Untitled

Cromwell Argus, Volume I, Issue 29, 1 June 1870, Page 4

The subject of " Land for Settlenil Is at last beginning to create some intuit! thiß district, and through tho efforts of od two publi«-Bpirited men resident at BonoM is very probable that something practical! shortly be accomplished. A petition is l| circulated for signature, praying that an and 10,000 acres on the Hawea Flat may bo thrj open for application under the AgrioultJ Lease Regulations. Tho land to-be as keen comprises a portion of the Worven Hills Ml and is within about thirty miles of Qrow\M The memorial is to be presented, if during the present session of Council, and th| is every reason to think that it will bo favora I entertained. "Wo shall revert to this subjeot 1 an early date. *' . 1 At a special meeting of the Town Coulj cil held on Wednesday last (attended by (1 Mayor, and Councillors Dagg and Kelly), it v 1 resolved to fix the rate for the ourrent year j one shilling in the pound. i| On Friday, before Vincent Pyke, Est E.M., Wilham Chamberlain was charged wij being an habitual drunkard, and also with a saulting Sergeant Cassels whilst in the executh of his duty. On the first-mentioned charge ll was sentenced to two months' imprisonment, ai* for the assault he received, an additional senten of one month.

There is nothing of particular interest I chronicle this week from Bendigo. Twoorthr!; new buildings have been put up at Loganto* f within the last few weeks, but until the adve; I of spring, business of every kind may be el pected to continue dull. In the number • ] buildings at Wakefield a very perceptible increa J has taken place, and more houses are in coun j of erection. The Government township as ytfj only boasts of two buildings—a fact which afford | a convincing proof that the site of the townshi'| was injudiciously chosen. We hear that stejj are about to be taken to get the survey so as to include the ground upon which the mi 4 jority of the buildings have been placed, an | which is undoubtedly a better and more conrt 1 nient site than the one recommended by tt § Warden and laid off by the Government. Sergeant John oa.ssel3, who has beet S stationed in this district for the last eight years | is about to be transferred to Dunedin The" re. \ moral of so energetic and efficient a public office! | from amongst ua is much to be regretted, for wi*3t* are satisfied that no one holding a similar posi tion in any community could have performer the difficult and often disagreeable duties de volving upon a police-sergeant, with more assi duity and devotion to the public interest thar Sergeant Cassels has done. Throughout his career, he has never allowed private friendships to interfere with the strict performance of his offi-.. oial duties, and he has always been found as ready and willing to lend a helping hand in cases of genuine distress as ho has been in the proven, tion of rowdyism and the detection of crimeWe wish him all success in his new sphere. Sergeant Thomas Ryan is, we behave, appointed to succeed Sergeant Cassels.

After divine service on Sunday evening, the Eev. Mr Drake announced hia intention of preaching at the Navis on Sunday next, weather permitting ; consequently there will be no service in the school-house here on that day. A gentleman who lately returned from Queenstown informs us that the chief subject of conversation throughout the»district is the opening up of Boyes Bros.' run. The farmers are re. ported to be opposed to more land being thrown into the market, and have signed a petition, which has been referred to a committee of the Provincial Council. The number of applicants for the land, including the runholders and their friends, it wa3 reported in Queenstown, would more than swallow up, on the first day of selection, the whole 50.00-acre block. Our informant also says that Messrs Boyes are willing to give up the original block applied for, near Mr Gibbs' place on tho Kawarau ; but that the taking of the block near their homestead would be ruin ' ous. Considerable sympathy was felt for these gentlemen, but up to the time of going to press we have not heard of any decision being arrived at. The select committee were on Monday still considering the matter. Wo hear that the telegraph {department has reaped considerable revenue out of these proceedings. It is notified in the Provincial Government Gazette of the 18th ult. that his Honor t)s{\ Superintendent has been pleased to appoint JohM Mackay, Esq., to be Chairman of the Board of Wardens of the depasturing district of Wakatip, in the room of B. E. Baird, Esq., who has been appointed Gold Eecciver at Cromwell. Mr Mackay has held the office of Inspector of the Tuapeka depasturing district for some time, and the experience thus gained, added to his wellknown energy and ability, will doubtless enable him to perform the duties of thi3 second appointment with credit to himself and satisfaction to the peoplo of the district.

The weather is reported to be rerj - severe in the Lake district, and the roads are in a bad condition, caused by the heavy rains of a week ago. Heavy frosts at night, which WJ'n sun melts in the daytime, make the roads ten. Tho rains have had one .heneficial effft : they prevent tho frosts rendering the land uftb for ploughing. i *