FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 1875.

Dunstan Times, Issue 664, 8 January 1875, Page 2

FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 1875.

* His Honor the Superintendent in his speech after performing the very pleasant duty of cutting the first sod of the Dunedin, Peninsula, and Ocean Beach Railway, made a very apt remark when lie said, “ It would be interesting for the people relying upon the Government for these Railways to observe that, they must rely upon themselves.” This expression points to the significant fact that, the Government for the iuture must not be looked upon any more to construct branch or light railways where the benefits are confined to a few, and who ought to be in a position to construct them for themselves. Dunedin folks richly deserved this well timed admonition, they have long been used to look upon a paternal Government, whether Provincial or General, as the source from which everything good must spring, and had almost forgotten there existed such a quality as self dependence. Whenever anything was wanted, it was the accepted custom to ask or cajole the Government into doing it, no one thought of accomplishing anything for himself, and so long as Dunedin or Dunedin interests obtained all it wanted, where it came from or who paid for it, was a matter of iittle consequence to them. A company comes into possession of a coal-mine, and nothing must do, but that the Government should be asked to construct a branch line of railway to it, not of course in the interests of the proprietors—that the public should be supplied with cheaper coals is the object speciously put forward. Saw millers owning valuable forests urge precisely the same reasons for railway communication, and had the Government only continued to lend willing ears to these plausible importunities, they would have found themselves committed to the task of constructing branch lines of railway, leaving the main lines insufficiently provided for. It may be all very well to urge that branch lines feed the main ones, but, first let us secure the latter, when we shall soon find out what is best to be done about the former. It is a positive injustice to the people at large that, under any circumstances of government, branch lines of railway should he attempted, while the main trunk ones remain uncompleted. Suppose, that one is the work of the General Government, and the other that of the Provincial, it has to bo paid for all the same out of the public purse; and while the p ipulation located in the country districts are required to contribute thenquota to the revenue, they posseps equal rights to have their say, let the expenditure be made under whatever guise it may Whatever benefit we w< uld ask is it to the Goldfields’ population, that coals should be cheapened half-a-crown a ton to Dunedin consumers, or that opulent tradesmen should be conveyed by railway to and from their villa residences at the Ocean Beach or Peninsula, or that t’mber should be lowered a few shilinga p r r hundred feet in Invercargill. When this can be accomplished by the ordinary results of the main trunk lines, especially designed to benefit the Province or Colony at large, we own the persons henefitced are entitled to it, but, we emphatically object to individual benefits, when derived at the expense of the many. We have upon several occasions observed in the Dunedin newspapers, tabulated statements showing the receipts, expenditure, and profits of the railways already in operation, still, wo very much question the reliability of those returns. I^’’ thing is more delusive than figure, j so very much do-

pends upon how they aro compiled ; one statement may show everything colour do rose, while another, may just have the opposite effect, yet both may be substantially correct, it, all depends upon which way we look through the horoscope. We find from inquiry that the Victorian railways are only paying four per cent., and this in a country, where comparatively with ourselves, there exists a dense population, and where the interior admits of enormous development. In neither instance is this the case in New Zealand, therefore we should bo extremely cautious in accepting statements as re liable, unless we know exactly the basis upon which they have been coni, piled. The Colony is fast committed to the Public Works’ Scheme, the idea is a grand one, and it would be a pity that its success should under any circumstances be jeopardised by attempts to accomplish move than our present position warrants us in doing As things stand now, the main trunk lines are mote likely to be injured by branch ones when constructed at the public expense, than benefited. The construction of the Dunedin, Peninsula, and Ocean Beach Railway private enterprise, will, we hope, using his Honors words, “ mark a new era in the history of Otago,” by infusing into our Dunedin friends, that spirit of self-reliance, which they ought long ago to have possessed.,

