CROMWELL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 1168, 29 September 1865, Page 5

CROMWELL.

VISIT OF THK SUPKHINTKNDBNT,

{F&Ott OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT ) 25th September. His Honor the Superintendent visited this Township on Thursday last. He left Clyde shortly after 10 a.m., and inspected the works of the Pioneer Sluicing Company on his way up the river. His Honor expressed bis surprise at the enormous heaps of stones piled up in every'direction, and minutely examined tbe "face" and the long ridge of rocks which for some time past have rendered the working of the claim so difficult. At the Halfway House,. seven miles from Clyde, be was met by a cavalcade' of twenty horsemen, comprising most of the influential inhabitants of Cromwell, and received a hearty salute. Proceeding at a rapid rate, he was followed by his now numerous 'escort, and reached the new bridge shortly after one o'clock. Mr O'Neil, the Road "Engineer, explained to his Honor many of the details of the peculiar construction of this structure ; also the nature and source from which the materials were obtained.' Having crossed the bridge 'by a temporary roadway, and j reaching the Cromwell end, Mr Dick was met by nearly the whole inhabitants of the Town, both male and fem«le. Mr Joseph Booth, after welcoming him to Cromwell, presented the following address, first reading it in a clear and audible voice. " To his Honor TIIO3. Dick, Esq., " Superintendent of Ota^jo. " Honored Sir— " We, the inhabitants of Cromwell, most cordially congratulate you upon your election to the chief seat of honor in, this Province. We feel greatly honored by. your visit here, and by the interest you take In the gold fields, as evinced by your seizing so early,an opportunity of visiting them and judging for yourself by personal observation of the real merits of so important an interest as that of mining. We have with one accord come forward to give you a hearty welcome, and vvewish you a safe and pleasant' tour through the gold fields ; and trust that tho result may not only prove beneficial to tho interests of the mining community, but also add to the prosperity of the Province." The, address was numerously signed. On receiving the address, Mr Dick most cordially thanked the inhabitants of Cromwell for their spontaneous welcome, and passed on to the main street amidst deafening • cheers. Several of the business places were gaily decked, with fla<js and streamers;. one large flag ■ completely across the street, having on it, in large character*, " Welcome to Cromwell." At three o'clock, tha" Superintendent received another deputa- ! tiou- from the inhabitants, who came for the purpose of laying before him some of the most pressing wants of the district. The deputation oonsisted of M«-srs Booth, Davis, .Marsh," Roberts, Hinds, Shanly, Hetherington, Wright, and Pearce; they were introduced by Mr Warden Robinson. The first subject brought before his Honor's notice, was the appointment of a Gold Receiver,1 and the investing Mr Warden Stratford with the powers of a Resident Dilagistrate.'Mf DrcFrequestea" Mr Warden 'Robinson so ,to arrange that the gold received from Cromwell, should in future be shown as euph in the Escort return?. He thought it zuight be arranged for Mr Stratford to reside1 permanently in the Township; and could see no difficulty in his being made a Resident Magistrate. The want of a road to the Nevis was argued at some length; but the subject was left' to stand over for a time. It waa promised-that the sum of L2O should be placed on the Estimates, for the purpose of assisting to fence in the Cemetery.... Mr Road Engineer O'STeil was ordered to report upon the proposed removal of Hill'a| Bridge to a point pu the Molyrieux^near "Quartz" Reef' Point. The same officer was to direct his attention to the forming of the road through the Township. The last subject discussed, was the taking up the land for-agricultural purposes;" and reducing the upset price of the outside Town allotments. ■Mr Dick recommended that the Waste Land-Board be written to respecting the latter; but about the former, he said the Government would do all in their power to facilitate settlement, and that arrangements had been made' with numbers of the squatters for that purpose. The deputation, after thanking His Honor, withdrew. The interview lasted nearly an hour. The Superintendent then, m company with' some Ti3o horsemen, proceeded to Quartz Reef' Point, and visited tbe large j sluicing claims and tbe extensive works ot ! the Nil Desperaiadum Company, returning to" Cromwell shortly, after sundown, in the evening he was entertained at a public dinner at the Cromwell Hotel j the ''spread" did great credit to Host Kidd, who grapared the least. There were 2*

genttemoß present Mr Roberts, of tht Bank of New Sonth Wales, occupied the chair, Mr Thos. Shanly the vke, and Messrs Bootfr and Cope officiated as croupiers. . -,

The toast of the " Qaeeny the Prince and Princess of Wales, and the rest of the Royal Family,"^ wag given from the chair ; the Governor Sir George Grey from the vice ; each were- drunk with the usual honors.,,. •

Mr. Davis proposed the " Army and Navy." Responded' to by Capt. OMtfeil. Song, Mr Booth— "The Death of Nelson."

The Chairman than proposed "His Honor the Superinteadent," which was drunk with three times tbiee.

