BENDIGO.

Cromwell Argus, Volume III, Issue 129, 30 April 1872, Page 5

BENDIGO.

0 — i From our own Correspondent.) April 23, 1872. The fall of snow anticipated in my last communication duly took place ; but it is rapidly disappearing. The supply of water is still very short, but the Cromwell and Colclough mills have fortunately enough for present wants, and are busily engaged in crushing. The former Company had a washing up last week, and the result was, I believe, about 280 ounces from 184 tons of stone put through. This lot was taken exclusively from the 100 feet level, —proving that such a contingency as exhaustion need not enter into the calculation of the owners of this mine for, at any rate, many years to come. The tables of the Colclough mill are looking well, and the long-deferred and anxious hopes of this Company of obtaining a good “cake” seem at last likely to be realised. The manager reports being greatly troubled with an increase of water in the workings, but intends, if possible, to shortly begin the very necessary work of driving a tunnel from the mill-level to drain the ground. When this is accomplished, the Company may reasonably hope to be gladdened with those pleasing results of successful quartz-mining, dividends. The long-neglected Aurora is getting another trial, and I think with a very fair show of success. Messrs Mitchinson, Perriam, M'Morran, and several working miners, have engaged in the speculation, and having secured the property on favourable terms, will, 1 I tyist, meet with a due reward. If the lethargic proprietors of the Alta were to follow the above good example, hopes might be entertained that “ them good old daze,” as Josh Billings has it, might again be experienced on Bendigo. The “deep lead” has, I am sorry to say, collapsed, Anderson and party having found apparently that, if a lead exists, it consists of only a succession of patches ; and as the said patches seem to bo like “ angel’s visits, —few and far between,” and poor withal, they have declined further prospecting, and the development of any hidden wealth supposed to exist must be left to that mysterious individual, the “coming man.” Our quiet community was startled last Saturday night or Sunday morning by a conflagration, lighting up the surrounding hills very brilliantly for a short space. It was at first supposed to be the residence of Mr Barnes and family, and a deal of commiseration was expressed for his supposed mishap. But, luckily for him, such was not the case ; it was found to be the hut, Ac., of a miner, Mr F. M'Douald, who is working and residing on Logan’s reef, having the said hut and furniture under protection. Public opinion I tends to a suspicion of foul play ; but in the absence of tangible proof, the elucidation of j the mystery of the combustion and total dcI struction of an uninhabited tenement must be | left to time, in the hope that, as in a very recent instance, “murder will out.” It is certainly an unpleasant reflection that in so j small a community as ours, there may be supposed to exist any person with such truly | | diabolical instincts as might lead to the commission of incendiarism to revenge a fancied wrong. Under the heading of “ good news for immigrants,” I might mention that wo arc being supplied with meat and bread at less than cost price. ‘ ‘ A whole sheep and a four-pound loaf for five shillings,” was Air Mltchinson’s announcement to the public of Bendigo last Saturday, he having opened a butcher’s shop in addition to his general store. Opposition being the life of trade, our two other local CaruifeFs immediately made a corresponding , reduction in their wares ; and, further, wc have the welcome information that a considerable fall will take place in the price of ’ everything constituting a miner’s require--1 incuts. But I cannot help thinking, with the frogs in the fable, that what is fun to us

may lie death to them. John Chinaman appears to relish the* competition amazingly, and is enjoying a considerable “ blow out” in consequence ; to such an extent, I am informed, was the gorging carried in one instance, that poor John could not emerge from his hut on Monday without (as was the case at the funeral of Daniel Lambert, the fat man of happy memory) taking out the front of his habitation. I hope no serious results will follow the unwonted blessing of cheap living. An interesting relic of our Maori predecessors in this valley was found by two young men, searching for eggs in a cave at the back of Wakefield. After crawling some distance through the narrow aperture, the cavern suddenly widened out to a good size, and stand ing against the side they found a Maori paddle. It is neatly finished, is in an excellent state of preservation, and appears to bo made of kauri pine ; and, as I am not aware that any of the wood grows in this Island, a wide field for conjecture is opened as to how it may have got into the locality in which it was found. Possibly further research may reveal the remains of its grim owner. I have occasionally seen pounamus and other stone implements turned up in the auriferous drifts of Bendigo Gully, indicating the district as being an ancient habitat of the Maori and the moa.