CARRICTON.

Dunstan Times, Issue 519, 29 March 1872, Page 3

CARRICTON.

—o—(fhom our correspondent. ) March 12. I thoroughly disagree with the maxim that “ Silence is golden.” It does not answer in my relations with you at all. No “copy:” no “situ.” No letter; no quid pro quo. The “ dumb dogs” of the "House” am the most enviable of all people. They toil not, wite not, speak not; yet are paid. Their role is to look wise. They manifest their sapiency by holding their tongue, and holding out their hand when the “ honorarium” comes due. They can endorse the maxim evidently, as they find it answer. The talkers, likewise, find " silence to be silvern ” Now, if you can put. me in a billet where I shall he paid for being statuestic, pray do so ; if not, give me a talking one, like your peripatetic pseudo-parsonic friend, who declines to advertise his spiritual functions and capabilities in your journal, yet migrates between St. Bathan’s aud Black’s, taking Bendigo en route—all in your district proper —disclaiming connexion with all churches, waging a guerilla warefare against His Majesty, a thorough spiritual freelance, a theological Dugald Dalgctty. I find it easier to talk than write ; hence my three weeks’ silence and this saintly prelude. I wonder if this wanderingSpurgoonite 1 have in my mind s eye could manage to favor us with his ministrations once a month. We are in a miserable state of spiritual destitution every Sunday, and have not the usual resort—in such antichurch localities as are common on tbs goldfields—a billiard table, to while away the hours of the Seventh Day. Should he favor us with a visit, he could find quarters in Horrigau’s stables, the Elizabeth coal house, or Harding’s Hotel. The former would he preferable, as they are built of stone, and those who did not go in and “ca hj up’’ could not hear. Them is a good opening hero for one of the " unemplojed” in the sacerdotal line. 1 wonder whether if “Smiler” would “ live cleanly and eschew sack” it would suit his hook. It might help him to put a bridle in Iris jaws, abjure the use of the Billinsgate vocabulary, anil prevent further brecahes of the “Vagrant Act.” Mining agency having gonS out; of date, he could employ his leisure hours in writing sermons and learning to look devout. I can promise two things on this head. I’ll try to raise twenty heareis who will pay ss. ahead each iufl ction, while I’ll report the winged eloquence verbatim, and put the h’s in tneir proper places, i suppose, were wo in Timbuctoo or Spitsbergen, our Spiritual wants would he provided for. We want something of this sort badly, aud I firmly believe if a pushing man part lawyer, part doctor, parson on Sunday, and with an attractive wife who kept a public, house—he would get a good living. Tuc wife could poison them with whisky; the husband could cure or hill them, make their wills, and read the funeral service over their-re-mains. Only note how the advertisement would re*l : Victualler, Doctor of Divinity, Member of the R >yal Collcue of Surgeons, Doctor of Com .mm Law, begs to inform the public that, at his hostelry, at Garrickton, theological lore, spiritual instruction, mortuary ministrations surgical skill, and legal advice, can all be obtained, combined with good wines and spirits.” If I can obtain an cliginle man, i’ll open a hj niso ’of this class when the -Nill Desperandmu Company complete their road up the Pipe-clay Spur. Now this said road will cost the Nil Dcsperaudum and Robert Bums Companies 33J 1. When finished it will be open to the public, and those who have sp nt tlieir time nr money in cutting it will be repaid by seeing all the world ami his wife trotting over it free. I suppose it is as likely getting blood from a stone as any subsidy from the Government to recoup the outlay while clodocrat Imrgo-eating Donald and his clique hold the purse-strings of the province. The cutting of this road will double the gold duty on the first two thousand four hundred ounces of gold these Companies obtain—should they be so fortunate. Now, if I were a political character, 1 should bring this grievance forward ; and not this one alone, but the old road to the Royal Stand ird and the road to L ’gan’s Reef, and if I could obtain no compens ition, 1 would vote against all Tao i gran's to the end of lira;, an I memorialise the General Government, like the wise men of luagahua. John Bull and the Lorn are getting golden grist for the mill. I’ll prophecy no more ; let the retort inform the public. I hear three ounces to the ton. Divide “ general” and miners’ ” expectations by three, you may then obtai" aclose aproximaHon. The Holden Gate Company arc driving their tunnel, and expect to cut the reef or the reef's place next week. Should they do so, I sin li take up some adjacent ground, and call it the Golden Horn. The atmospheric battery is not coming, I hear, and as the Pipeclay battery question is sufficiently embroiled already, your correspondent will say nothing, and attempt to look wise. The erushings have been so numerous aud varied si ce my last letier that I have forgotten their name, nomenclature, and results. 1M therefore say nothing at pre-enr, and so save my reputation, keojdng the rest ■of- my space for a few remarks on the two "Aunt Sallies”of the hill- the Elizabeth and the New Royal Standard. Everv person fancies ho has a right to have a flin; at these claims, without even pc vine the owners. I never pass over these two claims without wishing they belonged to mv aunt - that the old lady would die, an 1 bequeath them to me in her will. I -would act as follows Put a battery of ten or fifteen seven-hundredweight stamps in Smith’s Gullv, at the Standard Claim, and crush Ihe whole fifteen or tweenty feet of stone that jields some seven pennyweight to the t >n. Four men, with a shoot, could keep the machine going. The quantity here would suffice for qualify. I would make Grigs an offer of the Elizabeth battery, as a free gift, if he would come and pack it away e» masse, for any purpose he nrghf deem suitable, and promise a b. nns of 100/, •could be keep it tinej days ’ without stoppages. The tables are an rt, the gratings are coarse, the stampers are Imht, the boiler refuses to geminate steam, ar.d the whole affair is like a jibbing horse, that can not sud.will not be made to go. lam informed taat it has never yet man.v ed to crush forty tons in one week. I offer no explanation nor suggest one ; only narrate far-ts. My opinion has never change 1 about the claim. I still consider it to be the beat claim on the hill? , - * There are two important facts to chronicle --.Harding’s house is finished : the Coal Crcck wscr not yet brought m.