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Cromwell Argus, Volume 1, Issue 50, 26 October 1870, Page 4

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Thk Clyde Corporation are still at it, stirring all the depths, heights, and lengths, and breadths of the district to secure a gaol andeourt-house all to themselves. Theirs is the central position ; they are the men; Clyde is the place. Our neighbours are itinerating a petition to the General Government to strengthen their claim, and to make the certainty they have of success more sure to themselves and their friends. A majority of the miners are signing it, of course ; so long as it is not a deathwarrant to themselves and families they will do this, hoping some good may come of it somewhere. A goodly number of business peoplo are doing the same, and doing right, without doubt, as far as right goes in that way. The Clyde people have had tha lion's share of governmental attention from the beginning, and it is only natural for them to hold on for it for the future as hard as they can. And we now repeat the sentiments which we have before expressed in another shape. If building the gaol and court-houso at Clyde would be more convenient to the district, and more economical to the Government ; if they would find a more central position there ; and if Clyde possesses those features of stability and forms of ' industry and progress that will be likely to give her a corpora,te; ; e£istence for the enI suing decade, as they have done in the last

—then, we s;\y, she has vindicated her claim to a respectful heaving that will bear a comparison with Cromwell, her next-door neighbour.. But has not the plucky little town gone on growing smaller and beautifully less for some years 1 The new Town Hall gave a pulse of life under the ribs of death ; but it soon got out of patience and hastened to put itself on a level with its surroundings, and hauled down a part of its elaborate frontage in token of its sympathy with the adjacent decay. Jf our rulers are not yet decided as to t~ most fitting site, and if the petition of our neighbours should have the efl' ct of deciding them in their favour, we feel sure the blunder will come to be felt further on, anii too late for a remedy. We well remember when Invercargill, having two highways from the Bluff to the town, petitioned for a third, between the other two. Government yielded : a railroad was granted. That was to the Province the " Slouch of Despond," with this advantage to the figure over the fact, that whereas Pilgrim went in with a burden and got out again ; but Southland went in with bounding joy, and never got out, and never will. Governments often yield to the prayer of petitions, when firmness and a steady refusal would be a boon to the petitioners themselves. Wo may have more to say on this subject.