Cromwell Argus AND NORTHERN GOLD-FIELDS GAZETTE. CROMWELL: TUESDAY, JULY 30, 1872

Cromwell Argus, Volume III, Issue 142, 30 July 1872, Page 4

Cromwell Argus AND NORTHERN GOLD-FIELDS GAZETTE. CROMWELL: TUESDAY, JULY 30, 1872

During the Mayoral election, the ject of a remedy tor tlie dust nuisanc the west end of the town was several t mentioned, —chiefly in the form oft Lions put to candidates by those ir diately interested. We need not dih any length upon the disadvantages ant great annoyances caused by this mils These are suiii-ientlv well known tt who have any knowledge whatever o: locality. Many of the residents in ill-favoured quarter of the town have fared considerable pc; uniary loss tint i the destroying and blighting inll tenc i the sand, which is so line that no bull is proof against us power of penetra 1 And everyone knows how uimomfor travelling—-on foot or on horseback rendered during the summer when 1 the slightest breeze prevails. The sti blown along in perf aU clouds, and is ft ; into the clothes to such an extent that passer by becomes, to use a common pression, “as dusty as a miller.” matter is one which calls for the adop by the Town Council of the best reint measures that can he devised ; and [trust the question will be brought u the very first meeting after the elecl j The longer action is delayed, the worst [nuisance becomes; the sand spreadst | amazing extent, and the area of gr( [covered by it has nearly doubled within past two years. Already, people who i side iu that neighbourhood are removii 1 being literally b'oini away—to more | voured portions of the town, in the 1 I that they may to some extent bo f [from the destructive ellecls of the ( i plague. From another aspect, also, plain that the Council will be only I forming their legitimate functions it [ tending to this matter. It is there [ nised duty of urban governing bodie [ make the towns under their manager as far as possible attractive as pla« residence. Cromwell, at present, is from being such ; in fact, during summer months, it is quite the rev Parched with heat, smothered with petnal dust, and oftener without w than with it, it is about the most uni i fortahle place of residence that can we imagined. , The land referred to, although wi the municipal houndary, is uusurvf and, we need scarcely add, unsold, adjacent blocks, owing to their proxil j to the sandy waste, are necessarily dr ciated in value : no one cares to build' or improve town allotments in then! bonrhood while the dust nuisance re® unabated. The origin of the nuisance was the tivation and subsequent abandonuiea a piece of ground on the slope of the - | race fronting the Ivawarau river; j from this spot the sand has since sp . | for a considerable distance on every i until it now covers about ten a fr ® ground. Cultivation was the cause! | wo believe that in cultivation lies the remedy. Of course, the process of rev 1 ing the land from its present desert d lion would naturally be slow, and $ seasons would he occupied before sn, ' prcciable improvement became apP 11

« ut) on the other hand, if some means are ot shortly adopted to abate the nuisance, ” Q{ j s0 stop the further extension of the (idesert place,” it will ere long assume such that any action will bo use[esS) and every atom of vegetation in the peidihourhood will be exterminated. £ s W e have said* we believe the only remedy lies itx cultivation. The opinion of an experienced seedsman, who visited Cromwell some eighteen months ago, and whose attention was then directed to the subject, may be deemed of some value. In a private letter, alluding to the subject, he states uf think the best mode of reclaiming the sandy ground behind the town would be to harv it well in the beginning of winter, and then ' the seeds mentioned below. The quantities stated are what would be required per acre 3 bushels cocksfoot grass seed ; Gibs white clover ; Gibs trefoil; lib whin ; lib broom. whin and broom would tend to encourage t he growth of the grass ; and when the latter tfl3 well established, the whin and broom might be cut out, so as to prevent possible danger from j| re _ The cost of the seeds above mentioned would he a little over £3 for each acre sown.” Having directed public attention to this important matter, we commend it to the attention of our municipal representatives, in the hope that they will see the necessity of adopting some such plan as we ], a ve suggested for remedying the evil.

