THK GOLD FIELDS. (From our own Correspondent.)

Otago Daily Times, Issue 112, 26 March 1862, Page 5

THK GOLD FIELDS. (From our own Correspondent.)

Tnapekn, March 25. REPORTED RUSH BEYOND THE WAIPORI. DA Ft ING ATTEMPT AT ROBBERY Al\ THE JUNCTION.

Yesterday.a man came into "VVetherston's, and reported that a 'rush Lad' taken place to some new groundon Black's Station. It is said to lie about 30 miles from the Lammerlaw Creek, in a north-westerly direction. The" number of miners on the field are said to be about 400, and they are reported as doing well. The gold is nuggety, frequently allied with quartz, and is very liitle water-worn. On Wetherston's very little credence is given t<J the report, and few if any are leaving. Yesterday three men visited the Junction, and after prowling about the various hotels and grog-shan-ties, entered the Commercial and asked for nobblers. They put down in payment a £5 note, evidently with a view to ascertain where the cash-box was kept. The note was changed, and information was thus afforded them as to the whereabouts of the "swag.", They immediately' left, and their after proceedings were characterized by considerable ingenuity and daring. On leaving they went to a refreshment tent about fifty yards above the Commercial and here managed to secure two watches that were hanging behind the bar. These were not missed until after the attempt on the Commercial. After staying some tinie drinking, one of them left, and on proceeding to the Commercial asked for dinner. This was provided for him, and in the meantime his two companions left the refreshment tent. Shortly afterwards the report of a pistol was heard, and the ball passing through the corrugated iron composing the end of the Hotel whizzed past the head of the cook and struck the partition behind.. Asa matter of course every one rushed out to see who had fired the pistol, and they had no sooner done so, than the man who was unconcernedly eating his dinner, made hiN way to Mr, Weatherby's room. The barman "Frank" returned somewhat suddenly and thus frustrated the attempt to get at the cash box. On hearing him coming the fellow; made off and has not tdnce been seen, although the police are upon his track The barman again went to the'back of the hotel, and seeing smoke about the water closet went to it. Here he found two men, one with a revolver in his hand. He immediately collared him, and after a straggle managed to wrest the revolver from him, and assistance coming u]i to secure the man himself, meanwhile the other fellow made off.

Information was at once given to the police, and gergts. Bracken and Thompson, accompanied by the barman, proceeded j,to Wetherstout's, under the impression they would be found iii some of the "shanties" in the neighborhood, While standing in one of them the barman saw one of the men passing, and immediately pointed him out to the police. They no sooner made their appearance than the fellow took to his heels, and ran off as fast as he could, After the exciting chase, he was secured and taken to the camp. ' While there he refused to give his name, but it is believed that he is a convict from Victoria. The name given by the other man is William Wilson, but, as they are to be brought up before Major Croker to-morrow, something more of' their antecedents will; no doubt, be ascertained. On the person of Wilson was found the sum of £17 10s. in notes, and one of them, it is believed, from'a'peculiar mark on the edge, will, if identified, lead to the discovery of the perpetrators of a robbery that occurred some time ago at VVaitahuna. Considering that it was broad mid-day, and in a crowded thoroughfare, this is one of the most cool and impudent attempts at robbery that has ever been committed.

