Cromwell Argus. AND NORTHERN GOLD-FIELDS GAZETTE. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1872.

Cromwell Argus, Volume IV, Issue 157, 12 November 1872, Page 4

Cromwell Argus . AND NORTHERN GOLD-FIELDS GAZETTE. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1872.

The session of the Assembly just concluded has been remarkable for the high position iu Colonial politics taken during its progress by our member, —the “ honourable member for the Dunstan,” as they say iu the House, —Mr Thomas, Luiher Shepherd. Perhaps no “private” mem-ber,—-no member who has not been in one |of the Ministries, —has had his name so j generally buzzed and bandied about as this (aforesaid member for the Dunstan. In the telegraphic reports of nearly every debate, his name is found as a speaker, and generally well up in order of precedence. Correspondents of newspapers often made i him the subject of their criticism and anec- ' dotes, —in his favour or otherwise as the peculiar politics of their papers may have required. And, if we remember rightly, as yet no other than Mr Shepherd has been named as a likely or possible recipient of the cilice of Minister of Mines. Bv those means, his name has been before the public to an extent that few would have thought probable. We confess that his success — for such, we suppose, it maybe called — has surprised us. Possibly, however, it ought not ; for it is but another instance of what thbse men who have been hatched, as it , were, among surroundings of modesty and .timidity, may achieve when they break j through their outer crust, and are warmed up, by example, into emulation. We arc I beginning to find that we formed a false and unjust opinion of Mr Shepherd. Stupidly enough, we believed that his modesty would ruin his chance as a politician. His first appearance in the House gave grounds, to an extent, for this belief. When he arose to address the assembled represen ta- ; live wisdom of the land, and found himself

in the presence of so many “ honourable,” high-minded, educated gentlemen, it seemed as if he would sink through the floor, under the burden of his own unfitness and unworthiness. And these aforesaid gentlemen, —for of such is the House of Kepresentatives, —moved thereto by that considerateness for the feelings of others which, judging by their reported speeches, forms so prominent a characteristic of their natures, relieved the blushing orator of their presence, and so spared our member .1 - .1.« ..v-wi „ m i_ [UC Oliuluv uuu uiujiuumuii a UICUJVJown.” Other motives for tbi,s general light have been given by ill-natured persons, but we are convinced that this version jf the affair is as true as new. Our member was left to recover his courage and reall his blushes in the presence of empty jenches. But, since that time, Mr Shepierd has struggled hard to overcome this constitutional defect in his nature and ortauisation. He has taken frequent opportunities, unostentatiously and unassumagly, of making himself heard ; and he uerely wants to be heard to he appreciated, ythough he once declared that he seldom 1 Hansardised” his fellow-representatives, his statement is hardly, we think, consisentwith that prominent of Mr Shepherd’s {tributes, —truth ; though it is perfectly onsistent with that most prominent of his {tributes, —modesty. No subject, it may «seen by a perusal of Hansard, is beyond he reach of our member’s logic and argnwntij,—when his constitutional timerinatess is once overcome. For instance, ,pon Sir D. Monro’s motion regarding the uestion put by the Governor as to the kelihood of the House granting supplies uciise of a dissolution, —a motion which ivolved a great question of constitutional ractice, and to the discussion of which a irge amount of knowledge of constituional jirecedent was necessary to be ronjht,—we find that AlrT. 1.. Shepherd Id his say. It is a strong and sufficient 'usou for the belief that he has overcome is early diffidence, that he had the temerity

i debate at all upon sucli a question ithman like Sir I). Moxro, \>r Stafford, [r (tllliks, and Mr Fitzheubxrt. But f said his say with so much of tire modest, (obtrusive, unassuming manner so natural 1 him, and so familial' to his constituents, iat lie seems to have nude but little irnessiou ; Ills arguments and deductions died forth no questionings or denials from kw who spoke to the motion after him. House foully and entirely ignored his iv and bashful'utterances. We lind that 1 quoted from Professor Hearne on the ovemmeut of England. Judging by M has been seen of him and heard from min Ins public appearances among his nstitueuts. we were almost inclined to ink that, to use a popular form of expres)n > Mr Shepherd knew as much about

