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Cromwell Argus, Volume IV, Issue 208, 4 November 1873, Page 5

Out of 440 shares in the National Tnsnranee Company applied for in Cromwell, only 139 have been allotted. The anniversary ball of the Loyal Cromwell Lodge of Oddfellows, takes place on Friday first, in Mr Kidd's hall. A great attendance is expected. Many will be glad to hear that the mental derangement with which Mr Bailey, of the Bannockhurn, was charged last week, was only temporary. The Star Mammoth troupe are to appear in Cromwell in Kidd's large hall on Saturday evening. The company is reported to have given great satisfaction intheplacesdown-country which they have visited. Pressure upon our space compels us to omit our usual Mining Memoranda this week. There is nothing, however, of any special interest to report, except that the Heart of Oak crushing realised 190 ounces, being nearly at the rate of an ounce to the ton. We learn with great pleasure that Sergeant Cassels has been promoted to the rank of first-class sergeant. Considering his lengthy period of service, and the satisfactory manner in which our worthy sergeant has always performed his duties, we think it must be agreed the additional step is a deserved one. We have to call attention to the fact that the system of Free Nominated Immigration is-now in force, and may be taken advantage of by any person who may have friends in the old country who may be desirous of immigrating. The Mayor, Mr Dawkins, has a number of the forms which are necessary to be signed by the persons desiring to nominate any of their friends. The liegulations under which this system can be taken advantage of can also be obtained from Mr Hawkins. There can be no doubt that if it is desirable at all to promote further immigra tion, "this is the proper system under which it should be done, and we would therefore advise ■tVßry one who proposes to himself to become a settler in this counUy to inquire into the nature of it; •

Detective Farrell is to be transferred to Lawrence ; Sergeant Shury, late of the Dunstan; will fill his place in Diinedin. ~ 1 Thursday last was the day appointed by th» Corporation for the election of an auditor, in) tooa of Mr Colclpugh, resigned. There was no nomination sent in. Next Thursday has been appointed for a similar purpose,, and it is ceN tainly. to be desired that the nomination will nott be allowed' to 5 lapse for ths ' -•' ' ] } Dr Sterling, the resident surgeon of thp Dunstan District Hospital, has sent in his resignation to the Committee., The insufficiency of the salary is supposed to be the reason. From all accounts in this part of the district, we believe that the services of Dr Sterling have given universal satisfaction, and we trust the Committee will see their way clear to keep a good man when they have got one. We regret very much to hear that about a quarter of a mile of the Cromwell-Queenstown road, a little this side of Haward's dairy, is showing signs of slipping bodily into the Kawarau river. At present there is only a short distance, where the road makes abend, which has actually given way, and which it would be dangerous to take a waggon over, but the road for more than twenty chains is cracking and showing signs of giving. The cracks extend a considerable way up the hill, so that it is evident the whole face of the hill is on the move. Nothing can be done but to keep the road passable in the meantime, till the slip shows signs of settling. Through the courtesy of Inspector Moore, we are enabled to give the following returns of gold sent down by Escort from Clyde to Dunedin :

A special meeting of the Town Council was held on Thursday evening, at which were present: The Mayor (Mr Hawkins), and Councillors Grant, Shanly, Hayes, Wright, and Pierce. The tmsiness was chiefly to consider the matter of boxing or piping the upper part of the town race. An offer by telegram from R. and S._ Haworth, Dunedin. to supply piping of galvanized iron, and one tender for the construction and laying of wooden boxes were laid upon the table. On the proposition of Or. Wright, seconded by Cr. Haves, it was resolved—" That galvanized iron piping be obtained for constructing the upper portion of the race, and that the quantity be ascertained hv the Public Works Committee, and ordered bv telegram." The usual vote of thanks to the Mayor concluded the proceedings. We have heard it affirmed, though we cannot vouch for the fact, that it is the intention of shearers in this district to stand out for payment at the rate of one pound per 100, as agreed to at the meeting of shearers in Oamaru. The feeling appears to have gained ground amongst the men" that they are entitled to share in the advantages gnined by the.runholders from the increased price of wool, and they can hardly be blamed for it. If the railways and other publicworks continue to absorb so many hands as they lately have done, it may come to the same pass as it did in Victoria at one time. It is told how ascertain squatter went running all over the rliir. gings in his locality looking for hands for the shearing season, but with very little success. By one pnrtv, in particular, he was very much disheartened, when in reply to his offer of work. Jie was told : '*No mate, thank you, we don't Want a job ; we don't mind giving you a pound a day to come and cook for us, if you'll accept of it." Mr Hannah, the secretary to the Maerewhenua Miners' Association, in writing to Mr Colelobgh, the secretary to the Cromwell Association, says : " 1 am requested by the Maerewhenua Miners' Association to inform you that the miners here have been requested to cease from running tailings into the Maerewhenua river, for a period not exceeding eight weeks, in order that the squatters, Messrs" Borton and M 'Master, may get clean water for sheepwashing. In the event of the miners not complying with this request, they are threatened with an injunction from the Court. The miners do not admit the right of the squatter to stop them from working, and we shall be glad to learn if you have had_ any similar case in your district. 'As this question will seriously affect mining interests all over the island, we shall be glad to have the advice of your Asssociation on the subject. I may further state that it is the intention of our Association to contest the question, and would like to know if your Association conincide with us in doing so."—lt is to be hoped that a large attendance of the miners will take place on Saturday evening next, to elect office-bearers for the ensuing year, and that no uncertain sound will be given on the above important subject. We have now more accurate information as to the fresh trouble at Maerewhenua than was at our disposal last week. It appears that the high prices wool has been fetching in Europe have tempted Messrs Borton and M 'Master, commendably enough, to go to considerable expense in perfecting their apparatus for sheepwashing. Hitherto they have always been able to use water from the Maerewhenua. This year, in consequence of the completion of several of the races from permanent sources, the river is too dirty for sheepwashintf purposes. Being naturally vexed at this, and also being unwilling to lose the. difference between the value of tho wool, well washed and only shorn in the grease—perhaps, on their large flocks, a difference of £looo—they have consulted" thifl.'iwyers, and" been to give the miners rio Hoe that they must entirely cease work for six weeks, .fust now thore is a plentiful supply of water ; in six weeks time it will be a fortunate season if there is anything at all approaching to a full supply. Consequently, to leave off working at the present time would be to lose from ovor £2O to £3O per man—amounting in the aggregate to a very large »um.. ... •

