THE Cromwell Argus. WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 1870.

Cromwell Argus, Volume I, Issue 25, 4 May 1870, Page 4

THE Cromwell Argus. WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 1870.

Singularly strange is the contrast that is offered between j;he mining tenures of this district and the neighboring ones of the Lakes and Tuapeka. In both of these places leases for gold-mining are the favorite titles, while in this district the holding of claims under miners’ right is the method generally adopted. Yet the result so far tells in favor of the places which applv generally the leasing system as the best title for their holdings. The reports of the gold-fields wardens recently published, and called for by a circular from the Colonial Secretary’s office, testify to the value of the system, and the results that follow its adoption. Those districts that resort to it show the largest returns and the greatest value of mining plant. That this is due to other than exceptionable circumstances we must accept as a fact. We must come! to the conclusion that the leasing system tends to do some things that materially promote the prosperity of those portions of the gold-fields that use it. We believe that these can be easily enumerated, and we think it wise also, under the present state of affairs, to press them upon the attention of our raining readers and those connected with claims. First, then, we think the application for a lease, and the period that intervenes between the issue of the certificate, gives time to mature arrangements ; that the applicant is able to state what capital he will employ, the number of men, and how soon he intends to get into full working operations; that a security of title is given that commands the assistance of capital, and does obtain it; that the title is a perfect one, and if taken out in the name of one person can be made to protect the interests of an infinitude of shareholders ; that shares or interest held under it can be transferred without the necessity of altering and transferring the title ; that it thus avoids so many frequent changes that take place under titles otherwise held ; that an interest held under a lease is always looked upon more favorably by the purchaser than one held under a miner’s right, with its registration, protection, and other reservations implied or bound to be observed ; that the documents of the lease define once and for all the conditions to be observed, and save endless doubts, bother, and expenses. These, we apprehend, are some of the circumstances that make leases so attractive in other districts than our own ; and if our opinion is a correct one, which we think in this case it is, we strongly press its consideration upon the mining public. The experience and results of other districts are at least safe guides to follow. We are informed that a lease need not be applied for in more than one name, and the party so applying can execute a power of attorney (at a very small coat), that will protect the title throughout. Any forfeiture would arise from a breach of the covenants of the lease. We are afraid our Bendigo miners may pray ever so much for the capital so much required to develop their claims, but unless held, upon a different title to the present I

one, they will fail to command any adequate amount. It is not so in other places. Now that winter is almost upon us, and work may soon be stopped, meetings of claim-holders can be held without loss of time, and stops taken to obtain this title. I hen the claims can combine, and stop into the open market upon a foundation that is certain to command attention,

Three important speeches have recently been delivered, and all of them of colonial interest: one is by the Hon. Mr Stafford, the late Premier, one by the Hon. Mr Fox, the present one, and the other by Mr Macandrew, on the opening of the Provincial Council. It might be thought at first blush that one Superintendent’s address to the Provincial Council is hardly of colonial importance. This would not be a correct surmise. The eyes of colonial politicians are very generally bent upon the course affairs are taking in Otago, for it is generally understood we have put our foot down, and are determined in the future to play no yielding part. Of Mr Macandrew’s speech we may say it is characteristic of the man, and will mightily please his followers; but then, of course, it would not be characteristic of him if it was not so impracticable, or rather impossible, to carry out the ideas enunciated. M r Macandrew possesses the art or knack of showing great things looming in the future, and getting afterwards credit for being thwarted in their immediate realization. He does it so plausibly, and with so much unction, that one is so charmingly humbugged that he cannot be offended. So in this instance: his admirers have many nice things presented to their imaginations, and which quite fascinate them. No one can deny that they are not good schemes ; but they are not feasible, any of them, to the ex.ent indicated, unless by the adoption of a very happy idea of Mr Macandrew, namely, getting into debt, and fortunately, before we increase our already heavy burden in that line, we have to ask the consent of the senior partner in the concern—the Assembly. That consent we will not get: and so tumbles down, if nob before, the castle built in the air. Then we have Mr Stafford’s address, conciliatory in its tone to the present ministry, and perhaps intended hereafter to lead to the formation of a coalition ministry ; deadly in its tone to provincialism, but friendly to the extension of local self-government. Admirable in its arrangement, manly in its tone, and statesman-like in its' principles. Mr Fox’s was a vindication of the sore point of the ministry, namely, that it was compelled to act as it had done; that is, throw overboard the principles upon which it ascended to office. It was acrimonious in its nature throughout, an 1 did not reciprocate the more magnanimous good wishes of Stafford. In fact, he accused that gentlemen almost of committing treason. It should have been the ablest speech of all the three, bat yet it turned out a failure. The fireworks would not go off—perhaps because the grain of the powder employed in their manufacture was rather too coarse. In these speeches, which deserve to be attentively read, there is ample food for serious reflection and study ■ for the next month.

