The Dunstan Times. FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 1868.

Dunstan Times, Issue 308, 20 March 1868, Page 2

The Dunstan Times.

FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 1868.

Beneath the Rule of Men entirely ji-st, the pkn' is miohtikr than the sword.

In consequence of pressure upon our space we' are compelled to hold over our correspendents' letters from Queenstown, Cromwell, awl Blac c also our usual leading article. The usual fortnightly meeting of the Clyde Town Council took place in the Council Chambers on Tuesday last. Present: Councillors Shaw (in the chair), Hazlett. Goodwin, Cambridge, and M'Connochie. The minutes of the preceding meeting was read and continued. (r. Shaw notified that the absence of the Mayor was owing to serious indisposition. A letter from .the Secretary fur Lands and Works, to the effect that the Government had no intentien of altering the, boundaries of the commonage of Clyde, was read, and ordered to be received. A memorial was received from the Volunteer Fire Brigade, asking for a supply of buckets and hooks, and .the Town Clerk was instructed to intimate to Secy, of that body that the Council would comply with their request. On the motion of Cr. M'Connochie, seconded by Cr. Hazlett, the Council declined to accept the resignation of Cr. Ryan. The Public "Works Committee were authorised to dispose of the remains of the Commercial Hotel, lately destroyed by tire. Accounts from the Assessors for attendance at Court were not allowed. A vote of thanks to the chairmon closed the proceedings. A. correspondent,writing from Cromwell complains that the Town Clerk refuses to allow the ratepayers access to the minute book of the Council, contrary to the thirty-fifth section of the Municipal Corporations Act of 186.1. He also complains that the town is without a sufficient supply of water. The owners of the water-race which used to supply the town refuse to let any more come it; and also that the Council pretend they are in treaty for a water supply, but decline to let any outside person know particulars of what they are about. It may be in the recollection of a number of our readers, how that two men valiantly endeavouring to take a boat across a swollen current near Okariti for the purpose of rescuing a woman and children from starvtion who were hemmed in by a flood, upon a narrow neck of land, lost their lives by the upsetting of their boat. One of them we are informed, was Mr. Thos. Friend, for some time, a resident'ot'thc Kawarau 'Gorge. As he 'has friends in the Ihinstan district, we trust, that the painful intelligence of his untimely end, will be somewhat relieved by the knowledge that lie his death while heroically endeavouring to save some fellow crjetiirefi frr.rr. starvation-

In a former issue, Ave drew attention to t"he necessity for Registration, again to revert to the same subject, in the hope that one aud all, who posess the necessary qualification for Elec tors, will before the end of the present month, take the necessary steps to jJace their names on the Electoral Roll for the District in which they may reside. No difficulty exists in obtaining, forms, which can be had from the Wardens and Clerks of Court on the various goldfields. Registration forms must be attested, either by an Elector, the Returning Officer or a Justice of the Peace. ; i The Temperance Society's Soiree at Alexandra, on Tuesday evening last, was a very great success. There were were at least quite one hundred and thirty persons present. After a very handsome collation, provided by Mr. Beattie, had been partaken of, the amusements provided for the entertainment of the company commenced. Mr. Stuart, the Chairman of the Society being unanimously elected "pre siding Deity " The singing of Mrs. Murphy was beyond all praise, Mrs. Dawson also sung with remarkable good taste. Mr. Richardson sung two Irish songs in character, and was justly applauded. The Messrs Denny and party executed some capital part singing, and the evening passed off pleasantly. The Society is every week adding to its members, while its affairs are in a most prosperous condition. The " Daily Times " supplies the following, respecting the Queeusland diggings.—" The prospect of making a pile rapidly, ought to be strong to induce miners to emigrate to Quei nsland Some idea of the difficulties to lie encountered may be formed from ihe following paragraph taken from the "Maryborough Chronicle"—"The last week's heat has been something out of the common ; even a country such as ours, where the average temperature is some few degrees above boiling point—indeed, almost as high as frying heat. Work in general and hoeing in between the cornstalks in particular, seems out of the question : for white men, while even the Island- ; ers complain of the oven that they have been sent into. ('attle lie exhausted and panting under the scanty shade of some gum tree, and the exertion of grazing is too poweriul a diaphoretic for the horses. 'I he bigfli s and hornets forget to buzz, and only the locusts, of all living creatures, are awake and stirring, drum cheerfully against the baking trees. Not a | breath of air stirs the frees, and the I heat can lie seen, as the Egyptian darkness was felt"