BENDIGO QUARTZ REEFS.

Cromwell Argus, Volume I, Issue 17, 9 March 1870, Page 4

BENDIGO QUARTZ REEFS.

The Aurora Company's claim is now in full swing, there being over thirty hands engaged in driving a tunnel and getting out stone. Their last crushing of 70 tons yielded 180 ozs. of gold, and this result was obtained in eleven days, with five heads of stampers. The engineer, Mr R. Reid, is making every exertion to get the second set of stampers ready for operating. When this important work is completed, an opportunity will be afforded to the surrounding chumholders to make their trial crush ings. The company has appointed Mr Thomas Hazlett as manager, in room of Mr E. G Barnes, who lately resigned. From all we can learn, there is not in the district a more energetic miner than Mr Hazlett, and we wish him every success in his arduous undertaking. Two shares in the Alto prospecting claim were disposed of last week by Messrs Hebden and Williams, and realised high figures. Messrs W. Grant and 0. F. Johnson were the purchasers. Mr Williams continues as manager on the claim. Crushing operations at the battery of the Cromwell Company have been suspended, in consequence, of the injurious effects of the sludge brought on to the tables by the tail-water ; and a law-suit between the company and Mr Aldridge is likely to be the consequence. Mr Aldridgo and his party recently bought out the Chinamen who were working in the deepsinking ground, and are using the tailwater of the Aurora Company for sluicing the terrace. The water is thus rendered unlit for use at the machine, as in passing over the tables it is said to carry away much of the gold from the company's quartz. Previous to the stoppage of the machine, a quantity of very oxcellent stone was put through the batteiy, and more of the same quality awaits crushing. Tho stone is expected to yield trosx six to tsevbn . ounctes to tli* ton.

Now that the new machinery is to be immediately put up ou the Alto claim, and ' that additional facilities are to be given for crashing by the extension of the Aurora Company s battery, active efforts are being made at all the Bendigo reefs tc get out stone for trial crushings. The accomplishment of this object will in many cases result in assisting to defray incidental expenses, and will enable the working share lioldufp ,tause more energy than heretofore. a share in Oolclongh's claim Changed hands for £SOO, the purchasers being Messrs Holt, of Clyde, and Mr John Duhy, of the Gorge.

HOW TO DEVELOP'OUR QUARTZ REEFS. "Why stand ye idly by all day 1 ?" might well be applied to our quartz-reefers. Some time ago we ventured upon a suggestion that, if they would adopt a system well understood and appreciated by the public, they might infuse a little more life into their operations, and obtain more rapidly the results they eventually hope to gather in. We allude to the formation of companies under the " Limited Liability Act." The non-adoption of the measure, we must presume, arises to some extent from ignorance of its advantages. First, then, the cost is trifling ; the dearest outlay is in advertisements, and they will cost a fivepound note. The registration fee is £l. The form is so simple that he who runs and reads the General Government Gazette may draw up the preliminary form. The appointment of " legal manager " may be vested in any member of the company or jtherwise. The office cau be made to some 3xtent a formal one, or the directors may really active managing powers. We bave said " to some extent." The legal nanager is supposed to be the guardian of ;!)e interests of the shareholders, but in nne cases out of ten he bows the knee to he board of directors who control him. Nevertheless, the public believe in the Yard of directors: they do not dread a %idle so much, and a company so formed vc .ns confidence. Another advantage is ffiit risks can be distributed on the one iue, and investments guardedly made on he other; —so that all things work together or a common good. Once a company is brmed, it has a position; and though leople believe they will make their claims qually valuable by keeping them in a I, all of joint-stock arraugement, definetl y agreements of all kinds and natures, hey are much mistaken.. " Give us scrip, nd a voting power, and then we know rtiat we are doing," say the public. Why ot respond to that wish, that feeling of he day ] We are not advocating the forftation of mushroom companies, but of a liasnre that will introduce both vigour ;1 capital into our midst. It has become ;ker fashionable to point the finger at i Thames quartz-mining companies. If 3 truth were at the same time given, it mid bo seen that these contemned comtries have been and still are doing a vast irk. They are relieving owners of claims >m their being compulsorily abandoned, tl have made claims valuable that would several instances have been left unirked. They are—say what people will a favourite investment, and many a fiveund note is still speculated in them. It useless to decry a system that works ell, and those who condemn the line of mduct pursued at the Thames are the sappointed, or those who throw all relonsibilities of management upon others. is not the well-managed companies that sappoint expectations, generally speaking. >me of these, of course, do so. Yet capi1, for all these doubts, is steadily finding i way to the Thames all the time. Our efs, we apprehend, may be put down as ther payable than rich ; that they relire to be systematically worked to render em fully valuable, may be also safely lirted. Starting, then, from this basis, enquiry comes apropos —Can we best ier them valuable by a pursuit of the sent rude system, or by the adoption of ther that has been found in both Vica and this Colony to work well ? In er words, is it not better to relieve 's self of continual anxietres, and accept idy and sure results, rather than grasp a supposed "pile"?. We confidently irt that, had we a general formation of ling companies, not only would the insts of the shareholders be advanced, the district would be also benefitted in equal ratio. The prosperity of the one ins the progress of the other, from ich,- eventually, the shareholder reaps advantage. We do not desire to be ught to be writing from the vulgar tform of " shop." As the mouthpiece lie district, we are bound to advance, if sible, its interests, and to advocate its its. But both of these matters can be ne properly, and in this instance the vantage lies with the shareholders in ims, who will in the end find their proxies enhanced in value by a more gcnereigfir of prosperity. We will show on future occasion how this result arises, 1 deal further with a subject of moue portance than it at firsj; appears. If wo :ceed in fixing attention by this prelimi--7 sketch, we are satisfied ; for there can no doubt that the plan we have laid vn, and which will be illustrated in ail in these columns at another time, 1 be the best means of developing

