Cromwell Argus AND N0RTHERN GOLDFIELDS GAZETTE Cromwell : Tuesday, August 28, 1894.

Cromwell Argus, Volume XXVI, Issue 1323, 28 August 1894, Page 4

Cromwell Argus AND NORTHERN GOLDFIELDS GAZETTE Cromwell : Tuesday, August 28, 1894.

Dr Stuart’s memorial fund amounts to £722, Enquiries are being made re the cost of a statue in bronze or marble.

The six applications for land under occupation license at Gl»ndhu and Tuohy’a Flat near Pembroke were refused yesterday by the Warden.

A rich gold find is reported from Yalgoo, in the Murchison district (says a Perth telegram of 24th inst.) The stone yields lOOoz to the ton.

The Government Railways Bill has been introduced into the House. It provides for a Minister for Railways, three commissioners with limited powers, and gives Parliament the control. Mr Solomon sold by auction on Saturday at Bannockburn the following mining properties ; Horn and Meozies two acre claim £7O ; Piping, etc., on claim, 430 ft 7iu at Is 8d per foot; Menzies and King’s one acre claim £sl.

The Cromwell Bible Christian Church choir are giving their popular concert of Jubilee Singers’ pieces at Lowburn on Saturday first, and there is every probability of their having a crowded house. The number of sheep in the colony on April 30 was 20,122,560, being an increase of 742,187 on the number of the previous year. There was an increase of 51,143 sheep in the Otago district last year.

The body of John Gray, a miner, was found in his hut near the Liudis on Saturday morning. It was brought to Cromwell yesterday, and will be buried to-day. Deceased formerly worked on the Garrick.

Sickness among a number of the Cromwell members of the Horticultural Society prevented their attending the meeting advertised for Friday evening last at Clyde. The meeting was accordingly postponed till Friday first. tied and white clover, grass seed, Indian sugar corn, kidney and early surprise seed potatoes, fresh vegetable seeds at 3d, flower seeds at Id per packet, garden rakes, Hutch and American hoes, for sale by H. Bowie, Cash Store, —[Anvr.]

The meeting of the Wanaka •!oc'cey Club advertised" for Saturday night last, lapsed for want of a quorum ; and an adjourned meeting has been called for Saturday night first. We understand that the credit balance of the club is £ll.

A very old and much respected resident of the Bannockburn, Mrs John Bill, passed away last week, death being due to acute Bright’s disease. Deceased’s fuueral which took place on Sunday was very largely attended. Rev, Mr Ginger was the officiating clergyman. We hear that the Rev. R. R. M, Sutherland, of Kaikorai, Dunedin, the moderator-elect of Synod, will conduct the service in the Cromwell Presbyterian Church on the evening of Sabbath first, and that he may conduct an evangelistic service In the course of the week.

The following business of local interest was transacted at last sitting of the Land Board : —For village allotment for cash : Alfred H. Smith, section 3, block xn, Lower Hawea. For village allotment on occupation with right to purchase : Robert H. Baker, section 4, block XU, Lower Hawea.

For the year ending March 1894, the Colonial Secretary granted 56 permits under the Gaming and Lotteries Act to persons connected with the religious denominations. The greatest number granted to any one place was three, Auckland, Christchurch, and Gore each receiving that number.

Writing to the Wanganui Chronicle regarding the bakery trade, a correspondent states that that trade all along the coast is the most disorganised and badly paid in New Zealand. One of the best bakers in the district gels only £1 a week, and has to sleep on the bakehouse floor. An attempt is being made to raise the wages.

As showing that land in these parts (says the Mataura Ensign) despite the low prices ruling for all descriptions of produce, still finds purchasers it may be mentioned that at Invercargill recently 28 acres near Mandeville were offered at auction by Mr Wm. Todd by order of the Registrar, and were sold to Mr Malachi Hanley for £165 cash.

The Labor Journal reports that everywhere unskilled labor is in excess of demand, though in several places there is a visible decrease in the number of unemployed. Luring July there were 947 laborers employed on co-operative works by the Survey Department and 589 laborers and 1,015 artisans by the Public Works Department.

We (Xorth Otago JDaily Time*) believe that 50,000 sacks of Australiau wheat and 10,000 sacks of Australian flour are to be shipped to Auckland from the other side, the sellers taking the risk of an extra duty being put on. This is not likely to happen, as the Colonial Treasurer says he is anxious for a Conference of representatives of the colonies on the tariff question.

