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Cromwell Argus, Volume 2, Issue 87, 11 July 1871, Page 4

The attention of our citizens is directed to an advertisement notifying the days of nomination and election of Mayor and Councillors for the ensuing municipal year.

Not to be outdone by tho Crotnwellites in the way of public amusement, tho residents of the Bannockburn have resolved to hold weekly quadrille parties. A number of gentlemen met at Richards's Hotel last Saturday night, and initiatory steps were taken in this behalf. It was resolved that an entrance fee of 10s should be exacted from each member, and that at the expiration of three months, the proceeds, if any, after paying expenses, should be devoted to supplementing the funds of aorr* charitable institution, or for school aid. The names of about twenty members were at once taken down. All the arrangements will be under the supervision of an efficient committee, so that a select and respectable meeting may always be expected. The lovers of dancing the Bannockburn will thus have an opportunity *

of availing themselves of the invigorating recreation this amusement offers.

In the Resident Magistrate’s Court on Friday last, before Mr W. A. Bows and Mr W. Smitham, J. P. ’s, four charges of drunkenness were dealt with. Two of the delinquents were fined £1 each ; the third forfeited his bail (£l,) through non-appearance ; and the fourth, who stood charged with “ habitual drunkenness,’ was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment in Clyde Gaol, with hard labour.—This morning Mr Smitham sat again to deal with another “unfortunate,” but he did not put in an appearance, and consequently forfeited bail.

Our Alexandra correspondent informs ua that Mr Theyers has decided not to contest the approaching Mayoral election. Mr J. C. Chappie has received numerous promises of support, and it seems tolerably certain that if that gentleman consents to stand, he will be elected without opposition.

We learn upon good authority that a large majority of the Council have expressed themselves favourable to Mr Stratford’s re-ap-pointment as a Warden, and that the only obstacle in the way of his promotion is Mr Macandrew’s opposition.

The Winter Evening Entertainments Corfjjhittee held a meeting last evening, when it wasMarranged that the second performance of th'Nseries should take place on Thursday fortnight, 27th inst. Those who have promised their assistance are requested to attend rehearsal in the School-house to-night, at 7.30.

We regret to record that Mr Patrick Kelly died suddenly yesterday morning, after a very short illness. The immediate cause of death was spasmodic contraction of the stomach and heart, Mr Kelly had for the last five years been subject to violent cramps in the lower extremities, and latterly to spasmodic colic ; and had for three years suffered from an affection of the heart. His sadden removal from our midst caused quite a gloom among the townspeople yesterday ; and his loss will be much felt by his family and friends. The funeral takes place to-morrow.

The inhabitants of the Bannockburn and Carrick Range districts complain very loudly of the inefficiency of existing postal communication between those places and Cromwell. The mail service is only fortnightly at present, and for any useful purpose served thereby, might as well be once a year. The growing importance of these rich alluvial and reeling localities, absolutely requires that, at least, a weekly mail should be at once allotted to them. There is a continuously increasing stream of population Rowing in, and the exigencies of the public interests demand the bestowal of this right. A petition to this effect is in course of circulation, and lias already been numerously signed. It is to be hoped the Postmaster-General will give it favourable consideration.

The Arrow District Mining Association seems calculated to be the medium of conferring many benefits upon the miners of the Lake Goldfields. The measures which the institution resolves to carry out, and to further by all reasonable means, whenever practicable, are so likely to be materially conducive to the mining interest of the Province generally, that wc submit such of them as appear of most importance, to the serious consideration of our mining readers. If a real bona Jide Miners’ Society were formed in this district, it would certainly be productive of much good to the whole population of this neighbourhood. The objects of the Association above mentioned are—To secure the expenditure of a’ fair share of revenue in the district; construction of roads in out-lying country ; abolition of the gold export duty ; repeal or amendment of regulations unjust or injurious to miners; fair share of the grant-in-aid of water supply ; and others of similar beneficial tendency. It invites the co-operation of kindred institutions throughout the province, and is itself well deserving the hearty support of all classes of diggers.

