OTAGO.

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 106, 26 October 1863, Page 3

O T AGO.

(FKOSI OIJR OWN CORRESrONDSN*.} DuNEDttf/Thursday 23rd Oct. When I penived my last communication, .Dunedin was in a state of terrible excitement consequent upon the news which was running through the city like wild-fire, touching the great auriferous finds at the new rush. Alas ! our hopes have been blasted, our good anticipations nipped in the bud, and we are once more in bur senses. The new diggings may be said to have collapsed. It is true that there are a considerable number of people on the ground, and that so ne are knocking out fair wages, but it is nothing like the field that it was reported to be, and you may just set it down as a small addition to our already well-known golden deposits. There were strange rumors about last night to the effect that some diggers had gone to the police an I requested them to take charge of 40 pounds weight of gold, and that others had discovtretl a new gully which was all gold together. This is now the tenth day of incessant rain in Dunedin. Never for one hour togethe > day or night, have heaven's flood gates closed upon us, and the consequence has been that business may be said to be at a complete standstill. I hear of heavy floods throughout the Province, and in a day or two I am quite certain we shall be in receipt of intelligence o" many serious disasters. The VVes: Taieri punt has been carried away, and drays on both sides of the river are detained in trnnsitu for a period quite indefinite. The English Mails which left on Tuesday morning in Cobb's coach, are still within seventeen miles of town, and the upcountry escort, conveying over 17,000 ounces, already three days over due, remains somewhere on the other side, while all drays loaded up, and empty conveyances returning, are calmly reposing at their own cost, which, as many of your readers are aware, is by no mean 3 inconsiderable. This occurrence, to a certain extent.-proves the absurdity and impracticability of the Escort branch via Duastan, and will doubtless bring once more upon the tapis the propriety of putting an end to the Wakatipu line, because it must be understood that the Wakatipu Mails are also conveyed by the Dunstan coach. lam also informed that a very " pretty quarrel " has arisen as to the question who shall defray the expense of repairing the punt? Mr Hooper, the lessee, having sent to town to inform the Government of the damage requesting that it may be made good, while they state that the lessee must do the needful, a proceeding to which I am informOu that Mr Hooper most distinctly objects. At all events, son »'.hing must bs don ; at one, for surely it is sufficient to close the Lake road without stopping all communication with our moat important goldfiekis. Mr Shadrach Jones has returned from Melbourne, having successfully negotiated with Marshall for the All England Eleven to play in New Zealand. The arangement is that the team shall play three matches: two in Dunedin, and one at Christchurch, for which Mr. Jones agrees to pay the extraordinary sum of Fancy, sir, three thousand five hundred pounds to see eleven men play three games ofcricket! Mr Jones is to pay £2000 down before the cricketers leave Melbourne, and the balance before they leave New Zealand. Was ever anything so plucky as this, and docs not such a man deserve to be supported ? You will of course come down to see us, and s^nd a good cricketer or two a-headofyou to join our local men. Can you not, think you, make arrangements to get the cricketers to play a match on your side of the country ; but -they are a costly lot to meddle with.