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Southland Times, Issue 963, 5 June 1868, Page 2

It will be perceiyed from our advertising columns that a complete change of programme is announced by the Nathan Troupe for this evening. Prom the nature and diversity of the performance, a rich treat may be anticipated. Mrs Nathan is announced also to appear, in addition to the other performers. We observe that a new Odd-Fellows' Lodge ia to be established in Invercargill. The inauguration of the " Loyal St. George" is to take place at the Clarendon Hotel on T uesday evening next at half-past seven o'clock. All brethem are invited to attend. The third of the series of Penny Readings, takes place this evening at the Exchange buildings. The programme, which will be found elsewhere, is even more attractive then either of the previous ones. For the last eight or ten days we have been enduring a spell of weather wet, cold, and boisterous, such as is not equalled in the merrory of the oldest inhabitant. Heavy showers of rain and hail, varied occasionally with one of snow, have succeeded each other almost w ithoozt intei mission, while the cold blasts accompanying them have been suScient to drive a damp chin to the very marrow. In town and country the severity and duration of the storm has put a stop to business and rendered every one dull and miserable. On Tuesday afternoon and night the heaviest rain fell, and a thunderstorm, reinarkab'e for the loudDess of the peals and the bri'liancy of the lightning flashes, passed over the town about midnight. We fear to hear of serious damage being done by the swoollen rivers in the interior. Ifc is to be hoped that the storm will soon hare exhausted itself and that a succession of genial weather may compensate us for that we aro now sufTering. The Otago " Daily Times," 25th u't., Bays : — "A statement was recently published in the ' Oatnaru Times,' that ' there are rumors in town of the discovery of a payable goldfield in Oamaru;' and some particulars es to what was known iv Oamaru, were added. There seems to be reason to conclude that a payable goldfield has been discovered in the Oamaru district ; but there is nothing known as the result of official inquirj* and nothing to cause excitement at present. We give the following as the substance of what is known in Dunedin. on the subject ; but we do not give it offi.c : ally, or as absolutely reliable. Last week, two men, it is said, applied to the Government to be allowed to see the maps of a district between a pass, which they called ' Dandy's,' and the Maruwhenua river. The men stated that they had been prospecting for some weekß ; that they had found ' better gold than there was on the Mount Ida side of the range ;' that there was plenty of excellent sluicing ground ; and that they had been making capital wages. The men stated that they had ' settled down.' to work, and were sure they could have done excellently ; but that when they were cutting a tail-race, a man came on the ground and claimed, as private property, land through which about 100 yards of the race would have had to be cut. The men, as we heat' t stated that they offered to pay highly for the land, or for the right to cut the race j but that the claimant would not accept any of their terms. Then, the men staited for Dunedin, to inquire into the matter. They pointed out on the map, as the site of their working, a spot where there is no sold land ; and which spot is not within a Goldfield or a Hundred. The situation of the spot indicated by the men is said to be — On the Maruwhenua river, seven miles from Graham and Cook's station, half a mile west of the Maruwhenua Hundred line, and three quarters of a mile south of Trig Station G. The men promised to put in a letter of application ; and they were assured, as we are told, that whatever could be done to secure j them ' protection,' under the circumstances, should be done promptly. They did not, however, keep their promise ; and they have probably returned to their work." We take the following from the " Lyttelton Times," 27th May :— " The Inspectors under the Diseased Cattle Act are now employed in the destruction of the whole of the mob belonging to Mr Grigg, originally affected with this disease. Fifteen of the mob were shot, which is as many as can be buried in one day. We understand that Mr Grigg has consented to allow the animals

