The Inangahua Times. PUBLISHED TRI-WEEKLY. FRIDAY, JULY 2, 1886.

Inangahua Times, Volume XI, Issue 1725, 2 July 1886, Page 2

The Inangahua Times. PUBLISHED TRI-WEEKLY. FRIDAY, JULY 2, 1886.

Telegram!, announce that earthquakes i were felt at Wellington, Nelson, Patea, and many olher parts of both the North and South Islands on Tuesday morning last. The following telegram from Hokitika on Monday last is rather sensational, and tp»s caused something of a sensation along the Coast line : — " The hot springs, Pip* Wanganui, forty-five miles south of here, (near Okarito), have risen to boilin*? point, and have greatly increased in number." There is as yet no intimation of any alteration in the tempeffure of the Hot Springs at Hannier Plains, Canterbury, and it is a reasonable inference that had such a change occurred it would have been noticed and made public before now. We understand that during the progress of the road works at Maruia a few months ago the river was turned over the hot springs near the Cannibal Gorge, making it now difficult to ascertain whether any increase in the temperature of the springs has taken place. A party of gentlemen purpose, however, to make a trip to tho locality in a day or two, in order, if possible at all, to ascertain whether any change has taken place. Speaking of volcanic action, the following remarks of Professor Ellery, of the Melbourne Ob--1 servatory, are entitled tc weight . — Professor Ellery thinks that a renewed period of volcanic activity is setting in, of which the earthquakes in Tasmania and portions of continental Australia last year, and more recently, were premonitions. He thinks it likely that the line of volcanic weakness extending from East Bank's Strait in north-east Tasmania to New Zealand is about to show a violent disturbance, which may result in earthquakes even on the continent of ' Australia, though more probably they will be confined to the point where they have now appeared, which is of different geological formation to other parts of New Zealand and Australia. We remind the public ofthe Volunteer concert to be held in* the OddfellowsHall this evening, in aid of thejjfund for the erection of Rifle butts. An excellent programme has been provided, and as the concert will be uuder the patronage of the members of the Inangahua Rifles and Cadets, in uniform, there will no doubt be a very large muster. Tenders are invited for dirVing level for the United Alpine Company, Lyell. Specifications may be seen at Mr Brennan's office. It is suggested that what has hitherto been regarded as a burning coal seam at Point Elizabeth, near Greymouth, is in reality a volcanic tire. We give the statement for what it may be worth, and are not disposed to attach much importance to it, the ground having been so often passed over by travellers without raising a doubt as to the nature of the fire, which has been smoking away tranquilly enough for ten or fifteen years. However, the time is appropriate for mentioning the circumstance, seeing that Hokitika contemplates starting in the Hot Spring business. The exodus to Kimberley continues, and all the outward bound steamers are besieged by miners winging their flight to i the new Golconda. Owing to the great i rush for passages by the direct steamer Triumph, the Government have brought . the Emigration Act into force against the ship, a circumstance which is causing the strongest indignation amongst those who bargained for a speedy departure. It is said that close upon four hundred men are ready to go by the Triumph, but un der the emigration regulations she is no entitled to carry more than about half tha number. It is thought that private in telligence of a favorable character nms have been received from Kimberley U stimulate the rush which has now com menced tn that place. A concert will be held at Black's Pom! on Friday eveui.i'i, 16r.h July, for the purpose of raising funds to procure prhej for the children attending the Black. )# Point public school. The programme '» will appear in a future issue of this paper. The new Counties Act which is now passing through the House has been dealt with rather severely in committee. The clause allowing that a salary may be paid I) the County Chairman was struck out by 28 to 13, on the motion ofthe redoubtable Sutter. A long wrangle took place over the question of "travelling expenses," and some very interesting experiences in relation thereto were detailed. It was eventually decided that no member living withiu three miles. of the Council shall ] receive travelling expenses, and it was i further provided that no expenses be al- > lowed for attending committee meetings of the Council. ■ A dividend of one shilling per share has i hpen declared by the directors of the Fiery i Cross Extended Company. The Kumara Times say : — We understand Unit a writ has been served on a I well-known individual in this town ns corespondent iv a divorce suit. Damages to tbe extent of four figures after a £. Truly we are becoming civilised in this part of New Zealand ; a divorce suit from Kumara, a breach of promise (with L 500) from Stafford Town, and the well-known libel c-mm-s at Hokitika— all for hearing at the Supreme Court sessions to be held at Hokitika, in September next.

