THE Mount Ida Chronicle. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1870.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 88, 21 October 1870, Page 2

THE Mount Ida Chronicle. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1870.

Since our advent to this place—now on the eve of two years—it has ever been our constant endeavor and earnest desire to promol e the interest and advance the welfare of the District. Invariably and persistently have we directed our efforts to the advocacy of each and every measure tending in the direction of its fair and legitimate progress. In so doing we have frequently felt it our duty to call attention to the extremely unsatisfactory condition oi the communication between Dunedin and this and the other centres of population in the interior of the Provinces. In the discharge of our duty we have constantly pointed out that while good roads and rapid and regular communication are never failing indications of prosperity and progression, bad roads and slow and irregular communication are equally distinctive signs of stagnation, if not of retrogression, while they are at the same time unmistakeable evidences of the dearness of provisions, and all the other necessaries of life. In making the remarks we have from time to time done on this subject, we have stated how, in our opinion, by avoiding the worst portion of the road —the notorious Houndburn Hill—a distance of several miles might be saved —a satisfactory road substituted for a villainous one—and the mail coach made to reach Naseby on the evening of its departure from Dunedin—arriving at Cromwell on the second evening. As more particularly affecting the interest of this town we have further

pointed out that the adoption of the proposed deviation would, by lessening the distance, and at the same time improving the road, bring the entire traffic of the interior through this town — doing ourselves an inestimable service without injuring or prejudicially affecting any other place or interest. In our attempt to promote this object we have hitherto been entirely unsup ported. It would, however, appear from a letter from the Postmaster-General addressed to the Town Clerk of Cromwell (which appears in our local columns, and to which we beg to draw special attention) that the good people of Cromwell, if regardless of the good, bad, or indifferent state of the road, have become at length alive to their own interest, and are able to appreciate the advantages which a more speedy and a more regular communication would confer upon them. It will be observed that in the letter to which we have just referred it is stated that it is proposed that the coach which leaves Dunedin in the m jrning shall reach Naseby if possible the same evening, and Cromwell the following day. Now, in our opinion, the boon which the people of Cromwell so earnestly covet will be impossible of accomplishment unless the deviation in the portion of the road to which we have referred be effected. The importance and necessity of this deviation of the line of road so as to cause it to leave the main road at the Shag Valley River race fluming above the Pigroot and reenter it at a point on the present liue about a mile and a half above the town , of Naseby, has been fully admitted by the Government, and we have been frequently informed that a preliminary survey of the line in question was made some years since. The only excuse—if excuse it can be called—which has as far as we know yet been offered for the non-carrying out of this admittedly | important and necessary deviation, is | the low state of the Provincial GovernI ment exchequer. This excuse we hold to be entirely insufficient.' Do the Government wish to ignore the source from which the revenue, which enables them to keep up their large governmental staff, and make their fancy provements and experiments in roads, buildings, and absolute triflings, is derived ? Do the Government imagine for a moment that a miner is as blind as a mole, and unable to see either his I own way or his own interest, and un- | able also to distinguish whether a paj ternal Government is fostering or trifli ing with that interest ? The Council will be in session in the course of a few days, and an effort should then be made to have the necessary sum placed upon the Estimates to carry out a work so essential to the future progress and advancement of this District, and of those further inland and up-country. It is possible that, being so far removed as are the people of Cromwell from the spot which we desire to have avoided, and from the point of the deviation which we are so anxious to see made, that the matter has caused them little concern and little trouble. Were they nearer, as we are, and hear, as we hear constantly, the doleful and direful accounts told of this hill, and the obstacle it offers to the intercommunication between Dunedin and the upcountry towns, they would perhaps lay more stress and attach greater weight than they at present do to what we propose, feeling, as they would in such a case, the obstruction and impediment offered by it to the entire communication of the whole up-country districts. For our part, so strongly do we feel in this matter, and so clearly do we see the absolute necessity for the deviation of road to which we have referred, that we are convinced that until the ;same be effected our Cromwell friends will be doomed to disappointment as to their town being made the second day's terminus of the mail coach from Dunedin, as in the existing state of the road no contractor will be found willing to undertake therisk of performing heservice, excepting at such a higa rate as the Postmaster-General would not feel warranted in accepting. AV e again iuvite our up-country friends to join with us in pushing this matter to an issue, and we feel certain that a full and ample share of the benefits which will accrue from its accomplishment will fall to the lot of the people of Cromwell, as well as of the other districts further inland.

