The Dunstan Times FRIDAY, JULY 10, 1868.

Dunstan Times, Issue 324, 10 July 1868, Page 2

The Dunstan Times

FRIDAY, JULY 10, 1868.

Beneath the Rule of Menr.NTiHF.Ly jc thePENisiiiGHTiEßthantljeswoED.

Durtng the next week the citizens of Clyde, Cromwell, and Alexandra will be called upon to choose from among themselves persons to fulfill the office of Mayor in their respective townships. Of the advantages conferred upon the country districts by the introduction of the municipal system we are not about to dilate, knowing full well that the subject is sufficiently understood already. At the same time a few hints upon the election of persons to fill the dignity of chief officer of a municipality may not be out of place. In making their selection for the Mayoralty, the citizens should first assure themselves that the man upon whom they intend to confer so much honor should be thoroughly

qualified to maintain the dignity of his position, or at least that the very best possible selection should be made. In the person of the Mayor will be reflected .the intelligence of the citizens, for it must be borne in mind that it matters not what we think ourselves, but what other people will think of us, therefore all personal considerations and jealousies should be for the time thrown aside, and the choiceletfallupontheman best calculated to fill the office of Mayor, with dignity to himself and credit to the Citizens. The country Municipalities will doubtless at no distant date be called upon to play a prominent part in the future of Nov/ Zealand ; the days of Provincialism being most assuredly numbered ; it is therefore advisable that, as we shall be required to govern ourselves, we should do our best to be qualified to do so.

We have to remind the citizens of Clyde, that the revision of the Citizen's Roll will be held this day at noon. An unusually heavy fall of snow occurred in the Dunstan District, between the hours of 2 o'clock a.m. and 5 p.m. on Wednesday last. In the Township of Clyde, it covered the ground to a depth of six inches, that venerable individual, " the oldest inhabitant " asserts that he never saw "the like before" A h;;rd frost has now set m, and there appears every probability of its continuing. Monday's Mail from Dunedin, via Waikouati arrived ;it Clyde at 5 p.m. on Wednesday evening, and Tuesday's Mail from the same place, via Tuapeka about five hours afterwards. The youthful rider of the Tuapeka Mail, notwithstanding the bad weather has always managed to get through Lis journeys within a very few hours of his time ; and to that lad's bravery and perseverance, the public of Clyde and Alexandra are much indebted for the prompt receipt of their Town cor respondent?. Where merit exists, if undoubtedly claims to be rewarded, and we trust that the public of Clyde, and Alexandra will ia some substantial manner reward t'.c brav-i little fellow, who has doubtless endured so many hardships on their account-. During the past week, as the Team of Mr. James Hazlctt, of Clyde, was crossing the Shotovcr River, with a load of flour, from the I'runswick Mills, the shaft-horse stumbled and fell, and was d> owned beforoas; istance could be rendered. There vas no blame whatever attached to ihedriver. The accident was one of those common ones which we so frequently have to record as having taken place in this dangerous river. It is to be hoped, however, that the Government will at once take action, ami expend the money voted for the erection of the much needed bridge. Just now, when so much attention is being given to the Fijis as a field for settlement, the following particulars, extracted from a work on the Fijian .language, by the Rev. Mr. Moore, may prove interesting to some of our readers:—" In the year 1885, the wenther was mostly fine. There were 136 days on which it rained: February, March, and April, being the months during which there was the greatest fall. In April alone there were 23 days of wet weather. The extremes of temperature in 18(15 were 97 degrees G minutes, and G5 degrees, making the extreme range during the year, 30 degrees 6 tain. The mean of all the extreme heights of the thermometer during the year was SS degrees 5 minutes, .and the mean of all the extreme depression was 70 degrees making the mean range during the year 18 degrees 5 minutes. In 1864 there was exported— cocoanut oil GOO tons, value 13,200/. cotton, 100 tons, value 3,0 ! 0/. bccli do nicr, 25 tons, value 960/. wool, fi,ooo lbs, value 210/. tortois shell, 500 tons, value 250/. fibre coir, 80 tons, value 2,150/. Total 19,800/. In 18G5 the exports were—cocoanut oil, 500 tons, value 11,000/. cotton, 220 tons seed and Bo tons cleaned, value 9,200/. beeh demer, 500 piculs, value 1,200/. wool, 25 bales, value 400/. tortoise shell, 760 lbs value 375/. fibre coir, 50 tons, value 1,500/. fruit, timber, &c, 500/ Total 24,175/. The stock in the island was estimated cattle, 150 head; and the value of imports during 1865 was 20,000. Evert, ing Star.