JtfK. Rpskin's Definition of a Gentleman.— Two great errors, ■'coloring or rather discoloring, severally, the ininds-of the higher, and lower classes, have sown wide dissension and wider misfortune through the', society of modern days. s These errors are iuour modes of interpreting the word " gentleman." Its primal, literal, and perpetual meaning, "a man of pure race," well bred, in the sense that a liorse or dog is well bred. The so-called higher classes, tiehig generally of purer race than the lower, have retained the true idea, and the convictions associated with it, but are afraid to speak it out, and equivocate-about it in public; this equivocation mainly proceeding from their desire to connect another meaning with it, and a false one—that of " a man living in idleness on other people's.labor" with wliieh idea the ierin has nothing .whatever to do. The lower etiisses,' 'denying yigprpus|y;''Hnd with'r.easpn,' the npHqn'lh'{ft ft ge^itle'iniin' means sin idler, and rightly feeJ'iiig'thjift.the jnore any one works the more of a gentje'iujin he becomes, and js likely to become—have jievertteleps got Ijttle of the good they otherwise might from the truth, because with it they wanted to hold a falsehood, namely, that race was of no consequence. It being precisely of as much consequence in man as in any other animal. The nation cannot truly prosper till both these errors are finally got quit of. (Jtntlemeri have to learn that it is no part of their duly or privilege to live on: other people's toil. They have to learn "that there is no degradation in the hardest manual or the humblest servile labor when it is honest. But that there is degradation, and that deep, in extravagance, in bribery, in indolence, in £ri>if. in taking places they are not fit for, or in coin■,g places for which there: is no need. It does not dusgrtiiw a gentleman to become an errand-boy, or a day laborer, but it disgraces him much to become a knaveor a thief,'and knavery is not less knavery beoause it involves large interests, nor. theft the less theft because it is countenanced bvns^ge.'br ncconiffafeed'bj failure m undertaken duty. .It is an incomparably less guilty form of robbery to cut a purse out of a man's pocket, than to take it out of his hand on the understanding you are to steer his ship up the Channel when you do not know the soundings. On the other hand, the lower orders, and all orders, have to learn that every vicious habit and chronic disease communicates itself by descent, and that by purity of birth the entire system of the human body and soul may be gradually elevated, or, by recklessness of birth, degraded, until there shall be as much difference between the well-bred and the ill-bred human creature (whatever pains be taken with their education} as between a wolf-hound and the vilest mongrel <mr And the knowledge of this great fact ought to ietoiatO the'educfttion of ojif'ybuth. "andthe "entire qpMjibf Qfthgna|ion. '" ' " ■"' "' *A ff ah'itian Interior.—ln tlie neighborhood of M&vai fe»y I "entered 'a_ native hut to. rest, after asking'permission of thp inmates.' The inhabitants are generally pleased to receive strangers who are travelling "about, as much from the pleasant exoitfiuiept"their vipitP pause, fts for the profit they pxpect to get frofe) theni. This one of the better HQFt." m«l standing ip a neat cpclpsure, was the residence of tHr@B warrjed but qhildlefj3 couplep. The three young wives, whose Jiusbnnds were at the house of the chief, were lounging on the ground, lazily occupied in making straw-plait, as I entered. They •were tolerably good-looking, dressed in loose robes of muslin, and wore wreaths of flowers entwined in their black tresses. One took my horse, another went to make ready some food, while the third took me into the hut, and spread mate and herb-stuffed_pillows lor me to rest on. The arrangement of the interior would give a stranger a pretty just idea of how the natives herd together. The three nuptial couches of the three pairs were in three corners; by the side of each was the family trunk, containing the dress of the husband and the finery of the -wile, which latter, the fhrce women took great trouble in spreading out before me. They seemed to have ns many dresses and imitation trinkets ns a fashionable beauty, while the poor husbandß seemed to have very tfew shirts, nnd thrse in a ragged condition. I could only surmise -whether alt this finery was derived from the liUerafity of their husbands, their own industry in iittkiii}rt)ltite orpin,l or from the economy •of theiv maideiUfays: andl was forced to conclude the latter •was the case; from the conversation of these young ladiis. They make use of many English words, the" only ijnete'they know; which showed the Euro|e!an society th'cy hadUtept hftd left'd blight upon them for tlfi-V Wti« such'ad are;6nly heard frpm'the mbpthsoi %4.liltf'fedmlen/ but which these wdnieh, ponspioys nl oftlipjr meaning, utte'rpd the pertmadity of piiCTb'ts.' Anotlier circumstanpedid not'heightenmy bpinibn of either tiieir'past pr their present virtue: Phtnking the saddje 6f my hprse, they had seen a. truveWiVigfla* lifiPgingtpif, iin<l were jiiost desirous to drink of the contents. But ns low not allow this they probably, judging from experience, thought I get'n price on the gift, and thereupon offered me straw hnts, pieces of tops, and, lastly, by unmistnkeable signs, themselves, if I would only give them brnndy. Thrj', no doubt, thought very badly of me for refusing, for they showed their vexation by frowns at me, and most voluble chattering among them-M-lves ; but their eagerness only proved to me the iniquity of foreigners' secretly supplying the_ natives with the means of intoxication, when they will make such deplorable pneriflees to possess it.—" Japan, the Amoorjandthe Pacific."