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Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 218, 2 May 1873, Page 3

The Dunback Ueefs.-—We regret to learn that crushing operations on these reefs are being greatly retarded owing to the scarcity of water, the present season being one of the driest we have experienced for some years. The loss of time and inconvenience experienced by claimholders on these reefs are very very considerable; Notwithstanding this drawback, however, •great faith is expressed in the future of the Dunback district by those who have been working there, and if a copious supply of the great desideratum—watercould be procured it is confidently predicted that most satisfactory results would be obtained. At present claimholders are laboring . under very great disadvantages which are sufficient to damp the ardour of the most sanguine, but let us hope that the reward of their enterprise and perseverence is near at hand, and that their anticipations will be more than realised. Amidst the disheartening circumstances attending an unusually dry season, there is the counterpoise of hope and faith in the resources of the district, which,, if not an Eldorado in the richness of its reefs, has afforded sufficient proof to convince the most sceptical that gold exists in sufficient quantity in tlie stone to handsomely repay the outlay required to disembowel its treasures, while an ordinary wet season would supply plenty of water for crushing" purposes. As yet the reefs have not had fair play, .much ; of the time since they were opened having been, devoted to erecting machinery, and making roads and dams. ITow, : however, matters may be said to be- in a state of completion, and all that is wanted is Water to carry on active operations. The Perseverence Company's claim has already yielded very Valley freehold Company's block is pronounced to be a most valuable property and an inexhaustablo mine of wealth. Other claims in: the Dunback are also spoken of in most encouraging terms, and the exercise of a little patience is all that is required to secure to the fortunate claimholders a gratifying and reproductive return for there enterprise and outlay.- - ' Waikouaiti Herald.'

A correspondent to tlie ' Bruce Herald' says : —I observe that tliis Colony paid for Newcastle coal during 1872 the very large sum of £95,700. To this must be added freight and other charges before the -coal reaches the consumer, besides a good round profit on the whole before the cost of this item to the Colony is arrived at, and we pay away this large amount of money for an article of which We have a large almost unlimited suppy beneath our fqet. It seems fresh* discoveries of coal have been-made, in the Buller district, which are of considerable extent and furnish coal of good quality. Surely the day is not far distant when JN"ew Zealand will not only be able to supply coal for her own consumption but compete with this article in the markets of the world; A boy has been poisoned at Auckland, through a chemist wrongly making up a prescription given for whooping cough. A crusty old bachelor says that Adam's wife was called Eve, because,, when she appeared, man's day of happiness was drawing to a close. A man named Williams, at Wanganui, lately drank the contents of a bottle of hydrochloric acid, supposing it to bo brandy, and died in consequence.