THE 1Cromwell Argus WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9, 1870.

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

THE ICromwell Argus WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9, 1870.

Some short time back we had occasion to notice the total disregard for' the public convenience,- and the palpable display of personal comfort versus the public interest, exhibited by Mr Warden Pyke in his attendance at our local hall of justice on the days appointed for the sittings of the Resident Magistrate's and Warden's Courts. We vainly hoped that, after the publication of the article referred to, some slight amendment would take place in the hour of opening the Court, seeing that we are but favourer] with the presence of Mr Pyke once during every fourteen days, and that there is generally a great quantity of business to be transacted ; but no, the large number of miners, tradespeople, and others whom business brings to the Courthouse, are, without the slightest consideration on the part of our independent and infallible Warden, kept hanging about for hours after the appointed time, the business of the day does not receive that amount of attention which it ought, and as a consequence genei-al dissatisfaction maintains. To add to the discontent which has for some considerable time existed in this matter, a telegram was received from the Warden on Wednesday last to the effect that he was unavoidably detained at Clyde, and instructing Sergeant Cassells to intimate to those in attendance that the sitting of the Resident Magistrate's and Warden's Courts was adjourned till the following Tuesday. We should be wanting in our duty as public journalists did we allow this sort of thing to pass without raising our voice in condemnation of it; and we certainly do think that the hearty and sinceie wishes for Mr Pykk's future welfare (as we may playfully term them) which were given vent to on the occasion, were mild in comparison to what they with propriety might have been. When we state 'that persons were in attendance at the Court on ther day we mention who had come no less than twenty-five miles (from the Nevis), and numerous others from places many miles distant, we cannot be accused of using stronger language than is necessary when we say that such conduct on the part of Mr Pyke is intolerable, as well as prejudicial to public business. We cannot see that any legitimate excuse can be put forward for it—the public business should not be brought to a standstill, and the community should not be put to such needless expense, because one individual—even though he does hold the exalted position of Warden of the Dunstan district—takes it into his head that such shall be the case. A storm has been brewing for long by reason of this iuconsiderate mode of treating those whom he should do his utmost to serve, and whose interests should have a little more weight with him than they appear to have at present; and judging from the daily complaints which we hear on the subject, we imagine that when it ■I'M frnV. will hj? of such n nature as

to make even the invincible Mr Warden Pykb regret tho want of tact displayed and the. short-sighted policy adopted by him. It is very unpleasant to have to make these strictures, but in fairness to the mining portion of the community more especially, by whom tho inconvonionco and loss occasioned through Mr Pyke's persistent and studious inattention to their interests is most severely felt—we cannot any longer refrain from doing so; and we do trust that in future we shall have the pleasure of reporting Mr Pyke as a paragon of punctuality and patience, instead of tho exact reverse, as at present. [Since writing the above article, we attended the sitting of the Court held yesterday, and in justice to Mr Pyke we may state that he apologised for his non-attend-ance on the preceding Wednesday, and intimated that it was caused by an attack of illness. Wardens, we suppose, are like other mortals in this respect, and do occasionally have to bear their share of human ills. If we have wronged Mr Pyke in accusing him of dereliction of duty in thi3 particular instance, we beg to tender our apologies.]

About a month since, while on a visit to the reefs at Bendigo, Mr Warden Pyke picked a piece of stone, weighing about six pounds, from a heap which had been raised from one of the claims on the Bendigo line of reef, and hav, ing obtained permission to appropriate it, he did so, and subsequently forwarded it to Dr Hector for analysis. We were yesterday favored by Mr Pyke with a copy of the telegram received by him in reply to the letter accompanying the stone;—" Wellington, Bth March. Specimen received. Mica schist, traversed by oblique veins of quartz. Contains of gold 30 to 35 ozs. per ton.—Hector, Geologist." We understand that there is plenty of the same description of stone raised from the claim whence the piece we have mentioned was taken. On Sunday evening last, a high wind prevailed in this district, and as th« night advanced it increased to a perfect hurricane. Frail tenements were shaken in a most alarming manner, but fortunately very little damage was done. The only serious casualty we have heard of occurred about eleven o'clock, when the framework of the new Catholic Church, which had been erected a few days previously, was completely blown down. We understand that the gale was also severely felt at the Reefs, and in other places in the neighbourhood. On Saturday, the sth instant, a man named John Williams, a bullock-driver on Mr M'JLiean's station, met with a severe accident. The wheel of his dray passei over his shoulder, which was dislocated. He has since been conveyed to the Dunstan Hospital. The anniversary ball and supper of Court Star of Cromwell, A.0.F., which took place in Mr Kidd's hall on Friday evening last, was a most decided success, and as pleasant and enjoyable a reunion as we have witnessed for a considerable time. We understand that the attendance was not so large as at the ball of last year ; yet (except in a pecuniary point of view) this was no drawback to the success of the gathering. The programme of dances was an excellent one, and was carried out with grer • spirit by those present. The band, consisting of Messrs Rock and Milburn, of Clyde, assisted by Messrs Whetter and Campbell, was very efficient, and gave great satisfaction. The first portion of the programme wa3 concluded about half-past twelve, and the company, numbering about fifty couples, sat down to an excellent supper, provided by Mr Kidd. The tables were laid in first-class style, and high enconiums were passed on the host and hostess for the superior quality and great variety of the viands provided The chair was occupied by Bro. Beck, C.R., Court Star of the Dunstan, supported by Bro. Marsh, C.R., Court Star of Cromwell; Bro. Marshall, Court Royal Oak of the Kawarau, being Vice-chairman. Several toasts were giveu and responded to in short but appropriate speeches, and the company again adjourned to the ball-room, where dancing was kept up until long after daylight. Mr £. Barnes kindly officiated as Master of the Ceremonies, and a more able or obliging one it would be difficult to find. From the Bannockburn and Kawarau Gorge there were a considerable number present, Court Royal Oak*of the Kawarau being woll represented. A somewhat singular accident happened last Monday on the Clyde road, about four miles from Cromwell, by which a horse belonging to Mr G. Smith, carrier, was nearly killed. It appears that Smith endeavoured to cover with a large stone a hole about ten feet deep, which was in close and dangerous proximity to the roadside For this purpose he harnessed his horse to the stone, and then drove him over the hole, intending to leave the stone on the top, and thus cover it up. The stone, however, proved too small for the purpose, and it slipped into the hole, dragging the horse after it. With the assistance of several waggoners who were with him, Smith, after several hours' hard work, succeeded in getting the horse out, and it is, we. believe, slowly recovering. The price of oats at the Bendigo reefs is 8s a buslW The farmers in that neighborhood ought to make a good thing of it this season. With very few exceptions, harvesting operations have been completed. Mr Joseph Mackay, of Tokomairiro, is a candidate for the seat in the Provincial Council rondered vacant by the resignation ol Mr A. I ,T. Bums member for the Taiert

