WAITAHUNA.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 33, 23 December 1861, Page 4

WAITAHUNA.

! (From a Correspondent.) ! The new rush to the Taieri is not so brilliant as the reports of it are. I have just seen a party avho have already returned from it, and they characterize it as being a " duffer;" and they furthermore informed me that they saw about 800 returning like themselves. I lnwe not yet heard Major Croker's report of it, but shall to-morroav. Petty robberies are of daily occurrence, and there appears to be an organized gang here, for several arrests have been made lately through the active exertions of Mr. Pashen, the officer in charge ofthe police here (and avho has just succeeded Mr. Bracken, removed to Tuapeka.) Mr. Pashen appears to make the best of the small force at his disposal. Yesterday he succeeded in arresting a gang of four, on suspicion of being concerned in several robberies. The avant of a Resident Magistrate or Justice of the Peace is bitterly felt here, and really the absence of such an official offers a premium fo crime; for although, as I have before stated, scweral robberies have taken place, the adctims do not press the charge, in consequence of having to go to Tuapeka to do so. The police also haa'e bitter cause for complaint. Arrests are taking place every day, and as it is illegal to retain a prisoner more than 24 hours avithout an examination, they luwe, perforce, to convey them to Tuapeka, and then tramp back again 16 miles in all, in addition to their several duties. If Captain Baldwin, or some other gentleman, avas invested avith the Commission ofthe Peace, aye might manage until the appointment of Magistrate, for the Justice, of the Peace avould have the poaver of remanding prisoners, and they could be sent to Tuapeka once a aveek instead of every day, as now. I hope some steps avill at once be taken in the matter, for it is a serious inconvenience you lately mentioned, namely the inconvenience caused by the delay and trouble of getting letters at your post office. I avonder avhat you avould say if you had to attend at ours. I suppose you will scarcely credit that, though the mail arrived here on Tuesday, half the letters have not yet been delivered. T have been up three successive times, and avas unable to get near the whidoav. The miners here are. naturally indignant at the delay, and threats avere made last evening of pulling the place doavn. I ata sure it is not the Postmaster's (Mr. Burkes) fault, for he was delivering letters from 8 a.m. till 6 p.m. on Wednesday, though the hours are from 10 to 5; but he has ,no one to assist him, and therefore the delivery is ; very sioav. Mr. Burke is tired of the job, and, I believe, gave it up a month since, though I believe the Government have not yet taken .any notice of his resignation. This post-office is not a Government one; Gabriel's Gully is more fortunate in this respect, and though there are no more letters sent there than here, yet the Postmaster has an assistant. : There has been a vast quantity of rain, and consequently not so much work. Wliyte and party washed out 18 ozs. from a bucket of dirt yesterday from their claim on the lower end of the flat. The census papers have not yet been gathered in. j P.S.—I belieare a petition is to be presented, praying that the post office be removed from its present Tsite (the extreme end of the flat) to the centre of the gully. Waitahuna.—A meeting avas held at the " Miner's Arms Hotel" (McQueen's) for the purpose of forming a prospecting party of experienced miners to be sent toavards the West to try and find out a 'fresh gold field. Mr. Hunter avas put in the Chair, and addressed the diggers as to the propriety of sendiing out a prospecting party. The meeting avas also addressed by Doctors Morton and Burroaves. Messrs. McQueen, Hodges, Dougle, Goldfinch, Athern, and lastly the Chairman, aadio avas interrupted by a man avho seemed intent on stopping the proceedings. The meeting adjourned for a few clays in order to collect subscriptions for the purpose of buying a pack horse and provisions for the men avho avere to be of the prospecting party.