Mr Hickey, the member for Kawarau, seems to be displaying commendable activity in urging the claims of ids constituents upon the attention of the Provincial Council, We perceive that the much-vexed question of Commonage is likely, at last, to have a solution of some kind—favorable or otherwise—for this place, as Mr Hickey has lately presented a petition from the inhabitants, complaining of the impoundment of their cattle by the runholder, and praying that a certain area of land might be set aside for Commonage. This is the result of the labours, so far, of the Anti-Im-pounding League Committee. We trust Mr Hickey's good offices on behalf of the Cromwell people will meet with that suoess they are so justly entitled to. Commonage, and land for agricultural settlement, are much needed in our district.

The Ar rowtown correspondent of the Dunstan Times unwittingly bears testimony to the rising prowess of Cromwell, for in that paper of June 30 he says, “Arrow interests are opposed to ours, and that the. Arrowegians will discover this when the Hawea block is sold. ” This refers to our agricultural future. Such is not the truth. \Ve think settlement is more beneficial in its general tendencies than the astute aud far-seeing “ our own” would imply, and we give the Arrow people credit for sounder common sense than falls to the lot of this sapient writer who so glibly designates them “ foolish.”

The people of Bannockburn are bestirring themselves in the matter of providing the means of education for the rising generation of that neighbourhood. A public meetiug of the residents will be held at the Shepherd's Creek Hotel to-morrow (Wednesday) evening, for the purpose of taking the action necessary to secure the sanction and assistance of the Education Hoard in establishing a Government school in the district. If the matter is properly gone about —as we believe it will be, — the success of the movement is assured. If it can he shown to the satisfaction of the Education Board that there are within the district a sufficient number of children capable of attending school (twenty, wo believe, is the minimum), and also that tlio residents are prepared to guarantee an annual contribution which, added to the Government qnojwof £75, would adequately remunerate the of a "side-school” teacher; —if these essential conditions are complied with, the primary obstacles are overcome. There are of course other considerations to be taken into account, such as providing a suitable building, furniture, and school requisites ; but these are matters for after consideration. It is stated that there are about twenty-live children in the Bannockburn district capable of attending school, and we regret to learn that the private school lately started there has been given up : hence the present movement has originated. We trust that the Bannockburn people will evinc<PjtM|i interest in this matter by attending the mtfetSfig' en masse.

Tho news (writes our correspondent at Alexandra) which appeared in Friday’s Daily Times —to the effect that the Committee on administration of tho Goldfields had recommended that, in the event of a Central Gaol and .Sittings of |he Supreme Court being established in the Dunstau District, they should be located at Cromwell, as being the centre of tho Northern Goldfields—was read with much satisfaction by every one here. It proves that “common sense” has “prevailed.” It now only remains for Cromwell to push the matter to a successful termination.

Mr Barlow, of Clyde, has announced an extensive sale of watches, jewellery, and other goods in Cromwell on the 20th. The fact of Mr Barlow having been nine years in business in the Dunstau district would alone be a sufficient guarantee that those who purchase from his stock will get “ value for money but beyond this, he bears the highest reputation as a man of business, and may be relied upon as strictly honourable in all his dealings. We only mention these facts for the benefit of those to whom Mr Barlow is not personally known, and who may be desirous of purchasing goods at the sale.

