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Cromwell Argus, Volume XVII, Issue 844, 16 June 1885, Page 2

It is said that Mr Larnach will introduce a Bill giving relief to miners hi the matters of rents and mining rights, but it is considered there will not be time to bring in a Bill consolidating all mining legislation, as was intended. The proceeds of the concert and dance in aid of the Lowburn School amounted to nearly £lO. This is highly satisfactory. At a meeting of the Committee on Saturday evening a special vote of thanks was passed to Mr M. Heaney for his exertions in making the anniversary entertainment a success. ; In the new Commission of the Peace, which has just been issued, the following names appear :—For Otago—S. N. Brown (Cromwell), James Cowan (Baunockburn), W. Quin and J. Patterson (Tapanui), N. Y. A. Wales (Dunedin). For Southland—J. W. Chapman (Riverton), S. G. Inston (Riverton), J. S. Deck (Stewart's Island). George Payne, a ganger on the railway, was found in Lake Waihola in an exhausted state at an early hour on Friday morning. The fireman on the night goods train, while passing near the Waihola station, observed something lying hi the lake. The train was stopped, and Payne was found lying in the water in a very weak condition and scarcely able to breathe. He was lifted up and carried to the train, but died before he was got into the van. According to the local paper, Mr Inspector Hickson remarked to the Licensing Bench that for every 44 of the adult population in the Clyde division of the district, there was one hotel. The Bench, whilst admitting there were by far too many licensed houses, said in the face of the police report of good behaviour and the like, they could not but grant the applications; but they had made up their minds on the very first complaint to reduce the number. The recent visit of the Minister of Mines to this district has, we are glad to learn, been productive of good results. The Royal Oak party have been granted a subsidy of 30s for every £1 which they may expend on their tunnel up to a limit of £l5O ; while the Pipeclay Channel have had the unexpended balance of the Smith's Gully subsidy transferred to them, which together with the grant already voted gives them a subsidy of £2O for every chain which they may in future construct. The Western Star (Riverton) of Saturday gives the following particulars of the accident to Mr Lockhart, the mine manager of the Orepuki Coal Co., which has since had a fatal termination :—" Mr Lockhart was ascending the shaft at the time, but at present he cannot give a clear account as to how the accident happened. It is surmised, however, that in ascending in the cage and possibly leaning forward and examining the shaft while doing so, he came in contact witli the framing near the landing. The engine-driver observed the concussion and immediately stopped winding, the cage being by this time half'way above the mouth of the shaft, and on proceeding to find outthe cause he found Mr Lockhart unconscious. On examining him Dr Young found two of his ribs broken, his arm injured, and several bruises about the body, but the head was uninjured, and unless he is injured internally, fatal consequences were not anticipated at latest advices."

The champion yield of the harvest is claimed by the Bruce Herald for Mr J. C. Cranston, of Fernyhaugh Farm, Glenledi, who has just threshed out the produce of a paddock of oats which yielded an average of 108 bushels per acre. The New South Wales contingent have arrived at Albany, on their return voyage from Suakin. They are expected to reach Sydney on Sunday, the 21st, and the formal reception will take place on the following day. Veterinary Surgeon Willows died on the voyage back, and 19 of the men are on the sick-list. Hanlan, it is said, bears a commission on behalf of Deeble, Beach's backer, to match the champion against Teenier or any other oarsman in America over the Parramatta River course for the championship of the world and £IOOO, and if Teenier accepts, £2OO would be allowed for expenses. Bishop Barry, of Sydney, has written to the Press declaring that the statements made and commented upon in some of the English newspapers that he had directed or advised the clergy of his diocese to repel from communion those who have contract ad marriages with their deceased wives' sisters are absolutely without foundation. Mr John Sheehan, lately elected member of the House ot Representatives for Taurauga, died at Petane, Hawkes Bay, on Friday after, noon, from inflammation of the brain, after a few day's illness. Mr Sheehan was Native Minister in Sir George Grey's Ministry, and was the first New Zealand born statesman to attain a position in the Executive Council. At a parade of the Wellington City Guards on Thursday night, Corporal Barry was brought up, charged with .firing a rifle out of a railway carriage whilst returning from the review on 23th May. He was admonished and reduced to the ranks, being debarred from a non-commissioned officership for twelve months. Corporal O'Neill for a similar offence did not appear, and in consequence it has been recommended