Cromwell Argus, AND NORTHERN GOLD-FIELDS GAZETTE. Cromwell: Tuesday, April 15, 1873.

Cromwell Argus, Volume IV, Issue 179, 15 April 1873, Page 4

Cromwell Argus, AND NORTHERN GOLD-FIELDS GAZETTE. Cromwell: Tuesday, April 15, 1873.

Ox the 6th of next month, our Provincial magnates—the rulers in the land—are to assemble in solemn conclave in Dunedin. A solemn farce the whole machinery of Provincialism is said to be by many; and the sitting of some forty gentlemen—with a Mr Speaker to quell the unruly by his word of command and a Sergeant-at-Arms to keep order by his presence—to oversee and conduct the affairs of a Province containing a quarter of the population of Melbourne, is voted on nearly all sides the most farcical portion of the solemnity. ! Hopes are entertained by those who think i thus that this session will stamp out Pro- | vandalism. Those who have signalised i themselves as its champion opponents in ! the past are urged to persist in the battling, —to be not weary but rather more spirited in their efforts to overthrow the costly and cumbrous form of government. What we | are to look for in its place is not clear. | Local self-government by moans of the i County or Road Board system seems a I suggestion that can hardly be improved upon. Mr Bastings, siuc-e his assumption of office, has taken pains to distribute Provincial benefits throughout a wider : range than formerly had been the case. "'Beyond the Taieri, the boasted benefits of Provincialism have never made themselves felt," he said on one occasion, in effect, before he took office : and with the unfairness therein apparent in view he has striven to extend the range. Recently the Wakatip, Southland, and Tokomairiro papers have grumbled at new advantages and privileges in the shape of money grants suggested for Dunedin. It is high time, I they cry, the fact were recognised that I Dunedin is notOtago : let Councillors this I session endeavour to obtain justice for the | country districts—agricultural and goldj fields alike. So say they, and so say we ; ■■ even while admitting that of late stronger evidence has been afforded than ever liefore that this fact has come somewhat to be recognised by the Government. Meanwhile, the increased attention shown to gold-fields interests by the Tol.mie-Bas-tings Executive will probably bring its l reward in the shape of gold-fields members' ; I support. The great battle, Macandrew v. ,! L>kit>, will surely have to be fought. The , tvcent trip of his Honor and his henchman , —-the lion and the lamb—vill perhaps in directly lend an influence that will aid directly on his Honor's side. The " clawmo and I'll claw thee" line of policy has a fair chance of weight. A gold-fields member whose district has been given a sludge channel, a commonage, or what not, can be ' I solicited, with some reason, to support the

I givers. And hath it not been chronicled • J that at Teviot—Ettrick of the Vale—his 'J Honor courteously listened to Mr Mervyn > i for quite an incredible length of time. , i This and perhaps similar acts of condesjenI tion may have some weight when the Reid opposition throws down the glove. Tt is

' hardly on the cards that the Tulmie-Turn--3 bull party will suffer defeat. That there ' will be some heavy sparring is probable. ■ | The Council will stand on its dignity, which was fearfully insulted by his Honor. But if any business is to be clone, fighting must needs b? short; and after all, seeing that the - Assembly meets in June, perhaps the Got! vernmout will temporise, and ward off j; any decisive coming to-an-issue until suddenly all is declared ended. However,

Mr IIEfT) is very well versed in narliameni tary tactics. He miv force the light early, j but it is extremely doubtful if he will con--1 j qucr. Mr Macanduew has played his c j cards well, and is so fertile in resource that o I he takes a deal of beating.

i. | We had intended to say something re ,1 ! garding local representation, and local ! wants that must be pushed, but must leave I these for a future article.

Almost every week brings fresh evidence of the need of a Hospital in Cromwell. Cases are constantly occurring—of accident and sickness—to keep the fact of its need before the public. Several times lias the subject been mooted ; predictions of the easy accomplishment of the establishment of such an institution have been generally indulged in ; but so far the only practical step tiiken in the direction has been fche application by the Town Council to Government for a site. However, latterly we have been fairly dealt with by the powers that he, and the giving hand is not to be stayed at so small a matter as a site for a Hospital : the Government have remitted the matter to the Town Council, that they may point out a desirable or favourable situation. Until the survey of the town is completed, however, the Council are unable to fix upon a suitable piece of land ; an.l here the matter stands at present. Bat the securing of a site is an important step, and one that should be improved upoa without delay. Opinions are somewhat divided as to whether a Cromwell Hospital should be an institution on its own bottom, or merely an offshoot or branch of that at the Dunstan. Speaking for ourselves, we incline to the belief that

nothing further as yet is wanted for Cromwell than a kind of temporary receptionroom for those whose journey to the Dnnstanmay be attended with danger. This, of course, is a matter to bs settled by the public. In any case, it would be well that a public meeting should be called with a view to the establishment of either one or the other—a main or side Hospital—at an] earlv period. Support to the movement! can lie reckoned upon from many of the acljaceit districts—Btnnockburn, Bendigo,'] Wanaka, and so forth. Nothing is wanted but energy on the part of those who take an i terest in rhe subject. Enough has baen said on former occasions,—through] our correspondence and leading columns,— to prove the necessity of such an institu-1 tion. Cases have occurred in which, if the

