TABLE HILL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 237, 15 August 1872, Page 8

TABLE HILL.

{From a Correspondent.)

All the claims have now stopped work. The quantity of water encountered at the 80ft. level has been too great lo overcome with the whims at present in use on the Alexandra and Dyer's claims. This unfortunate stoppage may be fairly set down to the action of Dyer's party in jumping that portion of the Ocean View Cos. claim adjoining the Alexandra ; as at the time of the claim being jumped, these two companies had determined conjointly to sink a main pumping shaft on their mutual boundary, and to erect a water wheel. The Alexandra Company had actually applied for leave to construct a race for that purpose, and had let a contract for sinking the well shaft 50 feet. When Dyer's possession of the claim was confirmed all fell through ; both companies refusing in any way to co-oper-ate with Dyer's party. There is an available fall for the Table Hill Co.'s race of nearly 50 feet in the Alexandra Co.'s claim, so that there need be no difficulty in securing ample pum ping-power. It is probable, however, that a proposal will be made of amalgamation with the Table Hill Co., in which case the whole of the machinery might be removed and erected on a main shaft to work the Alexandra and Dyer's claims, and so save most of the expense of pumping and lifting quartz, and cartage to a platform some ten chains distance, haulage in trucks over twenty chains down a steep incline to the battery. The two last items alone at present cost these companies over £400 per annum.

An entertainment given in our new Assembly Rooms last Thursday proved a great success in a small way ; over forty persons were present, and the amount realized will more than pay off the debt on the building. A hastily improvised negro-troupe performed very creditably, — the get-up being unexceptionable, and the local hits well appreciated. Refreshments were handed round in the course of the evening, Dancing was kept up until 8 a,m. next morning. This little building has now been erected for over three months, and dancing entertainments are generally held there twice a week. Ifc is hoped it will serve bye-and-bye for a place of worship and Sabbath school, whenever volunteers come forward in the good cause. Davis and party have abandoned their claim on the new reef, which like the one recently found at the Teviot, appears to be a strong leader. They had got some very good specimens on it, near where it crosssd the gully — had sunk on it several places, more than 300 feet apart ; and at the western end had got a prospect of half a grain to the dish out of a red rubbly quartz, but too narrow to be worth following up. It is thought that it may be a leader or a main reef close at hand, for it underlays very strong, and the gully (Charlie's Gully) has had a large quantity of gold taken out of it, just below where this leader crosses it.

The Ancient Order of Foresters according to the "Foresters' Monthly Journal," have increased their numbers by 19,581 during the past year, while the sum of £26,000 has been added to the reserve fund of Courts and Districts. Taking into account the Juvenile Societies and the Second Degree (the Ancient Order of Shepherds), the members now number more than half a million, having funds invested to the extent of £1,527, 939, as a provision against sickness and death.

The statement that Mdle. Tietjens has declined £4,800, with her travelling expenses besides, to sing two pieces for twelve consecutive days at the Monster Jubilee Festival, which will be commenced in Boston at the end of this month, is not a canard, the offer was made by telegram, but the London engagements of the German puma donna prevented its acceptance. £400 per day, or £200 per song, is indeed terms which may be the maximum ever proposed to any vocalist. — " Athenseum."

The "Wellington Post" says: — What all our attempts at Permissive and Licensing legislation have failed to procure Messrs Brogden's navvies have succeeded in obtaining for us. These men of" thews and sinews " who where landed yesterday successfully proved the intoxicating effects of our local in dustry beer, and were generally in so f°ggy a state at an early hour last evening that many publicans closed at the abnormally early hour of ten. To-day the Rangacira was to have conveyed to Picton these desirable acquisitions to our labouring population, but great difficulty was experienced in getting them on board. The blandishments of Messrs Brodgen's employes were lavished upon them, but " bone and muscle" declined altogether to leave the paradise of Wellington for the gehenna of Picton. No sooner were the men shepherded carefully on board by one gangway than they carefnlly absconded by another, to be recaught, re-Bhipped, and to again vanish by a promptly extemporised outlet, After a considerable amount of coaxing and persuasion the greater portion of those who had found their way on shore were got on board the Bangatira, which then went of to the Schichellion for those who remained on board, sailing for Picton a$ half-past two.