Cromwell Argus, AND NORTHERN GOLD-FIELDS GAZETTE. Cromwell: Tuesday, March 31, 1874.

Cromwell Argus, Volume V, Issue 229, 31 March 1874, Page 5

Cromwell Argus, AND NORTHERN GOLD-FIELDS GAZETTE. Cromwell: Tuesday, March 31, 1874.

The last crushing of the Star of the East yielded 116 ozs. from 240 tons. The BeY. Mr Witliey is still lying in a very weak state at the Kawarau Gorge, He is said to be improving, however.

The Licensing Commissioners appointed for Cromwell and Cromwell District, in conjunction with the Resident Magistrate, are Messrs I. Loughnan, William Bennett, and J. A. Preshaw; for Cardrona District, Messrs Thomas Allen, Henry Campbell, and D. MacKellar; for Clyde, the Clyde District, and Alexandra, Messrs W. Beresford, J. U. Cambridge, and H. C. Jones ; for Queenstown and District, Messrs J. Douglas, J. W. Robertson, and P. C. Boyes; and for Arrow, Messrs A. H. Douglas, D. Butell, and W. Paterson.

Some person took the liberty of bursting open one of the library press doors on Friday or Saturday night, we presume with the intention of helping himself to a book without the aid of the librarian. We believe the committee have taken steps to watch the library a little more closely than has hitherto been done. The first person found guilty of such conduct as that above described will be expelled from the privileges of the library. It is also suspected that people who have no right to visit the library at all are in the habit of doing so, and that some of them are guilty of very disorderly conduct, Buch as tearing papers, scribbling on books, &c, &c. The committee are determined to put a stop to it.

Three funerals in one week is something terrible to record in a small township, -but that is the bare statement of what took place in Cromwell last week. The sad bereavement sustained by Mr Goodger's family, (in the loss of the eldest son and daughter), being the first, and we may say the greatest, evoked the sympathy of the whole district, and a large assemblage gathered on Wednesday last to follow the remains to the grave,—the largest assemblage we perhaps have yet seen. The Rev. Father Mackay, of Queenstown, conducted the funeral service in a most impressive manner. On Friday another funeral took place, and on Sunday another,—that of Mr Scally's son, at which over a hundred persons attended, a large number coming from the Nevis, where Mr Scally resides. At the meeting of subscribers to the Bannockburn public library, which was advertised for last Saturday evening, only four attended. After all the grumbling which has been expressed by several parties on the subject of this library, we certainly must confess that we are surprised at the apathv shown. An adjourned meeting will be held on the 18th of April, when we hope a better attendance will be secured. It is well known that another libraryroom will soon have to be secured, as Mr Stuart is about removing his house to another locality. Several meetings have lately been called, we understand, but all have lapsed for want of a quorum. If the committee were short of funds we could understand the unwillingness of the people to have anything to do with it, but seeing that they have about £2O in hand, besides the arrears due to them, we certainly cannot. Let ns hope a good muster will take place on the 18th proximo.

Mr Thomas M*Nulty met with a very serious accident on Wednesday last, while working in his claim on the Kawarau, near the Roaring Meg. While he and his mates were busy in the claim, a fall of about five tons of earth took place, which completely buried him, and sprained his mate's ancle. So sudden, in fact, was the fall, and with so little warning, that the first intimation his mate had of the accident was his being struck with a stone on the ancle. Turning round to see what was the matter, he found M'Nulty was covered with the fall. He of course at once started for the assistance of some other miners who fortunately were not far off, as his ancle was severely sprained, and he could not have been of much use himself. M'Nulty was rescued from his dangerous position with as much speed as possible, and removed to his father's hotel on the opposite side of the river. Here he was shortly afterwards attended to by Dr Stirling, who had been summoned from Cromwell by Mr Landsberg. Mr M'Nulty is, we are glad to say, recovering, although slowly.

The case of J. Mace v. A. Chalmers, which excited some interest at Cardrona, was concluded yesterday, before Mr Beetham, at Arrowtown. The case was partly heard at Cardrona on Tuesday last. The plaintiff claimed £BO (reduced to £49 65.), being value of firewood destroyed by a grass fire on Pigeon Island, Lake Wanaka, caused by the action of defendant while mustering sheep. The evidence was conflicting as to how the wood was burnt, but it was shown that fires were lighted on the island during the time in question. Mr Beetham, in summing up the evidence, stated that he thought there were no grounds for thinking that the fire was caused by the action of any other person than defendant. The evidence showed that when defendant arrived on the island, the wood was intact, and that before he left it the fire had taken place ; and there could be no doubt that fires had been lighted while mustering. There was also the strong presumption that no other person had access to the island, and had no interest in lighting fires for any purpose. A question had been "raised br counsel for defendant, as to the property which plaintiff had in the wood destroyed. Plaintiff had held a license to cut wood previously, and could retain property in the wood. Judgment was then given for amount claimed.

Mr A. 6. Allan, schoolmaster at Green Island, has been requested to resign his post. Mr Allan has refuted, and intends to take aotion against the Government.

