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Cromwell Argus, Volume III, Issue 117, 6 February 1872, Page 5

The Treasurer of the Tjuscombe Fund Committee lia3 much pleasure in ackiidwledgmg receipt of the sum of £231 25.; frii'ri the frillowing holders of lists :—Mr Hayes' list, £U6 6s; j Mr M'Cormiek's, Mr Richards', and Mr Orniiston's lists, £6O 19s. Gl. ; Mr I'erriatu's list, £Ol 2s. Gd.; Mrs It. Kirtd's list, £l3 Us.—The detailed amouuts receive I from each subsoribur will be found in another column. The Orkney Reef at Thompson's Ci'eek (about nine miles distant from Bendigo) 13 being worked with every prospect of success. Two men have been engaged for eleven weeks driving a tunnel to cut the reef, and up till Saturday last 122 feet had been completed. Ths roc!: becomes moremullocky as the tunnel progresses, and it i 3 expected that the reef will be struck after driving six or eight feet farther. Between 80 and lot) tons of stone were raised from the shaft some timo ago, and a test crushing of four tons yielded 1 oz. 11 dwts. 12 grs. per ton. The gold was the best ever obtained irom any reef in the Province up to that date. The constitution of the Provincial Executive has undergone some changes as regards the heads of departments. Mr lteid, who has since last Session held the o.Tices of Provincial Secretary, and Secretary for Lands and Work*, is now gazetted " Provincial Secretary and Treasurer and Secretary for Lands ;" and Mr Bradshaw, formerly Provincial Treasurer, is now " Piovincial Gold-fields Secretary and Secretary for Works." These changes took effect on the Ist instant. Welcome and refreshing rain-showers fell in this neighbourhood on Saturday morning, and again on Sunday night and Monday forenoon; — imparting a delicious coolness to the atmosphere, invigorating the languishing green-crops, moistening the parched earth, and replenishing the water-butts with a very much purer quality of the limpid element than we have been compelled to use for domestic purposes for nianv months past. Fervent wishes are expressed on all hands for arenewel and prolonged downpour, for nothing short of two or three days' heavy rain can restore the district to its normal condition of prosperity. We understand that Mr John Simmons (late of the P. and O. Company's service, and of H.M.'s I'oyal Navy,) intends shortly to commence business as a boarding-house keeper and restaurateur at Carrickton. Mr Simmons has achieve I for himself a high reputation as a chef de cuisine, and we have no doubt he will strive to merit extensive patronage in connection with his new enterprise. The duties of Inspector of the Tuapeka and Wakatip Gold-fields Depasturing Districts, which have until recently been performed by Mr John Mackay, of Waitahuna, are now divided—an Inspector having been appointed for each of the districts named. Mr Thomas Grundy is gnzetted Inspector for Tuapeka, and Mr John O. K. M'Ardell for Wakatip. For the information of travellers on the road between Cromwell and Bendigo, we may state that M'Pherson's Wakatield Ferry is no longer open for tratlic. The two punts now plying opposite Rocky Point (one owned by Mr George Sl'Laohlan and the other by Mr Hugh M'Phersonj are found to be amply sufficient for the reduced amount of tra lie now passing to and from Bendigo. Both " vossc's" are admirable specimens of their class, and are placed in the best possible situations for crossing and reerossing the river at all seasons with clerity and safety. The complete efficiency of these rivercrossing appliances leaves nothing to be desired in connection with them but a large increase of trafiic. The Provincial Gazette of tin 24th wit. contained a notification to the effect that tenders for the building of a new Cnurt-h >use would be received at the Poads and Works office, Dunelin, up till the Gth inst. (to-lay), and ttiat plans and specifical ions were to be seen at the Engineer's ofiice, Cromwell. By the Gazette of Wednesday last we observe that the time for receiving tenders has been extended till this day week, the loth current. We are informed by one of our leading contractors that he made repeated application at the District Engineer's ofiice for an inspection of the plans and specifications, up till yesterday evening without success. The person in charge of the premises states that the documents were deposited in the ofiice by the District Engineer some weeks ago, but that the Engineer had taken the key with him to Invcrcargill. The result is, that local builders who contemplated sending in offers for the construction of the Court-house are debarred from doing so in consequence of being unable to obtain access to the plans and specifications. Verily, this is an example of red-tapeism with a Vengeance! From Bishop Moran's "Lenten Pastoral for 1872," we copy the following extracts for the benefit of our Catholic friends : ing are the regulations for the Fast of Lent, which we make in virtue of special faculties received from the Holy See, and bearing in mind the circumstances of the Diocese : -We grant permission for the use of flesh meat at one meal only, that is, at dinner, on nil Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and also on all Saturdays except one, viz., the second Saturday during Lent. Lard and dripping may be used after the manner of butter at dinner on all days of fast and abstinence during Lent, and throughout the year, with the exception of the Wednesday of the first and last week of Lent and Good Fridav. White meats, such as butter, meat, cheese, and eggs, are allowed on all days at dinner, with the exception of Ash Wednesday, and the Wednesday and Friday of Holy Week, on which + hree days, the ancient discipline of the Church is to be observed in all i ! .s rigour. Fish and flesh are not allowed at the same meal. There is neither fast nor abstinence on Sundays in Lent It is necessary to remind von that the Society of Freemasons is condemned by the Church, and that all its members are ipso facto excommunicated. Should any Catholics, then, unfortunately belong to this Society, on which has fallen so heavily the anathema of the Church, we earnestly exhort them, as they value their salvation, to abandon it at once and for ever ; for should they continue members of it, she will refuse them her aid while livinc, and deprive them of Christian buri:u when dead," .

The monthly Escort passed through j Cromwell on Saturday; ou its wfty tri DunecUn. i Queeiistdvrt and Arrowtown sent between them about 40>») dis. ; and the quantity Bent from ' Crom/.veil was 1533 daj. We direct the attention Of the share-] Holders in the Elba Freehold Estate Company | to an advertisement ill another part of our pre-! sent issue, iiltlnlatiUg that the final diatiosal of I the Valuable propcroy acquired by the Company I will take place at Clyde" on Saturday next, the j 10th hist;