In reply, his Honor said words could hardly express his thanks for the kind I manner in which he had been received by the people of Cromwell. He scarcely ex- , pected to see such a splendid entertainment and such a goodly company of gentlemen at what at one time appeared to him a distant part of Otago, : and what was generally thought to be almost beyond the limits of civilisation. 'Had he not visited it he could scarcely have believed there was, 150 miles from Duncdia, such an im-' portant township as Cromwell. He should have liked to have visited the Gold Fields before his election to the office of Superintendent, but the duties of the office which he then held required his presence in town. Now he found that he could best forward the interests of the Gold Fields by personally making himself acquainted with them, and would much better be able to judge.of their progress, interests, and the capabilities of the population for developing the resources ot the oouutry. He could scarcely believe the diggers were such n jovial, light-hearted set of fellows, and he j thanked them kindly for. the handsome reception they had given him. He really should almost be inclined to turn digger and come and reside amongst them. Since he had been on the goldfields he was working hard and making long days of it. In Dunedm, the Government hours were only six a-day, now, he worked from morning to night; but the latter part of the day's work passed off the lightest and afforded the most pleasure. lie was astonished at the resources of Cromwell, and at the rapidity with which things were done on the diggings. The getting up of the present entertainment, and the preparations they had made for welcoming him was something marvelous. Some of their operations in connection with mining were on a most extensive scale. This afternoon he had visited the large sluicing claims and the works of the Nil Desperandum Company, at Quartz R>.ef Point. The extensive embankments constructed by that company for diverting the current of the Molyueux, would be a credit to the old country, and would fill the people there with wonder, especially when they consider the whole of the work was perlorrued by eleven men, unaided by professional assistance, and all in the short space of eleven months. With such energy and enterprise as he had seen upon the goldfields he had no fear for the success of Otago, but held the highest hopes for the future.

The new bridge was a large undertaking, and when complete would be aa imposing structure. This, however, was being buil; by the Government, but had he not Been it lie could scarcely give the Government credit (or such a work. However, he had come to Cromwell to learn what the Government could do, and was very glad to find that there were men in the Province that could undertake such gigantic contracts, and complete them too. lie believed that in a very short time the bridge would be finished, and opened for traffic. He would do all that was in his power to promote the interests of this and every other district in the Province, and when he returned to town, he should be able to state from personal observation, the merits of each particular ; gold field. During his tenure of office he would endeavor to do his duty to the Province, and further its interests. He was sure the people would also do their duty. He had made the Province his home, and he loved to see it prosper. He could, however, now rest in the security tint he. had co-partners in prompting the prosperity of the Province, and aa he said bc-lbre, he bad no fear for the future. (Immense applause ) His Honor then proposed—" The Town and District of Cromwell;" responded to by Mr Booth. " The Wardens," by Mr Hetherington ; responded to by Mr 11. W. Robinson. ''The Civil Engineer?," by Mr Fleming; replied to by Captain O'JSTeii, Song—"Red Indian"—Mr Hetheringtan. . " The Commercial Interest," by Mr Pearce; replied to by Mr Booth. ; Duet—Messrs Fleming and Booth. " The Mining Interest," by Mr Shanly ; replied to by Mr Kelly. "The Pastoral and Agricultural In- ' terests," by Mr Cope; replied to by Messrs M'Lean and Marsh. Song—Mr Fleming. "The Civil Service," by Mr Hinds; replied to by Mr Wai den Robinson aud Sub-Inspector Percy. Song—Mr Lawrence. v The Ladies," by Mr Booth; replied to by Mr Fleming—the same gentleman also giving, with much'humor, "Pretty Polly Perkins." "The Contractors," by Mr Cope; replied to by Mr Pearce. " The Press," by Mr Kelly; replied to by Mr Coper ' Song—Mr Robinson—" Simon, the Cellarer." ' ■'~■"*" The toast.o'fcTThe Host," completed the programme j and the proceedings were brought to-a close by singing "God Save the Queen." . : His Honor left shortly after 10 o'clock a.m. the following morning, for the Lake District.; '"- ' ; ■'■ On Thursday last, Mr H. W. Robinson, Coroner, held an inquest at the Scandinavian Hotel, Kawarau Gorge, upon the body .of a man named John Eac'es, whd was killed by a fall of earth in a sluicing claim to the rear of the hotel, where the inquest was held. The fall was a tremendous one,—the deceased being so deeply buried up, that it required the" united exertions oi 60 men, aided by several jets of ■water, more than' 24 hourst,'^,recover the body. Alarge dam whicb/'was on the bank; is suppqsedtp:B'ave caused' the' accident! Iby the- -Water^percoikting through atia; looseniDg the" soil. The unfortunate deceased some nine months since, lost a son by drowning in Lake Wanaka, by tbe breaking up of a iaft of timber which he. bad brought down tbe Makarora river,