The polling for the election of a Councillor for Kawarau Ward takes place on Thursday next. Mr William Grant and Mr I). A. Jolly are the rival candidates, and both intend addressing the ratepayers to-morrow (Wednesday) evening. Mr Isaac Wright has been requisitioned to fill the vacancy caused by Cr. Fraer’s resignation, and is as yet the only candidate in the iield for Bridge Ward The nomination is announced for Saturday, 3rd August. The adjourned annual meeting of menihersof the Cromwell Jockey Club is to be held on Thursday evening in the Town-hall. The busings being of unusual importance, it is to he hoped there will be a full attendance. The memorial recently sent to the Postmaster- 1 leneral asking for the establishment of a mail service between Cromwell and the Carri :k Gauge townships, has had the desired effect. Waob-erve in the lohbv of the local Post-office a notice inviting tenders for the conveyance of a ails oace weekly eic'i way between Or unwell, Qnartzville, and Carriekton, from Ist September to 31st December ensuing. Tenders require to b■ sent to the Chief Postmaster, Dunedin, by Saturday, the iUrh August proximo. The mem iriali >ts asked for a bi-weekly anil, which is crain y required ; but we presume that until the en I of the current year we shall have to be content with a weekly service. Crushing operations were resumed at the Elizabeth and Star-and-Oak batteries yesterday m iriiiug. The former had been idle foi three weaks p evi mslv, and the latter for live weeks, o ring to to the prevalence of severe frosts. The Elizabeth Company are crushing stone from their own mi ic: while the Star-and Oak is engaged on stone from the Star of the East. The lloyal Standard Company’s machine is still inactive. Mr Lake, surgeon, and medical officer to the three brandies of Friendly societies in this district, has commenced practice in Cromwell. As will be seen from an announcement elsewhere in our present issue, Mr Lake may ho cinsulted at the premises adjoining Mr 0. W. Wright’s, Melmore-terrace south. We understand that the Kawarau Hotel, which for upwards of five years has been ably and successfully conducted by Mr W. Smitham, has passed into the bauds of Mr Frederick Bastings, late of the Commercial Hotel, Lawrence, who entere I into possession of the premises yesterday. Our acquaintance with Mr Bastings while at Tuapeka warrants us in saying that the Kawarau Hotel could not have f Bleu into better hands. Mr .Smitham, who is probably the oldest resident in Cromwell—having arrived here atthe outbteak of the Dunstan rush in 18i)2—purposes leaving the Province at an early date. He trust he will not be permitted to leave Cromwell avithout receiving some public recognition of the many valuable services ho has rendered to the district in various capacities. Mur •ay’s World Circus appeared on two evenings last week in Cromwell ; and on both occasions there was an excellent attendance. Ko greater testimony to the merit of the performance is needed when we state that everybody enjoyed it, and went away well satisfied that they had received excellent “ value for money.’ Ge Bannockburn people are promised an evenprogramme on the downward journey o the troupe; and Cromwell is to be again favoured. For day and date, we refer our readers t» the advertisement. The anniversary soiree in connection v ‘ih tlie Cromwell Sunday School was hold in ae School-room on Friday evening, and was Ver { largely attended. The purveyorship was •hj he hands of Mr C. W. Wright, confectioner, *ud we believe that both as regarded quantify, quality, and variety, the articles of consumption Th V 'i r° n tllG oouasion h rave perfect satisfaction, he ladies who presided at the. tea-tables were ■ rs wake, Mrs Goldsmith, Miss Wright, Miss ■’ SS Mar .V Wright, and Miss Elizabeth -orsu. After the tables were cleared away, the W scholars, under the direction of Mrs akeheld, who presided at the harmonium, n =a number of favourite hymns, which wore waited with recitations of divers descriptions, i . . ev - Mr Drake afterwards delivered a brief instructive address on the influence of Snn‘ybchnnls in promoting Christianity and in esennng the vital principles of true religion on lives 01 i °* t * ie scho;ars throughout their after vv ’ as announced that a statement of 'P s and disbursements in connection with anniversary soiree would shortly be pubea 111 the local paper.