A gentleman resident in the district has placed at oar disposnl a letter, under date Levuka, September 7, 1870, written by a relative in Fiji, from which we make the following extract»•—"Dear ,> —I returned to

Levuka the evening before last, after visited the two best places for settlement in Fiji—namely, Taviuna and Sava Sava Bay. We left here about three weeks ago in the .Norman, for Taviuna, and remained there eight days. It is a splendid island, possessing the finest soil—a loose black loam, and several feet in depth. The island is covered w'.th light timber, not difficult to clear, as it diys quickly and burns easily. I have got the offer of a beautiful place (Mr. Martin's) situated on the windward side of the island, and consisting of 640 acres, all available for growing cotton, with 4 30 acres of cotton in, 50 more cleared and ready for planting, 61>,000 yams, good native houses, and 50 laborers. These laborers have, however, only six months of their annual engagement tc run. This labor is not " but from the neighboring island of Viti Levu. One gun, six bullets, a pound of powder, and a few caps, in all about 30s. worth, is the wages per year. . . . The only boat harbor on that part of the coast is at Martin's, and a pretty creek runs through the plantation. . . . The only objection 1 hear advanced against settlement on Taviuna is that the climate is damp and moist. It is called the garden of Fiji lias bought out T. E.'s plantation at Sava Sava, consisting of about 800 acres It is beautifully sit.uat.eil, and will be a nice place to live at. Before long,, land will be both scarce and dear. Concerning the chances of making money down here, very# few of the planters have succeeded in so doing as yet; but they are all prospering, although slowly. The great want is the absence of capital. You have no doubt heard it often remarked that one could start down here on a few hundreds. So he might; but he need not expect to make anything for a good many years further than a good living. Money, however, is sure to be made in the end, pro-f vided you keep out of the merchants' hands. Plenty of money can, however, be made. There is no doubt in my mind about cotton paying. G-ood plantations will be very valuable in a sh)rttime. Cotton growing is very different fro n sheep farming —few ai res are required ; and if cotton pays as it is expected to do, those who catne here with some capital will not care what they pay for choice pieces of land. I do not think more than 200 acres under cotton isto be seen on any plantation. Hennings cleared } £2OOO from his plantation last year. I like the climate very much. I came downi from Sava Sava with T. E. in his boat. We had a very rough passage, with a very heavy sea. We could not make Levuka, but made a bay about three miles further along the coast, where we anchored the boat, swam ashore, and walked up here. The Alhambra came in yesterday, with 156 passengers. To give you an idea of the rush here just now, there are six-' teen vessels in port. Oue good thing about Taviuna, and an inducement- to white settlement there, i* that it is safe so f:ir as the natives are concerned. There are comparatively few on the island, and, 1 believe, will not sell any more of'tlie land. We are going to start back to Taviuna to-morrow, and by sailing a'l night expect to reach the island on t'io following day. A number of the Alhambra's passengers intend going up to-morrow, also ; and I have heard that a few of the moused men: had said that they would have land iu Tavi* una, no matter what they paid for it." The French war steamer Gnichen lias arrived a second time in Sydney for iS e\v Caledonia despatches. * In Sydney, 30,000 persons have signed a petition in favor of the Permissive Bill. From Launceston, we learn that the gatekeeper at the General Hospital has been foully murdered. He was stabbed in several parts of the body. The murderer was chased by an official, but escaped. On Wednesday last the Duke of Edinburgh Quartz Crushing Machine, at Macraes, was christened " Ida Lydia," after the eldest daughter of one of the directors, by the mana* ger's eldest daughter, Miss Jane lmerie. In spite of the unfavorable weather, there was a large number of persons present. After the ceremony had been concluded, various amusements were indulged in. We are