THE Mount Ida Chronicle FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1873.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 245, 14 November 1873, Page 4

THE Mount Ida Chronicle FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1873.

We regret exceedingly that the experiment of testing the deep ground at Naseby has not proved successful, the Council having determined to stop work at present. Nor can they justly be blamed for .this decision, as a variety of plans have been attempted by which it was hoped the bottom might be reached 1 at an expense within reasonable limits.. The Council, as our readers are aware, being anxious that the work should be done well, handed the rods over to the care of the Miners' Association. Erom the outset difficulties occurred. No one could be got to take charge of the work under the excessive wage of £5 per week. Inducements were held out to miners to take charge of the operations on half wages, the men to have full rights to all the advantages attending a successful prospect. But, alas that it should be said, nq ; one could be found with spirit enough to risk a half wage for a few weeks' work. A few feet down a heavy boulder was struck, which took a long time to get through; and subsequently, when about fifty feet had been sunk, some malicious persons took the trouble to remove the covering at night j and block the bore with tins, a big [ five feet block of wood, some four by three inches, and a heavy iron drill. All these difficulties raised the expenses exactly in proportion to the depression of spirits of those in charge of the work. This being the case, the Council have little or no alternative but to give up the work at One satisfactory result has, however, been proved—that gold is to be found below what is commonly called the bottom, as gold was detected at a depth of from twenty to forty feet. The Provincial Council passed a vote o&£500 for prospecting for deep leads. Th'e Grovernaaent are to be appealed to ;td obtain a report from their scientific staff, with a view of testing the machine now it is in Working order, and,

if they think it advisable, to continue the experiment under scientific control. If, as is alleged by a great many, the machine is unadapted to prospect deep ground, except at a cost equal nearly in* amount to what would put down and slab a shaft, the sooner that fact is discovered the better. The waste of money at other places would be avoided should it prove that the machine is only second-class, and of a very expensive nature to work. Shafts were sunk two or three times at Blacks, and proved failures, before the present company succeeded in getting remunerative returns, and proved, beyond all doubt, the existence of rich deep leads of gold, apparently running in under the big plain of Ida Valley. That the same features are characteristic of the Maniototo we have no doubt, pluck and enterprise alone being required to convince the most sceptical that there is something more, after all, in deep prospecting than the mere travelling about of a huge white elephant.

We cannot repeat too often the warning that .the longer Groldfields legislation is deferred, more especially as fixing the relative positions of miners and freeholders, the more the miner will have to depend on the wisdom and generosity of the landowners. It is an axiom that now is beyond that capital, whether it be in actual money or land, will, as it increases, assert its influence in the legislature of any country in which it is held. "We know that the prosperity s© general in Canterbury and Otago has been currently ascribed, without contradiction, to the large land revenues these two Provinces are enjoying. This is not revenue from leases to any great degree, but direct realisation of capital by the sale of the land. In plain English, the*large Provincial revenues are the index of a yearly increase of power to the owners of land. The production of our Groldfields for the last year or two has not increased, but rather, if anything, decreased, although this may be accounted for by other causes than a scarcity of the precious metal. From these facts we conclude that the Groldfields members, other things* being equal, are in a worse position to enforce a fair consideration for the requirements of the miners th.an they were five years ago; and it will be worse still in another five years. We cannot but think the drag that is always put on Goldfields legislation is guided by hands that foresee perfectly this growing power of the landowners —by hands that look upon the Groldfields residents as simply full ears of wheat, to be threshed for the temporary supply of the staff of life, but afterwards to be cast aside and trodden under foot as so much waste stubble. If there be one thing more than another to confirm the view we here endeavor to enforce, it is the line of action adopted by our contemporaries, whose constituents are principally landowners, when a question crops up bringing the two interests, in the present uncertain state of the law, into temporary conflict. Take, for example, the difficulties at Maerewhenua. A question arose there affecting the pollution, for mining purposes, of the river—the landowners objecting to such pollution. This was a question of life and death to the Maerewhenua Groldfield, and, indeed, to every other Groldfield in the Province, yet our contemporaries, the 'Bruce Herald' and the 'North Otago Times,' never noticed it in the least. This is the more striking as the former journal was so virtuously indignant about the sale of the Otekaike block to Mr. Campbell after it was sold, by-the-bye—so virtuously excited, indeed, as to advertise for some time the approaching birth of a full and true account of the debate in the Provincial Council—and then with overflowing probity, to keep but all speeches except the ones of those who spoke against the Government, not even excepting the coucise defence made by the head of the Executive himself. Of course our zealous contemporary would be far above trying to ingratiate the mining communities by a hoot and cry over spilt milk—a storm in a tea-pot—that could not possibly annoy bucolic cus-

tomers. "We merely point this out as a sign by which to impress on the Miners' Associations throughout the Province that they must depend on themselves. So long as they sleep, the landowners are content to make all questions between the two interests a matter of doubt, knowing quite well that the first real clash of battle must hasten legislation— must neccessitate a clear statement of what the miner can expect and what he cannot—whether he is to be induced to settle in the country, or to receive a final notice to quit.

