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Cromwell Argus, Volume V, Issue 226, 10 March 1874, Page 5

Yesterday, the Bankers in this place notified their customers that the price of gold would, till further notice, he £3 15s. 6d. per ounce. The rise is, like the reduction, we understand, to be a genoral one throughout the Province. We regret to state that the sickness which has been so prevalent throughout the district still continues, and is even apparently on the increase. The break in the weather which occurred on Saturday morning last has, so far as can yet be seen, had no effect for the better, as it was hoped it would. At Albertown, Pembroke, and other outlying districts, the' same complaint is made of sickness as in the town. On Monday evening last, we are informed, the Bannockburn School Committee unanimously elected Mr William Paterson to the office of schoolmaster at the Bannockburn, vacant by the resignation of Mr Simpson. Mr Paterson has for some time past been in charge of the side school at Welshman's gully, and has, we understand, gained the approbation of all the residents in that neighbourhood.: While on school matters, we may mention that Mr Burrows has consented to carry on the Kawarau Gorge school till his successor is appointed, at least so we are informed by a member of the Committee. It is reported, and on good authority, that the Star of the East have struck the reef in one of their shafts, with a thickness of from two to three feet. Lately this company has been somewhat in difficulties ; as besides the heavy expense incurred in putting in the low level tunne], they had to contend with a gradually decreasing reef both in thickness and richness. The prospects obtained from the shaft above-, mentioned are said to be very encouraging.—very much better than any lately found. ' The present crushing is also said to be looking very well, but of this we shall say nothing, as the retort is the only infallible test of that matter. The Queen's Variety troupe are now giving entertainments in Cromwell, as may be seen from our advertising columns. Yesterday evening they had only a very moderate house, the reason being, we believe, because it was not very well known that they were performing at all. The greatest attraction of last evening's programme was Madame Blanche, but she unfortunately was so ill as not to be able to appear. Monsieur Hamew, however, ably filled her place, and certainly treated the audience to the most wonderful feats of strength and dexterity on the trapeze and Roman rings ever witnessed in Cromwell. The dancing was also very good, and the singing quite up to the average. Tonight Madame Blanche is expected to appear. On Wednesday night (the last one) the ontertainmeut is for the benefit of the funds of the Cromwell District Hospital. On the evening of Wednesday last the Committee of the Bannockburn and Carrick Range Miners' Association held their accustomed monthly meeting. The whole of the members were present, and the business was entered upon readily, and conducted in a well-regulated manner. .After the minutes of the last Committee meeting had been read and confirmed, a proposition to the effect that application be made to the Warden's office for one hundred forms of registration for the Electoral Roll, was put to the meeting, and carried. The motion that followed authorised the Treasurer to pay Mr Buchan his expenses as mining delegate, conformably with resolution passed at general meeting. It was then resolved that a special meeting be held on Wednesday next, for the purpose of revising and amending rules of the Association, to be afterwards submitted to a general meeting for ratification, to be convened by advertisement for the Saturday following. The resolution also embodied an intimation to members that their attendance at the general meeting would give them an opportunity of listening to an account of the doings of the Mining Conference from Mr Buchan. Likewise, the desirability of forming a branch Association at the Carrick will be discussed at the gener il meeting. The miners in that locality express a strong desire for the accomplishment of such an object, for many substantial reasons, but chiefly on account of the distance to be travelled over to attend meetings, and the toilsomeness attendant on the return therefrom. During the eveuing a slight discussion arose in re tho bridge petition, it being agreed to leave the matter in abeyance until the Association had been made aware of the determinatiohof the Cromwell Town Council, and Miners' Association.

' We hatie heatfd it Stated, though vre cannot say with what truth, that tho druggist at Clyde made up no lesslhan sevonty-Bix prescriptions last week for the town of Cromwell and its neighbourhood. If this is true, it betokens a rather alarming state of things. ' Mr Robert Reid, tho well-known manager of Mr Logan's crushing machine, met with a.serious accident mi Saturday morning last; which necessitated the amputation of the middle ringer of the right hind. Mr. Reid was busy cleaning a portion of the engine connected with or near the " governor" when the aceident took place, a portion of the rag which he was' using having been, caught by another portion of the machinery. His hand was consequently drawn into the machiuery, and the result was as we have stated. Mr Keid is now under the care of Dr Stirling, and is progressing favourably. There are differences of opinion among rather high authorities regarding social distinctions. For instance, the Colonial Government recently thought tit to withhold the Commission of the Peace from the Mayor of Cromwel. because of his carrying on the trade of a butchor. Yet Major Atkinson, who recently contested the Superintendency of Taranaki, and is M.H.R. for the Egtnont District, is reported in the local paper to have given the following evidence in a libel case in which he was plaintiff: —" I was duriug the war part proprietor of a butcher's shop in town. We,-called it a Meat Company. 1 consider the keeping of a butcher's shop no degradation to an ex-Minister." During the week we have had the pleasure of inspecting a buggy at Mr Pretsch's workshop, painted and finished to the order of Mr John Marsh. The buggy was made by one of the Dunedin coachlmilders ; but Mr Marsh adopted the plan of getting it up unpainted for two veiy good reasons : first, to save the risk of damage on the rood ; and second, to see whether it could not be as well painted here as in Dunedin. The result has, in our opinion, fully justified the experiment, and we hope in the interests of local industry that future purchasers of buggies and other conveyances of a like nature will adopt the same plan. The painting and general finish will bear favourable comparison with anything we have yet seen from Dunedin hands, and that is giving it no small praise.

We learn that a rumour had got abroad in Arrowtown on Monday to the effect that the Cardroua had been taken out of the Arrow Goldiield, and annexed to Cromwell. Naturally the report excited much speculation and indignation in the Arrow, the residents there no doubt fearing that—what with the temporary removal of Warden Stratford, ditto (if their energetic bailiff, and now an attempt to cut off an important portion off their goldfield—they are about to be snuffed out altogether. We are unable to learn that there is any foundation for the rumour, which we are inclined to think, has been got up for a hoax. It is just possible the mistake has arisen from the fact of the Carilrona licensing district having been included in that of Kawarau.— Mail.