Cromwell Argus, AND NORTHERN GOLD-FIELDS GAZETTE. Cromwell: Tuesday, September 15, 1874

Cromwell Argus, Volume V, Issue 259, 15 September 1874, Page 4

Cromwell Argus, AND NORTHERN GOLD-FIELDS GAZETTE. Cromwell: Tuesday, September 15, 1874

Our Town "Council have been doing their best lately to earn a good name for themselves in the matter of paying accounts.. We previously noticed the readiness with which they paid a blacksmith's account for a grating, supplied on no authority that could be discovered.; Since that, another creditor has fared well at their hands. He put. in an account for a piece of work which the members of the Public Works Committee, said was performed in a very Unworkmanlike manner, and certainly was not value for the charge made for it. One Councillor said the whole work was a mistake, and he had not the remotest idea who authorised it, but in the same breath; he begged to move that the account be paid ; and so trouble in the matter was got rid of; If the amount had been a small one, the thing could easily have been understood, but £l|kis surely not a small amount to the Cromwell Corporation. Another creditor has also fared well under exceptional circumstances; at least, he certainly has no occasion to complain. He took a contract to form a street for £BO, arid this contract he wasjto perform to the satisfaction of the Inspector of Works, an officer in whom the Corporation put their trust, and to whom they pay a salary in- order that he may Bee that public works are performed satisfactorilv. When the contractor referred to finished his work, the Inspector reported to the Council that the contract was not carried out in accordance with the specifications ;" it was, a good work, and -the street was well formed, but the amouht'of -labour in it was much lesstyjian that originally' specified. The Council received the report, arid sympathised with the Inspector whose, inspection had been set at nought, and, perhaps as a kind of salve to his wounded dignity, they further requested him to furnish full information as to the contractor's shortcomings and delinquencies in,the matter of carrying the specifications. But all the same they paid the contractor, — or they made him such a "progress payment" that, in ail likelihood, if he never gets any more, he will be at least fairly paid for his work. The Corporation have been accused of having "pets," the pets being specified in an amusing letter to this journal a few weeks ago; perhaps one or two more may now be added to the list. The question arises, (if it is not an impertinent one)— Would these Councillors "part" with money so readily on their own private accounts ? They really are so conciliatory to Corporation creditors that some day some daring individual willgo the length of trying to take advantage of them privately, and will anyone guess at the answer that can then be rendered to the foregoing query? Will this daring individual find that he has fallen foul of a "horse of another colour ?' The above reflections have arisen in our mind upon hearing that next Friday the Corporation are to appear as defendants in a debt case. The work the plaintiff sues for payment of was not performed to the Inspector's satisfaction, it seems, and although he has sent in his account very persistently, perhaps.in the hope that he would catch the Councillors in a conciliatory humour, still he remains unpaid. Taking into consideration the previously mentioned examples, this inconsistency on the part of the Council may appear strange, but it is nevertheless true ; and Mr R. Brown sues the Cromwell Town Council on Friday for L.12 10s. The circumstances, we may judge, in connection with this case must be exceptional in a high degree. A disposition to litiguousness is to be discouraged, of course, and it is to be hoped that even if the Courcil be successful on Friday, they may not get into the habit of disputing accounts to the length of going to law about them; but a disposition in an opposite direction may be carried to the length of becoming otherwise than praiseworthy. Councillors would perhaps do well to take a note of this.,

Cobb and Co. intend running their coach thrice weekly between Lawrence and Clyde, as soon as the state of the roads permit of it; and should the passenger traffic during the summer months warrant it, a daily coach will be put on.

After Mr Vogel concludes his business in Sydney regarding the electric telegraph cable negociations, he will proceed to England, whore he will probably remain some months. Dr Polien will act as the head of the Government during Mr Vogel's absence.

It is generally supposed that Cr Grant, who is now in Dunedin, went down as a deputation re the vexed question of Block IX., but we have reason to believe Cr Grant's business is entirely of a private nature. It may comfort the party holding views opposite to those of Cr Grant, to know that Mr Hazlett is also at present in Dunedin.

The holding of the Church of England Bazaar has been postponed for one week from the previously advertised date.' This has been done in consequence of the Dunstan Spring Races taking place on that date ; and the evening now fixed is the one on which the Cromwell meeting takes place in the afternoon. 'The change will be found recorded in the advertisement.

Friday evening first is the evening of the Good Templars' concert. The programme is advertised in our present issue, and it speaks for itself, so that no occasion exists for any recommendation from us. As regards the tea-meeting or soiree, we are told that full and extreme preparations are made, not only to give value for money, but to make the affair a social success.

The Government have made arrangements with the proprietor of the Morven Ferry punt in connection with the matter of fares ; and the new scale will be found advertised elsewhere for public information. We believe the Government attempted to make arrangements of a similar nature with the proprietor of the Victoria Bridge, at Nevis Ferry, but with what result we are unable to state.

