Cromwell Argus, AND NORTHERN GOLD-FIELDS GAZETTE. Cromwell : Tuesday, September 23, 1873.

Cromwell Argus, Volume IV, Issue 202, 23 September 1873, Page 4

Cromwell Argus, AND NORTHERN GOLD-FIELDS GAZETTE. Cromwell : Tuesday, September 23, 1873.

We hare seldom risen from a perusal of the Dunstan Times with more grateful feelings than we did on Friday last, after finishing the leader devoted to onr special, edification, and which was professedly in reply to certain remarks of our own in the Cromwell Argus of the 9th instant. With grateful feelings, we say; for what can be more gratifying than the knowledge that one has not only gained a victory in a certain argument, but that one’s opponent has acknowledged a defeat, as the Dunstan Times so handsomely, though unintentionally, did on Friday last. It abused us ; called us illiberal, narrow-minded, selfish, and by implication all sorts of ugly names ; it declared the Provincial Govern ment was worthy only of contempt, and accused the members of it of low, mean truckling; nay, it included the whole of New Zealand in its shrewish denunciations ; and all for what reason ? Why, because it was mindful of the good old lawyer’s maxim, “ to abuse the other side, to abuse everybody, when it had no case.” We like to be abused ; it is a sure sign of no case against us. And now, having indicated the state of our feelings towards the Dunstan Times, —let us hope to its satisfaction, —we would once more, and very briefly, refer to the real matter in dispute,—namely, the pretensions, more or less offensively thrust forward on every available occasion, of Clyde to be the chief town of the Northern Gold-fields, and to be the natural centre to which all the business of the surrounding districts should gravitate. That is the real question, the erection of a court-house being altogether a small matter, and only useful in raising the real point at issue. We say again that the Escort returns are the only true and faithful indications of the importance of a purely Gold-fields township; they point out with unerring accuracy the town to which the business of any district will naturally find its way. Attached to Clyde, we are told, “ are the out-districts of Manuherikia, Blacks, Drybread, Tinkers, and the Teviot.” True, 0 Dunstan Times! they are attached; but it is only by a species of official galvanism. They have no real living sympathy with Clyde, such as we are proud to say, independent of the whole army of officialdom, Bannockburn and Bendigo have with Cromwell. If Clyde is the real central township of all that array of outlying districts, why could it not muster, for the last nine months, more than an average of 375 ounces of gold per month, while the insignificant township of Cromwell could send nearly five times as much? Why but really we must ask no more impertinent questions; we forgot for the

moment that tlio Dunstan Times “ hopes to hear no more about which township sends clown the most gold.” In consideration for its feelings, wc shall drop the subjeot. _ It is utterly out of the question to expect the Times, in its present mood, to give us unfortunate Cromwellites any consideration at all, but we cannot resist the temptation of asking the following questions :—ls it fair that the District Court, for instance, should sit only at Clyde, when a great, if not the chief, portion of its business comes from the Cromwell district? Is it fair that the District Land Board should only meet at Clyde, and that it should only be by the courtesy of the District Land Officer, (and we here cheerfully acknowledge it,) that any land business can be done in Cromwell! Or is it fair that every time we want a survey of any kind we must necessarily pay the District Surveyor travelling expenses on thirteen miles of road for coming to get his instructions ? We remember the time when, in addition to our present drawbacks, one could not get legally married except by the Eegistrar at Clyde ; a child could not be born nor a person die in Cromwell, without the necessity being imposed upon some one to journey to Clyde and duly report to the officials there. The sections upon which some of our houses are built were sold there. Nay, so low were we esteemed in the scale of civilization, that we had to depend upon that great official centre for even our newspaper. But these things are happily for us passing away ; sooner or later, we shall have equal advantages with Clyde; we ask no more, but most assuredly we shall be content with no less. We have very little inclination to notice at any length the personal allusions which the Dunstan Times has thought proper to introduce into the matter ; but it must be done to some extent, in order to check what might, if allowed to begin with impunity, prove an intolerable nuisance. We allude, of course, to the conduct of the Times in identifying personally the proprietor and supposed editor of this paper with opinions expressed in the leader pub lished on the 9th inst. We thought the rebuke dealt by the Mount Ida Chronicle to the Witness very recently, after an offence of this kind, could hardly have escaped even the editor of the Dunstan Times , and would have been sufficient, if he had rot previously known better, to have deterred him from committing the same offence. We recommend him to a careful perusal of the article referred to, and to just imagine, if he has any imagination, that it was written for his special benefit. We feel quite certain he will sin no more in that line. Another remark, and we shall let the editor of the Dunstan Times off on this occasion. He speaks of the propensity of the Cromwell people for tail-talk and “ blowing”; and tells us in his grandiose fashion that “anything to be real or lasting must be constructed upon a more substantial basis, or the storms of time will soon make havoc with the weak places.” Oh !ye gods! The storms of time, personified in the shape of a “Snyder,” have already discovered and are making sad havoc with the “ weak places” of a certain newspaper man at the Dunstan, Will lie venture to say another word about tailtalk and blowing after ho reads “ Snyder’s” remarks, reproduced in another column? We think not, and therefore will allow him to stand down, dismissed once more with a caution, in the hope that he will profit by our scarcely deserved leniency, and that for the future he will try to thoroughly believe his own maxim, that when any one town is propped up at the expense of others, the whole district is the sufferer.