CROMWELL R-M.'s COURT. TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 1870. (Btfore Vincent Pyke, Esq., S.M., and 0. W. Ooodtjer, Esq., J.P.) William Smitham was charged by Sergeant Cassells (Inspector of Nuisances) with allowing three pigs to wander at large in the streets on the 20th February. There was also a Becond charge for allowing several pigs to stray within the Municipality from tho 22nd to the 27th February. Mr Smithain eross-examined the Inspector at some length, considerable amusement being created by the questions and .answers as to the identity of the various animals. Fined on the first charge 10s and costs. The second case was dismissed owing to informalities in the summons. Inspector of Nuisances v. Owen Pierce.—This was a similar charge, and the same penalty was inflicted. Same v. Sharkey.—Defendant was charged with depositing earth in Murray-street. In defence, Mr Sharkey said he had make a footpath on the street so that he might avoid walking through a quantity of water, caused by tho ovei • flow of the town race, which frequently accumulated on the spot. The Bench were of opinion that what defendant -had made could hardly be called an obstruction, and a nominal penalty of Is and costs was inflicted. BREACHES OF LICENSING ORDINANCE. James Beare was charged on the information of Sergeant Cassells with allowing drunkenness and disorderly conduct in his licensed house at Logantown on Sunday, 20th February. Sergeant Cassells was sworn, and deposed that on the Sunday evening referred to he went into Beare's hotel, and found | wo drunken men in the bar, and several others slightly the worse for., liquor on the premises, and two of the latter behind the bar. Ho told defendant to close his house, which he immediately did. Oa Saturdays and Sundays there was generally a deal of,' rowdyism at Logantown. The defendant stated that on the night in question, not long before the Sergeant's arrival, a man had come to his door, and asked for a night's lodging ; and when the door was opened to admit him, the men whom the Sergeant complained about pushed in from the street. He had frequently great difficulty in keeping the house clear of drunken men, owing to the absence of police at Logantown. ' The Magistrate said he had been thinking over this matter, and would write to the Government requesting them to station a constable at Logantown. The license-holders contributed largely to the revenue of the Province, and were certainly entitled to some protection and support. Although an infringement of the OrdU nance had undoubtedly taken place, he would merely fine defendant in the minimum sum of 10s and costs (£1 0s Gd). Police v. Patterson. —Defendant was charged with keeping his licensed house (at Logantown) open after 10 o'clock on the evening of Saturday, 26th inst. Defendant admitted the charge, and was fined 5s and costs. Police v. John Wilson.—This was a similar charge, and a like penalty was inflicted. CIVIL CASES. Washer and Piercer. Morris.—Claim of £l7 8s 6d, amount of I O IT given to plaintiffs by de. fendant, who pleaded not indebted. He did not dispute giving the IO U, but pleaded that he had worked for plaintiffs for about ten months, and that, when a squaring-up took place, the amount of the I O U was deducted from his wages. His Worship said that if defendant had any claim upon plaintiffs, ho would have his remedy for the recovery of the amount. In the present case, as no notice of any set-off had been given, judgment would be for plaintiffs, with costs"; The amount was shortly afterwards paid into Court, Mr Pierce agreeing to pay the costs. Dagg v. Hay.—Claim of £6 7s, value of saddle, bridle, &c, obtained from plaintiff, and subsequently lost. The case was fully proved by plaintiff, and judgment for the amount claimed was given. Distress warrant was applied for, and granted. M'Nulty v. Leslie, an adjourned ca3e, was dismissed, in consequence of the non-appearance of plaintiff. It was stated that plaintiff had perhaps mistaken the Court day, in consequence of it not being the day on which the sittings were usually held, nnd a fresh summons was ordered to be issued free of charge, if plaintiff so desired. ■ APPLICATIONS UNDER LICENSING ORDINANCE. An application for wholesale license by W. Colclough was Sent to town, with a recommendation that it should be gaanted. W. D. Hamilton applied for a general license for his premises at Logantown. No objection. Sent to Dnnedin for approval. John Patterson applied for a night license for his hotel at Logantown. No objection. Sent to Dunedin for approval. Informations against several of the Chinese storekeepers at the Nevis were adjourned until Wednesday, the 30bh inst., in consequence of the non-atteadanee of material witnesses.