The percentage of lambs at Mr. Chapman's Eden Creek Station was, we hear, 83. A pbemium of £lO is offered for the best plans and specifications for a Town Hall at iNaseby. The third part of " Wild Will Enderby," Mr. Pyke's popular work, is now published under the title of " The Prospectors." We observe that Mr. Bradshaw, M.H.K., has established a land agency and general office at Temple Chambers, Dunedin. The tender of Mr. William Hackney, for £62 155., for works on roads at Upper Kyeburn, has been accepted by the Roads Committee. The < Cromwell Argus' reports that the Heart of Oak crushing realised 190 ounces, being nearly at the rate of an ounce to the ton. Messes. DtrEWABD and Company announce that they are in a position to supply coal in any quantity and of the best kind at their new pit at the Kyeburn. The District Court, presided over by his Honor Judge Wilson Gray, will be held tomorrow. This is an adjourned sitting from Wednesday last. Last Monday morning the ranges were again well coated with snow. In Naseby it- i self during the night snow was falling,, but did not lie for any time. Messes. Patjl, Fobbes and Co., of China* and Messrs. Halse, Eussell and Co., China merchants, London, are the contractors for the new San Francisco mail service. Mb. Abbot, the successful tenderer for contracts on the head race, has sent up his foreman, "Mr. Kirkwood, to make a start. Men, in any quantity, are called for' by advertisement. •. An extensive brick manufactory, capable of turning out 70,000 bricks, is about to be established in Dunedin. A large kiln is to be built on the Hoffman principle of continuous burning.

Sevebax of the largest shearing sheds in the province of Hawke's Bay have been wholly taken up by Maories this season, the price paid being from 20s. to 225. 6d. per 100.

The Matakanui meeting is to be held on the 2nd and 3rd January. Drybread is a peculiarly sporting locality, and will no doubt muster strongly to make this popular little meeting a success.

On the subject of the Gold Mining Bill, in the ' Otago Times,' Mr. Mouat replies to Mr. V. Pyke as follows :—Not a single line or even, word in the Bill is derived from any Acts in existence in California or "New South Wales.

The tenders for the head race, being completion of contract 1, and a portion of contract 2—about five miles and a half in allmust be lodged at the office of the Inspector of Works, JNaseby, not later than noon tomorrow.

We understand in conseqence of the unavoidable absence of the Eev. James M'Cosh Smith there will be no services in the Presbyterian Church, Naseby, on Sunday next. The Sunday School will be conducted as usual in the afternoon.

Messrs. Reid and Gkay, the well-known agricultural implement makers, of Dunedin and Oamara, carried off the first prizes at the Timaru show on the 29th ult. for the following articles :—Reaper, combined reaper and mower, mowing machine, three-furrow plough and drill grubber. It is to be hoped that the new Insurance Companies just floated will break the combination at present existing among the offices, so that the public may be offered protection from risk at something like a reasonable premium. At present the rates can only be called exorbitant in the extreme.

The District Land Board is appointed to enquire into the sale of St. Bathans township. If the Board as to be made of general use it will become necessary to pay the members for their labors. They can hardly be expected to travel about the country settling disputed questions for the Government at their own cost.

The ' Tuapeka Times ' is now published biweekly. The paper is also given a more compact and business-like appearance. The printing is excellent, and we have no doubt our, able contemporary will, as heretofore, provide matter twice a week of as valuable a nature as formerly. The Cromwell Jockey Club have published their programme for the annual races, to be run on the 26th and 27th of December. £405 is to be given in stakes. The principal events are the Maiden Plate, of £3O; Grand Stand Handicap, of £6O; Flying Handicap, of £4O j Derby Sweepstakes, with £4O added;