requested to state that the Rev. Mr. Flamank will conduct divine service at the Union Church, JS T aseby, on Sunday next, 23rd inst., at the usual hours morning and evening. At a meeting of the Cromwell Town Couqr cil, held last week, the following letter, in reference to making that town the terminus, and 2\asebv the half-way stage, of the mail coaches,, was read" General Post Office, Wellington, Sept.. 29, 1870. Sir, —In reply to your letter of the 26th Aug. in which you state it is the wish of the Town Council that the present, mail service from Punedin should be altered, I have to inform you t at it is proposed thatj, the coach which leaves Punedin in the morning shall reach jMaseby, if possib e, the same evening, and Cromwell the following day, thus giving you a course of post of two days.—l have, &c., W. Grat (for the Secretary). The Town Clerk Cromwell." Telegraphic news by way of Nelson state that the steamer James Patterson has returned to Sydney—the inducements to proceed to Fiji being insufficient. The ' Southern Cross ' advocates a special steam line iroin Auckland to Fiji. The Sea Breeze reports that 440 na-» tives were killed in the recent msssacre in Fiji. —At the Little Wonder Reef, Coromandel, 200 lbs. of stone yielded 36-3 ounces. The yield of gold at the Thames for the month of September was 10,000 ounces, from 7000 tons of stone. —Mercury has been discovered in the Bay of Islands. A magnificent yield. Sporting circles are looking forward with considerable interest to the race for £IOO a side, between Mr. \Teedon's Colleen Bawn anil Mr. Devine's Captain Scott, to be run to-mor-row at Oamaru. Cup tain Scott is reported to be in splendid condition, and looking well, with betting in his favor. A late telegraphic .report, under date Wellington, Oct. It), states that tnere was no sign of the San Francisco mail when the Luna left the Manakau (Auckland) on Friday night last, 14th inst. A Gekman storekeeper, in Victoria, condensed the late war intelligence by giving ti^

following explanation to his friends:—"Yell I you see, Napoleon is in tlie schtone yug, and J the Prussians has jumped his klaim." j The G-ermans in America are said to have subscribed the of 50,000,000 dollars, or about £10,000,000, for the relief of their fellow countrymen who may hare suffered by the war in Europe. - The result of the Cromwell Company's crushing (says the 'Argus ') for the past month was 920 ounces of gold. They keep ten head of.stampers constantly going. The mine is worked by night and dav shifts. The Aurora reef is also worked day and night, and the next washing up is expected to yield over 1 ounce to the ton. > At a late meeting of the Cromwell Jockey Club it was resolved that the amount of stakes to be run for at their annual meeting be £5 )0 Tub" Ko irjw aan.nl races carne on Fri d ijr aui S ituriiy the 7bii ani ckh i-nst. In the running for the Kourow Cup Mr. Hall's well-known horse Tecumseh camt in an easy, was disqualified by being owned outside the district. Waitaki also ran. At the third anniversary of the Loyal Alexandra. Lodge A.1.0.0.F., the R.W.P.G.M. Bro. B. C. Haggitt said that their lodges had now adopted the American constitution, and were in correspondence with lodges all over the world. In America alone there were known to be three millions of Oddfellows, and any member of a New Zeland Order, in travelling through the States, would be received as a fiieml and a brother in America ; he would be received on terms of friendship, intimacy, and brotherhood by nearly three. millions of men. This was a large benefit to be derived simply from belonging to the Order in New Zealand. Another advantage was that they no admitted to a degree of the Order the wives of members. One great objection to the Order in the eyes of ladies was that there was something secret in it which they were j not allowed to know ; that was removed, and he might say the privilege had been availed of by seventeen ladies. They were now working in the interests of the Order, and it spoke well for the Order that they found enough in it to interest them. A large nugget- was brought into Ingle-' wood lately from Berlin. It weighs 74ibs [ - i Sozs. lodwts., and is valued at £9,496. It was found at Tyler's. Sales of Hennessy's brandy have taken place in Sydney at 7s. 3d. - The annual meeting