ST. BATHANS.

Cromwell Argus, Volume I, Issue 38, 3 August 1870, Page 5

ST. BATHANS.

(From our own Correspondent.) August I, According to promise, I have prepared a return of vital statistics of St. Bathans and surroundings, including all the population within a radius of five miles of the Postoffice, and find as follows:—Tlio total number is 259, consisting of 91 European miners, 20 working idlers, 11 dry idlers, 16 Chinese, 33 married women, 7 single women, and' 81 children.—Of my items of intelligence for propagation, next in order conies the registerlst, beautiful day; 2nd, snow and rain ; 3rd, fine—frost; 4th, heavy snow; sth, fine ; Cth, cold and dull; 7th ; fine; Bth, dull—foggy; 9th, very fine ; 10th to 12th, rain—fog—snow; 13th to 18th, fine—very hard frosts; 19th, damp—foggy ; i 20th to 23rd, fine—hard frosts ; 24th, rain ; 25th to 28th, cold and threatening ; 28th and 29th, fine; 30tb, gloomy ; 31st, rain and mist. On the 13th, a lecture on education was delivered by the Rev. E. Royer : the funds were devoted to school purposes. The lecture gave general satisfaction. On the 20th, the Lancashire Bell-ringers paid us a visit. Their entertainment was certainly remarkably good, We have, also received a visit from a 'man (Mann), who came amongst in a state of perfect destitution, and, having published his sad story of troubles, engaged himself as a hawker to two of the storekeepers, who entrusted him with then wares, to the value of about .£ls, to sell in the neighbourhood; promising him commission. Ho started off in high spirits, and a fortnight afterwards was apprehended at Tokomairiro, and brought back once more to' St. Bathans, quite destitute : all the wares had disappeared, as well as the purchase-money. In fact; the fellow had duped his benefactors thoroughly, but escaped punishment, as the goods had been given into his keeping, and the charge preferred against him was larceny, I have heard, which fell through. He, is once more free, and let us hope his narrow escape from conviction will act as a warning to him. As Tom wishes to send some friendly hints to his; fellow-diggers, as well as to the Government, I will close my letter with an anecdote, but will not vouch for the truth of it. On dit that a teacher seeking employment a short time ago wrote to a Committee, stating that, while desiring their votes, they must not expect that if elected he would deal with them at their stores afterwards, for he always purchased his goods from Melbourne. To another Committee, it is said, he wrote, “If you appoint me, I will engage that the girls shall bo taught sewing; as, with a desire to accommodate you, I will get married, and impose these conditions on my wife ; that she shall teach sowing, &c., &c.” tom’s HINTS TO MINERS. Cure/or Chapped and Frosted Hands.— Keep atm of oatmeal in your hut. In the morning wash your hands with oatmeal and brown Windsor, (Never use common yellow soap : it poisons the blood.) After you have wiped your hands, pour a little dry oatmeal on to the hand, and shako hands with yomself, so to speak, that the oatmeal may fill up the chaps and cracks. If the day is frosty, take a match-box of dry oatmeal to your claim with you, and occasionally through the day mb a little over the hands. To men who suffer with chapped hands, and who too frequently torture themselves with hot seal-ing-wax, or scar their hands with cobbler’s wax, &a, &c., my recipe will he invaluable. Lay in a stock of oatmeal, say 31bs, and three cakes of Brown Windsor. Porsist in using oatmeal with your soap every time you wash your hands, and on frosty days rub your bauds with dry oatmeal occasionally through the day j ami however bad your hands may be, you will find them not only healed, but invulnerable to frosts for the remainder of the winter. Cure for Chilblains. —Buy some prepared chalk, and every night when you turn in, rub the chilblains with the chalk for a few minutes, and theq.draw a stocking on (if the foot), or an old glovo (if a hand), Ilepeat the application every night, and the chilblains will soon disappear : but this euro refers to unbroken chilblains only. The effect of the chalk is to prevent breaking and draw out the inflammation. Take care not to apply chalk to a broken chilblain. tom’s hint to the government. You issue miners’ rights on parchment: those documents have only to last twelve mouths. Would it not be wise to issue certificates on parchment ? They are not renewed, but are for one’s heirs and successors (saving protection certificates). There are to lie found at present in the possession of many minors, tail-race, dam, and extended claim certificates, containing within their four corners a title to properties of great and increasing value ; and within the same dimensions an accumulation of dirt, which is gradually obliterating the writing and eating up the paper. And why are wo obliged to renew our water-race certificates annually when you have done away with rent charges ? May they not bo held as other certificates, permanently if you please ? ' . tom’s hint to conn's drivers.. At many places on the diggings where there is not a telegraph office, the time in taken, clocks set, and watches regulated, by your watches. Not the rising sun, but Harry NuttlofoH’s or Ned Emtnerton's watch is the standard for regulating all our divisions of time. So mark well your responsibilities, and keep your watches well regulated, or you will have to account for our idlo hours if your time be wrong, and wo remain in blankets later in conseQuonco thereof.