A letter signed “ Toby ” was received too late for publication this week. The latest number of the Illustrated Herald contains a wood-engraving of the township of Cromwell, We are glad to learn that the results already obtained from the Nil Desperaudum Company’s mine have been considered sufficient ly favourable to warrant the acceptance of a tender from Messrs Alves and Co., of Dunedin, for a quartz mill to be erected on the claim. The contract was signed on Friday last, tor completion within ten weeks. On the same day Messrs P. H. M‘Ardell, J. 0. M‘Ardell, E. M'Nulty, and W. Goldammer were elected directors of the Company. The erection of a mill in Pipeclay Cully will give an impetus to quartz mining in that locality which it is expected will culminate in some rich discoveries. At a public meeting, held in Greymouth on July 19, a memorial was adopted embodying resolutions approving of a Province, and an elem tive Superintendent, for the West Coast Goldfields. The Eev. Mr Bluett has been elected to fill the vacant seat in the House of .Representatives for Coleridge, Canterbury. For the seat of Avon, in the same Province, rendered vacant by the resignation of Mr J. Hall, (who has joined the Ministry, and been called to the Upper House,) Mr Cracroft Wilson is the only declared candidate. In the Assembly, the Public Health Bill has been read a second time. It proposes the appointment of a Central Board of Health in each Province, consisting of the Superintendent, Executive, and three other members, appointed by the Governor ; also, the appointment of local District hoards, consisting of the municipal authorities or Highway Boards. Extensive I powers arc given to the Boards, and vaccination 1 is rendered compulsory. The small-pox excitement in Auckland still holds. The doctors, both in the city of Auckland ami at the Thames, have been day after day kept busily engaged in vaccinating— | “ men, women, and children, of all ages, sexes. I class, and colour.” 1 Heat fears are entertained j that the epidemic will obtain a footing amongst i the Natives, — in which case it would’ inf illib y spread from end to end of tne is’and. lu many of the seaport towns, both Northern ami j Southern, stringent measures are being taken for the prevention of sinad-pox. In Melbourne, the disease his mule its appearance, and four undoubted cases are reported. It is be’ieved to have been carried from Auckland by the s.s Hero. The excitement, however, is said to be subsiding. r Au English correspondent writing to the fimaru Herald says:—“ln the Irish Synod of the disestablished Church, there seems to have been an unusual display of Irish wit. One of the reverend gentlemen designated the members’ refreshment; room as the place ‘ where the wild asses quench their thirst.’ In the dismission of die Atbanasian Creed, another member propose 1 that they should have fixed over Hie door of the home tli's famdicir notice : ‘ Mangling done hero.’ By one it was suggested that, before proceeding to business, they should read the ‘form id prayers for those at sea !’ And to sum up, when it was resolve I for the synod to sit twenty-one days, s une one perversely hinted that that was just the length of time for a goose to sit!” The reduction of the Gold Duty has already come on for consideration in the Assembly Mr Collins has moved that the duty lie reduced to 2s. per ounce. The GoM-lidds members are I reported to have held a consultation upon llie) mat er ; ami have agreed to advocate its gradual reduction, at the rate of (id. per ounce per year, j Under the heading. “ An Interval of Twenty Years,” the NeJ-mi Km muter writes on .the occasion of receiving the first direct telegrams : —A correspondent refers us to the Eraminer of July, 1 So 2, which announced the arrival of the ship Persia from London, after a passage of 155 davs, “with the ia'est English (bates.” In our columns to-day will be found the first through telegram from England, giving English dates only nineteen days old. We hear that the Clyde Mayoral election was conducted in an informal manner. In stead of voting as directed by the latest amended ordinance on the subject,—striking out the name of the candidate for whom it is intended no'to vote, —the Clyde ratepayers followed the o’d plan, of putting a cross opposite the name of the candidate they wish to see elected. We do not know whether any attempt is to be unde to set aside the election ; but there can be lb,tie doubt that such an attempt would be successful. Last Wednesday’s Provincial Gazette contains a notification, signal by Mr Warden Beetham, declaring open for occupation in extended claims the whole of that portion of the j Otago Gold-field situate within the following! boundaries -Commencing at Fox Peak, thence by a line due north to the west branch of t.he Matukituki River; thence down the Matukituki to Lake Wanaka; thence along the south-wester a margin of Lake Wanaka, and along the Chulia River, to the mouth of Cardrona Creek ; thence up Cardrona Creek to the mouth >f Branch Creek; thence by a line running due east to the summit of the nearest watershed ; thence south-west along the summit of the watershed to the heid of the Kirtleburn ; thence down the Kirtleburn 1 to the Kawar.iu River ; thence up the Kawarau River to a point due smth of Rock Peak ; thence south-westerly along the spurs of the Hector Mountains to Double Cone; thence southerly along the summit of the Hector Mountains to Lorn Peak ; thence south-westerly by a right line to the Mataura River; thence along the boundary of the Wakatipu Gold-field to tlie starting point. In view of tho approaching Spring Races, the sale of AH Smith mu's thor mghbreds ou the Sell proximo will afford racing men a favourable opportunity for investment in what a quondam auctioneer used to describe as “ blood, bone, and beauty.” Master King is almost the perfection of a gentleman's hack ; and Miss Elswick, if carefully schooled, may yet prove herself no unworthy descendant of the famed Irish Birdcatcher.

A. Government sale of five-acre allotments recently surveyed in the western portion of this township is advertised to take place at the Court-house on the 22nd of next month. The upset price is fixed at £2 per acre. Several smaller sections will be offered at the same time and place.