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Southland Times, Issue 1011, 28 August 1868, Page 2

By the s.s. Eangitoto, which arrived at Holdfcika yesterday, the agents for the s.s. G-othen-burgh have been advised that that vessel left Melbourne for the Bluff on the 22nd inst. She may therefore be expected to arrive this morning.

The usual weekly Popular Entertainment takes place at the Theatre Royal this evening. The programme appears as judiciously arranged as ever. It will also be observed that an alteration in the charge for admission has been made, which, it is to be hoped, may have the effect desired.

It will be abserved that Mr J. G. Hughes has added an ' ordinary ' to the other arrangements of the Clarendon Hotel. This will prove a great convenience to gentlemen in the neighborhood, who, in consequence of residing at some distance, find it impossible to go home dnring business hours, and if Mr Hughes supplies a substantial luncheon at the moderate charge announced he will, no doubt, find his table well attended.

Telegraphic communication beyond Christchurch has for the last two days been suspended owing to the line north of that city being down. Hence our Wellington telegrams have been delayed. The necessary repairs having been made, the wires were again in operation last evening, and the Wellington news will be found in our telegraphic column.

Mr G-. Lumsden being about to pay a visit to Scotland, a number of his friends have thought it desirable to give public expression to their respect and esteem for him . previous to his departure. With this object in view a meeting was held at the Prince of Wales Hotel, on Wednesday evening last, at which, after talking the matter over, it was decided to invite Mr Lumsden to a public dinner. An address expressing the sentiments suitable to the occasion is also to be engrossed and presented to him at the dinner.

The ' Wakatip Mail ' is informed that " the numb -r of landslips and earth-falls in the Shotover district has been very remarkable during the past few months. This may possibly be partly accounted for by another more remarkable phenomenon — the frequency of earthquakes dnring that period. " For our own part," says the 'Mail' " we have repeatedly felt these earth tremulations, and about two months ago observed them nightly for a week together, the time being between twelve and two at night. We should have set our impressions down as something fanciful were they not supported by the testimony of a gentlemen in the disiriefc. Our Switzer's

•'•espondent, in his last letter, also speaks of a non of quakes in that district. The sluicers , . n . quite puzzled to account for the idslips, and have suffered consider—in some instances no ground months, the races continually

A meeting of the Wardens of the InveroargiU Hundreds was held on Saturday, the 22nd August. The whole business of the meeting was to consider the desirability of appointing a Ranger. The attendance was small, being almost entirely confined to the Wardens, viz : — Messrs Kinross (in the Chair,) Henderson, Dalrymple, Weir, Phillips, Priskin, Marshall and Tobin. Mr Dalrymple commenced the proceedings by commenting upon the rejection of a motion brought before the Board at a previous meeting. Mr Henderson proposed, Mr Priskin, seconded — That no Banger be appointed at the present time. An amendment was proposed by Mr Weir, and seconded by Mr Phillips — "that a Banger be appointed forthwith." After considerable discussion the amendment was put and carried. The Chairman stated £27 had been received during the year, by the wardens for licenses, &c.

We learn from the * West Coast Times ' that a fresh instance of the hardships of a digger's life on the West Coast has been brought to light. A number of miners for some time past have been working at Big Bay and other places south of Jackson's Bay, and received their supplies from Hokitika by the subsidised steamer Waipara. The last vessel that visited them was the steamer St. Kilda in June last. The fulfilment of tho Waipara' s contract, in the meantime, had been postponed, and consequently the unfortunate diggers were reduced to a desperate plight, and at last, when almost too late, deserted the place to avoid death by starvation, and at desperate risk reached Bruce Bay in an open boat. While at the Q-eorge River, a party returning from Big Bay with provisions, in crossing the bar, the boat was capsized, and one of their number, named Peoster, a Germen by birth, was drowned. A very small quantity of provisions were saved. After working on for some time at Big Bay, they proceeded to the head of Jackson's Bay in the hope of obtaining provisions, but were disappointed, the only inhabitants of the place, three Frenchmen, being in a similar condition as themselves. These poor fellows had had no food for forty-eight hours previous, excepting one rat ! A little further up the party encountered the Howards, whom they found in a sorry plight, their flour-bags being empty, and the ammunition expended, and thus the party were reduced to a diet consisting almost exclusively of shell fish and fern roots. Fifteen of the paity then embarked in a boat and pushed for Bruce Bay. Some of them were so fearfully reduced that they were utterly helpless, and had to be lifted about. Not a particle of food of any kind was in the boat when she put to sea, but providentially the wind favored them, and they succeeded in reaching Bruce Bay in a few hours. There they obtained supplies, which were at once forwarded to those at Jackson's Bay.

