NELSON. [From the Nelson Examiner, December 3 ]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 879, 4 January 1854, Page 4

NELSON. [From the Nelson Examiner, December 3 ]

Markets. — The only material change in the markets has been in the price of sawn timber and hay. The former is now down to 14s. per 100 feet, in consequence of the depreciation in its price in the neighbouring colonies ; and, in consequence of the general dryness of the weather duiing the last two months, the deficiency in the hay crop is very great, and the anticipated scarcity has led to a present advance of at least £1 a ton. New hay has been selling at £6 on the ground unstacked. Flour may be quoted at £23 to £24 per ton ; wheat, 9s. a bushel, barley, 75., oats, 7s. 6d. Cheese is scarce, and sells at Is. 3d., butter is Is. per lb. Dun Mountain Copper Mine. — The examination of the Dun Mountain Mine, and the further exploration of the country, which has been lately made under the direction of 'i G. Duppa, Esqr., has disclosed an amount of mineral wealth which the projectors of the Company sought to be established to work the mine "had, we belieye, no previous conception of. By. cuttings made in various places, the extent of the originally discovered, or champion lode, has been proved to be considerable, while in addition to this, three other lodes, equal apparently in richness, have also been discovered. Every day indeed that the works have been prosecuted, new and valuable discoveries have been made, and Mr. Dobson, the engineer, who returned to town last evening, brought with him some beautiful plates of almost clear copper. In addition to the copper ore, the same district abounds with an ore which is said to be chromic iron — a more valuable article even than copper as it is one greatly in request as a dye in the manufacturing districts of England. The mine has been" visited during the past week by Major Richmond, the Land Commissioner, and several other gentlemen, and all unite in their testimony, as far as can be judged by appearance, of the richness as well as extent of the lodes. What however is still | more important, is a strong belief, that a con- ; siderable portion of the mountain range which extends southward -as far as the pass into the Wairau at the Big Wood, a distance probably of from thirty to forty miles, abounds with minerals similar to the Dun Mountain, for the external appearance of the country, and deposits in the streams which take their rise in it, are apparently identical.