that he be dismissed from the Volunteer force. At the Wellington Magistrate's Court on Friday afternoon, Joseph Wandel, tobacco, nist, on whose premises a totalisator was recently seized, was charged with having kept a gaming house. Wandel admitted the oflence, but submitted that the machine was worked fairly and for less per centage than usual. His Worship inflicted a fine of £2O and costs. The money, £3l, and a cheque for £l2, which was seized at the time, was ordered to be forfeited. Mr Burton, the well-known Dunedin photographer, has just made a successful tour through the King country. As showing the great and substantial progress made towards, the pacification of the country, it may be stated that Mr Burton carried his camera and photographed in all directions where IS months or two years ago a European's life was not worth an hour's purchase. This trip of Mr Burton's will enable him to make the public familiar with the scenery of a territory which has hitherto been practically a terra incognita. The views which have been taken will form a series to be called " The Maori at Home." An improved chaff-cutter and bagger by Messrs Reid and Gray is being turned out, and has proved in every way satisfactory. The chaff which came through the machine was of the cleanest quality, two riddles cleauing it thoroughly of all smut and dust, and the receiving bags were packed very tightly. By a brake which acts on the screw press very little chaff is wasted during the changing of the bags, and these are affixed to the receiving-box without any trouble. The brake is patented, together with the mouthpiece of the cutter, which is made in one piece, so as to be easily renewable. The firm's old No. 1 chaff-cutter can be put on to the improved frame, and there is every likelihood of the new machine being generally put in use by farmers. As the Mines Department is now a separate portfolio, the Hon. Mr Larnach has decided to make, at an early part of the session, a Mines Statement, much in the same way as the Minister for Public Works prepares his. The statement will be comprehensive, and deal fully with mining industries in each district. In this year's Statement, Mr Larnach will recommend the adoption of Professor Black's suggestion as to the establishment of mining schools, and for that purpose has induced his colleagues to place a sum of £17,000 on the Estimates. It is not intended, however, that the Government shall bear the whole cost of such schools, as they will only be established in districts where the miuers are willing to contribute to the cost. Sets of samples will be procured from England to assist in instructing the milling community in mineralogy, etc. From his recent tour of inspection Mr Larnach has ascertained that the principal want of miners are additional water-power and the cutting of tracks through heavily-wooded country, so as to enable prospecting to be carried on. As the Volunteer regulations provide that orders calling Government parades shall be given " on parade, or in any other manner customary in Her Majesty's military service," it seems impossible to punish Volunteers for non-attendance. The usual method adopted lias been to advertise the calling of general musters, but this of course is not the case in the military service, where the men are already together in barracks, and can be spoken to col lectively. A test case was brought before Mr Carew, R. M., on Tuesday, at the instance of Capt. Paxton, of the South Dunedin Rifles. The point mentioned was brought up by His Worship, who adjourned the case in order that Mr Wilkinson, who conducted the prosecution, might have an opportunity of fully considering it. When the case was called again, Mr Wilkinson admitted that as the parade had only been advertised the poiut raised was fatal, and he obtained leave to withdraw the information. Certainly, as Mr Carew stated, the Act requires amendment, so that commanding officers will be enabled to enforce attendance at parades when deemed necessary.— Herald. During the passage of the Star of Denmark, which arrived at Adelaide recently, those on board were able to observe one of the most fearful catastrophes which occur to maritime men, and which in this case is shrouded in mystery only to be solved by some of the survivors of the ill-fated ship turning up. It appears that on April 9th a lurid glare was observed in the evening, which was at once supposed to be a ship on fire, and although it was computed to be forty miles distant, the master clapped on every stitch of canvas to come up with the burning stranger. Next day the craft was made out to be a ship in full blaze, with smoke and flames ascending in immense volumes from her hull, which had beeu well dismantled by the ravages of the fire. She appeared to be of from 1200 tons to 1400 tons, of Colonial or Canadian build. She was burnt quite to the water's edge, with a heavy volume of smoke and fire curling aloft, giving the idea that the cargo must have been coal. No boats were visible. Every effort was made to discover the identity of the vessel, but without avail, and beyond these particulars nothing could he learned.