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Southland Times, Issue 755, 27 November 1867, Page 2

We observe that the s.s. Waihopai is to leave to-day at noon for Dunedin, on her first trip ; a . mail will be made up for her of such letters as are so marked. To a telegram, sent to Wellington a few days ago relative to the Duke of Edinburgh's visit, the following answer was returned yesterday : — "Until it i» known what time the Duke of Edinburgh can devote to New Zealand, it is impossible to say whether he could be advised to visit Southland, and if he travels much in the interior it is not likely any of the funds voted would remain for a visit to Southland." We remind our readers of the Amateur Dramatic performances to be given at the Theatre Royal, in aid of the Hospital, to-morrow night. The following shows the number of letters and newspapers which have passed through the In» I vercargill Post Office during the quarter ended 30th September, 1867. Received — within the Province, 5689 letters, 4494 papers ; from the United Kingdom, 2213 letters, 8501 papers ; from the Australian Colonies, 2332 letters, 3432 papers j from other places, 42 letters, 4 papers ; making a total of 19,101 letters, and 17,805 newspapers received during the three months. Despatched — toplaces within the Province, 10,740 letters, 9007 papers ; to other provinces, 5766 letters, 2568 papers ; to the United Kingdom, 3774 letters, 2252 papers ; to the Australian Colonies, 2274 letters, 1102 papera ; to other places, 144 letters, 72 papers ; or a total of 22,698 letters, and 15,001 papers. In connection with the above, it may be worthy of remark that a comparison between the number oi letters received from, and sent to, the United Kingdom, gives a decided contradiction to the generally received opinion that colonists are slothful correspondents, at least so far as this Province is concerned. We have been furnished with the following information concerning the Savings' Bank and money order departments of the Post-office, In vercargill. During the month of October there was deposited in the Savings' Bank the sum of £500 12s ; of this amount £333 15s was paid in by thirty-seven depositors, as additions to gums previously to their accounts ; the balance, £166 17s, being lodged by new depositors. Twenty-seven persons withdrew during the same time the sum of £270 19s lOd, showing an excess in favor of deposits of £229 12a 2d. In the money order office there were issued to ninetyfive persons orders on other offices amounting in all to £396 12s 4i, while forty orders were paid by the department amounting to £161 13s 61; shewing that £234 18s lOd was sent by persons in Invercargill to other places more than was received from other offices. It is stated in the West Coast papers that the Bank of if ew Zealand has opened an agency on Waite's Pahiki, and is also about to erect a band* I some building at Westport.