A Melbourne telegram, dated June 15, says that an experienced miner has telegraphed from Cossack, in north-east Australia, to Silverton, that there is no defined field at Kimberley. The patches have been worked out, and water is scarce. There is nothing to justify a rush." A Port Darwin telegram in the Melbourne Argus of June 16th says : Mr Killfoyle, of the Ord River, arrived at Katherine on the 7th, and reports that the Kimberley goldfield is Bituated on the Elvire River, which runs into the Panton. The Panton runs into the Ord eight miles above Ormond and Panton s cattle station, the total distance from the cattle station to the diggings being about eighty-five miles. There is a good track all the way, and the diggers obtain their meat supplies from the station. W. J. O'Donnell, the well-known explorer, who is packing rations from Cambridge Gulf reports that every man who was tirst ou the field haa got gold, mostly in good quantities. A quantity of gold is being held on tho fields. " Billy " Carpenter had 60ozs. Hedley's party a good quantity, and Jack Horrigan about lOOozs. Everyone who has been down for rations had gold in his possession. .Vl'Phee aud Leonard Elvy took down about 70ozs to Cambridge Gulf last trip. It was thie, rough, coarse, gold, one piece weighing sozs. The value of gold on the field is £3 15s, and at Cambridge Gulf £4. The actual value is about £4 2s 6d. O'Donnell sold one lot of rations on the diggings at the following rates': Flour, ls 31b ;^ sugar, Is per lb ; tea 4s per lb. The distance to the goldfields from Cambridge Gulf by O'Doiint'll's new track is about 270 miles. Mr Kilfoyle recommends persons going to the diggings by sea to land at Cambridge Gulf, and to bring horses. Travelling by Jand from Katherine — a distance of about 580 miles— is by a good road. The longest stage without water is 30 miles. When O'Donnell left the diggings for the Gulf there were about 70 men working, and all had gold. The country is getting dry. No Chinese are allowed on the field. In connection with the volcanic eruptions, the correspondent of the Christchurch Press at Tauranga states ;— I have made a careful estimate of the stuff ejected during the eruption. It amounts in round numbers to 5 000,000,»HX) cubic yards, weighing 6,000,000,000 tons, whi-Jh is after 1 all not quite one cubic mile. It seems a small cavity, but it would take more than the amount of the national debt of England to excavate it. It would take one good workman one million years to shovel the stuff from the ground into carts. Tct all this was done in four hours. The stuff, when washed, shows glittering particles of mica and little pieces of transparent white crystals. Sanguine people imagine they have found gold and diamonds, and are anxiously awaiting analysis. A late resident of Silverton, who is en route for Kimborley, has favored us with a few cotes of his journey to the new L-ind of Promise, dated Perth, May 12th, but these do uot differ materially from the records of previous travellers, and are not as interesting as some trustworthy information re the diggings would be. Perth, in common with other places touched at, is in our correspondent's view, a poor sort of place, the stores being like a " Johnny All-sorts" in appearance, and the main business street a "narrow, dirty lane." | The hotels in Perth were crowded, and ; diffiulty was experienced in obtaining ac- j commodation, but prices were reasonable, , board being from 35s to 425, and at board- j ing houses from 20s to 30s. There is a good opening for a first-class hotel in Perth, iv the writer's opinion. He continues : — "The news of the goldfields is very encouraging. I have just seen a sample of 4Cozs, valued at £4 per ounce, j and hy its appearance I do not hesitate in j saying it is what we call reef-gold, and i there must be some good reefs in the vi- I cinity of where that sample was obtained, j On Thursday I proceed to Derby, having had to wait here eight days for a steamer. | I will on my arrival give you full particulars of the merits and dpinersits of the field." The Nelson Mail says :- A paragraph in the Anglo-New Zealander newspaper | respecting the Midland railway says that the line, which will be 225 miles in length, is to be let in thirty-five contracts, and that the directors had decided to commence with <-he Brunnerton to Reefton Bection of about forty miles. This may to some extent explain the telegram which we published the other day, to the effect that a 30-mile contract had been let sub- ' ject to the passing of the Validation Bill.