The only civil case at the session of the Supreme Court, is " Macassey v. Bell," in which the former seeks to recover £IOOO damages from the Evening Star for an alleged libel, re Chinese petition.

A telegram was received from Mr Dawkins yesterday, stating that he had waited upon the Executive in Duhedin three times in reference to the Hospital Endowment. No definite answer will be given till the Provincial Council meets.

Some person writing in the Bruce Herald under the title of "Agitator," says that an epidemic of a fatal nature has broken out in Cromwell, and sets down as the cause of it the bad water and defectivp drainage arrangements which are in use. The letter ends thus:—"By-and-bye, no doubt, the vexed question of where we shall get our water and at how much, will be decided by the cost of thelives lost. Should not the police authorities interfere to show the municipality and the Press its duty."

At a banquet held in Port Chalmers on Thursday to celebrate the piercing of the Deborah Bay tunnel, Mr Bastings said that as the runs fell in, the Government had determined to cut them up, so as to settle 300 or 400 families. The Roxburgh statements emanated from some people whose business was kept up by local commotion, and men occupying respectable positions did not scruple to tell a lie in endeavouring to show that the Government was not desirous of opening up the lands. As fast as the Government constructed main lines, so fast would the Provincial Government construct branchlets.

The eucalyptus globulus, or Australian blue gum, is becoming increasingly popular as an "anti-fever tree." The New York Tribune, thinks the good effects which have followed its planting in California should lead to its introduction into all the Gulf States, and it might now be tried further north. Of its marvellously rapid growth the Daily Times gives an instance: —ln the Knox Manse garden, George-street, a blue gum was cut level with the ground between fifteen and sixteen months ago. Siuce then, it has sent up numerous shoots, and the leading one on being measured lately was found to be 13 feet 4 inches in height.

The Mount Ida Chronicle contains the following items of news, telegraphed from Dunedin on Friday evening : —Payable gold has been struck on the railway works in the vicinity of Clark's Flat, between Tokomairiro and the Clutha.—ln the Resident Magistrate's Court, this morning, Bathgate sentenced Belcher, the well-known bookmaker, to a month's imprisonment for assaulting a man who refused to pay a bet. The case against Drake, Belcher's partner, was squared.—Advices from Gisborne, Poverty Bay, state that rich gold-bearing quartz has been found at Tokomarau, about eightly miles north of Poverty Bay. Dr Hector has been shown the specimens, and says if really found where stated, payable reefs exist.

Diptheria in a malignant form having appeared at Yea recently, Mr Greathead was invited to that town, as it was found that under ordinary medical treatment the patients rapidly succumbed to the fell disease, and it was hoped that he would be able to stay the epidemic by his mode of treatment. In compliance with the call Mr Greathead went to Yea on the 4th inst., and a correspondent states that from that time to the 16th he attended thirty-two cases, of which' he had cured thirty, while only two died. A public meeting was afterwards held for the purpose of advancing the antidote in public estimation ; at which it was unanimously resolved, " That this meeting declares it beyond all doubt that Mr Greathead's antidote, when promptly and properly applied, is a safe and infallible remedy for diptheria..— Melbourne Age.

We hear anew surprise is in store for the Assembly, in the shape of a gigantic company, with a capital of £3,000,000, and a Government guarantee of 5 per cent., to monopolise the entire trade of Polynesia. It will be established on the same basis as the African Company and other trading companies in England. The capital is to be raised in England, under the above colonial guarantee. The prospectus will be confipentially circulated shortly by the Premier, Mr Vogel, who has taken the project in hand. It was this scheme to which he referred in recent speeches as a measure under the consideration of the Government, and likely to develop immensely the trade of New Zealand with Polynesia, but of which he was not then at liberty to say more. We have no details yet, but of the main facts our readers may rely. It is to be hoped no scheme will be considered without full notice being given to the public and a full discussion. We are not prepared for any more surprises at present.— Daily Times.

The following is portion of the report to Directors by the Manager of the Carrick Eange Water Supply Company : —" Since the New Year, according to your instructions, a small number of men have been employed (from six to eight). Having had some very difficult ground to get through, the progress made hasnecessarily been slow. The country around the head of the creek (Long Gully) is a succession of slips and broken ground, which has entailed a large amount of labour in taking out the race an extra width, and building walls at the back to prevent the ground sliding in, and to carry water. I have had a small stream runuing along this portion as we progress, and it has stood very well without any accident. We are now crossing the middle branch of the creek ; to reach the third branch with the present number of men will take about a fortnight. I found by a small flood that occurred about three weeks ago, that it was necessary to carry the race over these creeks by a heavy culvert, as at that time as much water flowed down from each of them as would have tilled the race. The creeks having a great fall, I propose to regulate the water by cutting a race a few feet to the creek, sufficient to carry the regular supply,' and allow the surplus during floods to flow under the main race by means of the culverts. It will also be necessary to put in flood gates at intervals, to let off surplus water and prevent accidents,"