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Southland Times, Issue 879, 10 January 1868, Page 2

We understand that passengers to or fro-i Britian, via Panama will, in future, be transferred from the steamers of the trunk line at Water Island, where fever does not exist, so that calling at St. Thomas may be altogether avoided. In a New Zealand Gazette, published on Dec. 21, the following scale of allowances for prosecutors and witnesses is published . — Laborers, per diem, 6s j journeymen, &c, per diem, 10s j master tradesmen, farmers, yeomen, and auctioneers, per diem, 15s ; professional men, per diem, £1 Is. Female witnesses at the rate of two-thirds the allowance to male witnesses of similar rank. Travelling eipences — Witnesses residing at a distance not exceeding one mile from the place of trial, experices not exceeding Is 6d per mile one way. If there is a steamer or coach or other public conveyance, either the whole or pa?t of the way, the actual cost of sach conveyance in lieu mileage. Where they travel by water, forecabin fare will be allowed to the first and secondclass of witnesses, and the chief-cabin fare to the latter classes. Witnesses in the pay of the General or Provincial Governments ; will not be paid for their,time, but only for extra costs occasonied by their attendance. The Dunedin JSvening 81ar of the 3rd inst, contains the following telegram : — " Queenstown, Jan. 3, 1868. The Invercargill mail boat has been sunk in a squall a mile from Queenstown. Two men out of the three were saved in a very exhausted state. Our Bluff correspondent whites, 9th January, 1868 :— Rain fell in torrents yesterday from two in the afternoon until midnight. On account of the very bad drainage of the footpath, it was almost inundated, when a few volunteers, armed with the necessary implements, made a race to carry the water away. Tne " Penny Headings," which were to take place last night, did not come off on account of the inclemency of the weather, and have been postponed until to-night. Should the weather prove favorable, I have no doubt it will meet with its usual success, as there are some very amusing, as well as interesting pieces in the programme. The Waihopai put in here on the evening of the 7th, and sailed next morning for Dunedin,

In the Provincial Council yesterday's morning sitting, the correspondence on tha Confirmation Liabilities Ordinances was read, Mr Swale moved that a Bum of £200 be placed on the estimates for repairing the Roslyn Bush Road, the motion was carried. The Appropriation Ordinanoe was read a first time. The motion standing in Mr Dalrymple J s name on the necessity of retrenchment was unanimously affirmed by the Council. The farther consideration of the Licensing Ordinance was postponed till next morning's sitting. Last night's sitting of the Provincial Council was opened by a motion of Mr Pearson to place on the estimates £30,000 for forming and metalling the East road wfcich was carried. Mr Johnston's motion on Emmigration was carried with a slight alteration. Dr Monokton's proposition for the placing of £400 on the Estimates for a road from Riverton to Orepuki, was accepted by the House which then resumed the debate on M r Pearson's motion of the previous evening which was again adjourned. Mr Clerke withdrew the ' motion standing in his name, and Mr Daniel' 3 motion for £500 for the road between Riverton and Waimatuku was carried. After some formal business, the House adjourned until half-past 12 o -morrow (this day.) Ths Mining Journal states that sodium has been superseded in gold amalgamation. The j value of sodium amalgam has been thoroughly tested in the Pacific States of America, and better results have been obtained with it there than in any other mining district ; yet it is now found that it can be entirely dispensed with by the snbatitution of a well known and much cheaper chemical compound — cjanide of potassium. It has always been considered that sodium amalgam owed its value to its power to attack and decompose the oxides of many of the metals, and it is now found that cyanide of potassium possesses the same property. It has been successfully used both on copper plates and in the pans. The plates are first cleaned with sand and nitric acid and well washed in cold water, The surface is then swabbed over with the cyanide solution, and the mercury applied immediately, and rubbed on well ; the plates will thus get a highly sensative coating of mercury, which will seize upon the gold as it passes over them. In the pans the cyanide solution is applied with each charge of mercury, the proportion beiug varied to suit the ore operated upon.