I unfortunate patient's death was not indeed j caused by the journey to Clyde, it was at] least greatly accelerated. We believe no] ] more need be said on the subject. Public I attention has only to be called to it, to onsine the early taking of steps in the direc-j I tion. suggested. The nature of these steps

we leave to the judgment of those who feel] disposed—nay, whose duty it is—to take] them. Perhaps a public meeting is the] best legitimate method to the end in vi«w,| and the plan mcst likely to be adopted;] but at any rate we hope that no further] delay will be allowed to supervene.

—- The following letters were received at I the Cronwell Post-oilica in December, 1872,: I and I'omuue 1 unclaimed at the en 1 of March,: j 1873 :—William Stuart, L. and A. Webb. At Quartzville, on Sunday evening, a | miner named John Martin, while under the inj fluence of liquor, stumbled into a hole near the ! Commercial Hotel and fractured one of liis le.'s. I Tlie Star of the East Company completed lon Friday a crushing of about '2)O tons, the: yield of gold from which was 97ozs. MlhvtsJ i The directors have declared a dividend of two | shillings per share. I Ninety tons of John Bull stone, crushed] j at the Nil Desperamlura battery, have yielded S2 oz. 5 dwt. IS gr. The retortin* to >k plac^ yesterday, and the gold was brought i-ito towj !in the evening. A dividend of £2O per sixtlj share has been made payable. '• The Life and Times of Mary, Queen of Scots," is the subject of a lecture to be given by the L'ev. t>. Drake on. Thursday evening nexH iu tlie ["own-hall. If clearness of expression] soundness of argument, and eloquence in delivery are desirable qualifications for a populd lecturer to possess, Mr Drake cannot fail to do: justice to his theme. The Illustrated New Zealand Hci\dd for the present month contains a number of very interesting views, among which we observe several artistic illustrations of the " wonders o j nature and art" to be met with in our own little island. Mr Wheeler, the proprietor of tha Herald, evidently spares neither trouble nM expense in the eude .vour to make this periodi cal a popular favourite. A very line specimen of pure copperwa found among tlie washdirt in the Excelsior Com pmy's claim at Quartz Ueef Point, by Mr I Seymour, a few days ago. Mr Seymour state that several other specimens of the same miners | have lately been picked up in the cV.im. The! | indications seem to point conclusively to thee! 1 j istence of a copper lode somewhere on the vrej -1 ern slope of the Dunstau Range. ! j Sittings of the E. M.'s and Warden 1 • Courts were held in the new Court-house for jj j fust time on Thursday last. The business ffj

unusually cases were disposed of—viz., G. Mansnn V.l Ikioh, £4 His. sil. ; and G. Mauson w. J<* Alloy, £9 ."is. In the former, judgment went default, and in the latter a verdict was give"' the plaintiff. A brewci's license was granted Joseph Hardin?, Cromwell ; and slaujitcrlmij licenses to Adam Spenco and Daniel Si»u Nevis. The only casj on the judicial side oi t Warden's Court (Nil Despoiaudum CoinpanJ Reichelt) was withdrawn. Adolph Lehman« "ranted one head of water from a crock to J eastward of Paddy's (hilly. Tire application H. Hoffman anil others for an extension water-race was adjourned for a week.