A number of local advertisements, including the programme of the Cromwell Spring Meeting, are printed on our third page. A small rush is reported as having set in to Bailey’s Gully at the Bannockburn. The whole gully on both sides is pegged off in some places two and three claims deep. By reference to one of the late General Government Gazettes, we see that the Mayor of Cromwell has been appointed a Justice of the Peace. The constant and steady rain which has prevailed in this district up till the middle of last week, though not causing any floods, was yet the cause of considerable damage to one or two parts of the r >ad in this neighbourho >d. A little above the Boaring Meg, for instance, a piece of the road sank down bodily to a depth of three or four feet, rendering wheeled traffic for two or three days altogether impossible. The damage is now repaired, however. At the Lower Bluff ton, it caused a slip to take place. While removing the debris, a man named Warbrick had a very narrow fescapo of being killed. A large stone came off the face, and just missing his head, inflicted a great wound on his shoulder and arm ; had it struck his head nothing could have saved him. At the JS'evis, we arc informed, the road between the Crossing and the Upper Nevis is entirely washed away in many places. Drays are obliged to keep up towards the range in order to travel at all.

The Athenaeum Committee held a meeting on Friday evening, 12th inat., the principal business of which was to consider what magazines and periodicals should be ordered for the ensuing twelve months. After due consideration it was resolved to order the same as were sup. plied last year. This includes the leading magazines and illustrated papers, besides one or two of the principal weekly papers. It was also mentioned at the meeting that about sixty volumes had been added to the stock of books since the last meeting of committee. It was also resolved, at the request of the Town Council, to repair a few of the chairs in the reading, room. The Inspector of Works, or the contractor, (we don’t know which.) deserves lobe complimented on the excellent supply of water with which he has furnished the citizens for the last ten days. Since the repairs lately executed on the boxes leading to the reservoir were completed, the water has been not only plentiful but comparatively pure, forming a remarkable contrast to the liquid filth which before that time was supplied by the town-race. . sow that it is comparatively pure, We hope a daily inspection of the race will be made by the contractor, with the view of keeping it so. The only thing wanted now, pending the consideration and adoption of a complete system of distribution by pipes, is to continue the present course of the water down Inniscort-street to its junction with Murray-street. By this means, the water would flow at the greatest practicable elevation through the main portion of the town and would not only then be available for distribution to the numerous settlers on the flat, but would be freed from the risk of contamination which must necessarily at present take place with the race at its present level.—Messrs Howe, Thomas, M ‘Cormick, and MacKellar may do their best to preserve the purity of the water flowing past the lower portions of their several properties, but is impossible for them to be altogether successful ; the appearance of the town race (not to inquire more minutely) after every shower of rain will demonstra‘e that. We therefore hope to see the further improvement spoken of taken in hand at once ; the Council have sufficient money in hand, and they could not apply it in a better manner. We have received a letter from the “Father of a Family” at Clyde, but we must decline to insert it. We cannot allow the Argun to become the medium of a personal attack upon a gentleman, because apparently he has done something or other displeasing to the “ Father of a Family.” Paterfamilias must bid a little higher for the race cards at next meeting. We wonder whether our worthy Mayor is cognisant of the fact that there is about fifty pounds’ worth of C >rporation revenue running wild about the streets in the shape of unregi.-* tered dogs. There are at present only eighteen registered in the books of the Corporation, while the number certainly should not he far short of one hundred and twenty. This is a state of things which should decidedly not e mtinue much longer, especially as the owners of dogs valuable enough to keep would not grudge paying ten shillings a year for obtaining a license for them. As for the brutes that are not worth registering, the river is deep enough to di-pose of them. In our “ Quartz Mining Memoranda" of last week, we mentioned that in consequence of its proximity to the Cromwell company’s ground, the prospects of the Jleliauce company’s claim were highly thought of, and that an eigliih shareinit was recently disposed of fo about £2OO. In the courteous manner for which the Dimstiin Tinm is so justly celebrated, the latter part of this statement is referred to as a rumour ; and a hope is expressed that this “ Reliance” rumour will he the last, as Bendigo suffered so much in Us early davs from “ false and groundless rumours.” We have only to say in the matter that a one-eighth share was purchased for about £2OO ; hut whether the purchaser is entitled to he called “unfortunate” or no, is a matter entirely for that gentleman’s considera ion. We simply published what we knew to he a fact. A good story is being told just now against a well known hotelkeeper, who carries on business not a hundred miles away from Cromwell. It appears that a certain miner—for distinction sake called Samivel—in the neighbourhood of his establishment, was at one time a pretty regular customer in the way of refreshments, which he as regularly instructed the hotelkeeper to “ stick up.” Three months ago, however, “ Samivel” turned total abstainer, and the regulars as a matter of course ceased. The other day the landlord duly served Samivel with his little hill up to date, in which the daily “refs.” figured as conspicuously as ever. On Samivel remonstrating with Boniface, reminding him that not only was he a total abstainer, but actually president of the local total abstinence society for the three months past, the landlord, in a tone of utmost surprise, exclaimed, “ Oh, by Jove ! I forgot that! We ll scratch them out and immediately gave Samivel credit for the total amount of the daily “refs.,” apparently quite unconscious that he was other khan a most upi ight and conscientious publican. We have received the following letter for publication. It is addressed to the “ Treasurer of the Hutton Fund,” and is as follows “ Sir, — Will you kindly inform me the amount of money that was subscribed, and what was done with it ? —Subscriber.” The real name of the writer is of course appended. In reference to this matter, we must say that it is time this correspondence should cease ; either the Subscriber should apply direct to the Treasurer, who is well enough known and without doubtable to account satisfactorily for the funds mentioned, or the Treasurer should furnish the information asked. We are afraid it is fast becoming a matter of pride on both parts ; the one too proud to give the information in the way it is asked, and the other too proud to ask it direct. The Otago Education Board will shortly invite applications for the office of Inspector of Schools. The salary will ho £SOO per annum, exclusive of travelling allowances, and applications are to he forwarded to Mr Spcrrcy, Secretary to the Bo ird. Mr Andrew Fleming, rector of the Invercargill Grammar School, died on the 6th . ihstant at Invercargill.

