." Mr Henry Redwood, (says the Neiv Zealand Times) who arrived in Wellington a day or two ago, has backed his horse Alpine Rose for the New Zealand Cup to win a large amount of money. Iu consequence of this demonstration in his favour, Alpine Rose, who is said to be in splendid condition, is now quoted at shorter odds for the Cup. Itepo, MiRedwood's Derby candidate, is also being backed pretty heavily.

The libel case, Sir J. Vogel against the Evening Press, has resulted in a verdict for the defendants. The Judge evidently was of opinion that the article which formed the subject of the action did not exceed the bounds of fair criticism, and the jury have taken the same view. The costs are not stated, but cannot be very heavy, as there were no witnesses for the defence, and the case did not occupy more than a day. In an article on the Midland Railway the Wellington Press saysOn the whole we gather from Mr Robinson's statements that there is every probabiliv of the railway being commenced soon and carried to completion; that it will be of great value to the Colony; and that the prospects of its proving profitable to the Company are fairly satisfactory; but that no sudden or sensational results are~to~bV looked for at the early stage of its construction. The Evenitig Post says that it is understood Judge Gillies has applied for an extended leave of absence on account of ill health, and, if granted, it is probable that District Judge Ward will be raised temporarily to the superior Bench to fill the vacancy. The question of the Wellington Magistracy is not yet settled, Judge Broad being unwilling to leaya the West Coast, and it is not likely now that he will accept the position. No reply has been received from Hudson, who holds the champion wrestling belt, to a challenge from l)unn, and the Caledonian Society have given him an extra week's grace. Dunn, it may be stated, is not the same who wrestled at Wanganui, but is a well-known wrestler

ot that name. Unless Hudson accepts the challenge in timo he forfeits the belt, which, if he can hold it till December, becomes his property. After the eruption at Tarawera a large number of claims were sent in to Government for assistance rendered in various ways, which it was thought at the time was done from pure sympathy and humanity. Some of the men asked as much as 15/ a daj' for digging out buried people at Wairoa. Amongst others J. Warbrick asked for the value of a boat which he had to abandon after his relief expedition across the lake. Government have refused to recognise any of ihe claims, including Warbrick'a, on the ground that they are not responsible for the acts of private individuals. Other claims have been mado for losses by the eruption which took place ; but Government state that they can no more recognise them than they could the losses of sheep in the recent storms. In the match between Pettengell and Lees at Wanganui, to box to a finish for £SO a side, Pettengell was unfortunate enough to catch a severe cold a few days before the match came off, and turned up a trifle thin, and weak in the bellows. Lees was taller, heavier, longer in ths reach, and a really scientific boxer besides, and if he had been as familar with the Marquis of Queensbery's rules as with the ways of the old P. R., and kept off, he would probably have won the match, as he had rather the best of the rounds they fought. But twice he got his arm round Pattengell's neck. The first tliiie no complaint was made, but on Lees doing it again in the fifth round the match was given against him. They fought with well-padded gloves, and the contest lasted 16 minutes. The new hotel to be erected in Wellington by the Colonial Mutual Life Assurance Society will be the largest and most complete in New Zealand, considerably exceeding the Grand Hotel in Dunedin. It is said that the manager has already been offered £IBOO a year for the lease of the hotel alone. The premium for best and second best designs were secured respectively by Wellington architects (Mr Chatfieldand Mr Tumbull), against competitors from all New Zealand and Australia.