CROMWELL.

Dunstan Times, Issue 355, 12 February 1869, Page 2

CROMWELL.

(from ouk own correspondent.) Cromwell, Feb. 9. To those who are acquaints! with the Clyde and Queenstown Mail service, the arrangement must seem highly absurd. Two up and two down Mails at the heginiug and end of each

week, and arranged in such a fashion that the coach travels exactly one hundred miles quite unnecessarily ; at the beginning of the week coming from Queenstown empty to receive up mail at Clyde; at the end of the week going empty from Clyde to receive down mail at Queenstown —surely such is not a desirable state of things. Some time ago the Queenstown Council brought the matter under the notice of the Postal authorities, but failed in attaining their object—the establishment of a mail between Clyde, Cromwell, Arrowtown and Queenstown. The Queenstown Coun cil entered warmly enough into the matter, but hardly received the amount of support from their brethren at Clyde, and Cromwell to which they were entitled. Could not one mare effort (simultaneous so far as regards ehe Towns on the road) be made 1 Common sense, a thing which appears to have had some influence at head quarters lately, demands that either the contractor be spared that needless journey of a hundred miles, or that a tri-weekly mail be granted. The cattle in our neighbourhood have not ended in eating off one another’s tails yet, but it is fully expected that they will be reduced tp such extremities before long. Peed is dreadfully scanty. There are said to be over six hundred cattle running on the “ Flat ” between this place and the Kawarau Gorge at present. If starvation is spoken of now, what will be said when winter comes, and pray in what condition will this year’s increase be a twelvemonth hence 1 Our amateur gardeners, especially those who put their trust in wire fences will have a poor show then The breed of cattle will be much “ liner ” that’s one consolation, if a change does not come and that soon.

There is some talk here about the appointment of Mr. Stratford (late of Cromwell) to a vacant Wardenship in the North Island. If true, it will be received with considerable satisfaction, :is making np in some measure for a good deal of shabby treatment which lie is thought to have received from the Government of this Province for the past tw-o years. Mr. Stratford will prove an acquisition to any district.

The School Committee have decided upon erecting a picket fence round the School reserve. It is a most desirable work as the school children were often placed in serious danger by the incursions of mobs of horses and even cattle. It will also add much to the settled appearance which Cromwell is beginning to present. The necessary repairs have been executed on the Gentle Annie bridge, and it is now in a satisfatory state; stronger and safer indeed than when first planked. There are rumours of an approaching match between two of sur local racers but nothing certain is known 0 i the subject. There are also hints of proposed challenges for the wrestling championship of the Province, in which the name of “our” man is used pretty confiden ly, but of that also nothing definite is known If this last affair should ever come to anything 1 don’t think our district champion would want for backers at any rate. “Freehold Digging” is getting quite the rage up here. Another shaft is being sunk on freehold property, and two more are talked of. \Ve will inhabit quite a miniature Ballarat by and by. The Foresters are preparing to celebrate their anniversary. The only thing under consideration is the form the celebration shall take—Supper, Ball, Pic-nic, or what.