ARRIVAL OF THE FIRST WEEKLY ESCORT WITH

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 432, 13 December 1861, Page 2

ARRIVAL OF THE FIRST WEEKLY ESCORT WITH

21,090 ouncbs.

Nothing definite is koown concerning tbe Blue Mountain ni9h ; the impression decidedly is, that somewhere across the Molyneux gold digging is going on. The escort arrived en the 21st with 21,090 ounces of gold, of which 15,402 came from Tuapeka, aud 5,688 ounoes from Waitahuna. After the books dosed, more gold was offered at the leceiving offi c iv W^Uahuna, and next week it is anticipated the%iuantity from thence will be at least double. A few miles from /Waitahuna, Inspector Cadell, discovering an^lmperfection in one of the wheels of the waggon, thought it prudent to transfer the gold dray, which .he procured through the courtesy; of Mr. Mills, agent for Messrs. Cole and Company, the coach proprietors. The escort.Jjai^jto wajk to vTokomairiro, at wbich place it arrived at one o'clock in the morning. At daylight the waggon was under repair, and at eleven o'clock the Escort started from Tokomairiro, reaching Dunedin at six o'clook, —an hour earlier than last week. Much credit is due to, Mr. Cadell (or the promptness with which he arrived in Dunedin. To watch the arrival of the escort is the only relaxation which tbe busy folks of the town permit themselves, a considerable crowd always assembles as soon as tbey descry the cortege coming over the hills in the distance. Certainly tbe arrangements are very satisfactory, and the escort is composed of a fine-looking disciplined body of men. Dunedin bas secured the pick of tbe Victorian constabulary force.

The news from Gabriel's Gully speaks of continued success among the miners. Large finds are still being made; one instance bas been cited to us of three miners, whof have only been three weeks in the colony, having already realised a considerable amount of gold in a claim they were fortunate enough to secure. At Waitahuna, the miners are also doing very well. Great inconvenience is experienced here through there being do Magistrate. Captain Baldwin's appointment by the general Government has not yet arrived—another instance of the inconvenience of being so long a distance from the seat of Government.

In respect to the Blue Mountain rush, nothing further is known; the general impression is that there is something in it.'. Perkins, who led away several hundred men from Waitahuna, is stated to have declared that if he did not bring them to the rush be would consent to their killing his bullocks, burning his dray, and doing what they liked with himself. The locality is variously surmised; some say the Mataura; others, between M'Kenzie and M'Rab's station, others the land slip on the Pomahaka. A most ludicrous affair has occurred at Waitahuna with the new bank of New Zealand. The manager or inspector determined not to remain idle whilst bis^re'mises were.being 'com--piereCT'in Dunedin, went to the diggings aud purchased £10,000 worth of gold, after which he took bis departure, probably very well satisfied with bis labors. Unfortunately the notes of his owa bank, which he issued in payment, were dated in advance, the Ist December, and as this day falls on a Sunday, they are in legal aspect worthless, exoept in a Court of. Equity. The other banks, with extreme uarrow-mindeduess taking advantage of the error, refused to accept them, and then such a row ensued as his seldom occurred before. The miners thought they had been duped, and one storekeeper, who had issued, a great number of the notes in purchase of gold, was arrested for obtaining gold under false pretences. He was chained to a bed post, aud in the morning marched to Tuapeka, with other prisoners. Of course the case was dismissed. Other storekeepers had to find cash to take up the notes they had purchased gold with, and the storekeeper with whom the manager stayed, was threatened with having bis premises pulled down. It is difficult to say . whioh was the more culpable, the stupidoess of the mistake or the illiberally of the other banks in taking advantage of it. — Witness ,■ r