Drunkenness may be regarded as a crime,—an offence against society,—but the rough and ready mode at present in vogue, of thrusting inebriates into freezing lock-ups, and actually endangering their existence, is not the proper way to treat occasional, or even habitual drunkards. For the benefit of those whom it may concern we may mention that the Lunatics Act, of 1868, provided that any person addicted to the excessive use of intoxicating liquors may, by order of the Supreme Court, be confined in any licensed lunatic asylum and subjected to curative treatment. (Mark, “curative tieitment” is not incarceration on a winter’s night in a wretched cell with the thermometer far below zero.) This may be done, either on his own application, or upon proof by any near relative that, through his passion for drink, he is wasting his means, neglects to support his family, or has repeatedly threatened any member of his tainily with violence. A similar enactment has, we believe, been passed by the English Legislature ; and in America there are establishments specially devoted to the reception of dipsomaniacs. The Pall Mall Gazelle recently republished a very interesting description, by a correspondent of the Mew York Tribune , of a visit to one of these institutions. But we have only heard of a single case in which advantage has been taken of the provisions of the New Zealand Act, and, as a rule, the law is likely to be in-operative. Tns expense, for one thing, must in the generality of instances be an insuperable difficulty. The most practical attempt to deal w.th cases of habitual drunkenness was contained in the “tippling clauses” of the Canterbury Public House Ordinance, 1832 ; and we do not see why some plan of the kind should not be brought into general operation. It might not be practicable in a large town like Melbourne, and, under any circumstances, must be liable to occasional evasion ; but it was eminently successful while it was in force in Canterbury, nor has any valid reason—or indeed any reason at all—ever been assigned fur its discontinuance.

The following information from a Nelson paper will be interesting to our mining readers : —ln using the saocharate of mercury the principal feature is to have it thoroughly mixed with the sludge or tailings, and the following is the easiest and most convenient method. For instance, you have got a vessel that will hold one ton of debris ; after adding water and stirring it round, add sacuharate from time to time ; the proportion of saocharate to be used is one pound of saocharate to one ton of debris, if it does not contain more than one ounce of gold ; if it contains more, sacuharate must be used in the proportion of one pound to one ounce extra ; loss than one pound of saocharate will not treat one ton of debris properly. Metals such as copper, tin, or brass must not be used, as the quicksilver adheres to them. The above directions may not answer in every case, but the more the saocharate can be mixed with the debris the better.

The Thames Goldfields. —How much gold has the Thames produced within the last two or three years ? Up to the 31st of March of this year, the gold exported from the Province of Auckland amounted to 383,012 ounces, of the value of £1,207,055, the greater portion of which has been the produce of the Thames for the above-named period. During the first quarter of the present year, 84,010 ounces of gold, of the value of £202,417, were exports 1 from Auckland, and during the last two months 87,000 ounces has reached there from the Thames- Out of a piece of hill land of the extent of four acres, comprising the Caledonian claim, gold to the value of £500,000 has betn extracted, and the claim, from February last to June 13th, paid in dividends the large sum of £343,200. T'he Thames district, notwithstanding its several fluctuations, is really only begun to be worked, and there is a largo and rich country, rich alike in land aud gold, beyond the present occupied part.

Eels are popularly supposed to be wholesome food, but the following paragraph from the Southern Cross of 10th June would seem to prove the contrary:—"We have several times had occasion to speak of the danger attending a too free consumption of native eels, especially those of a large size, and we have now to chronicle an event that cannot bo too carefully remembered by those who are in the habit of partaking of those fish. Three days ago, some boys who were on the beach near Freeman’s Bay, made a great capture of eels, which they caught underneath the rocks when the tide was out. These they tied up into bundles, and sold in the neighborhood. The next day those who had partaken of the fish was seized with most alarming symptoms. Their bodies began to swell, and became covered with blotches, and their eyes started from their sockets. In the house of Mr tiiattery no loss than four of the family were attacked at the same time. In addition to the symptoms mentioned above, the sufferers were seized with a violent and painful retching. Uf Mr Sullen’s family no less than five were affected in the same way, as well as a young woman who partook of the eels with the family. The remedies prescribed were those usually applied in such cases, and the patients were all Wmcd to vomit. They arc now getting belter, .bsT°r two days they suffered very severely, uol soon forget their feast of eels,”

Mr Mussen, photographer, desires us to mention that he will remain in Cromwell only for a few days longer.

Mounted policemen must be careful and not get fat. At Wangaratta a man who has been in the force more than fourteen years, and is a most efficient bush constable, has been reduced to the foot police because he is too fat to ride. As this retrograde step will reduce his salary twenty-five per cent., it is too bad to make him pay such a penalty for getting “ width and wisdom.” The Upper Goulburn district can boast a suh-inspoctor of the mounted police who rides over fifteen stone, and whose remounts cost not a little. Here is another subject for official Bautingism.