Mr Hanlon, of the Waikerikeri VallejM is at present making a tour round the variouß farms in this district with his threshing anfl winnowing machine, and the bulk of the grain crops will Boon be ready for market. M The flour from Messrs Robertson ant Hallenstoin's mill at Frankton, Lake Wakatip is rapidly superseding all other descriptions o that staple article of consumption in this dia trict, and is gradually finding its way to thi surrounding communities. On Friday last tw< largo timber waggons were loaded with, eighl tons of Wakatip flour for Wanaka Lake anc Cardrona, dispatched by the local agents of th« millers. It must be gratifying to the Wakatij people to know that they are able to supply this district, as well as themselves, without calling in the aid of Dunedin, and we trust to see theij flour find its way to other parts of the Province.l Mining matters in the Queenstown dis-8 trict* must be in a very prosperous condition, if a we may judge from the large quantities of goldj which have of late been regularly forwarded byfl the Escort. The following were the amountd brought down by Sergeant Fox on SaturdayJ last:—Bank of New Zealand. Queenstown, 661 l ozs. ; Bank of Otago, 1078ozs. ; Bank of Newß Zealand, Arrow, 6090z5. ; total, 23480z5. From] Cromwell 830ozs. were taken down in addition] to the above, making a total of 31780z5. from] the Queenstown district and Cromwell. .The Criminal Sittings of the Supreme; Court were commenced on Tuesday, March 1,1 before his Honor Mr Justice Ward. The first] case was that in which Eugene M'Carthy and] Christopher Francis Le Grand were accused of j having, at Kakauui, in December last, stolen a box of jewellery, the property of Mr F. L. Hay-' man. Both prisoners were found guilty, and! wei e sentenced to eighteen months' imprisonnient. James Nicholas was indicted for having, on the 24th of December, 1864, forged and uttered a cheque for £3 10s, which purported to bear the signature of the Hon. Mathew Holme 3. The prisoner was found guilty of uttering, and was sentenced to eighteen months' imprisonment, with hard labour. The next case was that of George Haggerty, charged with having cemmitt«d an indecent assault upon his daughter. The jury, after being locked up for a night| were unable to agree, and were discharged. His Honor made an order for a new trial.—The Court sat again on Wednesday, when Edward ] Sutton, convicted of having stolen a pocket-book 1 containing money from the person of William I Boss, a miner, residing at Moa Flat, was sen- j tonced to two years' imprisonment, with hard j labour. James Carter, late police constable at j the Teviot, found gailty of fraudulently appro- j priating money belonging to the Government, j was sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment. I —On Thursday, Edward Charles Young, aged twenty-three years, who pleaded guilty to the charge of embezzling moneys belonging to the Oamaru Times Company, whilst in their employ as collector, was sentenced to nine mouths' imprisonment.—Alexander Wiseman, ag«d thirtythree years, who pleaded guilty to embezzlement, was sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment. I Henry Charles Richards was then put on his ; trial for having, on tho 25th November last, forged an acquittance. The case had only been partly heard when the Court, at about fiveo'clock, adjourned until next day. We have received the March number of the Evangelist, edited by the Rev. Dr Copland, of Tuapeka, and published by Messrs, Mills, Dick, and Co., of Dunedin. It contains a quantity of religious matter of special interest to tho members of the Presbyterian body, and is im* proving very materially in every respect.