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Cromwell Argus, Volume I, Issue 10, 12 January 1870, Page 4

Owing to the great interest centred in the case Gibson, Austin, and Bond v. Colclough and Lyons, heard before the Warden on Wednesday last, we publish the evidence in full. The non-arrival of the mails for a week, until Monday morning, produced much inconvenience. The number of drays stuck on the road has also been large, but they are now fraely coining forward. The children attending the Cromwell School had a pic-nic on Friday last, funds for which had been accumulating since Invitations were issued to the various members of the School Committee, and other ladies and gentlemen, and in tho afternoon the company adjourned to the Lower Flat, where the various amusements to which juveniles are partial were entered into with great zeal. In the evening an impromptu entertainment took placs in the schoolroom—the children mustering in force. Songs were given by some of the smallest of juvenile vocalists in such an irrestistibly comic manner, as to cause roars of laughter, while some of the pieces sang by tho elder boys and girls were very creditably rendered. So Mr Macandrew has had to swallow another pill, and accept, after all, Mr J; L. Gillies as Treasurer.

A summoned meeting of Court Star of Cromwell, A.0.F., takes place on Wednesday evening, at tho usual hour and place. The prospectus of the Bendigo Quartz Mills Co. has been issued, with a capital of £OSOO divided into shares of £5 each. Mr P. H. Evans, Princss-street, Dunedin, is the broker, and the directors are Messrs. "William Gregg, John Hughes, F. 11. Irwin, Edward M'Glashan, and Chas. S. Kcevos. By a telegram leceived by us from Queenstown last evening, we learn that the races there are likely to be well contested. There are a large number of entries for each event, and the course is in splendid order. The wheat harvest is being proceeded with. The total amount realized by the late concert, after paying .all expenses, is £2l 83 Gd. At the sitting of the Warden's Court, held on Wednesday last, owing to the overcrowded state of the wretched kennel used, as a Court-house, and the bad air generated in consequence of such a number of people breathing in the confined space of the room, the Warden (V. Pyke, Esq.) was obliged to adjourn the hearing of the case Gibson, Austin, and Bond v, Colclough and Lyon» to the large hall of the Cromwell Hotel. The Warden expressed in strong terms his disgust at being compelled to hold Courts in the building, and trusted the Press would notice his remarks. It is with very great pleasure we do so ; and we certainly do trust that before long an effort will be made to get a new building under way in some part of the town. We have been requested to correct an error which appeared in our last issue. In noticing the death of Mr J. W. Garrett, we stated that he was a native of Guernsey ; such, we are informed, is not the case, as he was born in Douglas, Isle of Man. 2450 ounces of gold were brought down by the Escort from Queenstown last week. This is, of course, a monthly return, and the largeness of the amount is owing to the Christmas wash-ings-up. 505 ounces were added to this as Cromwell's contribution for the past fortnight, making a total for the latter place for the month of 1935 ounces. The Queenstown Races take place on Thursday and Friday next. A visit to this beautiful garden of the Colony will ivell repay the visitor. Though some of the best horses will be at the Mount Ida Meeting, the string that will contest the various events will lead to good sport. On the evening of the first day, the Queenstown Dramatic Society give in their pretty bijou theatre a fine amateur performance. As these entertainments are put very handsomely on the stage, a treat may be expected by visitors. What with pic-nics, races, boating, and the visits to the farms and gardens, a few nice, pleasant' days will be spent there. Passengers can cross ■ by the bridge at the Sliotover, thus escaping the ford. We are informed by the local agent for two insurance companies that Cromwell risks are refused, in consequence of tho absence of anything like a water-supply to tho town. It is not likely that a single risk will be taken until the town race is made effective. This is not pleasant news to owners of property ; nor is it pleasant to insurance companies who desire to extend legitimate business. The Rev. Father Norris has been on a

visit to this district for some days past, and held j mass on Sunday in the school-house. We learn that a commencement of the new Roman Catholic ! Church will shortly be made. The Rev. Mr Drake preached an impressive sermon on Sunday, taking his text from Ecclisiastes, chap, ix, v. 10 : " Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave whither thou goest." The recent sudden deaths of Mr Garrett and others afforded the preacher an opportunity of practically illustrating the uncertainty of life, and the necessity for -obeying the injunctions of this text especially, as well as others of a similar nature. The congregation was a numerous one, and the mournful theme of the rev. gentleman's address seemed to affect many. The heat, both clay and night, for the last week, has been intense-the thermometer standing in cool shade at 95 degrees, and in the' sun at from 120 to 130 degrees. Old residents who were at the Dunstan and Lake rushes say the weather wo have had for the past two months forcibly reminds them of the year in which these diggings were opened. An idea has prevailed that a serious deflection has taken place in the Cromwell bridge. This is not the case. Mr Simpson has recently tested the levels of the bridge, and found them, unaltered. jp The hay harvest is cut in the Lake district, and the other two crops—wheat and oats;' —are rapidly ripening. Some of the wheat' fields are already yellow, although a few of ""the) oat patches are backward. j* A revolting piece of cruelty practised an the Wetherstones Christmas Sports is thus no-i ticed by the Taajieka Time* :—" The 'sports' were commenced by a brutal and disgusting exhibition of cruelty, such as would in any cm- f Used community, have called for the interfetrtcdj of the police. A ■wretched duck was half baritef in the ground, and a lot of cold-blooded creature!!,whom it would be too great a compliment to call men, .amused themselves by hurling bludgeons at the inoffensive creature. Certainly if! t#»s i not one of " the amusements" provided by the 1 Committee, but they, by permitting such proceedings, made themselves accomplices to behaviour calculated in the highest degree to brutalize all who were spectators. We were too sickened to watch the spectacle, which we believe terminated in the still living creature being torn to pieces. It it to be hope I tint in ' future the police will infißJi'fere'with all such attempts made to play ducks ml drakes with .auiiuil life."