CROMWELL.

Dunstan Times, Issue 382, 13 August 1869, Page 2

CROMWELL.

(from our own correspondent.) August 10. The municipal difficulties are still occupying or rather distracting the attention of our citizens and the remnants of the old Council, but I believe they have now reached the culminating point. Notices of ihe appointment of the 23rd inst., as the day to fill up the three vacant seats (Mayor and two Councillors) have been issued by the two remaining members, and the result remains to S bo seen. Under what authority the * forthcoming election is announced to take place is incomprehensible to me, and, I believe, to most of the citizens, but it is said the law allows it, it is to be hoped so, and that there will be an end of the unseemly proceedings of the last ten days. Dissensions may be profitable to the lawyers and the telegraph department, (if they are ever paid) but in the long run Cromwell will have to pay the tiddler, not to speak of the other loss which cannot be reckoned up in pounds, shillings, and pence. The universal feeling, I believe, condemns both parties in this municipal war. Messrs. Goodger and Kelly, in the first instance, for being so precipitate in sending in their resignations before the municipal machine was fairly under way, and Messrs Dagg and Buries for so obsti-

nately closing the door against all efforts at reconciliation. The {one party resigned certainly, which was the initiatory offence but ,regretting the confusion resulting, would have been willing to compromise and so allow businesss to go on, notwithstanding their resignation : the other part' - notwithstanding the dougtful legality of their proceedings, appear animated only with a desire for retaliation. For the general good it would be desirable if both parties would make an advance towards reconciliation. If Messrs. Goodger and Kelly were the first offenders, they have been the first to submit; if Messrs. Dagg and Buries have been offended against, to them the submission has been made.

The forthcoming election for the office of Resident Surgeon of the Dunstan Hospital is provoking a good deal of discussion in this place. The necessity of appointing the very best obtainable man, irrespective of personal leanings, is acknowledged on all sides, and a very general desire has been expressed that the voters in this place could have had an opportuni y of perusing the testimonials of the various applicants before the day of election. From wlmt I hear of the candidates, Doctors Shaw, Harding, and Burrows appear to be the ones between whom the contest will be. The neighborhood of the township of Wakefield (Rocky Point) is beginning to come into great favor. I see there are two applications now before the Government for permission to put on punts at that place. The present punt owner should see to the matter in time, and improve the approaches to his crossing, else it may become the imperative duty of the Government to grant another license or two It is all very well to protect punt owners to a certain extent, but the punt -users’ interests are most decidedly the first in importance. The approaches on both sides to the present punt are in a wretched state, it is almost impossible to take a conveyance across with safety, and the charges are too high. The Government will no doubt protect Mr. M'Pherson’s interest to a certain extent, but they will, we trust, see that no repetition of the state of things on the Cromwell and Queenstown road takes place. Things are very dull in the sluicing line this weather. The winter has been altogether t<’o good for those in that department of gold miningl Throughout the Bannockburn district for instance —and it may stand as in the same case with other parts—the supply of water is hardly sufficient for four hours work per day. The worst of it is that the great Summer supply, the snow, is hardly to be seen on the highest ranges. Failing sluicing, next Summer the miners must turn increased attention to the development ot the Quartz reefing industry. There can be no doubt now that there is abundance of room for speculation in that direction. Apropos of the feared failure in the supply of water, would it not he a wise thing to re-open the question of obtaining a never-failing supply from the imper wa ers of one of the two noble rivers, the Clutba and the Kawarau, or even from the Dikes themselves. Many a more impracticable scheme has been triumphantly carried through. It is reported that several of our most enterprising “ Gorge ” men have formed themselves into a company, for (he purpose of testing the richness of the Shotover bed by 1 redging.They will have most unusual difficulties to contend against before even one nail is driven into the proposed dredge, but knowing the men who are said to have, entered into the matter, I do not hesitate to prophesy that they will he successful. If they are not, I would advise others not to make the attempt.