BENDIGO.

Cromwell Argus, Volume IV, Issue 184, 20 May 1873, Page 6

BENDIGO.

(from, our own correspondent.) .-S' tn:: f:*fyr-r ‘ v May 13, 1873. Thackeray wrote,-, , “ sure-as comes the postman or the sun, J Stills the inevitable ink must run 1 ’;

■and whether it be The Times or “ an obscure country paper” (vide Shepherd) one writes for, I pre’sume it is necessary that the potent fluid should flow, news or no news, or we will soon have the “ gentle public ” crying out, “ Nothing in the papers.” It is folly to be, contributing again and again the same thoughts and utterances —they are apt in time to be considered just a “ leetle” stale ; yet what can a poor mortal do in the circumscribed position of “your own” in this district? No mining news, no “ moving accidents by flood and field,” no horrible murders, no mysterious disappearances, and no conflagrations : —then where, oh 1 where can he find pabulum for the newspaper-reading, mind ? Happy thought 3 I will invent some. But no, this would be incompatible with my professed regard for the truth, and—lncredible as it may appear in a correspondent—l •'prefer running the risk of being considered stale even, rather than be thought untruthful. In the meantime, if your readers will have further patience, I may be able to give them great news, glorious news—perhaps when—well, when a good supply of rain falls. It is agreed on all sides that this desideratum is all that is required to enable the district to shake off its lethargy and wake into active life. Knowing this, lam content to wait, and so must they : 1 to chronicle, and they to read what progress we will make. A very heavy shower of rain fell on Sunday morning, and a slight one yesterday, but neither was of sufficient duration to do much good ; however, there are indications of more to follow. Snow has also made its appearance on the adjacent ranges, attended by frost at night; so we may conclude that winter is at last approaching. The past season has been an unprecedented one in our annals. The vegetable kingdom seemed to be under the impression that Spring in place of Autumn had supervened ; and I believe if the genial weather had lasted much longer, we would have seen the fruit trees putting, forth their blossoms under the above mistaken notion. [The Mail asserts that at Queenstown this has actually occurred.] It is a pity that fine weather should ever do any harm, but there is a possibility in this, as in many instances, of having “too much of a good thing” ; so it is to be hoped that sunny days, cloudless skies, Ac. will tor a time give place to. more seasonable weather.

The Aurora Company are engaged in repairing and improving their race, which, it seems, has been leaking to a large extent, if all the water at the head of the creek can be brought in, it is possible that all the mills will be able to at once resume crushing operations.

Tlio Lucknow tunnel is being now driven 1 by day labour, and under the circumstances I of the varying nature of the rock, I fancy I this will be best for the men employed, and I the most economical for the company. The I work is proceeding vigorously. . j I have heard a good deal of comment upon | Mr Shepherd’s late speech at Cromwell, and 1 the general idea appears to be that lie will never need the services of a trumpeter,—he j does his own “tooting” so “ illigmtly.” Referring again to Thackeray, he wrote, “ I never read any criticism of myself : I am tired of seeing my name in print ” ; and that is how a great man really feels, it is said. How is it with our Representative I He | evidently reads his personal criticisms, and i is not tired of seeing his name in print, or j why should he so bitterly complain of the non-attendance of a reporter at the meeting 1! He reminds me of the immortal Dogberry, ! to whom it was totally astounding and in-1 comprehensible that he should be called an ass, therefore he continually calls for the reproduction and notification of the fact on paper : “ Oh ! that he (the sexton) were here to write me down an ass ! Let him write down the prince’s officer.” 1 think it a good rule, and I commend it to Mr Shepherd’s consideration, “ to rest content with hearing very little of what the world says of us.” It may do for little minds like Miss Snivellici, in Dickens’ story, to keep an album of opinions of the Press (favourable of course) ; i but our magnificent Representative should be above that sort of tiling, you know, especially if, as he says, “ so long as ho continued to represent the Dunstan district in the Assembly and Provincial Council, so long (and no longer I presume) would the district and the constituency command respect and attention in both Legislatures.” Rather tall talking, no doubt: no wonder he was cheered (query, ironically 1). “Was it likely that Mr Vogel’s Government would authorise the line (Tokomai'riro to Tuapeka) at Mr J. C. Brown’s request ?” after his silent vote being given to the Stafford party. Here is “ the cat out'of’the bag” with a vengeance. It has often been darkly rumoured that Votes were bought and sold in the New Zealand Parliament, and here we have a clear proof on the dictum of the immaculate Shepherd. If his uprightness and independence are on a par with those of the Government lie supports, then Heaven help us ! After such a revelation, Mr Julius Vogel may well exclaim, “Save me from my friends!” However, if Mr Shepherd succeeds by the aid of his native “bunkum” in carrying out his promises to bis constituents, I shall be ready to accord him his meed of praise, and with others agree that “ all’s well that ends well.” So we have no regular English mail service for New Zealand. Between two stools we have come to the ground ; and indeed I think postal matters generally are becoming de-

moralised, thusly An-old and objectionable practice, which at one time prevailed to a considerable extent in Otago, has been apparently revived—l allude to the practice of cribbing newspapers in the offices during transit. Two packets, containing five Melbourne weekly papers, were posted to my address on April 21, and two papers only came to hand last week ; five stamps were affixed to those I received, so that matter was correct. Doubtless post-office officials have plenty of leisure time, and I should be sorry to debar them from filling it up by a perusal of tlxe latest dates passing through their hands ; but they might, in all fairness, after reading the papers, forward them to the ad* dress marked thereon. It is not much to ask, and I hope, in future, they will give me an equal chance to learn how the outside world is going on.