ROXBURGH.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 137, 22 September 1870, Page 5

ROXBURGH.

(From our own Correspondent.) The Teviot Abstinence Society is adding rapidly to its numbers, and shows every sign of being a great success — signs of it being found in the would-be witty remarks of those whose interests prevent them from joining it, as witness the letter from your Fourteen-mile Beach correspondent, who, no doubt, fancies he has done something worthy of commendation in making au old man, who had the resolution and good sense to join the sociery, the subject of his would-be witty remarks. Or, perhaps, during his long and deep consultations with his familiar friends, Gin Sling and Old Rum, and having very probably considerably exceeded his seven tumbler allowance during the sitting, had so confused his brain that he can scarcely be considered responsible for his ravings. The dread of a scarcity of water seems to trouble him very much. It is possible he believes that there will have to bs more of it sold now, so as to make nobblers pay. Altogether the letter makes one think that it is a pity that a man of his education and talent should so far degrade himself as to write such a parcel of rubbish. The Chinamen are getting pretty , numerous in the district now, ar><l some j of them are doing remarl'»Wy well. A number of them op^ed some new ground on the bank" of the river, about half a mile* above the township, and are doing very well in it — the average fur a few weeks being from £0 to £10 per man per week, and every probability of it continuing at that for some considerable time. Their success has caused a good many more to try the river banks instead of fossicking on the beaches. The third and successful meeting for the formation of a Jockey Club in the Mount Benger district was held in the Roxburgh Ferry Hotel, on the Ist Sept. A committee was appointed, and the flat on the east side of the river was selected I for the race course. Their first race meeting will be held there in a few weeks. The larger portion of a human skull was picked up at the Island here a short time ago. The lower jaw and the back portion of the skull being gone, but all the other portion is in a state of good preservation. Many surmises are afloat as to how it came there, and where it came from. It is at present in the possession of Mr. Fitzgerald, shoemaker, here. The Courthouse on the west side of the river is now completed. Though not a large it is a handsome well-finished building, and reflects great credit on the contractor. There is a proposition made by the Total Abstinence Society to get up a soiree in a few weeks, and to hand the proceeds over to the funds of the school. The river is still keeping at a pretty fair level for work, but it will have to keep at its present level for some time to enable some of the claims to do much, Woodhouse and party having only commenced sinking. The others are all considerably ahead of them, but that may be accounted for by the very strong nature of the ground Woodhouse and party have had to work.