THE SHOTOVER.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 51, 27 September 1864, Page 3

THE SHOTOVER.

Since my last we have had one of those rude rejoicings which sometimes helps to cheer one on in the path of duty amidst these mountain locked habitations. I refer to an affair considered up hereof no small importance, which came off on Saturday last, on the ground long known as Sullivan's claim, Maori Point. The present persevering proprietors of the claim, Messrs. Stuart and parly, have successfully completed the erection of a wheel, at the lower end of their claim, and as they had finished the necessary works on Saturday morning, invited a number of tiieir friends to partake of a champagne refresher, arid to assist in the important ceremony of christening tho wheel. Several of the fair sox attended ; ancl Mis 9 Toohey having in a most graceful and bewitching manner poured some of the life sustaining liquid on the wheel, that complex macldne in . answer to the name of " Defiance," bestowed on it by the fair demoiselle, began to revolve in a most lively manner, to the joy and cheers of the assembled spectators. Several speeches were made on the occasion whicli didnot reach your reporter's ears, but the old rocks rung again with echoes twenty times repeated of the cheerful hurrahs of the joyful party. Mining affairs are steadily progressing. Several new parties are setting in, aud Stony Creek is again receiving attention, some nice rough gold having been obtained tliere. A petition in favor of Mr. Wdliamson's re-in-statement to the office of Warden for this district is going the rounds, and has received up to this date 4GO signatures. A circumstance of immense importance to the mining community, has occurred here within the last week. A party of miners have been working for a considerable time quietly, and after tunnelling in under a terrace for about one thousand feet, have struck some of the heaviest gold that have been met with on the Shotover. A pa. - eel of between forty and fifty ounces has been sent to Queenstown, in wliich all the pieces averaged from about one pennyweight to half an ounce, scarcely a piece being less than a pennyweight. I am not at liberty to indicate the place where the gold is being obtained, but my authority for this statement is of a most authentic character. What are all the men about? Why is there one thousand men idle in Dunedin when such splendid opportunities of doing well offer in this district ? I can iuform the laborers of Dunedin that they need not bo afraid of the Shotover now, as there are few, if any, of those hardships endured by miners here, which the first pioneers of the river experienced. [The place where the above gold was found was in the terrace at the Londonderry Creek.] The following is the copy of another memorial addressed to the Superintendent, in reference to Mr. Warden AVilliamson : — Maori Point, Upper Shotover. To His Honor the Snperintendent of the Province of Otago. We, the undersigned miners, storekeepers, publicans, and residents of the Upper Shotover distrtct beg most respectfully to memorialise your Honor's attention again respecting the reinstatement of Mr. AVilliamson to his former position, and to draw your Honor's attention to the fact that Mr. Williamson, under a high sense of duty, suddenly tendered his resignation, which in our opinion (understanding the nature of the facts and the attempt made by parties to extort money) was premature and ill-advised. We therefore pray your Honor— should it meet tout approval — to 'reinstate Mr. Williamson as warden and resident magistrate to this district. And your memorialists will ever pray.