CROMWELL GOSSIP.

Dunstan Times, Issue 677, 9 April 1875, Page 3

CROMWELL GOSSIP.

(FROM OUR OWN CORR&SPONDKNT,)

On Saturday last the remains of Ellen, the beloved wife of Mr Daniel Scilly, of the Nevis, were interred in the Cromwell Cemetery, and, although the notice was very short the cortdge was unusually numerous. Three o’clock was the hour named at which the corpse would reach the Kawarau Bridge, and at about half-past the cloud of dust observable on the top of the hill denoted the approach of the mournful company. T>n crossing the bridge a number of horsemen from Cromwell swelled the train, which could not have been less then three hundred mourners in all. Mr Scally, Mr Starkey and Mr Fuller were the chief mourners. Among those present we noticed the Goldfields Secretary, J, Hazlett, Esq., M.P.C., the Mayor, Town Clerk, and Councillors. The several representatives of the Banks of Cromwell and Clyde, and many of the leading citizens of both places. Arrived at St. John’s Church, the Rev. Father M'Kay, of Queenstown, was in attendance, and.preceded the hearse to the place of interment, at which the rights of the Church were observed, and the deceased lady was committed to the grave. Much genuine and heartfelt sympathy is felt and expressed with the distressed husband in his heavy affliction, which is the more poignant owing to the loss of his little ones last summer, who now sleep side by side with their earthly mother—a sympathy in which it is needless to state we fully share. The departed lady possessed many domestic virtues, while her uniform kindness, her readiness to help the sick and afflicted, secured well-earned and wide spread respect. She has left a child of tender years behind.

The Wakatip Mail in its issue of the Ist instant, has thought fit to interfere in the matter of disagreement between the ArrowObserver and your Cromwell Correspondent, and by its Queenstown “Oracle of Wisdom”—the sieve through which all knowledge passes—suggests the intervention of a Court at Law. The writer evidently forgot that a paragraph, which appeared in the Dunstan Times,- commenting very justly upon the violation of the ordinary rules of grammar by the Observer was, by its literary head, ascribed to myself ; that the same authority accused me of having a “ diseased bra’n,” and asserted that I had been expelled from, the Order of Good Templars. These and other libels lay at the door of the Arrow Observer, the twinbrother to the Mail. I may point out that the existing law of libel furnishes the remedy to the aggrieved, either by criminal or civil proceedings, and for my own part I sincerely trust the threatened proeeedings will be forthwith commenced. The Mail and Observer are owned by one and the same person, and the sequel will show whether this last burst of virtuous indignation is bounce or otherwise. The Mail waged war with the Dunstan Times respecting the leading article anent the election of Sir Geo. Grey as Superintendent of Auckland, and being ably answered by a sub-leader, which appeared in your issue of the 26th ultimo, it cried a “go.” The same may be said of the Observer, respecting my reply to the unwarranted and foul aspersions contained in that paper bearing upon myself. 1 not only challenged the Observer to deny that it “ was not intended to have a personal application,” but, should the time arrive, I will be prepared to prove that it was so intended in a Court of Law, before twelve good men and true, the prophetic teachings of the “ oracle ” to the contrary, notwithstanding. As for a specimen of “American journal vandalism” commend me to the Lake Wakatip Mail. This last dying effort boars out the old saying “That a cross cat will spit when it cannot scratch •” but, it is just possible that being the Ist of April the able (?) editor of the Mail was desirous to parade this wit before the subscribers at my expense. This is the first time in my experience that the editor of a newspaper has thought fit to advise recourse to litigation when conscious of literary inferiority j and I would, therefore, politely ask if he ex'pects to receive a “ refresher ” on the brief, or to surpass the celebrated Wormwood in the “Lottery Ticket.”

Having paused a contributed article Which appeared in your last issue, upon the sanitary condition of Clyde, I thought that I would go and see for myself, and I accordingly inspected the slaughter yards, pig. geries, and butcheries, all of which were ■e’ean, and there was a total absence of anything like filth. A stranger seeing the ncti ;c referred to would imagine that Clyde

was a pestilential, plague stricken spot { while the allusion to “dirty Cromwell,” and “poor Cromwell,” exhibits, to say the least, want of feeling. That our town has been in the past afflicted must bo admitted, this was our misfortune, and wo have had to put up therewith. It would seem that the only charge that can bo brought against Cromwell is on account of the epidemic that did such sad havoc last summer. One would have thought we were deserving of a I ttle sympathy, without being held up to ridicule, and stigmatised as “dirty Cromwell, par excellence but the most amusing part of all is that capitalists of Clyde are at present investing somewhat largely in Cromwell property. The few deaths that have occurred of late have not happened in Cromwell ; and as the slimmer is fast gliding away 1 see no reason for the apprehension that fever or any of the other diseases will make their appearance. Tins sort of sensational writing may suit the amateur scribbler, but it is hardly right that spare should in the local journal be granted for the spreading of a foul libel upon the community at large. I will go further, and assert that Clyde, if not the cleanest, is one of the cleanest towns in the Province, and redounds to the credit of the Local Board of Health and the Corporation. If the unknown writer fears the approach of the “ Indian autumn,” I would advise him to pack up his traps and skedaddle to s me more healthy clime, as so valuable a member of society and so just a censor" can hardly be spared. His expansive mind would likely receive a better recognition in a large town and thickly populated place. I would direct his attention to this matter, and request him in future to leave Cromw -11 alone, or to learn to utter the truth

The usual quiet of the town has been somewhat disturbed by the publication of a reward of LSO, and a free pardon to an a » complice, for evidence that will lead to the conviction of the person or persons who murdered a female child some throe or four months since at Arrowtown. It would seem that the infant was wrapped up in some coarse flannel, and then forced into a lobster tin, and thrown into a well. The tin had evidently been weighted, but the line had been broken, allowing the corpse to rise to the surface. The opinion of the doctor was to the effect that the child had been dead some two months. Arrowtown does not boast of a very large population, and there should be little difficulty in sheet - ing the charge home and bringing the delinquent to justice. The Police in that part of the Province don’t seem very good at detecting crime, too plainly evidenced by the numerous cases of incendiarism that occurred last summer and remained undiscovered. I regret to chronicle the death of Mrs Spence, at the Nevis. The funeral took place on Tuesday last, and was numerously attended. The deceased lady was universally respected.