THE LATE PIC NIC.

Dunstan Times, Issue 298, 10 January 1868, Page 3

THE LATE PIC NIC.

(To THE EDITOR OF THE DUSSTAN TIMES.) Sir,—ln your issue of the 27th ult. appeared an advertisement inviting the inhabitants of Clyde, Cromwell, Alexandra, and surroun-ling dstricts to join in a pic nic on the banks of the Molyncux. It seems the inhabitants of the district, for reasons best known to themselves, elected to stayaway, probably making a shrewd guess how gatherings of this description are conducted at Clyde. From my own observations I can confidently declare that 1 have never seen any sociability among its inhabitants. A ring is formed or a few tables are kept, as the case may lie, for a select few, anl any approach by the working classes is considered by this very genteel company as contamination. 1 have always considered pic nics to re social gatherings, where all classes freely mingled together, and whero every one, male and female, were determined to be pleased and to confer as much pleasure on others as they possibly could. That is the way pic nics are usually conducted in the Mother Country. The people of Clyde, however, appear to have far different notions of what a social gathering should be. Their style, it seems, is to sit on the gT.iss and cat the good things spread before them, while a few miners form the back ground, neither speaking nor being spoken to, but treated with contempt aii'l disdain by the very parties who, were they spending money in the township, would bo first to recogniso them. To treat people this way, after issuing such a general invitation, was a studiet insult, and I am much mistaken if the feeling displayed by the townspeople on this occasion will not bo fully appreciated by the few miners who were present. Does it not stand to reason that, where men have been served this way, they will not care to go again ? and, as a natural consequence, the trade of the town is affected by it. The inhabitants may be very unwilling to admit this and shut their e es to the fact; but still 1 am confident that nothing can be more detrimental to the town generally For my part I consider any one who would patronise a place after being treated in such a cavalier fashion is beneath contempt, I heard a story some time ago, to the effect that a certain landlady, residing at Clyde, when showing a female friend of hers through the house, observed, on entering one of the rooms where the bedding was not so clean as it might have been, that this was for the roughs ; and the way things were managed at thi3 so-called pic nic affords another illustration that the majority of tho townspeople hold precisely similar views, and consider anything good enough for the roughs. Fortunately I was not present myself, but several of my friends were, and they inform me that Mr. Spensely did his utmost to make people sociable. He also called a meeting the night previous, and entreated every one to render the affair a success ; but unfortunately his efforts were fruitless. The consequence was that the few outsiders who were present left the place in astate of mind better imagined than described. In conclusion, I would strongly advise the inhabitants of Clyde, when they intend holding another pic nic, or soiree, or anything in fact where it is just possible a few of the roughs may put in an appearance, to give them a polite hint beforehand that their presence is not required, and not induce men to leave their work and walk, perhaps, ten miles, merely to be laughed at for their pains. I am, &c, H. H. MUMFORD. Mutton Town Point, Jan. 2, 1868. [We certainly do not endorse Mr. Mumford's remarks, and would advise that gentleman, when he again rushes into print, to write upon what he saw and not upon what he heard Not only is he incorrect in many particulars but it appears to us he is actuated by other than a friendly feeling , towards some one or other person or perj sons.— Ed. D.T.