Only one compositor has been dismissed ; he was the last to handle the metal, and had been heard to vow ven geance a few days previously for having bean fined. The " Mataura Ensign " reports what might easily have been a serious accident as happening to two little girls — one a daughter of Mr James Bratt, the other a daughter of Mr Adam King — one day last week. The child re i were walking along the railway line, and when in the vicinity of the railway bridge their juvenile eyes were gladdened at tho sight of what ap peared to bo a small wooden box lyin'j; upon the rails. After picking ib up they proceeded to gratify their desire, which seems to be deeply implanted in every youthful breast, and placing the box upon the rails, they attempted to break it open with a stone so that the contents might be known to them. They certainly managed to open the box, but in a manner thay hardly expected, for it was a <: fog signal >1 used in the railway service, anrl contained explosives. A tap or two with the stone and there was a report and an explosion, and the poor children fell back very much scorched and burned. However, they are both doing as well as can be expected. A few days ago a trial -was made here (s lys the Sydney correspondent of a con temporary) of a machine designed for the purpose of separating the gold from the dirt without washing. This dry-blowing separator, as it is called, weighs about 150lb and occupies a space of four square feet. By its assistance two men can put through two tons of washdirt per hour, and the cost of the machine is £35. At the trial to which I refer, 4dwt 15gr of gold was mixed with about 501 bof dirt ; this was passed through the machine in four minutes with the loss of only igr of gold. On a second trial tie whole of the gold was recovered. On such goldfields as Mr. Browne and Temora, where water is unusually scarce, the value of a machine of this kind can hardly be over-estimated. Tho machine has been introduced from California by Captain Park, and will, no doubt, command a large sale. 