CARDRONA.

Dunstan Times, Issue 433, 5 August 1870, Page 3

CARDRONA.

FROM OUU OWN CORRESPONDENT. | July 29.; With respect to this part of the country, I have not a great deal to tell about, except the old ci"y of the roads. The road to the Cardrona is in some parts totally impassable, having been cut up and washed away by the floods that have been so prevalent. Mud up to the axle of a waggon is the order of the day, and indeed it is a venturesome waggoner that will try it alone. The evidences of their trouble in being stuck are most numerous, especially from Poison Creek to the Luggate Creek, and round to Mount Barker. There is a party of five men employed near Mr

Maid man’s, filling up the holes, some of I which were three feet deep. Through some reason for which Icannot account, they have no appliances for carrying material except one wheelbarrow and a handbarrpw which they had to construct themselves, and, consequently, their progress is very slow, and though they have done a large ( amount of work, the holes‘were so deep and the means of conveying material being as I have stated, they do not get a-hend very fast. Why cannot the Government furnish them with a dray 1 The road from where they are working to Maidrnan’s is an impassable swamp ! Mr. Maidman has volunteered to cart all the material needed for making a road at 2s. per load, and if the work is meant to be dmie and the road put in good repair, they must have a dray to bring the stuff. If the road is put in good repair now it will last all the summer The road on the other bank of the Olntha, to the Hawea, is also washed away in several places, necessitating drays to go round. Mining matters are rather dull on the Cardrona, owing to the general bad weather experienced, Tlie Celestials have g eatly improved the appearanc ■ of the township by the erection of two large stores, in which they are doing a good trade with their country, men. Sergeant Cassells, I heard, made a raid on their gaming tables, but still they gamble away I went into one of the largest of theia stores and found about thirty deeply interested on the chances of their game. They closed around the table, and each kept his money in hand, and muttering low and deep could be heard on every side, They evidently do not appneiate any interference with their little games. Although this is such an out of the places, yet the inhabitants h<-ve an nmole supply of the latest news, and they talk of opening a public library. Mr. Patterson has received a large amount of books, and I may be able in my next to tell you that such a valuable institution is in full swing. 1 am sure it will be well patronised. A share has lately changed ha Is in the the Young Pirate company for bOl. Business is pretty much the same, but no doubt this will be a thriving place in the spring. A mob of sheep changed hands belonging to Messrs Colclough and Gibson, Mr. Terry, the butcher was the purchaser. With respect to meteorological observations, from my own experience I say frost, snow, hail sleet, and fog, with alternate sunshine, makes up the climate usually experienced here in the winter.