CROMWELL.

Dunstan Times, Issue 288, 1 November 1867, Page 3

CROMWELL.

■ (FKOM OOH OWX CORRESPOXDEXT.) OCT. 31. On Saturday evening last a meeting of the A. 0. F. Court, Royal Oak of Kawarau was hold at Mr. Richard's Hotel, Bannockburn, for the transaction of business, the brethren attending in force. Brothers Barlow and Hastie from Clyde were present and w;re accompanied by Brother Smitha'li of Cromwell, whose mission was to teko preliminary steps towards having a Lodge formed at Cromwell; it was definitely arranged at the meeting that the formation of one be at once carried out. The approaching annual Foresters Ball at Clyde will be attended by a considerable number of! both sexes from this district. Mr. Stuart, the proprietor of the Bannockburn and Kawarau Ferry has discovered a seam of coal in close proximity to his punt, which seems like!}'to be of great value to the mi- < niug population of that immediate I<> I eility. It crops out for nearly two hundrel yards in length, and the quility of the coal s«jias likely to p -ov >. equal to any a's yet discovered in New Zealand. Mr. Stuart luis en-t'-red into some arrangements with Mr- W. .1. Barry, who, his placed a i.umber of hands to work th ■ se.un. On Tun*l iy last, th-.j 2 l ,)th inst., an inquest was held before H. W. Robinson, I's.., ,1.1'.. coroner, at the Kawarau * Jorge, on the body of a (ihinaiuan named Ah Hang, who was fo m 1 buri'.id o.i the beach of th ■ , Kawarui, close to Stuirt's For - . From the evidenc, wh'eh wis of a t-iilv distressing nature, and oceupie i thi Jury until nearly two o'clock on Wednesday inoruiag, it appeared that the attention of some miners was first drawn to the grave by the dogs frequently going to the spot, rolliug and making other signs, indicating that a something out of the common was there.- The miners having ascertained that a body had been buried, gave information to the police, who had the body disentered. Hr' Corse, M.D., who made a post mortem examination, deposed that death was caused by a number af wounds inflicted with a sharp heavy instrument (would say a tomahawk) the head was literally cut to pieces, one wound hiving severe 1 the wind-piqe, others cutting through the skull, and another penetrating right into the brain. The Chinese interpreter *' ih Piling' deposed, that hj" recognised the body by the clothes it had on, and by the bedding in which it was wrapped, and from the circumstance that deceased' mate Le Ah Chong having left the neighbourhood surreptitiously, and upon being asked at Tuapeka where his mate was and answering he had stayed behind, and would not come, he suspected him of having committed the murder. From the depositions of other witnesses, similar evidence was adduced, one witness adding that deceased had a large sum of money on his person, it was thought about £2OO The Jury having viewed the body, returned a verdict of wilful murder against some person or persons unknown. On Tuesday night, the Ball and held at Kidd's Cromwell Ho-! in aid of the School Funds came off with gi-oat eclat: about thirty couples being present, several duets and pongs were sung with very good taste by local gentlemen. At about 12 o' clock the company sat clown to supper after which, had been paid due attention to, dancing was - again renewed, and lasted till broad day. On Thursday, the Coroner, 11. W. Fobinson I'sq. K. M. held an inquest at the Court House, Cromwell, on the origin of the fire that took place a fhort time since, and which consumed the Wardens residence at Cromwell. The Jury after hearing the evidence, which was very lengthy, returned a verdict, to the effect, — ihat as no evdence had been produced, that could point the. finger of suspicion in any iirection, "Accidentally burnt."