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Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 123, 7 July 1871, Page 4

The General Assembly is appointed to meet on the 14th August. The Chief Postmaster, Dunedin, has informed the ' Times ' that, from soine cause as yet unexplained, only about one-half the usual mail from ii .gland has been received.

Telkosaphic intelligence reports mining matters at the Xhames to be of a very encouraging character; while private letters state that business is much depressed, in consequence of numerous forgeries of scrip coining to light. The latest case of forgery is that of a mining manager who f.irged the signature of a local merchant, and afterwards sold no less than £I7OO worth of scrip bearing the forged name, and the forger is stated to hare got clear off. The effect has heen wholesome, for it has made intenJiug purchasers of scrip exceedingly cautious.

Fbom what we can learn the telegraph lias, shice its extension to this place, proved more successful than even its most sanguine supporters ventured to prognosticate. " Hie messages have been frequent, and important, and it appears evident that Air. Wilkie, the telegraphist, will soon be in need of assistant of some kind to enable him tv discharge the duties of his responsible office. Already are these duties beyond the functions of one'individual, however able. It is impossible that one otficer can be at the same time sender and receiver of telegraphic eommunicttions, and be general deliverer of such messages. The two duties are so perfectly conflicting as to be incompatible one with the other. When we consider that within the past week the duties of postmaster have been superadded to tliosn which Mr. Wilkie had previously to perform We trust that no ridiculous parsimony wili prevent the Government from aiding Mr Wilkie in the discharge of his duties by an' pointing at once some efficient subordinate officer.

Thb Zephyr Colt, the winner of the Derbr for 1871, 13 the property of bar in Itbthschild by rarmpsan out of Zephyr. ' Scaulatina. has made its appearance in Tananui. One death is reported, and several are suffering from the disease.

Du. Cauu, tlio celebrated mesmerist and phrenologist, gave entertainments in the Masonic Hall on the evenings of Monday and Tuesday last to very fair gathering.. Th*

doctor was, aa usual, sufficiently successful in his efforts to convince even the most sceptical, the weak and the strong being alike compelled to succumb to his wonderful power. On the second evening a number of prizes were distributed, and J)r. Carr, who will perform again this evening at the Masonic Hall, announces a second distribution of valuable presents. On Wednesday, Dr. Curr gave a seance at the Kyeburn Diggings, which was, we understand, well attended. By an advertisement in another column it will be seen that the doctor will appear at. Hyde and Macraes on the evenings of Monday and Tuesday. i'jiii way tne money goes in Dunedin:— From a return laid on the table of the Provincial Council it appears that the original cost of the steam dredge, including fitting-up, &c., was £7171 os. sd.,and that there lias been expended on it for repairs, from March, 1868, to March, 1871, £9538 9s. 9.1. JjuuiJNa the past sixteen months the mining claims, occupying about thirty-eight acres of Jones's Flat (West Coast) have paid in drainage rate more than £9300, and are now paying about £2OO a week. The .Royal Alfred brought from the Thames 20,600 ounces of gold. The Caledonians hare declared a dividend of £ls, the Thames of £2 10s., and Alburnia of 10s. There is no alteration in prices of shares. The Thames, Tookeys, and Caledonians, are firmly held. In the Provincial Council on Friday last, the following items on the Estimates were passed without much discussion :—Wailiemo to Mac raes, £SO: Macraes to Hyde, £SO; 1 fyde to Kyeburn, £6O ; Berk's to Dunstan Creek, £2O; Hill's Creek to Dunstan Creek, £4O; Koads and Bridges on Goldfieids, £IOOO. The usual monthly meeting of the School Committee took place on Monday last, July 3rd. Present: Messrs. Inder (chair*. Broinner, Wilson, Hav, and Ross (sec.) —The Schoolmaster's quarterly report was received and adopted. —In reply to a letter from the Schoolmaster respecting his inability to carry out the existing arrangement respecting the keeping clean the school premises, it was unanimously resolved that the schoolroom be kept by the Schoolmaster in the same clean state as at present for the period of three months from this date and that notice be given to the Committee as early as possible if he declines to carry out their wishes after that date ; and that, in case of refusal, he be requested to supply a list of the children attending school, with an account of the fees paid, with the view of placing the Committee in a position to reisume the management of school fees.—After a few small accounts had been passed for payment, a report to the Committee from the Examiners was received, expressive of their satifaction at the advanced state of the pupils in their various classes, and the pleasure they had experienced at finding the Kev. Mi*. Smith, who had been present, and assisted, at the examination, express himself as being highly pleased with the condition of the pupils in regard to their studies. The Examiners also earnestly called the attention of the Committee to the urgent necessity that existed for the immediate enlargement of the school, an J. also for an additional teacher. In consequence of the absence of Mr. Warden Robinson on his usual monthly visit to Maerewheuua, there lias been no business in the Warden's Court since our lust issue. Thebe will b*.* a sitting of the District Court

on Wednesday next, 12th instant, when the appeal case, Duffy v. Bobinson, will be heard. -V - The petitions from this place, Kveburn,and * Blackstoiie Hill, in favor of an hospital erection fund for Naseby—all of which were very extensively signed—have, we believe, been forwarded to Mr. Mervyn by this day's mail The copies from ISt. Bathans and the other outlying districts have not yet come in, but •will be forwarded as soon as possible after re-

ceipt. "» The Rer. Mr M'Cosh Smith will hold service in the Masonic Hall on Sunday next, 9th inst., forenoon and evening at the usual hours Ox the subject of mining w* have nothing to report, the weather having been sufficiently hard effectually to put a stop to all mining operations. The winter would seem to be a very exceptional jne, for instead of constant and heavy falls of snow, as in other years, we havje this winter had but one or two, and these of a very slight and partial character. There is, however, plenty of time yet to receive more than will be agreeable, though it must be borne in mind that tor the spring and early summer supply of water this place is, as a rule, dependent upon the snow on the mountains. It is, therefore, of the utmost importance that they •hould be well coated before the sun becomes too powerful to allew the snow to lie. The usual up - country monthly escort passed through this town on Monday last, en route to Dunedin. The treasure from this place amounted to 12220z5. We are requested to intimate that the Rev. Mr. Flamank will conduct Divine service, at the Union Church, Naseby, on Sunday next, foraoon and evening, at the usual hours. We understand that the collectors of the Naseby Presbyterian Church Fund will, in the course of a day or two, wait upon the subscribers for the purpose of collecting the second quarterly subscription, which ia now due.