The Dunstan Times. FRIDAY, ’MARCH 28, 1873.

Dunstan Times, Issue 571, 28 March 1873, Page 2

The Dunstan Times.

FRIDAY, ’MARCH 28, 1873.

Beneath the Pailc of Mon entirely just the pen is mightier than the sword.

As the Provincial Council will meet in- the course of a few weeks, it would he advisable that people should set themselves to the work of a careful examination of the wants of the district, so that we may not he left “ out in the cold,” as usual, and, at the end of'the Session, wake up to the knowledge that, in the general scramble for a shaie of the Provincial expenditure, members representing 'otherplist ricts have carried off the greater portion of the spoil. In respect to roads, things promise to be in a much worse condition than last winter. The road between Clyde and Cromwell is not only naturally a very dangerous track, but has’veen'very imperfectly formed from the very first; and, although it is ten years since its construction, scarcely anything has been done in the shape of improvements. In no other mining districts in Otago have t ho roads been so neglected as the Dunstau. In the summer months we arc blinded with dust, and in the winter in a state of blockade from mud. The loss to the public is something serious, and, what makes matters ; •worse, is that those who can least! -afford it have to pay, in the shape of! an addition to the cost of the articles ; they may consume or use. Goods ! cannot be conveyed from place to j place without adding to their first • cost, and it is folly to suppose that all ; this is borne by those who sell them. Every vendor must have a profit; and, when wc come to consider the keen ■competition existing in trade, prices must bo greatly augmented through the bad state of our highways and •byoways. A water supply on an efficient scale is-another matter of importance. During the last summer the town suffered considerably from luck of the liquid element, although, there was plenty available had a proper system of management been pursued. The stream from the Wai Ken Keri Valley is amply sufficient for the agriculturists and townspeople ; and, at the same time, no town could be better provided with a supply of water, were lit only used judiciously ; but, unfortunately, no amicable arrangement can be arrived at between ■ those claiming a right to nso this water, and the consequence is that some get too much while others got too little, or (in some instances) none at all. A reservoir is, without doubt, the best and most efficient means of economising the supply, asuoue would •run to waste ; and if one could be •constructed to hold six million gallons for the small sum of 1;G00/,, there could not possibly be a'better investincut; and, should the Provincial Government be induced to expend the •money, the Council ought not to begrudge to pay an annual rental equivalent to five and a half per cent, interest on the outlay, together with •the cost of maintenance. We are inclined to imagine that this large ■store of water could be turned to very profitable account. There would be plenty of water for driving machinery .-as well as for mining porposos, and the town bo fully supplied at the same time. For town purposes we require the water to be brought in at a suffi--cicut height so that there might be pressure enough to force it over the -highest buildings, and remove all danger from any serious conflagration. As yet wc have escaped with immunity from the ravages ot the devouring element; still it is impossible to say iow long this may be. It is to be

•loped that we may continue to be safe from fire; but wo must not neglect any means to make 'ourselves safe, rixere have been plenty of examples lately to take warning from, and we are not doing justice to ourselves or neighbors unless we endeavor to bo in a state of preparedness. The subject of a bridge across the Molyneux must not be allowed to lapse; while a sitting of the Supreme Court should not be forgotten. In both of these matters a sufficient movement has been made to measure of success, while, in respect to the latter, we have almost a promise that a periodical sitting of the Supreme Court will be held-at Clyde. Having gone so far, we must not let ourselves go to sleep, j but keep on moving until the thing is accomplished. A bridge across the Molyneux at Clyde is indispensable to the opening up of the route to Dunedin via the Teviot and Tuapeka, and and this must be done if we desire to utilise the railway system. As to the Supreme Court, Clyde is the most central and convenient position in the Northern Gold-fields for the holding of periodical sittings. It would save hundreds of pounds to the Province, and no end of valuable time to the public. There are, of|course, a number of other requirements wanted by the district, which we are not at present prepared to enumerate. All we desire is that public attention should be drawn to the subject, and when the proper time arrives for us to make a move, we may find ourselves prepared.

We wonld’‘ngain specially remind those who are desirous of having their names placed on the Electoral; Roll that Monday next, inst., is the last day on which applications can be received hy the Deputy Registrar, A. D. Harvey, Esq., at the Court House, Clyde. By request of the Dunstan Hospital Committee we acknowledge, the receipt of the sums of 81. 14s. and 21. 14s. from the Stewards of the Nevis Race Meeting- the former being the amount subscribed on the course for the “ Hospital Race,” ran for on the second day, and won by Mr. Newton’s Pillbox ; the latter sum being the proceeds of the Sports’ Booth on the third day. During the past week we have received from the gardens of Mr. J. Knowles, on th« west bank of the Molyneux, and Mr. Ivcrseu. Conroy’s Gully, several bunches of very lino grapes. Without exception they are the finest we have ever seen grown in the Province, especially of those grown in the open air, and are a veritable instance that the district is well adapted for vine culture. Some of the bunches exceeded one pound in weight. ‘By the Suez mail wc learn that the funeral of Napoleon .dll, was attended by ."15,000 English people. All the Bonapart family except the Cardinal and Pierre followed. The Prince Imperial was saluted as Napoleon IV. by the French visitors who attended, bnt he declined the title. By the Provincial Government Gazette we see that the tender of Mr. L.M‘Nulty for the construction of portion of the bridle track from Cromwell to Quartz Reef Point, llfi chains, has been accepted for the sura of 420/,