to be destroyed, the Government having promised to use their influence with the Provincial ] Council to get them to award him £5 per head c compensation. Many of the mob are splendid t bullocks, and at present apparently healthy. We c regret to have to state that Mr Hill found it 8 necessary to bring in and shoot a Canterburyhred cow, bearing Mr G. H. Lee's brand, from j off the Maori run. On opening this animal, the i usual Bigns of pleuro-pneumonia were very ap- i parent." ■< The "Bruce Herald," in reporting the pro- j ceedings at the Grain and Seed Show at Tokomairiro, remarks : — " No weather could have ( been more favorable or delightful, and no build- ( ing or arrangements could have been beftsr selected or made, than the fine, clear frosty morning of Friday the 22nd, and the Volunteer i Hall, Milton, so well adapted for the successful ißsue of the Second Annual Grain and Seed Show of the Tokomairiro Farmers' Club. Yet, we are reluctantly compelled to confess our disappointment and astonishment, that so little interest was manifested in the proceedings, by those for whose special benefit these shows of farm produce have been organised and established. The entries in all the classes were but fevr in number, and the xisitors, exclnsive of the competitors, who were naturally specially interested, were very limited." The " Argus" says Mrs. Florence Williams, the lady who is to make her first appearance before s n Australian audience at the Duke of Edinburgh Theatre shortly, is an Italian by birth, and the daughter of Mr G. P. B. J&mes, the wellknown novelist. She resided during many years of her life at Florence, where Mr James, as is well-known, was consul. She iias latterly resided in America, where she became connected with the stage, and where she married. She has never played in public in Europe, but as an amateur she had much experience, and in this way she acquired that passion for the art which circumstances eventually determined her upon adopting as her profession. The educational and social advantages she has enjoyed afford reason for anticipating that in her the Melbourne stage will gain a valuable addition to its resources. We learn from the " Lyttelton Times " of the 22nd inst., that there is little likelihood of the recent attempt to introduce salmon into the province of Canterbury, being attended with any successful results. Since the day of lauding from Otago, one hundred of the eggs thought to be in good condition have gone bad. One hundred gave symptoms of vitality; but there is an appearance about them which the curator by no means likes to see. They stall seem to be good, but have made no progress towards hatching, which they should have done by this time, considering the forward state they were in when landed here. Every care was taken in the removal of the ova from Dunedin to prevent shaking, and since their arrival at the Acclimatisation Gardens, no effort has been spared to bring its introduction to a successful issue. The curator attributes the cause of failure — for he almost despairs of any of the eggs being hatched — to the state of the ice-house on the vojageout. On its arrival at Dunedin, it was found that some of the ice had melted, and that some of the | boxes containing the ova were subject to be disturbed by every motion of the vessel. The " Evening Star " of the 28th inst., says : — The ceremony of laying the foundation stone of the new First Church of Ofcago took place to-day. The proceedings were to have commenced at noon, but there was a delay in consequence of the nonarrival of the Key. D. M. Stuart, who was to have opened the proceedings with prayer. There was another short delay occasioned by a portion of the raised platform, which surrounded the foundation stone, having given way. Of course the occupants were precipitated to the ground, but fortunately the fall was a slight one, and no person was hurt. There was a larga attendance of the members of the congregation and otb.er3 ; and amongst those present we noticed the Bey.. Mr Will, and the Rev. R. Connebee. The Rev. Mr Sutherland, junior pastor of the Church, then mounted the platform, and announced that the Rev. Mr Stuart's absence was owing to a family bereavement. The choir of the church, under the lnadership of Mr Taylor, sang the 300 th. psalm, and the Rev. Mr Scrymgeour read the 48th psalm, after which the Rev. Mr Sutherland engaged in prayer. Mr Lawson, the architect, then came forward, and placed iv a tin box the following articles: an illuminated document containing the day's proceedings, a list of the first arrivals in the province ; photographs of the Reverend Dr Burns, and the Reverend Mr Sutherland, and also of the church and manse ; a Hat of the names ot the past and present ministers of the Presbyterian Church in tbe provinces of Otago and Southland ; a list of the names of the ministers, deacons, and elders of the First Church; a copy of the printed proceedings of the first meeting of the Otago Synod ; statement of contributions to the Church funds during the years 1865-6-7 ; statistics of the province for the 1867 ; a copy of the first newspaper published iv the province — (the " Otago News," January, 1819) ; a copy of this morning's "Daily Times," a copy of the " Evening Mail" of last night; a copy of Mackay's Almanac for 1868 ; and the following coins :— sovereign, halfsovereign, five-shilling piece, half-a-crown, florin, shilling, sixpence, fourpence, threepence, one penny, halfpenny, and farthing. A person present prodnced a silver twopenny piece, and this was also placed in the box, which was theu hermetically sealed. Mr Lawson then advanced, and addressing the Rev. Dr Burns, said that it was his pleasing duty to present (on behalf of the contractors, Messrs D. and J. Hunter) the rev. gentleman with the trowel with which to lay the foundation-stone of the First Church; and in doing so, to express the warmest wishes of the donors, that he (the rev. gentleman) might be spared to witness tho completion of the building, The tin box was theu placed in a cavity prepared for its reception, and the block of stone which was to cover it was then lowered and placed in its position. The Rev. Doctor then applied the rule and level, tapped the stone thrice with a mallet, and then declared the stone to be well and truly laid. Three cheers were called for and heartily given; after which the assemblage was addressed by the Rev. Messrs Sutherland, Serymgeour, and Connebee. After the choir sang an anthem, the benediction was pronounced by the Rev. Dr Burns, and the proceedings terminated. Tho trowel, which was presented to the Rev. Dr Burns, bore a suitable inscription, and was Bupplied by Mr Hislop, of Princes-street.

A Kyneton (Victorian) pape* writes i— *' *Thi high price of wheat this season is inducing nearly every one to sow it largely. We have heard of at many as 108 acres heing sown on a farm of a little over 200 acres. Ifc is possible to overdo this cereal, and next year may be either a year of plenty with low prices, or the wheat crop may be a failure and prices indifferent. In either case, oat» will command good prices, from the small extent to which they are sown. To the small farmer wd would say sow oats — the seed will cost 10s an acre, while wheat cost 20s. Oats are worth now from 4s to 4s 4d per bushel, with every prospect of rising ; and should the mania for wheat-sowing continue, oats must rule high next year."