We have heard some talk about forming a Cricket Club, or rather resuscitating the old one, shortly. Petermined efforts are to be made this summer in the early closing direction, and a club will therefore have every chance of flourishing. It was made an annual custom for two or three years to have a oricket match on the Prince of Wales' birthday, and a pleasant day's amusement always resulted. Can such a match be arranged for this year ? Cricketing materials we may say are to be found in abuudance, the property of former clubs. :.';■'

We understand the Government has had several communications as to the desirability of ■disposing of the as yet unleased portions of the Wakatip commonage. There can be very little doubt of the propriety of their so doing, if the commonage has been monopolised by large stockowners to the extent which we have been informed it has. With moderate reserves round the townships and the principal "centres of population j the' step is one which, will meet with general''approval, especially if .tbe,,iresej\ves are put ufiu^r ( efficient local management. -Opposition of course will be raised by those who have hitherto been monopolising these extensive commons,'hut the result will be greatly to the advantage of the people at large.

Yesterday a letter was received by the Mayor, Mr D. A. Jolly, from T. L. Shepherd, Esq., M..H.R. for the district, in reference to the matter of District Court sittings in Crom"well. Mr Shepherd encloses a letter from Mr Reynolds, Minister of Justice, who states that the Government will take steps to institute regular sittings of that Court in Cromwell; but -wishes it to be understood that nothing will be done in the matter for a month or two, pending the completion of new arrangements rendered necessary by the retirement from the District Judgeship of Mr Wilson Gray. The district is to be congratulated upon at length having secured this boon, which has been so long desired and so repeatedly asked for.

Judging from the annexed paragraph taken from the Weekly Times, the immigrants despatched to f nvercargill—and for whom the inhabitants were so clamorous—do not seem to "be such a boon after all. Speaking of those still remaining in the Esk-street barrack, that paper says:—"They are, it is true, but few in number, and nearly all women, with tawdry clothes and outworn faces ; but for pawning their goods and chattels for strorig'spirits, and for drinking, fighting, screaming, blaspheming, and in making hideous in a general way, they are, we should say, simply unsurpassable. They seem to be simply fit for nothing useful, and the life they lead is truly a pitiable one. Still they are human beings, and must exist somewhere or other ; but it is galling to think that the colonists' money should be wasted—literally thrown away—in bringing out people who, instead of being a benefit, are a burden to the Colony."

An important dispute is now agitating the minds of the miners in Pipeclay, Bannnockburn. Several sluicing claims have lately been taken up on the terrace, water having now become available, and tunnellers in the gully are up in arms to protect their interests, which are likely to suffer if tailings are to be allowed to be thrown wholesale into the gully. By our Court report of last week, it would be seen that an application by a party of sluicers for a tail-race was objected to by the tunnel claim-holders. The gully was some time since declared a sludgechannel, and the Warden, in hearing the objection alluded to, said some rather nice points were likely to be opened up by the dispute. The tunnel-holders complain that, if the sluicers sluice into the gully, the mouths of many of their tunnels will be filled up or flooded with water, and thus they will be not only debarred from working, but will lose the whole of the money which they have invested. But it seem 3 they can make no claim for damages unless they can prove that they have held a certificate for their claim since before .the declaration of the gully as a jludge-ohannel; and this the sluicers doubt very much, in the majority of instances, whether they can do. In the meantime, we believe the sluicers intend to prosecute operations, so that we may expect shortly to hear of litigation in that quarter.

Something like .£ISOO is the total.sum collected in aid of the widow and family of Captain Hart, late of the Beautiful Star.

Madame Gdddard, the celebrated pianist, will likely arrive in Dunedin about the end of the present month.

A telegram from Sydney published in the Argus of the 29th inst. states that the New Zealand mare Calumny has arrived, and that Lurline may start for the Metropolitan.

The following are the weights for the Canterbury Jockey Club Handicap:—Mr D. O'Brien's Tambourini, 9st 71bs; Mr Walter's Yatterina, 9st 71bs ; Mr Pritchard's Petrobe, 9st 21bs ; Mr Richardson's Malvina, Bst lOlbs ; Mr Campbell's Castaway, Bst 71bs; Mr Delamain's Templeton, Bst; Mr Redwood's Titoko, 7st; Mr Redwood's Roro, 7st; Mr Barker's Remnant, 6st 121bs; Mr Studholme's colt by Caledon, dam Zig-zag, 6st 91bs ; Mr Campbell's Tadmore, 6st 121bs.

From the Mount Ida Chronicle we learn that the General Government declined to increase the amount set apart for the construction of the Naseby. Sludge Channel. They have agreed, however, to allow the original amount to be appropriated towards the deepening of the channel so far as it will go. By a telegram from the Under-Secretary to the member for that district, we learn that this will cause the channel to reach about the two-mile peg from Naseby. This action, it will be remembered, responds to the burden of a petition which was sent from Naseby to the General Government some little time ago. Rather than the money should be ipent as originally intended, the people apparently preferred that it should be spent in a deepened, though considerably shortened, channel.