We are informed by Mr. Langdon, a miner and resident in the district for the past ten years, and who has had practical experience on the New South Wales and Victorian Gold-fields since their first opening, that he is about proceeding to Dunedin, with a large quantity of stone--some two tons in weight—collected by him on the beaches of the river Molyneux. Mr. Langdon says, in his opinion, they arc of extreme value, and that his object in visiting Dunedin with them is to obtain the opinion of scientific men and; lapidaries, and that, if their opinion is favorable, he intends taking them to England, and there disposing of them. The stones are of various weights from two and three hundredweight each to half an ounce—and among them are many (even in their rough state) very beautiful; but of their value we will leave the Dunedin savants to judge. Mr. Langdon will ask for a written report, a copy of which, he has promised to supply us, and which we will present to our readers without delay. Among the stones are jaspers, quartz, conglomerates, and pctritications. The working of the Mining Companies’ Act in this district, so far, has been no easy one, and has called forth, from both the Warden and those brought within its operation, not the most complimentary or flattering remarks. According to the Thames Advertiser it is causing very general inconvenience, and there appears to be some doubt as to whether the Act is really workable. In the ease of two companies recently, it was desired to make a call at a short notice, but it was found that no call could bo legally due until March. The consequence was that the directors, in one instance, had to advance the funds to carry on the work. The gentleman who drafted the Act has simply taken the Victorian model, and made a few alterations, with a view to adopt it to the circumstances of New Zealand, but ho has made a complete muddle of the entire enactment. It is said that the Bill was passed through Committee in the Assembly in about two hours, and that very few members, if any, took the trouble to read it. The "Wellington Independent says that a a petroleum spring has been discovered at Waiapa by a native.

The Clyde Brass Baud gave an entertainment at the Town Hall on Wednesday evening last, announced as a “ Social dance,” and well did it deserve the title. About eight o’clock, the Band paraded the street, playing a most enlivening march, afterwards taking up their position in the orchestra. There was a good attendance, the hall being comfortably filled, the fair votaries of Terpsicore slightly predominating, and dancing Was kept up with unflagging spirit till midnight approached,' when the National Anthem announced tlye termination of a very pleasant eveningV amusement, and the company separated. Everything passed off in the most satisfactory manner. The music was all that could he desired : the selection was good and appropriate, the time kept admirable, and reflecting groat credit, not only on Mr. Edward Wild, the talented instructor and leader, hut on every individual composing the Band, and, when we remember that these are, as one may'say, ’amateurs, the perfection they have arrived at is something astonishing. The proceeds of the soiree will be devoted to the funds of the Hand, and well have they deserved the patronage and support theyj received. These social gatherings conduce greatly to the enjoyment of all, and help much to promote and sustain thot friendly spirit and kindly feeling so desirable in a small community like, and the more often they are repeated the better. Shareholder’s in the Pneumatic Company will doubtless derive satisfaction from the fact that their dredge, under the careful and skillful management of Mr. MT-ennan, and after contending against many difficulties, has dropped upon payable ground, eight ounces of gold having been obtained from the bottom of a cylinder on Saturday last. About three weeks siuce the dredge was taken upon the claim formerly held and partially worked by the Alabama Company. Mr. MT.ennan, not knowing where the former Company had left off, wisely moored his dredge at the lower end, and since has been working up stream, going over the old ground, and living in the hope each day of striking solid. This hope was realised on Saturday last, with the result as above stated. As the Alabama Company obtained a large amount of gold during the time they occupied the ground, st may fairly he presumed that no inconsiderable quantity still remains, and that the Pneumatic Dredging Company is a success, and one of the many joint-stock companies founded for developing the gold-fields that < ill recoup itself and declare dividends. There are miles of the Molyneux river-hed known to contain mighty deposits of the precious metal. The pneumatic system has proved itself equal to the task of combating against the flow of tailings and raising the gold, and nothing remains hut for the public enterprise to step in and provide the necessary funds. More than one complaint has reached us of the nuisance caused to the inhabitants of what may ho termed the outskirts of the town by the various carriers camping in close prox’injty cf their premises. In many instances one or more of the horses attached to each team are provided with al'hell, making night hideous hy their constant noise. All the complainants rsk is that, the carriers should camp at a sufficient distance from dwelling-houses, so that the inhabitants bo, not 1 annoyed and their rest broken by the constant clanging of these intolerable bells. This is surely not too much to ask, and we advise those suffering in the event of the nuisance not being at once abated, to make a formal application to the Town Council, when wo have no doubt that body willj'take such steps as will cause all complaints on the matter to cease.