Wo take the following from the Melbourne Age of the sth inst. “On Sunday (.list ultimo), Mr R. H. Preshaw, late of the Victorian Railway department, was dragging a buggy out of the coach-house of a friend in Kew, when his foot was caught between one of the Hags of the yard-pavement and he fell. The pole of the buggy came down heavily upon him, and inflicted such serious internal injuries that he died from their effects at five o’clock yesterday morning. ”—[The deceased was a son of the late Dr Preshaw of Castlemalne, and a brother of Mr J. A. Preshaw, Agent, Bank New South Wales, in this town.] The Dunstan Spring Meeting comes off on Friday first. Seeing the good entries for the two principal events of the day, the Alexandra and Dunstan Handicaps—seven horses being em tered for the otte and nine for the other—we may fairly anticipate a good day’s sport.—The weights for the Cromwell Spring Meeting Handicaps, which will be run on the Friday following, will be published on Tuesday next. Amongst other business transacted at the Waste Lands Board on Thursday, 11th inst., we find the following relating to our own district:— “Mr G. M. Starkey’s application to purchase section 43, block L, Cromwell, was postponed.—A letter was read from Mr C. Colclough, honorary secretary to the Cromwell Miners* Association, asking that a District Land Board might be appointed at Cromwell. It was not agreed to.— It was decided, in the matter of surveyors* travelling expenses, that no applicant be charged more than ten shillings per mile, however many his applications in one locality may be.—ln the matter of lenses, the rents of which have not been paid, it was decided that steps be taken to recover the rents.—Letter was read from Mr Simpson, District Land Officer, Clyde, disagreeing with the Board’s interpretation of clause 103b, Otago Waste Lands Act, with reference to pre-emptive agricultural leases. District Land Officer was instructed to send in applications direct, as advised by Mr Simpson.” On the 10th inst., when the consideration of Mr Starkey’s application came on, there was no appearance for applicant. It will be remembered that, a few days ago, we learned that a Mr Wardill, in the employ of the Victorian Sugar Co., Melbourne, was a defaulter to a considerable amount. By the last advices he was missing, having quitted his house, and left a note upon the table, stating that be intended to make away with himself. The Melbourne police, however, thought this was but a ruse to escape pursuit, and strained every nerve to effect his capture. By the arrival of a steamer from Melbourne yesterday, we learn that his body bad been picked up in the river Yarra, so that the unfortunate man carried out his expressed intention only too well.—Late telegrams state that it is probable Wardill’s diary will be published, and that it invo’ves merchants, banks, and others in his gambling transactions. During the last week upwards of 500 immigrants arrived in Dunedin, and they were immediately absorbed, the demand far exceeding the supply. Two new chum farm labourers from one of the vessels arrived in Lawrence this week seeking work, but being offered £GO per annum and found, promptly declined by saying, “ He bo not going to work for that money. ” It would take a fair wage to keep some of the recently imported in beer, if we may judge from the manner in which they pour quart after quart down their _ capacious throats. They don’t drink in colonial fashion ; but a party of them sitting in a room or standing in a bar, order beer in a quart pot and pass it round, all drinking out of the same measure, till it is exhausted ; they then have it replenished as long as their money or credit lasts. If their ability for work is as good as their drinking capacity the public works of the Province should make rapid progress.— Tuapeka Times. In the Legislative Council on Tuesday, September 16, the Otago Waste Lands Bill was | .rown out by 25 to 3, the Council objecting to the system of deferred payments for land. Captain Fraser, who introduced the Bill, said he know it would not pass, as runholding capitalists were so influential in the Council, and would use all means to prevent the poor man from obtaining laud. The following cable telegrams appear in late Dunedin papers, up to date London, September 9 :—Witnesses called for the defenefe in the Tichhorne case identify the Claimant as Roger Tichhorne, and declare having seen him and Miss Doughty together. Some declare their knowledge of Orton and Castro.—The payment of the Geneva award is completed.—A great fire at Savannah has destroyed a large amount of property. It is supposed to have been the work of an incendiary.—The Queen is going to Halban to meet the Crown Princess of Prussia. A railway accident occurred at Guildford, by which three persons were killed and thirteen injured. —The Statue of Victory in commemoration of the war between France and Germany has been unveiled in Berlin.—The last instalment of the French war indemnity has been paid to Germany. The Germans will finally evacuate France on the 16th.—The Pope is again ill.