The 'Lyttelton Times,' of the 17th inst., in reference to the petition for the repeal of the 40th clause of the Resident Magistrate's Court — imprisonment for debt — sajs: — "The committee appointed at the meeting on Thursday last lost no time in having a petition neatly written out and by Saturday afternjon there were 222 signatures attached to it, a number exceeding that»of the former petition by about 50. The petition was forwarded by the mail which closed at 5 p.m., addressed to the care of the Hon. John Hall, for presentation during the present session of the General Assembly.

At a recent meeting at the Hutt (Wellington Province), the following resolutions were carried : — " That it is expedient in the opinion of persons here assembled, to present a memorial to the House of Representatives on the undermentioned subjects : — (1) To bring to their, notice the present distressed state of branches of colonial industry, which result principally from the oppressive taxation of the Government bearing injuriously on every department of labor and trade, checking immigration, and obstructing the development of the resources of the colony. (2) To draw the attention of the Government to the imperative necessity of adopting somo effectual measures for the suppression of native insurrection ; and if it is really impossible to annihilate the seeds of disaffection, to confine them at any rate within certain prescribed limits, so as to ensure safety of life and property to the settlers in the recognised districts of European population, including the confiscated lands. (3) To urge upon the Government, as a means of accomplishing the before-mentioned objects, the institution of a searching enquiry into every branch of the public expenditure, with the view of obtaining a large reduction of the same — the abolition of all unnecessary or useless appointments ; the reduction of those which are really required for conducting the affairs of the colony, to a much lower scale during the present crisis ; and the adoption of a plain and simple form of Government in lieu of the present expensive system."

The c Daily Times,' 21sfc inst., says : — " During the month of July, 622 Post Office orders were issued in Otago, representing £2767 16s Id, and 317 were paid, amounting to £1392 14s 7d. Since the commencement of the system, on the Ist September, 1862, 33,965 orders have been issued, representing £158,606 7s 4d, 15,824, amounting to £76,038 10s, having been paid. In the Post Office Savings Bank Department the number of new accounts opened during July was 70; and there were 246 additions made to existing accounts. The deposits on new accounts amounted to £1560 6s, and the additions to £1932 65.. The total number of deposits was 316, making 4199 from the beginning of the system, and the whole amounting to £50,537 16s Id. . There were 190 withdrawals during July, including 31 closed accounts. The amount withdrawn was £3092 10s sd. Since the establishment of the system there have been 1446 withdrawals, making together £22,734 4s Id."

The • West Coast Times ' of the 12th instant, thus notices the beginning of a new export trade: — "The next veaael that leaves Hokitika for Melbourne will take away a goodly shipment of timber, the growth of Westland forests. Any person who choses to visit tha upper end of the wharf, may observe a pile of imme. .-c red pine and lancewood logs, which have h-j.-n cut to the order of Messrs Cohen Broth •;••-, aud brought down by Mr Smith, lessee of > 10 ICuiieri Tramway. These are to be suhd to the Melbourne branch of the above firm, for furniture purposes, for which these descriptions of timber are eminently suited — in fact, they are considered superior to any of the Australian woods. We hope that this is but the commencement of what will in time be developed into a lucrative export trade."