A return recently published shows that, from 1853 to 1866, inclusive, there was exported from New Zealand 2374t, Bcwt. of oopper ore. That export, commencing with l7ot, in 1853, had increased to 510t in 1856 ; that was the greatest quantity exported in any year ; and there being a decrease from 35Ht in 1858 to 51t in 1862, no copper ore has been sent out of the Colony since then. Of chrome ore, the Colony has exported 530'6t, 3cwt. 2qr. The first chrome left our shores in 1858, the quantity being 3t 2wt 2qr ; and since then there haß been a yearly export (excepting during 1865), the quantity shipped last year being 281t. Just seven tons of plumbago had been exported up to the end of 1866 — 5t Bcwt in 1857, and It 12cwt in 1864. These statistics, we fancy, are illustrative of the history of the Dun Mountain Company, or of other undertakings directly connected with the Nelson Province. Mr Balfour, C.E., has prepared a report of his examination of the beach, harbor, and river protection of Hokitika. From the digest of the report, which appears in the local papers, we learn that Mr Balfour recommends works that will cost in the aggregate £7300, but does not consider the whole of this expenditure immediately necessary. As to the protection of the beach against further encroachments by the sea, he suggests what is to be done ought to be done promptly. By the addition of some comparatively inexpensive works, Mr Balfour thinks the beach may be effectively preserved at its present line. Some few additional groins and about thirty chains of double staking would form a safeguard against the sea. The total cost of these additional works, Mr Balfour sets down at the very moderate estimate of £1500. He attaches great importance, however, to the policy of " leaving intact all the protection provided by nature," and strongly condemns the removal from the beach of any drifts ood or shingle. Mr Balfour repeats his opinion expressed on the occasion of his former visit to the port, that nothing can be done with the Bar. He considers, indeed, that any meddling with nature would only tend to make matters worse than they are. Any works which might be attempted, he says, with the view of making a permanent channel would only have the effect of extending the bar further seaward j whilst works within the sand spita constructed with the view of confining the river mouth, would not only be uncertain in their action, costly, and liable to be swept away by floods, but would greatly increase the difficulty of re-launching stranded vessels into the river. The danger which was once supposed to exist of the river leaving the town, and taking the south channel, appears to have been somewhat exaggerated. Mr Balfour considers, however, that it existed, and that it was necessary to guard against it. He believes that, by " careful watching and judicious strengthening and extending the protection works, the river may continue to be successfully controlled." For this purpose Mr Balfour names in his estimate a sum of £900. For river facings and additional wharfage accommodation, he sett down £4900, making up in a':, as we have said, the total of £7300. A Wellington japer understands that, by the Rakaia, Captain Benson received advices from Opara that the king or chief had granted the Company a good piece of land, about five acres, with water frontage, on lease for ninety-nine years. It is suitable for collecting stock and growing vegetables, both of which have been already commenced, and wiH doubtless prove a great boon to passengers travelling on this now popular route. On September 20th, the Americau whalers, Cleone, Captain Luce, and Alfred Gibbs, Captain Jennings, both of New Bedford , called at the island, and were very glad to find the Midas there. The captains consider it will become a most important place of call for whalers, and desired to be reported. The former was out forty months, and had in 1800 barrels of oil ; the latter had 600 barrels, and was twenty-seven months out. It is quite possible that whalers may yet take advantage of the steamers to send oil to New Zealand for sale, and return to the United States, an operation the Panama service would most speedily effect. From QueenstowD, Mr Warden Broad, writing at the end of last month, reports that " several new claims have been taken up at the TwelveMile, Lake, and there is every prospect of that locality increasing in importance. There is a ruiror of the Big Beach at Shotover being taken up by a new company, and worked on an improved system. It has rained heavily during the month, and the creek and river claims are flooded. The sluicers are, however, doing well, their races being full of water. In the Upper Shotover, several parties are doing exceedingly well, lhe Wire Rope Company will wash up in about a fortnight, and a yield of about 300 ounces is expected. Clement's party have been doing well ; they picked up a specimen a few days since weighing 27dwts. Gardiner and party have washed up, the result being 200 ounces, a very fair yield, although not quite equal to their expectations. Leyden and party are about constructing an expensive tramway, and driving a tunnel about 500 feet in length into Race Course Terrace. They will also have to flume the head water across the Shotover. The Scandinavian Quartz Company sent down a cake of 135 ounces about three weeks since, and another a day or two ago of 93 ounces. The stone in Southberg's claim is said to be improving. The population of the district is 1260, of whom 675 are Europeans, and 10 Chinese miners." Of the Cardrona, Mr Broad says that it continues to progress, and is becoming every day of more importance. " The population is 6teadily increasing, and the yield of gold in proportion to the inhabitants is astonishingly large, much above the ordinary average in other districts. Last week the agent of the Bank at Cromwell took down, I am told, nearly 40J ounces from the Cardrona. In addition to this, a certain quantity was brought iuto Arrowtown, and a good deal held by the miners. The number of persons actually engaged in mining is about 120. Several shares have been sold recently in torn* of the claims at the end of the lead, the average price being about £ioo. The following parties are all in full working order, and getting gold — Austin and party, Homeward Bound Co., Pirate Co., Sir G-eo. Grey Co., Fox and party, Patterson and party. Further up the creek King and party, who have been prospecting for two years trying to find the continuation of the lead, have at last been successful, and struck payable gold. Further in still, Cald* ell wA party and Pearca and party bay

obtained good payable prospects. Several new ' stores have been built ; and the miners have erected neat iron or stone houses for them* selves, giving the place an appearance of comfort, and permanence not often seen in outlying diggings. I would not recommend any miner to go to the Cardrona who has not sufficient capital to live upon for three or four months ; it is by no means a poor man's diggings, as the ground cannot be worked without the erection of costly pumping gear, and no small outlay for timber, &c. I do not, however, know a more promising place for any man with a little money, and who is not afraid of hard work, and will keep himself steady. I have not yet had time since my return to visit the Twelve-mile. I understand, however, that some of the sluicing parties have been obtaining handsome returns, and a few of the old residents have returned from the West Coast to try their fortune again in the Arrow district. There is, I hear, a probability of the Criterion Quartz Company's claim being worked again. Most people believe that, with economical management, it would pay very well, and it would certainly be of great benefit to the district to get the stampers at work once more. ! The estimated population of the district is 800."