BANNOCKBURN.

Cromwell Argus, Volume IV, Issue 199, 2 September 1873, Page 5

BANNOCKBURN.

(from Our own Correspondent.) September L 1873. A complimentary dinner to Mr D. MacKellar, M.P.C. for the district, and to which Mr Haziett, M.P.C. for the Dunstan, was also invited, took place at Mr Stuart’s Ferry Hotel, Bannockburn, on Friday evening, the 29th August. The chair was ably filled by Mr James Crombie, President of the Bannockburn Miners’ Association, and the vice-chair by the Rev-. Mr Drake ; on the right of the chairman being Mr Hazlett, and on the left Mr MacKellar-, the guest of the evening. After all excellent dinner, for which no requisite that the district could supply was wanting, the chairman gave the fed.owing toasts. [Our space will not permit us to do more than merely notice the toasts,] “ The Queen.” “Our Quests” : responded to by Messrs MacKellar and Hazlett.—Song, “Where are my Schoolmates Gone,” Mr Humphries. By Vice-Chair, —“Provincial Council”: responded to by Messrs MacKellar and Hazlett. - -Song, “ Have you Seen the Play V* Mr Jolly; “The Mining Interest”: proposed by Mr D. A. Jolly, and responded to by Messrs Marshall and Crombie.—Song, “The Sea! the Sea !” Mr Goldsmith; “The Carrick Range Water Supply Company” ; proposed by Mr D. MacKellar, and responded to by Mr J. Hazlett.—Song, “My Mary Jane,” Mr Humphries. “The Press”: proposed by Mr Fenwick, and responded to by Mr MacKellar.—Song, “ The Brave Old Oak,” Mr Barr. By Mr Dove, “ The Ladies”: responded to by Mr Humphries. “ Host and Hostess,” by the Chairman : responded to by Mr James Stuart. Though somewhat nut of rule, many other songs followed the above toasts, and the company did not break up till Jong after the “ short hour ayout the twal I ,” —i am afraid to say how long. On the whole it was, I venture to say, the most enjoyable gathering which has over yet takeh place upon the Bannockburn, not one single incident occurring to mar the harmony or pleasure of the evening. Everyone seemed bent upon making everybody else happy, which is the grand secret of general happiness at these kind of gatherings being the result.

The Old Chum claim. Bendigo, from his grand height, looks like a king of mining claims ; the thousands of tons of “cold grey stones,” lying in immense piles around him, tell of human effort and pet severance in times gone by as well as present. For fifteen years or more, the mine was Worked without profit, and sometimes with small hope of profit. In the year 1354, a man named Gunther, with a party, formed the Pioneer Company to Work, and spent a large sum of money on, or rather in, it. These people got into difficulties, and after sometime—in July, 1859—the claim and the whim, and in fact everything helptuing to it, was knocked down to a plucky bidder for £l5O. Then the Phoenix Company arose from the ashes of the Pioneer Company, and collapsed even more quickly, when it fell into the hands of the present Old Chum Company, which, however, was uot registered until June, 1371. The Old Chum Company, at 526 feet, struck the Old Chum reef, and a continuous run of good fortune seems to have followed them ever since. They have declared upwards of £45,000 in divi lends -since that time, and have had nearly 18,000 ounces of gold from the reef ; or. in other words, they have had' in. money value £52.000 for £l5O, with the almost certain prospect of an Lwge, if not I’wtaftui.