Jockey Club Handicap; of £IOO ; Stewards' Purse, weight for age, -of £SO. It will be seen that the programme is a very liberal one, and no doubt will draw a good field of horses. Mb.-Yottng-, of Pajmerston, so well known for his philanthropic exertions with regard to the propagation of fish, lately paid this district a visit, for the purpose of distributing young trout in the various streams. To Mr. Young the Province is mainly indebted for the rapid extension, throughout its rivers and streams, of this very useful fish. An accident occurred the other day in a very simple manner to Mrs. Echpld, an old resident of Lawrence. It appears that she was walking in the garden, and her foot suddenly slipping, she broke her leg above the ankle. Dr. Stewart .was immediately sent for, and had'the fracture set. The. unfortunate lady is progressing as favorably as can be expected at her advanced time of life. "We learn that the tender of Mr. Nathan Young has been accepted for a daily mail service between Dunedin and Oamaru, which commences on the Ist January next. The amount of the tender is stated to be £585. Mr. L. G-rant, of Omaratha, was the successful tenderer Tor the Oamaru, Waitaki, and Maerewhenua line. '.We have no particulars as yet about the tenders in which this district is more immediately concerned. An adjourned meeting of the School Committee was held on Monday evening last, to consider certain statements made by Mr. Gason, in reference to the recent acceptance by the committee of tender for alterations on school' building. Present: Messrs. Inder (chair), George, Smith, J. Stewart, D. Stewart, Dillon, and. Wilson.—The specifications having been submitted, it was resolved, "That Mr. Gaspn, in tendering for the work at school, not having complied with the written specification, his letter should not be entertained." Carried.

We have again to call attention to the great excess of demand over supply with regard to the labor market in this district. The sludge channel contractors want 100 hands; Mr. Abbot requires another 100 or more for the head race; Mr. Dillon too, we believe, is short handed; and with all this we must add that that very valuable article on a Goldfield —water—has been running to waste for want of hands to use it. 9s. and 30s. a day is freely offered at any kind of work: so men could not do better than come up when disengaged. '

The ' Melbourne Argus ' says :. " The farce of the consideration by the Legislative Council of the Mining on Private Property Bill has been nearly played out for this session. The Council went into committee on the measure on Tuesday evening, and an amendment upon the .third clause was moved by Mr. Strachan, to the effect that mining should not be allowed upon any land aliena-. ted before', the passing of that Act without the consent in writing of the owner. After considerable discussion, the amendment' was agreed to by ten votes to eight. Progress was immediately reported, and the further consideration of the bill postponed for a week. The. practical effect of the amendment will be the rejection of the bill, as the Assembly could never agree to such a reversal of the leading principle of the bill. The House adjourned until Tuesday next."

Since our last we have full particulars of the arrival in harbor of the ship Lady Jocelyn, from London, .with 200 passengers on board. There had been nine deaths on the voyage—--4 from diptheria and five from other causes. Six cases of diptheria and one of scarlet fever are still on board. The ship was placed in quarantine, and the sick removed on to the island. Two children subsequently died, but the others are recovering. A curious case arose on Monday morning on board the ship. Signals were made for the services of a doctor, which were speedily attended to by the authorities, and it was found the case was that of a young man named George Purless, in convulsive fits. Every effort to allay his derangement was made, but without success, and death ensued. It will be noticed that this has no connection with the infectious disease which has been the cause of the detention in quarantine, but was caused, we are led to believe, by the unfortunate lad's too free indulgence in the pleasures of fresh food obtained after the long voyage. By telegraph we learn that the ship has been admitted to pratique/

A speciai, meeting, of .the Naseby Town Council was held on Tuesday last in the Council Chambers. Present—His Worship the Mayor, and Crs. Brookes, de Lautour, Craig, and Wilson.—The meeting was called to consider the advisability or otherwise of continuing sinking with the boring-rods. The Association reported that about fifty-five feet had been gone through, and that the expenses up to date were £sllßs. 4d.—the labor alone being £25. Four men were engaged boring, and about five feet of the above depth had to be jumped through a hard boulder. A lengthened discussion ensued, when the following resolution, proposed by Cr.de Lautour, seconded by Cr. Brookes, was agreed to-V That the Government be informed that the working of the boring-rods proving too expensive, the Corporation cannot undertake further to test the deep leads at Naseby ; at the same time stating that the rods are in perfect order—are fifty feet down—and no better opportunity could exist for the expenditure of the vote, £SOO prospecting for deep leads, than to place the work under the; conLrol of the. scientific staff of the Province, and that a memorial to this effect be drawn up by Crs. Craig, de Laur tou, and his Worship the Mayor." Carried. Proposed by Cr. Wilson, seconded by Cr.

Brookes—" That all work at present,, suspended—so far as the Corporation ia liable—and that the accounts be referred to the Finance Committee, for consideration on Thursday night." Carried.