The Cromwell Argus, AND NORTHERN GOLD-FIELDS GAZETTE. Cromwell: Tuesday, March 17, 1874.

Cromwell Argus, Volume V, Issue 227, 17 March 1874, Page 4

The Cromwell Argus, AND NORTHERN GOLD-FIELDS GAZETTE. Cromwell: Tuesday, March 17, 1874.

The Resident Magistrate and Warden’s Courts will be held on Thursday, instead of Friday, as usual. The first meeting of the newly-elected Hospital Committee takes place on Wednesday evening, in the Town-hall. Mr R. T. Wheeler, the enterprising news and advertising agent in Dunedin, has issued a very neat lithographic card, setting forth all the papers for which ho collects news and advertisements. We regret to hear that Mr Withey was suddenly taken ill whilst engaged in Divine service at Kawarau Gorge on Sunday last. The rev. gentleman is still lying at Kawarau Gorge, but is, we hear, progressing favorably. The Rev. Mr M'Naughton will hold Divine service in the Schoolhouse, on Sunday morning, at 11 o’clock, instead of in the evening as advertised previously. In the evening, the Bishop of Dunedin will preach in Mr Kidd’s Hall. We hear that several well-known miners at the Bannockburn have made up their minds to proceed to the Palmer River rush. They would do well to duly consider the reports of the scarcity of provisions, Ac., which are to hand from that place. The Queensland Government, thev will perceive by a telegram published in another place, are trying to stop the rush of miners. The heavy rains which fell on Saturday week caused a good deal of damage to the roads in the neighbourhood. A portion of the Queenstown road, a little above the Roaring Meg, was washed away and rendered impassable for nearly a whole day. The Quartz Reef Point track was also washed away in several places. The rain was not general throughout the district, however, for the rivers rose but a very few inches. A meeting of the Town Council was held on Thursday evening last, at which there were present the Mayor, and Crs Hayes, Jolly, and Grant. The minutes of the previous meeting and the inward and outward correspondence were read and dealt with. On the motion of Or Grant, seconded by (Jr Hayes, the proposed regulations, of which notice had been given, were finally passed as the regulations in force for the better management of town affairs. The Council I then adjourned till Monday evening.

The races at the Nevis anil at the Cardrona begin to-day. At both places they have a second day’s programme. The application of Mr Patrick O’Brien, to lease four acres in the Nevis Valley for coal-mining purposes, came before the Waste Land Board at its last meeting. A monthly license, under the 161st clause of the Act, on the rnnholder’s consent being obtained, was agreed to. We take an opportunity of explaining to our readers that the William Griffiths who was brought up before the Resident Magistrate’s Court on Friday, 6th inst., for drunkenness, was nob Mr William Griffiths, of Oarrickton. The one who was charged as described was a new arrival from the Lakes district, we believe. The explanation is necessary for the reason that till this new arrival came, there was only one person of the name in the district. Messrs Bell and Thomson, of the Kawarau Gorge, utilised the heavy rain-fall last week in rather a novel way. The gully sent down a torrent which forced them, in fact, to cut away one of their dams in order to save it, and all their efforts were directed for a while to turn the water away from their claim. Finding that was a useless expenditure of labour, the happy thought struck them to utilise the extraordinary rush of water to do a lot of stripping, and that they accordingly did, with such good results that more work was accomplished in the one day than they could do in a week or two with the ordinary water supply. In relation to the new amalgamator, a description of which we recently reprinted from the Coromandel Mail, we find the following paragraph in the same journal of a later date:—- “ We understand that Mr Ford, the inventor of an amalgamator on an entirely hew principle, which was described in our issue of Saturday last, is likely to receive such assistance on this field that the machine will have a chance of being practically tested. More than one company in Coromandel is in treaty with respe -t to putting the invention to a practical test, and, should it prove the success anticipate I by its inventor, and by several skilled amalgamators here, its general adoption will prove "not only a large Source of profit to the proprietors, hut, in saving gold and labour it will considerably increase the number of paving Teefs and per consequence the prosperity and advancement of our goldfields.” The manager of the Elizabeth Company reports that the company has commenced a tunnel from the gully at the south side of the claim, by which a very considerable depth will be attained for prosecuting further work. The present appearance of the mine is considered sutticiently encouraging to warrant this additional outlay. Crushing operations, whxch'.bave been suspended, since last month, will he resumed im-mediately.'—-The Caledonian Company now possess an influential Directory, of whom one half are in Dunedin, The discovery of rich stone in the Try Again claim, and of a gold-bearing reef in the United Carrick Range Company’s tunnel, both adjoining the Caledonian, has strengthened the good opinion already entertained of its payable character, —The John bull Company have dnly had three men at 'work'during the last month. They were waiting forth'eir new manager, Mr J. Williams, who is reported, to have taken charge last Monday. Only two men have been engaged sinking on the reef, which accounts for the small quantity of qua. tz which is at present on the surface.—The Star Company aie still crushing. Thev lost a day or two with bad air in one of their shafts, but the introduction of a fan remedied that. When the two shafts, which they are now sinking from their tunnel, are connected, which will be about the end of the week, the fan can be dispensed with. The prospects are still reported to be encouraging. —The prospects of the Oak again striking a reef are said to be increasing. The indications in their present workings all point that way.— The Young Australian Company are again engaged getting stone. It is sai ltobe of the same quality as that from which they obtained their last crushing, which yielded nearly an ounce to the ton.