of the Otago District Committee of the Manchester Unity of Oddfellows met at the District Chambers, Oddfellows' Hall,, on Wednesday, 12th inst. The District Officers were all present, and the most of the Lodges in the Province were represented. In the course of his address, the P.G.M. said : —Our numbers are novr about 1,100. There lias been paid by various lodges during the six months ending June last, the ' sum of £;>9S 7s. for sick pay, and for medical attendance and medicines a further amount of £527 7s;. a large expenditure ; pointing to the ;« necessity for the lodges watching carefully the 1 investment and.expenditure of the i* sick funds. ■ The netfc gain on the half-yenr may be estimated at over £BOO. From the report of the proceedings of the last A M.C. held at Chesterfield, I observe that the Order generally is progressing in a-, most satisfactory mariner, both in numbers and wealth. The new members iaccepted iri LB">9 amounted, in round numbers, to 30,000, of whom three-fourths ; were under twenty-five years of age. The nett money gain on the year amounted to £105,440 16s. 4d. The total capital of the Order, on the Ist-Jan., 1870, was estimated at £2,860,181 9s. Bd. Tirs only case in the Resident Magistrate's Court on Monday last was the Police v. James Donnelly of the Kyeburn Diggings, for sly grog selling. Sergeant M'Oluskey appeared for the prosecution, and Mr. flertslet, with the consent of the Court, watched the case for the defendant. The case having been fully established by the evidence of three witnesses, a fine of £lO and £3 6s. 6d. costs was imposed, with the alternative of one month's imprisonment in the Naseby gaol if not paid within a fortnight. In giving judgment, the Magistrate remarked that he had been induced to take a lenient vie w of the case, as the offence appeared to have been committed on the return of de-fendant-to, the district after a lengthened absence, and seemed to partake of the character of a spree or jollification in celebration of the event. In the Warden's Court, on Monday, an application by Pottinger and pary, for two dams and a tail-race in Home Gully, was objected to by several parties of Chinese who are at present working in that gully, on the ground that the granting of these applications would interfere with the workings, and confer a virtual monopoly of the gully. Mr. Hertslet appeared in support of the objection. The Warden, with the parties interested,, visited the ground, and decided to reserve his judgment until Thursday. The St. Bathans Aniual Races are announced to take place on Monday and Tuesday, the 26th and 27fch December, 1870. The present, beautiful spring weather has once more enabled the miners to return to their . favorite summer resort, Clarks. We trust that the name for auriferous deposit, for which these workings have for some vears been celebrated, will be fully maintained this coming season. , The last opened portion of the Surface Hill workings is not, we are sorry to hear, likely to turn out satisfactory. Indeed, we learn from good authority, that several of the claims upon which much labor has been bestowed have been abandoned as " duffers." We understand that" a memorial to the Superintendent is in course of signature, praying that the vacant space at the top of Levenstreet may be surveyed and sold, and that the Temperance Hall may be removed so as to front the street, instead of standing in its centre, as at present. We are sorry to perceive that the miners have so li tie regard for good and clean footpaths; We are led to this remark from ob- * serving the reckless manner in which the tailwater in Roach's Gully is allowed to overflow the footpath near the church, utterly destroy-