A man named Halford, ot Richmond, a suburb of Melbourne, who is believed to have become insane over monetary troubles, murdered his son by cutting his throat, and then surrendered to the police.

The Rev. John Orchard, Bible Christian Minister of Christchurch who during a visit some years ago occupied the pulpit of the Cromwell Presbyterian Church, is about to visit this district again and will lecture and preach in the different parts of the same. He arrives in Cromwell on the llth prox. Full particulars will shortly be advertised.

Mr G. W. Russell (a Ministerialist) says the Government are moving rather in the direction of Conservatism than Liberalism. He fears the people will be disappointed with the Land Bill, for it is rather in the diroction of large areas for the sons of comfortable farmers than small holdings for the poor. In that respect he fears it will prove a huge blunder. The Wanaka Church committee have decided to hold a grand vocal and instrumental concert in aid of the general fund in the Lyceum Hall, Pembroke, on Friday 2Sth September, which promises to be a great success, the programme to consist of 22 items with no less than 13 ladies and gentlemen taking part. Particulars are to be published in the Argus on Tuesday 25th September. The Outlook, referring to the Rev.

A. P. Davidson, late of Knox Church, says : “A paragraph in the local papers would seem to imply that he had found permanent work. This is not quite accurate. In a letter which we have seen he writes : ‘ I have been appointed to take charge of the pastoral work in Free St. George’s, Edinburgh, during the absence of the Rev. Dr Whyte. ... I shall have to preach occasionally.’ ’’

Speaking to an Assyrian hawker the other day he informed us ( Taieri Advocate) that many of the Assyrian and Indian hawkers who travel the colony are employed by firms who arrange for the importation of shiploads of articles and realise a handsome piofit. Those who are employed by the company receive very small wages, but they are sure of being sent back to their native country when they express an inclination to return.

We saw, one day last week, the perfect skeleton of a moa bird’s foot. There were the ankle bone and three toes com plete, the toes having four, live, and three bones respectively. The foot was found in a bed of clay slip 16 feet down and the toes were spread out just as if the bird’s leg had sunk into the clay. The leg bone was found also, but was unfortunately broken iu getting it out. The find was made about 4 miles from Tarras by Mr Thomas Goodall of Meadowes and party, rabbiters, on that station.

On the subject of Seaward Bush unemployed a correspondent writes to the a South lander : “ Can you tell me what the term ‘unemployed’ means? Does it mem those men who are kept steadily at work for years at a rate of wages higher than is prevailing iu the country generally ? I do not think it is fair to keep these men ou regularly when there are numbers of family men who are greatly in want of a few months’ work. Why not put off some of these lifers who must have feathered their nests, and give us hard up men a chance'”

Diamond finds are the rule in South Africa just now (July 2nd). The Orange Free State discoveries at a place near Ventcrsbvrg railway station, and the syndicate which has the matter in hand is about to purchase a large gear and set to work in earnest. There has been a diamond rush at the Farm Leyfonteiu, 80 miles from Victoria West and prospectors’ licenses aie being taken out rapidly. From Mashonaland comes the news of a supposed discovery of diamonds at a place which is vaguely described as towards the Zambesi. —Financial News.

People are glad (says the Paris correspondent of the Melbourne A>js) that M. de Lesseps lias been voted by the Suez Company a pension of £5300, with annuities in proportion to his wife and very large family. The poor old man is now totally forgotten. In his robust days he ever asserted he was poor, and that all his fortune was invested in Canal stock. But he forgot to add that his Suez values were stake 1 as security to bolster up Panama, so that all has been lost. M, de Lesseps never gambled in the scrip of either Company.

A gentleman from the back country informs the North Otarjo Times that the stoats and weasels are playing havoc among the rabbits, and that the ferret is practically useless. Stoats and weasels are seen on the highest mountains and in the most out of the way corners, and wherever they appear in numbers the rabbits disappear. There was a falling off of 12,000 rabbitskins at Omarama last year compared with the previous year, and at Benmore of about 50,000 skins. All this, however, cannot be attributed to the stoats and weasels, but we are assured that these animals are thinning the rabbits off rapidly.