1 Ear’ 01 ' Hearne as Professor Hearne p'v’ijhout Mr Shepherd. But this our rur judgment is simply another in*aceof the false impressions liable to be imed as to the extent of knowledge poss«l by individuals so reserved and shy boastful display as is Air Shepherd. r Shepherd, also, possesses versatility, iiexample of this is close at hand. Upon e “grand ” no-confidence motion of the le session,—we refer to the former of the osneh motions, —it is recorded that he for two hours. Such a feat is in elf astonishing,—for a variety of reasons, "dieu we consider the speaker. But ,ea i fc i s remembered that, if Wellington ■Hours be true, he had made up his mind on which side to vote onlv two or three ■ T * before 1,6 so spoke, it will at once be owed that Mr Shepherd can lay claim versatility in no ordinary degree, obably it may he laid to the charge of 1 prinking, retiring nature, also, that ro Ims been so much hesitancy on the rt of the present Ministry in regard to

s creation of a portfolio to be held by a Taster of Mines. They seem to have . to S P :U ’G au individual so tenderly *tuted as is Mr Shki*iieiid the painful ‘.'is.ity °f being forced to give a refusal en ' ofler a seat in the Cabinet; and n ]J 10, when he has left Wellington, Wl hear more as to the fulfilment.of

promise in reference to this matter ;; - v Wateuhouse. This, it will Wight, is rather a strained view to ? matter; and ill-natured persons f e found to say that Mr Shepherd . willing to sink his modesty fur ® once » an(l accept office. But, at any j none can say he has not earned it. ] ! l,s have written by way of ropara ■or the injustice we have done Mr Bhep Coatim ’ally in our own mind, and , 10Ua Hy in these columns. But we ' the interests of his constituents, ' ema '’k that it is questionable whether la ° dest y ,)f manner and bashfulness of ssion will conduce to the advancement interests in the House of R B .

preservatives. Little, at any rate, has been accoin|dislied in this direction during the session of which we have spoken. Jt is recorded of Fox, the English statesman, that to attain oratorical proficiency, he determined to speak in Parliament at least once every sitting night. Here is an example worthy of imitation by our member. We do not hold it before him in the hope that he will ever attain to the fame acquired by Fox, even by such a course; but by it he might he enabled more easily to get rid of his burdensome native bastifillness and self-distrust.

The Heart of Oak Q.M. Company finished a fortnight’s crushing on Saturday morning. The yield obtained was 209 ozs. 15 dwts. of gold from 212 tons of quartz. A dividend of Bs. per £5 share has since been declared, making a total dividend for the past three months of 30s. per scrip.

The Nil Desperandnra Q. M, Company’s first crushing at their own battery was finished on Saturday morning—the return of gold oh. tained from 54 tons of quartz being 64 ozs This shows an average yield per ton of 1 oz. 3 dwts. 17 grs.—a result which is regarded on all hands as very satisfactory. We are informed that a rich body of stone has been struck in the centre of the mine within the last two or three days, the prospects from which are equal to about 4 ozs. to the ton. Some very fine specimens from the new find were brought to town on Momlav, and there can he no doubt that, should j the reef continue as rich as the specimens indi- j cate, the Nil Desperandum will be found to surliassI iass m richness all the other claims yet opened j out in this locality, i wo letters, both in connection with ini- j pounding transactions, will be found in our : third page.

During last week, much consternation ;iml dismay were created among owners of horse! running upon Mount Pisa Station, by the actioi taken by Mr Lou Jinan, the manager. Oi I Thursday, his men drove something like 201 head of horses into Mr Goodgcr’s large stock j yard, close to the town, from which the ani ! mals were liberated only upon payment by theii j uwneis, or promise of payment, of £1 per head, j 'hi Saturday evening Mr Loughnan seat off U j the Cl)de pound those horses which were left j" u kis hands,—twenty or thirty in all.—through the neglect, inability, or refusal of their owners to bail them out. Of course, the affair has given rise to much growling and grumbling,—far from being altogether Without cause. A ext Courtday, we lelieve, Mr Loughnan’s legal right to act as he has done in the matter is to be questioned, anddoubtless much interest will be manifested regasling the decision. It will be observed by a» advertisement that Mr Loughnan is determined to rid his run of all “ foreign” stock ; although we learn that he wall not object to the depasturing of a dairy cow or two. This action of Mr loughnan is calculated to seriously affect the miners and others resident in the neighbourhood; and probably we shall shortly have something further to say in connection with the subject,opened up by it. A meeting of the Athenaeum Hall Committee was laid in the Town-hall on Tuesday evening, oth itet., attended by Messrs Baird (chairman), Taylot, Allanby, Pierce, Foreman, Jolly, MacKellar, Marsh, Matthews, and San. som. The purpose of the meeting was to consider a letter from he Provincial Secretary in reference to the proposed site of the Athcnamm Hall. We subjoin a dipy of the letter as read “ Provimial Secretary’s Office, “ Dinodin, MOth Oct.. 1872. “ Sir,—Referring toy on r letter of the 3rd September, addressed to fjs Honor the Superintendent, making applicatifo on behalf of the Athenaeum Hall Committee W sections 3, 4, 37, and 38, block 111., townshijtof Cromwell, as a site! for an Athenaeum Hall j have been directed to I acquaint you that his honor is informed that part of section 4 is occu;ied by the Post-office, and is not, therefore, avaiable. Section 3, however, is available, and, i sufficiently large for the proposed Hall, is at tin disposal of the Committee. If it is not so, thu his Honor will ask the General Government ti abandon its reserve over sections 37 and 38, in rder that they may be granted to the Committed instead of section 3.—1 have, &c., “ AI.EX.WII.LTS. “John Marsh, Esq., ‘‘Under-Sccretary.”! “ Secretary Athenamm Hall Committee, | “ Cromwell.”