The rumour regarding Mr Pyke's leave of absence for a twelvemonth is correct. The Tuapeha Times says Mr T. L. Shepherd shortly intends to address his constituents. Conditional tenders for the construction of a bridge over the Molyneux at Clyde are called by the Provincial Government. District Land Officers, in connection with the new Act, have been appointed as follows :—Lawrence, Warden Pyke; Dunedin, Warden Willis ; Naseby, Warden Robinson ; Clyde, Warden Simpson ; Queenslown, Warden Beetham. Mr Alexander R. Mackay, District Surveyor for the Dunstan. while travelling the other <\ay from Dunedin to Waihola, in company with his two brothers, in an express waggon, came in contact with Cobb's coach, driven by Mr M'lntosh. He proposes to sue Cobb & Co. for £3O. Once again, the settlers at Martin's Bay are reported to be on the verge of starvation : that is to say, they were in that state on the 22nd ultimo, when Mr Saudison left the Bay for Queenstown. We have seen no account of aid having been afforded by sea or laud ; so it may be concluded that the settlers are in queer case by this time. A list of claims for insertion in the Electoral Roll for tlie Dunstan District is afixed to the door of the Court-house for public impaction. There are sixty names on the list, and fifty-four of the claimants reside within the boundaries of the Kawarau Electoral District. It is notified that objection? to any of the c'aims must be forwarded to the Registration Offuer at Clyde on or before the 30th hist. Mr Pykc still acts as Registration Officer for this district. The following (from telegrams ill the DaUy Times) is the latest news regarding the General Government composition, winch is likely to remain uuchanged at any rate until the neetin" of the Assembly in June:—"Mr Gislorne was offered but declinel, a seat in the Upper ltmise. At a Cabinet meeting yesterday, Mr i Vbgel definitely accepted the Rreui'ership. The 'Gazette to-day announces his appointment as Premier, and the acceptance of Mr Fox's resignation by the Acting-Governor ; a'so the connrniamation of Messrs M'Lem, Richards in. Bat.gate. O'itorke, and Reynolds, in their present otfees." The Bruce JlerM says :—" Although tlie open season commenced on the Ist Aprd. we have not heard of any great sport having been obtained amongst the native game in this neighbourhood. We unde stand, however, that some very good bags have been secured. At tli3 end of the week, when two sportsmen (?) were about, a fine old gander, belonging to a gentleman in tlie immediate neighbourhood, suddenly ami mysteriously disappeared, and all sevrch to find him dead or alive has proved unavailing. His mate came home the other day in a miimel state, aid bore marks of shot in the head and vaiious patts of the body. On Saturday last, we are informed two keen sportsmen belonging to the town.slip bad been out aU day along the river banks in search of game, buD liudmg nothing they left for home in disgust. On passing through Mr George Elder Brown's property, their dog suddenly gave the usual indications of being m the immediate neighbourhood of game. Walking up stealthily, a tine bird was observed amonjst the native grass, and to make sure of their mark our sportsmen (?) gave the bird no time to take win.', but dropped ic as it stood. Both sportsmen and dog rushed forward and picked up—a the fat rooster! The owner—the Chiuese gardener—speedily discovered the fate of his favourite fowl, | and it is said our quasi sportsmeii will have to pay pretty smartly for their questionable mistake." The Committee of the Cromwell Atheimim held an ordinary meetoig in the Town-hall j ion Tues lay even'ng last. The members present i ! were Messrs P res haw (president, Colc'ough, i Daird, Taylor, Matthews, and Jolly (hon. secre-1 tary). Minutes of previous meeting—held on I l Huh February —\\\ re continue .—A letter was! ! received from Mr Castings, Gold-.ields Secretary, I i'H'ormiug the Committee that the General Go- | vernmeut had been again written to regarding ! I the reserve adjacent to the Post-office, —which I k*ps.applied for some lime ago as a site for a I rablic Library, —and sta.'.ug that the result would he communicated to the Committee ou j receipt of a reply. The President mentioned I that 11 r Willis, Provincial Under-Secretary, hap-i penert to be in Cromwell ou the 7th instant, and Ihe had taken the opportunity to point out to I that gentleman the aUoaueuts sought to be oh-! i taiued—vi\, sections 3, 4. 37, and 33, block 111. I There seemed now to bo a fan* prospect of get- | % all the allotments applied for, with the e:c-! I eeption of that portiou of section 4 upon which I the Post-oltice stands.—The Librarian (Mr J. | M. Kelly) reported having made the usual halfj yearly inspection of the Library. The number [ of books missing was 30, and three of that nurnI ber had gone astray since L.Su report. The re- ; port further stated that a 1 age number of magazines awl newspapers had been taken away from jhe readmg-room during the half-year, and had not j Ken returned. The Melbourne Lfaitvr appeared wbe an especial favourite with oue of the town subscribers, who was in the habit of Appropriating each number almost immediately it was laid on tlie library table. Complaint w.is a'so made watoerla'n subscribers continued to exchange! wei.r hooks without marking the numbers on tlie j slate provided for the purpose,—thus causing! Much trouble and confusion, and rendering it i 'mpossi.hlefor the Libranan to keep a correct! of the books taken aud returned.— The | toounittee instructed the Librarian to have the ; s| ite suspended in a conspicuous position in the jwduig-i o , Jln with a placard directing attention i '• n.—Ah'st of books to arrive by" the Wild I Ue er, (o the order of the Education Hoard, was deceived. It was resolved to order new books to he value of £4O ; and Messrs Cohlongh. Mae-1 and Matthews were deputed to make a Wecfciou from the catalogue. —Mr C. W. Wright ! •as uuauimously elected a member of committee j "room of Mr P. Bastings, who has left the disnct.—ln v j ew 0 f t |, c approaching SCR ,i. in „f ™>vincial Council, it was resolved to summon a I peeial meeting of subscribers with the object of i '""ainatmg trustees for the Athemvum Reserve, ! r s «ch meeting to be held ou Tuesday, the 22nd I mstaut, I