PREVENTION FROM FIRE.

Dunstan Times, Issue 302, 7 February 1868, Page 3

PREVENTION FROM FIRE.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE DUNSTAN TIMES. Sir,—la your issue of the 24th ult. a full reaort appeared of a public meeting held at Clyde, for the purpose of organising a tiro brigade in that town. It appears by the report that Mr. Downing was called upon to preside, and that not a single member of the Municipal Council was present. Too much credit could not be accorded to Messrs Attfield, Barlow, Cox, and others who took i the initiative towards convening the public meeting in question, and too much blame could not be dealt to the members of the Municipal Council for their culpable apathy in connexion with so important a question as the formation of a fire brigade to contend against the ravages of that clement which ruthlessly, in a few minuti s, destroys our homes, and often the chief prospects in lit 0 of our families. The reason for the non-attendance of the Municipal functionaries at the meeting can be no other than that the action taken by the ratepayers in calling a public meeting without going through the form of memo, rialising the Council amounted to nothing less than a snubbing. Tho Council of Clyde on the whole has proved, since first established, a credit to itself, and a proof to the Government of the province that to grant municipal institutions to the country was one of the most beneficial acts of the Legislature. I am fully conscious of the fact that it is not the province of a Cromwellite to pass strictures on the conduct of public men at Clyde ; but the indifference of tho Clyde Councillors on such a matter as forming a tiro brigade was too outrageous to be looked over, even at Cromwell, especially as the object of the writer is to reach the Council of this town. Some months ago a fire broke out in the Government building at this place, and the house and all it contained were reduced to ashes in the short space of twenty minutes. Another fire broke out since, but, fortunately, owing to the nature of the building it was soon extinguished. Nothing could be possibly witnessed more ridiculous than the attempt made to save the Government house, and the ludicrous scenes enacted ought to have opened the eyes of tho Town Council to the imperative necessity of making some provisions towards extinguishing fire, which may at any moment break out. I need only mention that Monday last was an exceedingly hot day, and that there was not a drop of water running to the town, and had a fire broken out all the water procurable would be the few bucketsful from the small casks at the rear of the various premises, when the consequence of fire in one of the hotels or stores would be the utter demolition of one half of the town. On the high terrace at the rear of the main Btreet a reservoir could bo formed at a nominal cort, as water may be directed into it from a race which at. present most inefficiently serves the town with the liquid element. From such a reservoir hydraulic pressure could be made to master a most determined conflagration : but our Municipal Councillors will take no action in anything calculated to be of benefit to the town They seem to rest satisfied with being duhbed Councillors, and and never dream for one moment that activity in watchiug and promoting the interest of the municipality is expected and demanded of them. I am, &c, FIRE ENGINE. Cromwell, Feb, 5, 1868.

THE LATE MEETING AT THE TEVIOT. (To THE EDITOR OP THE DtTSSTAN TIMES.) Sir, —In your issue of the 24th ult. I percieve a letter signed Veritas. Truly Veritas seems to be in that, mental state which is said to characterise the chameleon —he imbibes M 3 color from his last association, and he writes to your journal fully reflecting the temper he had absorbed from his "masters of the runs." I pity the poor fellow. While tacitly adhering to the well-known system of feeding the blind rat, they laugh in their sleeve with significant energy, and afterwards sneer at his vacillating weakness. For his own good, I deeply deplore the solitary and obstructive attitude which he takes on questions affecting the interests of the mining community, but, fortunately, his influence is very weak. It is his folly, even more than his extreme selfishness and vindictiveness, that is so objectionable. lie wrote the letter alluded to palpably with the intention of doing the most disagreeable thing in the most obstructive way. It is really pitiable to see powers which might be fairly utilized in their own proper direction made of no avail to the public or their possessor by false application The knowledge of his flippancies and their fitting work is one of the most important things to which Veritas can attain ; in fact, it is the very basis of success in his career. He took an evident pleasure in levelling his bad temper and vindictive spirit against the Mount Bengc-r Association, but rudre especially against your correspondent. He concentrated his spite with the most intelligible disparagement for no other reason, perhaps, than simply because he was not asked to take part in their good work and practical good work. Anybody un-'er the influence of reason and common sense, to say nothing of common justice, would not have thought it becoming to disparage those who, to do them only justice, have the hardest task to perform—that of inducing our laggard Government to encourage agricultural settlement on the gold fields. Even if Veritas despises the Association for their lack of courtesy, judgment, and practical energy, ] rudence should teach him the duty of dissimulation. : Veritas should bear in mind the Greek adage, "Falsehood, like a nettle, stings those who meddle with it." I am, &c, ERGO. " Roxburgh, Feb. 5, ISCB.