In his departmental report, Inspector Pardy makes the following pointed observations in respect to the police and the enforcement of the Licensing Act in Otago : “The police have been very successful in the enforcement of the Licensing Act during the past year, both as regards hotelkeepers and sly-grog sellers j but I am sorry to say that, as far as regards hotelkeepers, there is a strong disinclination on the part of many members of the force to carry out the provisions of the Act. This I attribute to the great length of time they have been stationed here without change, thus causing friendship to grow up between the publicans and those members of the force ”

Some very important notices of motions are tabled for the meeting of the Horticultural Society at Clyde on Friday night. One of these proposes that the secretary receive a salary j another proposes that the subscription be raised to 7s Gd per annum instead of 5s as at present. The third, the most important, proposes that two shows be held yearly, at Clyde and Alexandra one year, at Cromwell and Bannockburn next year, and so on. This question requires very careful consideration, and should not be decided without the concurrence of the majority of the subscribers, If two shows a y»>r were held, it would perhaps be better to hold them at different ends of the county.

TUe Alexandra Jockey Club’s programme for their race-meeting on sth October consists of eight races comprising : District Handicap Maiden Trot of £ls 15s, second horse to receive £2 }os distance miles ; Maiden Plate of 20 sovs, second horse 5 soys, one mile j Alexandra Handicap of 27 sovs, second horse 5 govs, miles ; Handicap Hack £l2 10s, second horte £2 10s, three quarters of a mile ; Handicap Trot £25 15s, second horse 5 sovs, third horse 15s, two miles, weight 11 stone; Handicap Celling, fp sovs, winner to be sold for £lO, one mile j Handicap Trot £IJ second horse 5 sovs, third 2 sovs distance three miles, weight 11 stone ; and a Welter Handicap of 15 sovs, second hors* £2 10s, one mile.

Altogether £3,802,558 have been advanced on Government bonds, debentures, or Treasury bills by the Post Office, Government Insurance, Public Trust Ollice, and Commissioners of Public Debts .Sinking Funds. Of this the Post Ollice holds £2 421.766; Government Insurance, £926,843 ; Public Trust Ollice, £299.608 ; and Sinking Fund Commissioners, £154,341.

Our (Taieri Advocate) Dunedin correspondent writes: “I understand that there have been several assignments in the city of late, and the names of two leading firms in Dunedin have been mentioned in this connection. One of the firms was in some difficulties some time back, but managed to survive. Now, however they are so involved that it would be an extremely difficult matter to drag them from the commercial quagmire into which they have fallen, and the prevailing depression has, it is said, hastened the end. Another well known firm is in liquidation, and this is even a greater surprise to commercial men than the other. Some years back the firm was in an excellent position, but business has gradually fallen off until the members of the firm have been forced to go into liquidation. It is also said there are some ‘ who could a tale unfold,’ and that interesting developments may be looked forward to.”

The celebration of Arbor Day was not allowed to lapse altogether this year. The funds collected a week or two ago left only a few shillings after paying the deficiency on the operations of former years. This balance was expended in trees which were planted last week by Messrs VVarburcon and Pretsch, who were elected a committee for carrying out all necessary work. The school children are beginning to dig and plant their gardens, as they intend to compete for a prize offered by Mr Schieb for the best garden in the Arbor ground. The youngsters complain that some champion mean person or persons unknown, steal all their best plants. The perpetrators of this kind of contemptible v andalism are evidently the lineal descendants of the ghouls who steal the cemetery fence. As the persons who would stoop low enough to steal the lowers by which the town children endeavor to brighten a public rendezvous, are already dead to all sense of shame and to all pricking of conscience, it is no use to say anything to hurt their feelings.

Speaking at a woman’s suffrage meeting in London, Sir George Grey said that the gifts and powers of women were as varied as those of men, and they had as many or more means of influencing and benefiting their fellow human beings. Many of the best and most capable women had felt that they had never had fair play—had never been allowed free opportunity of serving mankind. Woman were entitled to exercise, without artificial let or hindrance, tiro noble faculties with which they were endowed. It was therefore the duty of all women to strive tor this free scope for their powers. The experiment tried iu New Zealand had been successful. (Cheers). All influenced by it had fallen into rank and co-operated for the common good. The conduct of all at the hustings was admirable, and it was difficult to believe that so mighty a change had been effected with such an utter absence of friction. (Cheers). If that example should be followed in this country, he was sure the feminine influence would be for good, and that every relation in life would be improved and temperance ami every good work be stimulated. (Cheers).

“ Snail brand ” Irish moss (Loasby’s) is fast becoming a household word throughout Otago, especially when coughs and colds are prevalent. “Snail brand ” Moss is prepared from the original and only genuine recipe of the inventor and tirst manufacturer of Irish Moss. Is put up iu larger bottles than other makers, it is the cheapest whilst at same time being always efficacious. To be had from all chemists and grocers. Is bottles.-— [Advt.]