Waihi Notes.

Thames Advertiser, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8366, 29 February 1896, Page 2

Waihi Notes.

(By Porcotixe.) SPOKT, IIISiEATION, Oil fBUSINESS. Waihi, February 27. / It is really time, Mr Editor, a check/ was put on the "sport, recreation, or

business" that is being carried on in this district under the guise of wild ' cattle hunting. No doubt it is a fine pastime to be well mounted, and with three or four trained cattle dogs at one's command to go hunting for stock that may be running wild in the far back bush runs. It is quite a different matter, however, when the hunting ground is confined to a limited area of bush run in close proximity to the homesteails of owners of valuable pedigree cattle,. especially when the socalled hunters shoot at any animal within range irrespective of its brand' or breed. That savors more of cattle stealing, for which anyone is liable to incarceration' for a term of years. I have been informed within the last few days by two owners of pedigree stock, whose respective runs are within easy distance of Waihi, that they] have recently lost several valuable animals, which had not been turned out long enough to become wild; besides, they had never wandered far enough away to be easily, mistaken for other than tame beasts. In one instance the owner found the carcass of an animal that had been shot, valued at. £25, from which the choice meat cuts had been carefully removed, In other instances the skins or other portions thereof were found. There are some animals missing, however, without any trace having been left of them. You will see from the foregoing that this indiscriminate cattle slaughtering has reached alarming dimensions, and unless a stop is put to it immediately it will scarcely be safe to turn ordinary dairy cows out in paddocks that are not in full view of the homestead. I hear that Constable Pardy is taking the matter in hand, and it is to be hoped that he will seen be on the scent of the guilty parties. AN ENFOECED HOLIDAY. Archie Thomson left here: on Saturday, 22nd iust., m mile for \Yarkworth, where his parents reside, He intends being away for fully a month, or until the wounds he received in the recent bush fire are completely healed. There was no truth in the report that he was about to go to the Thames for treatment. BUSH FIRES. In the face of warnings through the press and otherwise, Brown's bush ha? been deliberately fired several timet since the recent accident by some person or persons, who richly deservj severe punishment for their dastards actiou. At the'time of writing the bush is burning, and only requires a change of wind to devastate a large area of growing timber. A'MINING CONTKACT. | In a few days Mr Adam Elliott hopes to be in full swing with lus stoping contract, which will absorb & few of the large number of unetnJ ployed. There are only twelve mem engaged oh the contract so far. j

THE WAIHI MINE. , > The accident to the Waihi battery boiler has been rectified,' and most of the hands have returned to work. It is theinten'iou of the Waihi Company to send to Sydney for new tubes for the said boiler, which is not nearly large enough to supply driving power for the stampers in a dry season like the present one, THE LATE JULIUS BENE., .Julius llene (Ryan) ivho died in the: Thames Hospital on Sunday afternoon, the 23rd inst.,. was a native of the West Indies, and up to,the beginning of December he was employed at the. stone crusher in connection with the Waihi Gold Mining Company's battery, After having been working in the dustpolluted atmosphere of the said battery works for nearly three years he began to experience symptoms of lung disease overtaking him. To satisfy himself, and in order to check the fell disease' in its first stages if possible, he relin-' quished his employment and at once proceeded to the Thames Hospital, where he received the best treatment procurable, which was, however, of no avail in this instance, for the poor, i fellow gradually sank, uid died 'as. previously stated, Julius Rene's'' death adds but another victim to. the.'i manslaying Waihi battery dust. Hc/j was a generous hearted, popular young*. 1 fellow, only 30 years of age at the time'!

of his death, and I maj safely say that j he is universally regretted in this I district. Julius Rene Avas also :a % member of Court Waihi, No. 7597, I A.0.0.F., the members of which, in j connection with their Thames brethren,.] attended his funeral. \ \ THE-BATTERY DUST.' \ There was great talk, prior to the 1 Hon. Mr Oadman's recent visit to 1 Waihi, as to the alterations he was! going to have carried out in connection j with appliances for reducing the Waihi I battery dust to a minimum. The lion, j gentleman came in the height of the I dry season, when there were only some \ ■10 out of 90 head of stampers actually i] working. Of course the* fewer the i stampers the less dust there is. At ] any rate no more "has been heard of I improvements being effected in the i said battery towards lessening the risk \ the employees are subjected to by the • dust having full play. Perhaps a few more victims will have to be offered up l before any move is made in the direction indicated. -