We learn from several gent,lemon who have arrived in Cromwell from Dunedin that most injurious reports are circulated there as to the value of the reefs at Bendigo, and that to this fact may be attributed the absence of Dunedin bidders at the recent sale of the late Mr Garrett's reefing property. We cannot for the life of ns understand how such reports can be originated and propagated in the face of the positive evidence we have of the very rich nature of so many of the claims at Bendigo ; and we certainly think there must either be a sad falling-off in the enterprise of Dunedin capitalists, or a sad want of money in Otago’s chief town. The very idea of a fourth share in such a valuable claim as that of the Cromwell Company is known to be being disposed of at £2OOO, when there was actually half that sum in the Bank for afovtnight’s crushing, is astounding. Our local bidders could not go beyond that amount, and we congra-' tulate Messrs Logan, Goodger, and Hebden on being so fortunate as to secure the valuable shares which were disposed of on such favorable terms. We pass from the Bendigo reef to the Aurora, the stone from which,-we are informed, has averaged from the first crushing up to the present time about two ounces to the ton —an amount which in the reefing districts of Victoria and other places would be looked upon as a splendid return, but which is apparently thought nothing of here. We now turn to Colclough’s line of reef. The trial crushing from the prospector’s claim on this line yielded, we are informed, 3ozs. 2dwts. to the ton. Besides these instances we have referred to of the excellent yields obtained, there are many other claims with equally promising prospects, and how any want of confidence* in such reefs can maintain we are at a loss to understand.

Constable Fleming, who has been so long stationed at Cardrona, and lately residing here, has been promoted to the charge of the Switzers district. We trust the change will prove to hia advantage.