ing a work upon which a considerable amount of time and labor has been expended, and rendering the path utterly impassable for females. A very little attention would put matters to rights, and we hope to see that all who have contributed to the damage will contribute also to the repair of the footpath and of the embankment, so as to prevent a recurrence of the present nuisance. Fob the first time this season the cricket ground was the place of resort on the evening of Wednesday la.?t.. We understand that the Club, into which some new and young blood has been infused, propose to be regular and constant in practice. We trust to hear of more than one match this season with the neighboring districts, and to find that our men are " all there." Ik the Warden's Court, yesterday, before H. W. Robinson, Esq., Warden, the application of Pottinger and party, for two darns and a tail-race in Home Gully, was granted, with the proviso that the holders shall not at any time be entitled to claim that more than 150 feet below their lower claim, as at present marked out, as a ground sluice for saving gold, to the exclusion of the right of the Warden to permit other persons to use the tail-race for drainage or the discharge of tailings, under the provisions of section 2, Regulation xiii. of the Otago Goldfields Rules and Regulations. It will be observed, from an advertisement in another column, that Mr. J. P. Armstrong, surgeon and mechanical dentist, may be consulted daily at his rooms, top of Leven-street. The machinery of the Rough Ridge Quartz Mining and Sluicing Company (limited), and formerly the Ida Valley Company, has, we have been informed, been sold to the Alta Company, at Cromwell. The bridge over Roach's G-ully is fast getting into so rieketty a state as to be absolutely dan;rerous, and we fear, unless something be done in the way of repair, that accidents will most certainly occur. . j A meeting of the Mount Ida Jockey Club was, held last evening, in George's Victoria Hotel. Present; Messrs. Douglas, Inder, De Lantour, George, Thomson, Aitken, Collett, Foster, Hunter, P'arkman, Grumitt, and Wilsoii. Tliep esidenf jJ. A. Douglas, occupied chair; After some preliminary business 'liad been gone through, the annual meeting of the Club was fixed to take place on Wednesday and Thursday, 14th and 15th December, 1870. The programme will be found in another column. o - . . The first general meeting of the season of the Mount Ida Cricket Club, took place in Horswell's Royal Hotel on Tuesday evening last. We would like to have seen a- larger attendance of members and others who take an . interest in this national sport. Mr. J. S. j M'lntosh was called to the ehair. The Secretary, Mr. C. E. Gudgeon, read the minutes of last, meeting, which were adopted. Several new members were admitted. The following officers were chosen President, J.S. M'lntosh ; Secretary, P. G-ilhes; Treasurer, C. E. Gudgeon. The appointment of Captain was postponed till a future meeting.- The Treasurer read the balance sheet of the Club, which showed a balance in its favor of £2 12s. 6d. A Working Committee, consisting of .the following members, was appointed :—Messrs. Barron, Pipe, Currie, Wilson, Keeley, Gudgeon, M'fntosh, and Gillies. From the Maerewhenua, we learn that the prospects-of the miners there are improving, and that the reef looks promising. In the Resident Magistrate's Court, St. Bathans, on the 18th instant, before H. W. Robinson, Esq., R.M., J. Callaghan, charged with drunkenness, was fined 20s.- Thoinas Reid, charged with deserting his wife at Hampden, was remanded to Oamaru. . In the Warden's Court, St. Bathans, on the the 18th instant, Before H. W. Robinson, Esq., Warden, the case of B. Padzett v. R. Kerr was heard. This was a complaint that the defendant had abandoned his claim, race, dam; and hut, in a gully near Hawkdun Station., Plaintiff sought to be declared the possessor of these 'properties. The defendant did not appear, but John O'Dea, a mate of his, appeared and stated that he was now the owner of the hut which had belonged to Kerr, himself, and another mate. He offered no objection to Mr. Padzett getting the race, claim, and dam. Judgment, that defendants right to the race, claim, and dam be forfeited, and the plaintiff declared the possessor of them. The following applications were granted :—Stewart and others, protection ; W. P. Jones, residence area; John, O Dea,- registration. of hut; David Marks, water race and dam.

We regret to be compelled to record another accident from earthfall, which occurred to John Kay, one of the oldest miners in the district. It appears that Kay was working in his claim on Wednesday last, when, observing the earth about to fall, he made an effort to escape—unfortunately without success, as he was overtaken by the fall and struck down, sustaining a comminated fracture of the leg below the knee. The patient, when we last enquired, was progressing favorably.