"shifts, artd from what I could learn from one 'of the shareholders, I should say was turn ing out remarkably well. The weather has been very fine up, to last week, when there were some heavy fails of rain. However that has .not caused the river to increase in volume. It is to be hoped that it may con tinue so, for the sake of the miners, who .have in many instances gone to some expense in getting into the ground. The estimated population of the district is :—European miners, 400; Chinese, miners, 40; store keepers and others, 70. Total, 510. Rates ;of wages, L 3 12s to L 4 a week."

In the Resident Magistrate's Court yester day, Alfred Keene sought to recover from Mr Vincent Pyke L 5 alleged to have been paid iothe defendant by Messrs Ware and Co. in 1865, and to be due to the plaintiff for mile • age fees upon a survey of a machinery area at Hindon. Mr Smythies appeared for the =plaintiff, and Mr Macassey for the defendant. The case fell through, Mr Creetli, one of the witnesses, stating that the L 5 had been paid ■$>y him to the defendant, not on account of • Messrs Ware and Co., as stated in the plain stiffs particulars of summons, but on behalf of the Hindon Quartz Crushing Company—a -company properly registered. In answer to Mr. Macassey, the witness also stated that the L 5 Jdad been returned to him by the -defendant.- The plaintiff was nonsuited. The other cases heard were not of importance.