Tho usual fortnightly meeting of th Clyde Town Council was held in the Council Chamber on Tuesday evening last. Present: The Mayor and Councillors Hazlett, M'Connpchie, Cambridge, and Goodwin. The minutes of meetings held on the 23rd and 30th ultimo were read and confirmed. A letter to the Superintendent, accompanying balance-sheet for the halfyear ending the 30th of June, was read and approved. Account of Halloway and Coomber, 12/., for forming Coquet-street, was passed for payment. On the proposition of Councillor M'Connochie, the Public Works Committee were instructed to have the footpaths in Coquet-street gravelled. Proposed by Councillor Hazlett, seconded by Councillor Goodwin, and carried, That the Town Clerk be instructed to write to Mr. Greenlaw, the District Engineer, asking him to place two surface men on the road between Clyde and Alexandra. Councillor M'Connochie laid on tho table a letter he had received from the Chairman of the Black's Progress Committee, asking the Council to use its influence towards having the land at present surveyed for agricultural purposes thrown open. The Mayor and Councillor M'Connochie were deputed to obtain information on the matter and communicate with the Committee. The usual vote of thanks terminated the proceedings. The Resident Magistrate's Act, 18G7, passed during the last Session of the General Assembly appears to have given general dissatisfaction in the working of the 74th clause, which enacts that no person shall be imprisoned for debt ina sumof lessthan t'lo. In places where business is conducted almost exclusively on the credit system, the operation of the cause is peculiarly hurtful, it being impossible for tradesmen to collect small amounts; in fact we are informed by highly respectable traders, that (hey are actually laughed at by dishonest debtors when applied to for payment of just demands. The imprisonment clause in the old act was never harshly inforced upon the Goldfields. The abolition of the 74th clause in the new Act, is much needed ; those who "can pay, and won't pay " must be made to pay Now that tho General Assembly has just met; if the tradespeople require an alteration in the law respecting imprisonment for debt, they should lose no time in moving in the matter. In consequence of the late arrival of the mails, the letter of ourDunedin correspondent came too late for insertion in this issue. We are requested to call attention to the Sale of Horses, Spring-car!, hurni'sa itc, to morrow at Clyds, by Messrs Cope and Fache. The number of Bachelors are becomhv* less and less at Clyde. The Kev. C. S. Ross has already this week united two couples in the holy bonds of matrimony. In the Provincial Government Gazette- of Juno 26., the following regulation respecting sesident areas on the Olngo Cold Fields, is proclaimed. " Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in Section 2. of Regulation XYII, ir, shall be lawful for the Warden, in his discretion, to refuse to grant a Residence Certilicate to any applicant (even although no objection may have been entered thereagainst) if it shall be within the knowledge of such Warden that the land applied for is, or is believed to be auriferous ; or if such Warden shall deem it undesirable, on public grounds, that such should bo granted : And it shall also be lawful for the Warden, in his discretion, instead of refusin" any application, to refer the same for the consideration of the Executive Government, and the Warden shall grantor refuse such application according to tho decision arrived at by them. For general information we extract the following notice from the Provincial Government Advertising Sheet. " Treasury, Wellington, 31st March, 1868. All persons having money to receive from the Government, either as salary or for supplies, are cautioned not to sign receipts without the money having been actually paid. Persons residing at a distance from a Paymaster can obtain forms which will empower an agent to receive money on their behalf, so as to obviate the necessity for personal application to the Paymaster. Paymasters are also specially charged not to allow signed vouchers to be forwarded to them previous to the money having been paid.—J. Richardson."

The offer by the Government, of a bonus of £ISOO, for the first 5000 yards of cloth manufactured in Otago, is attracting a good deal of attention, and is likely to lead to the commencement of a factory or factories. A public meeting is to be held this evening at Langley's White Horse Hotel, To komairiro, "to consider the subject of establishing a Woollen Mill, and to take the necessary measures to organise a Public Company, for the purpose of bringing it into immediate operation."— Daily Times-