The mining property and other effects belonging t° tho intestate estate of the late Mr J. W. Garrett were sold at auction by Mr W. J, Barry on Thursday last. There was a largo attendance at the sale, but the bidding was not , particularly brisk. A fourth share in the Gromwell Company’s leases and plant realised £2OOO, Mr B. Hebden, acting on behalf of. the company, being the purchaser. The liabilities of he company at tho date of sale were stated to be about £750, and to cover these there was about £IOOO worth of gold deposited in the I bank A fifth share in the Golden Link was also knocked down to the company, tho price realised being £7OO. An eighth in the Alta claim was sold to Mr James Hazlett for £69 ; » twelfth in the Golden Crown for £l3 10s., and a twenty-fourth in No. 1 west of the Alta for £2 —the two last mentioned to Mr Holt, of Clyde. The horses realised fair prices. Wa understand that the proceeds of the sale, less auctioneer’s commission and other expenses, amounted to £2777 Is.—A seventh share in the Aurora Com- j pany was afterwards put up, and was bought in L at £I2OO. “ The Walcatip Mail thinks we are uiisin* el formed as to the intentions of a party in Queens- ip town to introduce a second journal there. Our f information was reliable, and the scheme only 1 dropped through at last because the section in ' v question lost confidence in the individual whom ei they proposed to start. We know that a num- sn ber of persons desire to introduce a second jour- « nal into the district, but we cannot say how 1 10 many of those are now in Queenstown, after the iai recent failure. Our contemporary, we think, was ec( a little unnecessarily alarmed at the threatened invasion into his close reserve. He need not have been, under the circumstances. We shall j q be glad, however, to see the Mail rppear in its L enlarged form, and we have no doubt it will re- | ar ceive a proportionately greater amount of support. a f, We have been requested by the treasurer jve to the Cromwell Church Fund to acknowledge ’hi the receipt of £2O from the Nevis district— ig< £8 10s having been contributed by the people at ier; the Lower Nevis and £ll 10s from the upper yh( township. It gives us much pleasure to notice ras this instance of liberality from such a thinly rai populated district, rice The usual fortnight) v meeting of the ?ect Alexandra Town Council was held in the Coun- |U , a cil Chamber on Friday evening last. Present: j the Mayor, and (Jrs Tbevers and Beresfurd. • f Minutes of trie previous meeting were read and u c confirmed. Outward correspondence read and „ a approved. Inward read and received. An ap- , plication from Mr William Wilson for leave to rpj ie fence in a piece of ground round his residence j.-, | was granted, provided that it interfered with no existing rights. The Town Clerk was instructed j] ie to see to uhis before replying. ‘ An account due L| r to M Laughton and Motherwell, amounting to pipe £l4 las, for day labour ami horie an ! dray hire in gravelling the top ul Tarbero-street, was 1 A passed for payment. This concluded the business before the Council. la our third page wll be found a cou- thei deusel report of the proceedings of fhe Provin- a! t c.al Council, for which we are indebted to our j Dunedin files. , r Our rea ierj will perceive by advertise- ’hcei ment in another column that we are to haves mud new grocery establish menu in Cromwell shortly, quig Messrs D. A. Jolly and Co. being the propri- of I etors. They have purchased the valuable sits lerec adjoining Mr Wright’s Victoria Store, and their } building is in course of erection. -p The amount of gold brought down by jbusi the monthly escort from Queenstown on Satur ’up day last was 214Sozs. 13dwts., and Cromwell’i darg fortnightly contribution was S3oozs. crus We have been requested to state that Auv Mr E. G. Barnes has kindly consented to act m Master of the Ceremonies at the approaching qi Forester s ball at tire Bannockburn, We bear that a goodly number of members of the Crom- a well court intend to be present at the ball, ' cnvt which promises to be a great success. s [j OV The proprietor of the WaJcattp Mail at' [hold nounces his intention of enlarging that paper £esu six pages on and after the 12th instant, and also notifies that in future it will be published evert Thursday morning, instead of in the afternoon - T as hitherto. Beni We see by the New Zealand Gazette j ener that the General Assembly is to meet on tho 1 14th of next month. j" j™ The Chinaman who recently sold a qua^ ; Hiss tity of spurious gold to Mr W. Colclough, at the joccu Cardmn i, has been duly committed for trial at i T1 the next Supreme Court sittings. At the time isupp the Chinamen were prosecuted here for sellin; Irkth spurious gold to Mr Halliday, it was under tie Wv6 A agraucy Act, as it was supposed the law dii 1 not provide for a specific charge. Sergeant Foi } however, prosecuted the present delinquent If | . obtaining money by means of false represents ! tions that is, selling spurious metal, repr; ( \ senting it to be pure gold. We are informed that a letter was r( | T~ ceived last, week by Messrs Mitcbinson and Hat f To E risen, storekeepers, Wakefield, from the Chii I N. & Postmaster, Dunedin, in reference to the pin j posed post-office at Bendigo. It was stated c | the letter that the Government was not ini S Tasm position to expend any moneys for the conveyana | Thro of a mail from Rocky Point to Bendigo, nor fc I Tl) ro tho payment of a postmaster. In order th® expense should not be an obstacle, we hear tin® Jfj Messrs Mitcbinson and Harrison have offered® Espoi take charge of the post-office, and convey c mail to and fro, free of charge, till tho end (ft W the present year. M Mart •tTT i . . / lon M We are glad to notice that Mr IT;u% I ton has given notico of motion for a raduction(| Q uee the gold export duty, Cavot