The privileges in connection with the Cromwell Meeting Were sold last Thursday hy public auction, Mr Stanbrook (of Eames and Stanbrook) officiating. Mr Thomas Heron was the highest bidder for the grand stand and booth, the amount being £l7 10s. The horse paddock realised £l, and the right to issue cards 14s, Last year the same privileges brought £25, £2, and 17s. respectively. —At the conclusion of the foregoing sale, Mr Stanbrook proceeded to Marsh’s yards, where a miscellaneous assortment of goods was disposed of at satisfactory prices. In reviewing the debate on the Provincial Loans Bill, the Wellington correspondent of the Wairarapa Standard says that “perhaps the most thoroughly practical speech was that of Mr Donald Reid.'’ At Sandhurst, 10,000 people attended the Hospital open-air Sunday service, and £IOOO was collected. The Wellington correspondent of the Guardian has the following in regard to the Gold Mining Bill:—“ The poor ‘Smiler has come to grief with his little Bill, as the Premier’s generosity in having it reinstated on the order paper went for naught, and, * most unkind cut of all,’ it received its ■coup de grace principally at the hands of the new member for W akatip, Mr Vincent Pyke, whom the ‘Smiler’ evidently thought he had bound in bonds of everlasting obligation to him, by moving, only two days previously, that his name be added to the Goldfields Committee—an object of ambition to many members. But ‘not for Joe;’ Mr Pyke would have none of it, denounced it as * crude’ and a ‘ shin\,’ and a very pretty passage at arms took place, in which the ‘ new broom’ got considerably the best of it; Mr White, in his most outre style, dancing a corroboree round the two disputants, much m the style of a worthy uncle of mine who would keep back the crowd with his umbrella to allow a couple of small boys to fight it out. The House was much delighted and edified by the spectacle, but despite the Shepherd’s smiles being _ almost changed to tears, it was remorseless, and the Bill was thrown out. The Voluminous Bankruptcy Bill shared the same fate, the same being announced to the Chairman of Committees with a most joyful countenance, he at least knowing that it would otherwise have been his fate to go through all its clauses seriatim, a feat performed, I believe, by no other member of the House.”