A contemporary has]the following..:—lf a young lady wished a young gentleman to kiss her, what papers would she mention? No Spectator, no Observer, hut as many Times as you like.?. We wish to add that she would like to have it done with Dispatch, no Register or Journal kept of jit, and for him not to Herald it nor mention it to a Recorder nor Chronicle it abr6a J Her lips should be the only Repository, and the Sun should be excluded as much as possible. If a Messenger got it, the World would soon know it, for News is now carried by Telegraph, whore it was formerly done by the Courier, who was always ready to Gazette, it. In the act, the Press upon her lips should be light, and the Union perfect. That is our Standard of kissing, first assuring ourselves that no Argus eye was upon ns, and the only Reflector present the Mirror. On Bush street, between Dupont and Stockton, there is an immense bell, with a little French Catholic Church attached to it. Now that bell does more ringing than any ten bells in the city (fire bells included.) The only reason we can assign is, that the French residents on Dupont street require an extra amount of ringing to call them to works of salvation. More souls have gone astray by damning that bell’s infernal din than it will ever get into the church if it rings till it cracks.— S. F. Mews Letter. A too impulsive butcher at the Ahaura, has been fined 20s and costs, for introducing a lady customer to a friend of his, designated “The o‘Donoghue,” who happened to be in the shop at the time the young lady called. The butcher “backed up” the introduction by placing his band gently On the fair young lady’s shoulder and remarking that “she was the finest girl in Half-Ounce, an opinion which in Court he said he still adhered to. Witnesses were called to describe the distressing state of mind the young lady was in immediately after the “assault” was committed; but for the defendant, it was shown that she resented the insult offered her, promptly and effectively, by picking up a stone and threatening to smash the defendant’s head if he ever dared to address her again, and at the same giving him a “hit of her mind” in the most uncomplimentary terms,— Westport Times

, We are informed that the' Sub-marine boat is in the hands of the contractors, and it is expected will be completed and ready for carriage to her destination in about three Weeks. The Eight Kev. Bishop Neville arrived in Clyde lust evening from Queenstown. The ceremony of Confirmation will bo conducted by him on.Sunday morning next at 9.30, a.m., and the morning service at the usual hour. The Imngahua Herald says that the copper plates at Anderson’s machine site -bad been cut from the tables, and abstracted. The quantity of gold estimated on the plates is fairly set down at not less than fifty ounces, of' a money value of 190/. ss. ; but the actual loss to the Company is- considerably greater probably little short of 5001. The mortal remains of Mr. Charles Hill, house, butcher, of Alexandra, who died on Sunday morning last,'from the rupture of an intestinal blood vessel, were conveyed to their.last resting place, the Alexandra cemetery, on Monday afternoon. About one huadred'people from various parts of the district paid the last tribute of respect and followed the deceased to the grave. Mr. Eeid, the Alexandra schoolmaster, impressively read the funeral service. ' Wo have received;’from" the "proprietors of the London Colonial Keics their first number, published for the Australian colonies. The paper is double'.inews, and contains eight pages of seven columns each, of good readable matter, and will favorably compare with most English papers published, one speciality it has, which is in its favor that is, its low price being nine shillings per annum (net). By an advertisement in another column it will be seen that Mr. M. Starkey, late of the Nevis, has purchased the Kawaraa Hotel, Cromwell, where he will be happy to meet his 'old friends. The Kawarau hotel is well known to contain every accommodation) for and visitors, and we feel assured under the management of the new host and hostess it will retain its former character. In country places when the races are over, they have two sorts of settling. If a man does not settle in one way he must in the other. This we state on the authority of the Wangaratta Dispatch,' -which 'gives the following as a conversation which recently occurred in the township:—“ Were you at Moyhu Races !” ‘No.’ ‘Ah, you should have been there ; they were fi rstrate ; and as to the settling in the evening it was the best 1 ever was at.’ ‘ How so? ‘Why’ for about three hours there was about the best solid fighting I ever saw ; it was splendid good genuine hitting.’ ‘Ah, but you were not at Bccchworth.’ ” From the Daily Times wo learn, an accident, which caused a rather serious loss to Mr. Edward Devine, occurred to his horse, Captain Scott, at the Forbury. The horse was taking a center in the running course. It had gone nearly round, and and, when withinabout two hundred yards of the Grand Stand, it stepped into a hole, I whereupon the tendons at the back of the : fetlocks of the forefeet gave way. The ! horse is thus rendered incapable for racing, I and will only bo useful for stud purposes. The animal, it may bo mentioned, had risen in public estimation on the previous night, and was, with his engagements, worth about 2001. A move is being made by several of the parties mining on the West bank of the Molyrcux between Clyde and Alexandra, in the direction of testing the deep ground. Mr. Knowles, in his claim at the mouth of tiro Further , has his overshot wheel, pump, and all the necessary gearing fixed, and con templates making a move in the course of a short time, and Fisandierre and party, Sandy Point, have purchased a 20 feet wheel, Californian pump, <O., for the purpose of testing the deep ground in their claim during the coming winter. But few spots have as yet been tried for the main bottom, but where ever it has been done, success has invariably attended the effort, and it has ever been with us a source of wonder that similar attempts have not made in other parts. That there are some some rich patches along the banks and beaches of the river there can be no doubt, and we hope the perseverance of the parties now making the attempt, will be fraught with success.