The case of Garrick v. Pjko appears to be quite a little patch for the Dunedin newspapers, who have devoted columns of space, and doubtless, the time of no end of reporters, to produce the details of this miserable squabble. Our old acquaintance the “ Bruce Herald ” devotes a column and a half to reproducing this trash, and goes so far aa to place a special heading over the questionable production. Of the merits of the case we of course offer no opinion, it being sub jufHce, but we really feel justified in asking, why so much dirty linen should be washed in public 1 ? We used at one time to think that little-mind-edness was confined to the country districts, but, Dunedin appears to excel us in that accomplishment considerably. Because two persons, one a newspaper editor, and the other a reporter, choose to fall out about a disputed partnership account—even if a partnership ‘ever existed—it cannot possibly be of any more interest than the disputes of other people which come before a public tribunal for adjustment. The publication of the details of this wretched affair cannot surely be interesting to any, but a few persons connected with theuewspap°r press, nor does it become a necessity that, what pleases them should alike please other people. To create a morbid taste for murders, suicides, or the last dying speeches and confessions of executed criminals is pardonable, in comparison to stimulating a taste for such deprived rubbish as the private affairs of two private individuals, still, when we find the Dunedin Press, which oftentimes plumes itself up to setting us conventional country people an example, we cannot but feel for the littleness of our pretentious, and self sufficient advisers. Since the Honorable the Premier ceased his connection -with Dunedin newspaper literature, it has fallen into the error of mistaking the duties of its profession, and instead of being the representative of the growing industry and commerce of the Province, with the prospective future of making Dunedin the capital city of New Zealand, it has descended to the most common place pretentions, and finds pleasurable excitement in two really unimportant people, washing their dirty linen before the public. Had such a paltry affair happened upcountry. the whole sum total of the hearing of the case would have been condensed ip to an ordinary paragraph. Excellence in newspapers does not always consist in long verbatim reports, the sense of which might he equally, and as clearly conveyed in a considerably less compass. Of late years it appears that a Dunedin dog cannot hark, without a short-hand reporter being despatched to record what he says. All this may be very interesting to a few, but it is painful to the general reader ; up-country people are disgusted, while those outside of the Province must, ffiol more disgusted still. Because we live in the country, it is no reason that we are incapable of thinking, or possess in ferior powers of reasoning, nor are our intellectual capabilities any the more dulled. The Garrick v. Pvke affair we deem to he a c’imax to the rubbish that Dunedin editors delight to serve up .to us. We have hitherto held our tongue, but we have long decreed that the bunging up of “ Timon ” in his tub, followed by its conveyance to the Ocean Beach, and there committed, both, .it and its tenant to the “ yasty deep,” as food for the salmon trout, would prove a public gain. Added to this, that Inapt ctm-of Nuisances, known as Policeman X mightwilh advantage have his beat limited to 1 ho piecinets of the gaol, while Passing Notes, and Currency Papers, could verv advantageously be spared to keep them com-

pany. Considering the -lira! ted field of operations at the disposal of tho country journalist, he is considerably in advance of his tyWn contemporaries ; tho one out of nothing'produces much, in contm-diatiaotion to the other, who, out of much produces nothing.

In consequence of tho change of days of tho departure of the Queenstown mail from Clyde, our weekly issue will not be delivered at tho Kawarau Gorge, and from thence to Queenstown till Saturday instead of Friday as formerly. To other places it will be delivered as usual.

We arc requested by tho Treasurer of the Dunstan District Hospital to acknowledge the very handsome donation of L3O to the funds of the above Institution by Dr A. T. Thomson-

Parents are notified that the Clyde School will open on Monday next.

Contractors and others are reminded that the plans and specifications of the Clyde bridge are now lying at the Town Clerk's Office, Clyde, and that tenders will close on Monday the 25th instant. Tho mournful intelligence that leached us on Friday last of the death of poor Adam M'Leod is confirmed by the advertisement which appears in another column in the name of the Executors under the will of the deceased, relative to all claims owing to and by the deceased. We hear that Miss Woods, sister-in-law of Mr. A. Spence, of the Navis Crossing, during this week had her collar bone broken through a fall from her horse. The contractor for the fitting up of the new Court House is busy at work. Work at the new Library Hall, Clyde, has progressed but slowly up to the present however, a fair start now appears to have been made, and we may fairly hope to see it soon completed.

