COMMERCIAL.

West Coast Times, Issue 363, 21 November 1866, Page 3

COMMERCIAL.

London, October 26. The money market is well supplied, and discount steady. Consols, 89 ; for account, 89f . The Bank of Australasia announces a dividend of 6 per cent. ; the London and Australian Agency Company have declared a dividend of 10 per cent ; the Bank of England dividend is 6A- per cent, for the half-year. The Agra and Masterman's Bank has paid a first dividend. The Bank of London has paid a first dividend of 6s Bd. The list has closed for the sale of tho New South Wales Debentures, and the whole offered have been subscribed for. Coloxtal Government Securities. —New South Wales, 1866. 91 to 93; 1892, 86 to 87; New Zealand, 94 to 96 ; ditto Five per Cents., 79 to 81 ; Queensland, 90 to 92 ; South Australian, 105 to 107 : Victorian, 108. Gold in the Mackenzie Cotjxtky. — "With reference to the reported discovery of gold in Ibis district, (he following letter has been addressed to the editor of the " Oanmru Times" : — " Sir, — "Will you kindly insert the following stutcrnent I wish to make relative to a letter which the editor cf the ' Timaru Herald ' publishes hi his paper of tho 10th inst. I have just read it, and certainly I never was more surprised in my life, lie ?ays, with ropard to a letter of mine which he pubhfhed some short time ago, concerning the reported goldfield in the Mackenzie country, that he expressed then some surprise that tho writer gave no account of the result of his digging labors, but that now he was able to give such result, for on M>nday last Mr Norman himself, v ho had just then arrived in town, called at his office and gave some particulars relative to this gold diicovery which might prove of interest to the public. He says I stated that I and mate had already obtained 42ozs. of gold ; that we had taken as much on some occasions as loz. per day ; that we had cold 28ozs. to a station master at Black Forrest, and 14ozs. to a station master on the Waitaki, and that the gold was valued at L 3 17s per ounce ; and lastly, he says I stated I was in error in my former letter with regard to the quicksilver cradle and sluicing, for I had since tried both. I also, it appears, said that we had given over gold digging for the summer months, but intended to resume our labors when the cold weather sels in. I do not wish my letter to occupy too much of your space ; it will therefore bo suificient for me to say that I have not only never been in Timaru for years, but siuce I have had a mat«, I have never left the Waitaki, and that the whole letter from beginning to end is a monstrous lie. The party who personates Norman in Timaru would be a great deal better for six months in gaol. And ' if there are stockowners in the Mackenzie country who are determined to have a goldfield, right or wrong, why a little pick and shovel work, would hardly do them much harm, and would, I think, be infinitely more creditable than having recourse to such low means as that already employed,. — I ajn, &c, Edward Nqbkas."

OUR CHOSEN STATESMEN. (TO THE EDITOR OF TIIE WEST COAST TIMES.) Sir — I porceivo by your issue of tho "Leader" of November tho 17th that Mr Barff has introduced a bill into tho Provincial . Council, yclept tho "Westland Board of Education Bill, I860," the phraseology o^tho second clauso of which is as follows :—": — " Tho Board shall consist of not less than three nor more more than ten members, five to form a. quorum." Query : Take a quorum of five from a board of three and what remains ? Is this according to Cocker ? Perhaps you cau explain tho eccentric phraseology of tho clauso in question ; I cannot. Pigmy.