TAPANUI CHRISTY MINSTRELS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 230, 27 June 1872, Page 8

TAPANUI CHRISTY MINSTRELS.

In accordance with a previous announcement, the above amateurs made their first appearance to a crowded and expectant audience in the schoolroom, on Saturday eyening, and may be congratulated on the reception they met with and the impression they have left behind. It was an unniistakeable assurance of the pleasure many anticipated receiving from the performance to see the large l'ooul so well filled, and must have afforded no small gratification to the performers, especially when it is remembered that the ground wascovered to a depth of seven or eight inches with suow, and the night was exceedingly cold. On taking their seats, the sable gentlemen produced a good deal of merriment by their grotesque appearance, and were demonstratively received — the get up of Bones and Tony being exceedingly ludicrous. Being a first appearance, it would be unjust to say aught which might lead to discourage, although at the same time there was little room left for criticism. The numerous songs were well and pleasantly rendered, and gave evidence of care and attention during practice — the choruses being given with telling

effect. The local conundrums were higMy appreciated and applauded. The negro eccentricities were capital, and provocative of constant laughter. The programme was soin,ewhat lengthy, but was carried out with wonderful versatility and force. The reception of the minstittls, as has been indicated, was of the warmest description, and extremely little, if anything, was wanting to establish the entertainment as an unqualified triumph. It may safely be asserted that the next time they make their appearance in Tapanui they will secure even a larger attendance than what was present on Saturday. The performance was in aid of the school fund, and the proceeds amounted to a very fair sum.

The Whitecomb — so called from the great number of large white conglomerated honeycombed stones, lying on the surface of the ground — is situated in the midst of an extensive and heavily timbered bush — the same that I spoke of in my last — and is distant about 18 miles from the Teviot, and 25 or 30 miles from Switzers. The gold is generally coarse, varying from grain specks to nuggets several ounces in weight. It is an old diggings, and in days gone by, some good patches have been got, but at tbe present time,' the run is from tucker up to wages. There is one claim, winch at present is at a standstill for want of water, that averaged the last washing up £4 17h. a man, per week ; but I believe this to be the best that has been wrought here for a length of time. Nearly three years ago two parties joined and brought ia a splendid wa,ter race, capable of carrying 10 heads of water ; but one of the parties has been unfortunate in working poor ground ever since, although they get some nice nuggets — one 6 ounces and several 3 ounces. I consider this water race would be a valuable interest to any one who wished to settle down, and would be satisfied with small earnings, with a chance of some good — as there is a great quantity of new ground here, which no doubt contains some good patches, and which could not be wrought before this race was cut, for waut of water. It is also a permanent interest, as no other race can be brought in without too. much expense, which the poorness of the ground will not warrant. In the creek itself there is plenty of water, but the divings extend a good distance back iv gullies and spurs, where the Whitecomb Creek water cannot be made available, which consequently will have to be wrought by the aforementioned race. Independent of quartz reefs, these diggings will last a great number of years, as there is a good deal of new ground to be opened. I would not be surprised some fine morning to hear that a quartz reef had been discovered here, as the gold shows every indication of there being ono near. The n uggets contain a good deal of quartz, and many of them are not in the least water worn. Digging here is both difficult and dangerous. Extraordinary large stones, any of them weighing from 10 to 20 tons and upwards, haye to be tumbled over. They are well water worn, but how they have came here is a query. There is one in our claim fully £00 tons in weight. Parties of Chinese pay us a visit occasionally, but you can see by their griuning and yabbering that they do not s.ivee the big stones, and they soon dear out again, so we hav-e the satisfaction of- not being bothered with those pests,.

We are able to work here all through the winter, jn. filer, it is a fine place to winter, on account of- the abundance of firewood. The Waikaia has be.en too hljrh to^work for "some, time, on account c.f the extraordinary open seasou here. Itliinkt-he diggers employed

on the river would do .well to take advantage of Clause 21,Regulation26,and petition the Govern men fc to grant them the privilege to hold a claim on the Whitecomb or some of the adjoining .gullies, in addition to their river claim, so that they would have a claim to work when the river was up, and which would be protected when the river was down.

The debating society held their meeting the other night, and as I expected, the subject was "women." The vote was adverse to the women of Otago, and it was resolved that in the the event of the United States of America confiscating all the wives of the Mormons except one each, that it would be advisable to petition President Grant to send them out here. In favour of this movement it was argued thatthoseladies would receive pensions, and being saints as well, they would be very desirable helpmates.

P.S. Not being able to forward my letter as per date, I may add that winter has now set in in earnest, several feet of snow having fallen with hard frost, and as a consequence the Waikaia is very low.