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Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2121, 21 October 1875, Page 3

Some time ago we noticed a sludge machine invented by Mr Doidge of the Thames, which was entered in competition for the bonus offered by the Provincial Government of Otago for the best gold saving apparatus. The committee appointed to decide upon the merits of the different inventions (°f which five were sent) decided that neither was entitled to the bonus, as not coming up to the required conditions. The following uoticc of Mr Doidge's machine appeared in the Cromwell Argus :—" No. 5, from J. H. Doidge, Grahamstown. This was an excellently drawn and elaborate plan, but totally useless for hydraulic mining on a large scale. This was the -only one in which the use of mercury 'tvas introduced. It might be used beneficially in ; beach worlriugs, or shallowground where water was scarce, and hand labor for feeding might be found to pay, but otherwise it was not at all adapted 'for hydraulic mining in Otago. A ookeespondent writing to the Otago Guardian, says :—" One of the most remarkable instances know in animal nature has occurred in the above-named house, where I reside. Mrs Buskin, the landlady, has a cat with kittens, and the other day some chickens, only, a day or two old, were deserted by their mother, and when next seen were closely nestled up by the said cat with its kittens, who every night has them along with her, and if anyone takes one up she will cry just as if it was her own. I send you this, thinking it a remarkable incident,, and that it might perhaps interest some of your readers." A passengeb by a recent evening train from JJunedin informed the Bruce Herald that before entering the tunnel at the Chain Hills, the train came to a standstill, and about a hundred of the passengers got out and pushed the train lip the incline until it reached the level, when it was again ablo to proceed on its way. The Melbourne Herald says there is in Melbourne a gentleman who has been sent out by the London Stock Esohange to examine and report ou certain mines which are under offer to English capitalists. This gentleman, Captain Eddy; has rather a historical character, for it was through his instrumentality that the furore was excited against mining speculations in England. He it was who discovered the great fraud of the Emma Silver Mine, capital one million. He was deputed to inspect and report upon the same, but when he arrived at California, the mining manager and local directors refused to allow him to go down. Captain Eddy, however, in tho middle of 1 the night, with great peril, made his way I down, and discovered that it was comj pletely worked out. He made his wajr ' to the surface, and reported what he had seen, the consequence being that a regular fight took place. It was found that the dividends had been paid out of the capital; th.3 shares, which were £30 fell to £L Baron Grant, who had made a quarter of a million out of the mine, cleared out in time; but Mr Sampson, of the 2im.es,. and others got into disgrace, and were dismissed from the Thunderer, and a great i»low was given to all mining enterprise. Captain Eddy was then, deputed to. inspect several continental mines and speculations, and his opinion has great weight with English capitalists, a»d he has now been sent out by a syndicate of stock-brokers and capitalists to inspect certain ventures offered by the enterprising colonist Dr L. L. Smith.