On the motion of Mr MaefvnLvr, seconded by Mr Jolly, it was resolved “ that Mr Marsh j and the mover act in conjunction vith the Score-1 tary to Public Library Committee in answering j the letter of the Provincial Secretary ; and that they be instructed to again amd; for the site originally proposed.” It having been mentioned that a building was in course of erection on a portion of the land referred to in the above letter, the Secretary was instructed to write I to Mr Dagg informing him that the allot-! raents have been granted to lie Library Com-| mittee. The meeting then a Ijmrned. Mr A. R. B. Thomson Ins kindly con-| sented to act as hamlicapper f>r the Croimveil Jockey Club Pace Meeting. 1

Mr Brogdcn has left Wellington for Melbourne, whence he will proved to England. The Bank of Otago has ituhlished an agency at Cardroua. Mr M‘DaTiill is at present in r>iar?a .

The usual fortnightly meeting of the Cromwell Town Council was held on Thursday evening. His Worship the Alayor, and Councillors Dawkins and Marsh, were present. Very little business was transacted. 1 luce tenders for conveyance of twelve tods of irou piping from Dunedin were received, and that of Charles Gibbones, at £6 per ton was accepted. The other tenders were £6 IDs. and £6 16s. 6d. respectively. In reference to a letter received from the Municipal Council of Clyde requesting the co-operation of the Cromwell Council in the

maHw of .U- i a; ... r ~ vvvw* one? uuuabJ UULIUII ui a liny 01 railway from Popotuuoa viu Pomahaka, Tapanui, and Moa I lat, it was agreed to take no action. Mr John Hislop, Inspector of Schools, visited Cromwell yesterday, and officially examined the scholars attending the Public School. He proceeded on his way to Queenstown this morning Mr Warden Simpson assumed official charge of the Dunstan District on the Ist inst. He presided at the Cromwell Courts last Thursday. Mr Carew has returned to Blacks, and will, as formerly, act as Magistrate and Warden at that place and St. Bathans. It affords us great pleasure to testify to the very general satisfaction Mr Carew has given in this district during the eight months of his judicial administration.

At a special sifting of the Magistrate's Court yesterday morning, Michael Nislet and William MMCoue wore charged with lighting in the streets on Saturday night. The delinquents pleaded guilty, and were each fin d 10s. His \\ orship the Mayor and Dr torse were on the Bench,

Mrs Vittiug, of VVaikivi, has been committed for trial at the next sessions of the Supreme Court, on a charge of wilful murder.

The Naseby people have been successful in obtaining a favourable answer to tbeir request ■or a Municipality. The proclamation will be made upon survey of the town.

The r J unary, Hr raid says;—“ A young lady who has been greatly annoyed by a lot of young simpletons who stop under her window at night to sing ‘ If ever 1 cease to love,’ wishes ns to say, if they will stop that foolishness, and come in and talk ‘ business,’ they will confer a favour.”

| -f rom the “ Home better” of the firm dtnr, we take the following :—“The ques , I fc ‘ on crossing the Channel in the easiest wa- (| :in d shortest time has been for a long while i j much discussed topic. Some have proposed i | bridge, others a tunnel, others a steamer whicl ,; carry train and passengers. A new schenn I has been propounded by Mr Henry IT seiner j Steamers are to bo constructed with a large siis j pended saloon in the centre, the boiler and on | gines being placed fore and aft. This saloon ii j maintained in a level position by means of ai j hydraulic apparatus. A man watching a spirit level can, by a slight movement of a rod resem | bling the handle of a copying press, control witl | perfect ease the oscillations of the saloon. Twc j steamers are being built, doO feet long and ol IdOUO horse-power. If successful, the worst | sailors will be able to cross the sea without the j miseries of sea sickness.” A fire occurred in Na.seby on Monday, the 4th iust., breaking out in a building which I was u -sed as a photograph studio by Coxhead j Bros., of Dunedin. From this building, the j I lames extended to the dwelling-house of Mr jlnder, which was entirely gutted, and a large | amount of property belonging to that gentleman destroyed. Mr Inder was insured for £il(JO, which will almost cover his loss; but, Messrs 1 Poxhead are at a total loss. We learn from the | Chronide that an open verdict was returned at j the inquest held. No one was in the building i when the lire was discovered, the photographers being at dinner. A typographical blunder occurs in the first paragraph of our description of the new batteries at Pipeclay, winch is printed on the sixth page. At the conclusion of Hie third sentence, Jjc “rcotion ’ read ‘‘down.”