From the account of tho Winton races published in the Southland Times we see that our old friend “Atlas ” was defeated in every race he competed for, Sir Tattoo and Lyndon, both horses well known in the district beating him, and a horse named Stackpole bearing SirTattou and Lyndon. Louis Levy Goldberg, who was lately committed for trial by Mr Simpson for robbery from tho person at Cromwell, figured before Mr Justice Chapman and a petty jury at Dunedin on Wednesday last, and was found guilty, and sentenced to eighteen months’ imprisonment with hard labor. The alterations in the arrivals and departure of the mails from Clyde to Tuapeka, also to Cromwell and Queenstown, and from Clomwell to Nevis and Cardrona can bo only characterised as vexatious, no person or district being benefited. If the change has been made with the view of giving any district a greater share of the benefits of mail communication the object is not attained, and we freely give in our voice for tho old system to be returned to. We are requested to draw attention to the advertisement inviting tenders for the rental of the Clyde punt, together with a head water-race with a never failing supply of water. To two steady men the opening is a most excellent one, and cue not often to be met with.

We would draw attention to the advertisement announcing the return visit to Clyde of Mr and Mrs St. Vincent on Monday evening next, whan they will give their final entertainment. We can safely say the entertainment given by them has not in our time keen equalled on the Dunstan, and we hope the public will show their appreciation of these artists’ abilities bygiving them a bumping house. The Statutory Annual Meeting of house and land holders for the election of School Committees is fixed for Monday evening next tho 11th instant at 7 p.m. We hope, • whether it is at Alexandra, Black’s, Drybread, Clyde, or any other place where a school is established, that a good attendance will be present to transact the businesa of the meeting, I The Annual Meeting of subscribers to the Dunstan District Hospital is fixed for Saturday the 28th instant at 3 p.m., to be held in the Town Hall, Clyde. Tho business of the meeting is to elect a new Committee, and receive the reports of the Resident Surgeon and the retiring Committee. We are requested to intimate that subscribers only can have a voice in the meet-

Tho Wakatip Mail in its last issue conveys an intimation that it will reduce its bi-weekly issue to a weekly one. We have never considered that nnr contemporary made any improvement in bis journal when be brought it out twice weekly, and however inflated our Wakatip friends may feel with their own importance, they are not quite able to support a bi-weekly paper issued at Queenstown, while a weekly- is issued at Arrowtown, Onr friend the Mail, might perhaps accept this little piece of advice that, one good newapayer issued once a week is better than two indifferent ones. We havo always been opposed to the hommopathio modes of treatment.

An advertisement in another solemn nolilies a meeting of members of the Church of England for the election of Churchwardens and Vestrymen for the ensuing year will he held this evening in the Church of England at 8 p.m.. As besides the above business, the question of .fifing the pulpit rendered vacant by the resignation of the Rev. J Jones is to be considered; we trust to see a good attendance. A meeting of members of the Dunstan Jockey Club was held last evening. Sir Earn os in the chair, when, after discussion, it was resolved—That taking into consideration'the paucity of entries for the handsome programme offend by the Cromwi H Club at tbeir late meeting, and the uncertainty of there being a meeting at. Queenstown, this Club decide not to have a general meeting, hut to offer a liberal programme for the ensuing spring meeting.

The next sitting of the District Court, Clyde, is fixed for Wednesday tho lOoth of February. Professor Ulrich, of tho Victoria School of Mines, arrived in Clyde on Monday evening last On tho following day, accompanied by Mr Warden Simpson and Mr It. Poole, ha visited the Convoys Gully Quartz Reef, and several other places of geological interest in tho Alexandra district. The Professor, while not holding out great hopes of quartz reef being discovered so far down the range as ho had an opportunity of inspecting, said that the Conroys reef was a true lode, and expressed his surprise that, with so favorable a prospect nothing further than a mere scratching on the surface had been done to determine its richness or otherwise. Wo understand that Mr Ulrich, on his return, will devote a few days to the district.