A carrier, whose uame we have not b«ard", was killed the other day, on the road hetween Olenore and Manuka creek. He was driving across one of the numerous bridges that span the creek, and it appears the waggon wheels came in coutaot with the railing of the bridge, or the parapet'wa'l close to the bridge. The wall and railing gave way, and the waggon and horses went over into the, bed of .the creek, about thirty feet below. Two' of tike horses were also killed. At the last meeting of the Waste Lands Board, Messrs M'Leau, Tolmie, and M'Laqhlan applied for a coal lease of 15 acres on run 237. Before incurring any expense, the applicants asked the following questions :—(1) If 15 acres would be granted ? (2) What price they would be limited to for delivering coal at the pit mouth ? The following minute was recorded :—" The Board can only grant a tenure under the 161st clause at £1 per annum. Price at pit, 17s. per ton. License to be granted—runholder's consent being first obtained. There was a rumour in town on Saturday that a young Lothario, living not a hundred miles from Oamaru. had eloped with a fickle fair, the wife of a labourer. A stanza of an old song says, " When a lady elopes down a ladder of ropes, she may go to Hong Kong for me ;" but this doesn't seem to have been the feeliug of the husband in this case, who is reported to have accepted the modest sum of £5 in full satisfaction for the loss of the lady.— (Jamaru Times. Constable Grey has been appointed to Cromwell in room of Constable Tronson, resigned. In noticing the fact, the Mount Ida Chronicle says .•—" It will be generally regretted that Constable Grey has been removed to Cromwell. The constable will there, we understand, be attached to the mounted police." Rich news comes from Cromwell. We learn from good authority that the antimony reef at the Carrick Eanges, Cromwell, promises to be a very rich mine of wealth. Mr Wm. Buchan, one of the few shareholders in the reef j—we beieve there are only three- has informed 1 a friend that he sold in Dnnedin lately for cash IUOO shares for JtlOOl). He reserves 1000 shares for himself. Professor Black has analysed the antimony specimens of the reef, and'he pronounces the ore to be of a superior quality. In London it fetches £9is per ton. Here the appliances are comparatively rude, and only £4O per ton can be calculated on. A company will shortly be floated with little or no difficulty.— Tuapeka Times. The Arrow- Observer, in referring to some news received from the Haast, says : "Our object in publishing the above is not alone to prevent miners from leaving the district until something more definite is known, but to impress upon the Government the desirability of something being done in the way of opening up a new route to the West Coast, via Lnke Wanaka, and Makarora and Haast rivers. We do not wish for one moment to detract from the usefulness or necessity of other routes to the Coast, but merely to point out that large sums of money have been wasted in the attempt to open np the Martin's Bay track, by a way which nature never intended, and which is impassable by snow the greater portion of the year; while a comparatively easy route which is open the whole year round, has been entirely neglected. As described to us, the saddle, is not nearly so high, nor so difficult, as the track over the Crown Range-to Cardrona, which is traversed daily by packhorses and travellers from the Arrow."—We mav again add that the saddle is only about 1500 or 1600 feet above sea-level, according to the most reliable authority.

oz=?. dwts Qneenstown 1456 2 Arrow 797 11 Cromwell 15o7 11 Clvde Alexandra Teviot 4;3S 13 Total 5206 19